When I say that it feels like it's been ten years since I've been here, it's because so much has happened since last August that I can't believe that it could all possibly fit into one year. I met great friends, I lived in an apartment, I met a wonderful man, I moved out of said apartment and moved in with said wonderful man, I had friends come visit, I suffered the loss of a friend, I witnessed a hurricane here, my hometown experienced a devastating hurricane, I visited JMU (twice), I visited Jersey (three times), my mom came to visit, I experienced Superbowl AND Mardi Gras in New Orleans, I walked through sketchy neighborhoods, I got a car, my car broke down, I ate more crawfish than I care to describe, I collected more beads than most people will in their lifetime, I've gone to San Antonio (twice) and Pensacola (twice), and to top it all off, I helped the homeless population of New Orleans. ALL IN A YEAR.
There is so much I've learned this past year--some blatantly obvious lessons that have been reinforced, and some new lessons. I'd like to share the five most important ones.
1. Don't be afraid to move to places you've never been.
Now I don't just mean don't be afraid to visit places you've never been--anyone can take a vacation. I'm saying don't be afraid to MOVE to new places. Experience new cultures, meet new people, live freely. I got the job in New Orleans about three weeks before I moved here. I had no idea I was going to be moving here. To be honest, I don't even remember applying to a place in New Orleans. I remember applying to Nashville, but not New Orleans. But when I got the call from UNITY for an interview, and a follow-up call saying I got the job, I decided what the hell, I'm going for it. The night before I left for orientation in Atlanta, my mind was racing. I almost had an anxiety attack about not knowing where I was going, not having any furniture in my apartment, not having any friends, not having a car, and not having any money. It was terrifying. But I decided if I didn't do it, I was going to regret it. So I moved, all by myself, to a city I've never been to, just hoping for the best. Luckily it worked out better than I could have imagined. And hey, if you move somewhere and you don't like it, then move back. It's not the end of the world.
2. Friends will visit you where ever you are.
Good friends don't care where you move, they will find a way to see you. So many of my friends came to visit this year--more than I expected. I know I had the appeal of Mardi Gras, but I know they would have come otherwise! I also had friends come visit twice (shout out to Des and Jackie), which is just amazing. And even if your friends can't afford to come visit you, they will find a way to see you or keep in touch. Exhibit A: my wonderful guy friends couldn't take time off to come visit me (besides Justin) so they pooled their money together to pay for my flight to JMU. And shout out to Colleen for driving to JMU to see me for less than twelve hours between her work shifts. Moral of the story: Friends are incredible. Keep the best ones by your side. It's definitely better to have a few great friends than a ton of decent friends--luckily I've been blessed to have a lot of great friends.
3. Money doesn't buy happiness...
And if it does, then I'm screwed. This year I made a salary that people would literally cringe at: $399 every two weeks. The question I got most often was "Was your room and board provided?" because people couldn't believe that I was able to pay rent and live off of about $800 a month. But no, my room and board was not provided. This was the money we had to live off, plus food stamps if you opted to apply for those. So as you can imagine, I didn't have much money for luxuries. Because of these, I realized that I can be completely happy without needing to spend a lot of money. This means I went out a lot less than I used to, but that also means that I got to stay home and spend time with my boyfriend more. Less money and tons of fun. It's a win-win. What is a bummer is that when I would run into emergencies, such as flying home after Hurricane Sandy hit to be with my family or pay for my broken down car, I wouldn't have enough money to accommodate. However, if you are as lucky as I've been, things will always find a way of working out. The most fun I've had this year required no money--like walking the nature trail, attending crawfish boils, going to the Marine Corps Ball (which wouldn't have been free if I didn't have such generous friends and a boyfriend, hint hint Tracy, Ben and Steve), going to parades and festivals, serving the homeless population, exploring the city, and hanging out at home.
4. No matter how far away you travel, your home will always be your home.
When I think of this, I think of both New Jersey and JMU being my homes. I visited each place multiple times this year, and each time I went back it felt like nothing changed, and I just belonged. One of my favorite lyrics ever written is from "Lost In My Mind" by The Head and the Heart: "Momma once told me, you're already home where you feel loved." I couldn't agree with this more. When I go to Lavallette or JMU, I love that people get excited to see me, and I love getting excited to see people. Sure I love the places, but it's the people that make it as wonderful as it. Not to mention they're both beautiful places, which helps a bit. And although I love New Orleans, I know it's not my home. It doesn't feel like my home. I love living here, but I know when I go to Lavallette or JMU, I'm home.
5. Changing lives will change your life.
I've always had a soft spot for serving, and I knew I always wanted to do it. If you've known me for a few years, you would know that I used to want to be in the Peace Corps, however because of my love for my family, friends, and ability to travel home, I put that dream on hold. AmeriCorps was my next option. I knew last summer that I didn't want to start a big girl job yet. I wanted to help. I wanted to serve. I didn't really care where, but I wanted to be in a place that needed me. When I came here, I knew I made the right choice. I learned so much about homelessness, especially New Orleans homelessness. I've learned so much about Hurricane Katrina, which before I came here, was just a storm, and now it's "The Storm" that people talk about on a regular basis, even eight years later. I've learned that this city had a lot of homelessness before The Storm, and after The Storm, it was one of the cities in America with the most homelessness, despite being such a small city (population 360,740). I've learned that out of all the cities in America, I'm so, so overwhelmingly happy that I was sent here. When I first moved here I painted a quote on my wall that describes it perfectly: "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I've ended up where I've needed to be."
It's impossible to explain my Americorps experience in one blog post, as I could ramble on forever. I'm so grateful that I had this opportunity. The connections I've made I know I will have for the rest of my life. The interactions I've had, especially with some specific homeless people, I will never forget, even if they have no recollection of talking to me. My life has been forever changed, and I have so many people I owe that to. Thank you to everyone for being a part of my life this year, and always, no matter how small of a part you've played. Believe me, I've treasured it.
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