Days 1&2 of Orientation

This is day 2 in Pittsburgh and it already feels like we have been here for weeks. Our first evening consisted of quick introductions and recieving our schedules for the week. We are living at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center located up on a hill over looking the city of Pittsburgh. The retreat center has over 100 bedrooms and lots of rooms for meetings and presentations. There are Passionist Monks that live here as well and we see them often during the day and at meals. I have found so far with the Passionists that they are all so nice and welcoming which is part of there mission and lifestyle which i absolutely love! They have been so gracious with there home and have been so willing and eager to hear about where we have all come from and what brought us to the passionists! I was actually expecting to be staying in a small house and sharing rooms with other PVI participants. We all have our own rooms on the 3rd floor but we dont really spend a lot of time up here. Friday morning Carolyn (Honduras participant) and i got up around 7AM to go for a run down to Carson St. Carson St is a very popular street with lots of shops and resturants, the one catch for us is that it is down a very very large hill which meant we had to run back up it! Our first morning meeting consisted of talks around our energy entering orientation, hopes, stresses, and questions would like answered during these next three weeks. We went over things we would be doing over the next three weeks as well. We will be having lots of presentations on many different topics, we will have some group work which will consist of work within our group going to jamaica to talk about what it will mean to live and work together. From June 20th-23rd we will be traveling to PVI's domestic sight in West Virginia to work with the volunteers there. I am not really sure what specific work we will be doing but im really excited about it. Some fun things we have to look forward to are a trip to Kennywood Amusement Park and a baseball game at the Pittsburgh Pirates!!! Later on in the morning Father Lucieon, Sister Maureen, Amy, and Tricia all told us there "life stories" which consisted of growing up and what has brought them to where they are now. After lunch we all had to do the same thing and it was really an incredible experience. It put us all in such a vulnerable but yet safe situation to really open ourselves up to each other. We all have very different life stories which i think in itself has something to say. Not on of us of a like which is why we are unique and it isnt our place to judge others which i think will be a key value to take going into our year in Jamaica or Honduras. We have a recpetion hosted by the associates as well that evening! There was lots of food and drink for us! We mingled with all of the passionist associates who were eager to hear where we were from and what brought us to the associates! While at the reception i met a women name Palma, we shared where we were from and how we both got to the passionists. She has been involved for a long time but was very eager to hear about me! I told her about my experiences working with children with disabilites and things i had done in college. After i wonderful conversation she asked for my contact information so that she can keep up with all that i am involved in and where my career takes me. After the recpetion we went down to Carson St which is a popular street in Pittsburgh and we watched the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup. Fat Head's the bar we were at erupted with cheers and joys as those final seconds ticked down. We then headed outside to closed streets and lots of joyous celebrating! It was one of the most exciting things i have ever seen and an amazing amount of city pride! It was a great way for all of us to relax and have some fun together! On Saturday Sister Maureen talked to us and presented information on acculturation. We talked about our culture and what it will be like living and adjusting into a new culture. I know there are going to be many challenging moments adjusting and living in a new culture completely different from my own but i know how wonderful of an opportunity this is. I anticipate culture shock which will be difficult but i also know that i have four other roommates who will be there for support and visa versa. Im really loving getting to know everyone here and the group headed to jamaica seems amazing!