Education is a powerful weapon in our world today. Without it our society seems to keep you stuck under a bar. Few people rise above the bar with ease, and others have to fight their way to even get to the bar. I am fortunate to have had the chance to earn a good education and to choose to stick with it. I am even more fortunate to be working with women who, for one reason or another, did not have that chance but have chosen to come back and keep working towards it. The stories some of these women tell are amazing and inspiring, as I have already mentioned.
These women face challenges each day and they keep going. It kills me, though, to see one of these women hit a major road block that they cannot control or overcome. One woman today had to say good bye. She is not failing or unsuccessful with the program, but rather she can no longer afford bus fare to get to the facility. I wish I could help her out in some way, but our organization cannot pay for bus fare for the women and I am unable to give her a ride for many reasons. The thing is you start making connections with the students and you want to see them succeed... It is hard then to accept the fact that they may not reach their goal because of bus fare.
Yes I do know that in some cases, it is more the fact that they won't try to make things work rather than not being able too... but what kills me is the sheer fact that bus fare is a road block to education here, not only with adults but with children too.
26 September 2006
22 September 2006
It had been a while since I last felt that everything was in place and right where it should be. I have never been one who needs to know exactly where I am headed, but I have felt lost for quite a while. I didn't want a plan, just direction; yet, I couldn't even figure out where I was at. For me that was something I needed to figure out so I could decide where I wanted to go.
I didn't decide on Detroit, Detroit chose me after I decided to join Mercy Volunteer Corps. Actually, it chose me before i decided on MVC because it was not until I learned of the Matrix Theatre that I even thought of MVC. So really, Detroit and Matrix chose me. It too me a while to finally say yes to the call, but I did. Who knew I would find a job in theatre doing a little bit of everything that i would absolutely fall in love with. Apparently it was in someones plan.
Don't get me wrong, I love my work at Mercy Education Project. The women i tutor and work with are inspiring in every sense of the word. The only thing with that is I realize i am not a teacher. Already there have been moments where it takes me twenty minutes to explain something, just for the woman to go to one of the other tutors and have it explained better than I could in a matter of seconds. I am not a teacher, not the kind they need anyway. I realize that about myself and yet i still go and do the best I can there. The women are my motivation. If they can go in there day after day, take things seriously and work as hard as they can just to get an education, then i can go in there day after day and work as hard as i can do be what they need and do the best I can. Its a give and take relationship there, for me anyways. Like i said though, its not me.
Theatre, on the other hand, is right up my alley. Raise your hand if you knew just from hearing me talk about film and theatre, or from seeing any show i have worked one that I would end up in theatre some how. That should be all hands raised. How many of you wondered exactly why i wasn't involved in the plays in college? Yea, i often wondered about that too, but i wanted to do other things in college. I suppose i figured that i would be there soon enough, I didn't want to burn out.
For whatever reason, I took a break from theatre. Now that i am back in it, I never want it to end. After learning about Matrix's mission to create theatre for social justice and learning that there are more theatres out there that specifically work for this kind of thing, I want to do this work in either theatre or film. It just took me a little while for me to figure out where I need to be. This, however, is a great way for me to blend my desire to work for social justice and my passion for creativity in theatre or film. Isn't it interesting how things work out?
I didn't decide on Detroit, Detroit chose me after I decided to join Mercy Volunteer Corps. Actually, it chose me before i decided on MVC because it was not until I learned of the Matrix Theatre that I even thought of MVC. So really, Detroit and Matrix chose me. It too me a while to finally say yes to the call, but I did. Who knew I would find a job in theatre doing a little bit of everything that i would absolutely fall in love with. Apparently it was in someones plan.
Don't get me wrong, I love my work at Mercy Education Project. The women i tutor and work with are inspiring in every sense of the word. The only thing with that is I realize i am not a teacher. Already there have been moments where it takes me twenty minutes to explain something, just for the woman to go to one of the other tutors and have it explained better than I could in a matter of seconds. I am not a teacher, not the kind they need anyway. I realize that about myself and yet i still go and do the best I can there. The women are my motivation. If they can go in there day after day, take things seriously and work as hard as they can just to get an education, then i can go in there day after day and work as hard as i can do be what they need and do the best I can. Its a give and take relationship there, for me anyways. Like i said though, its not me.
Theatre, on the other hand, is right up my alley. Raise your hand if you knew just from hearing me talk about film and theatre, or from seeing any show i have worked one that I would end up in theatre some how. That should be all hands raised. How many of you wondered exactly why i wasn't involved in the plays in college? Yea, i often wondered about that too, but i wanted to do other things in college. I suppose i figured that i would be there soon enough, I didn't want to burn out.
For whatever reason, I took a break from theatre. Now that i am back in it, I never want it to end. After learning about Matrix's mission to create theatre for social justice and learning that there are more theatres out there that specifically work for this kind of thing, I want to do this work in either theatre or film. It just took me a little while for me to figure out where I need to be. This, however, is a great way for me to blend my desire to work for social justice and my passion for creativity in theatre or film. Isn't it interesting how things work out?
18 September 2006
Quite a Tail
As roommate to a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Middle School for girls Extended day staff, I have the wonderful privilege to be asked to volunteer chaperon their "Super Saturday" activities. I of course say "yes," how could i pass up a free trip to the zoo and free lunch just for watching over 8 girls as they get a tour? It was like i was back at summer camp.
For the most part, they were middle school girls. They wanted to see how far they could stretch their bounds before I called them to come back to the group. We really just needed to cage them up and put them on exhibit because middle schoolers are some of the most interesting creatures to watch in their natural habitat. As frustrating as they may be, tell me that it is not intriguing to watch them make a big deal about the tiniest detail as if their world would come crumbling down if it went wrong. In a way its a whole different culture, completely worthy of an anthropological study.
Anyways, the zoo itself was wonderful. So many animals to see, so little time. My favorite animal that we saw was this fuzzy mammal that gives off a pheromone that smells like popcorn or fritos... although it made me want popcorn. I wanted to see the lions, but the guide didn't have time to fit that in because she wanted to make sure we saw the kangaroos, the polar bears, and the penguins. I did love seeing them, but I wanted to see the big cats.
I finally saw, in person, a scarlet ibis. Gorgeous birds, though they always make me think of this really sad story that I read in Ninth grade literature class.
My favorite part of the day was definitely seeing the girls enthralled by the Llamas. Actually they weren't enthralled by the llamas, but when the guide asked them what their favorite animal was they all said llama. In effort to make their day better, the guide took them to the llamas, the girls weren't too thrilled with that.
On the way home, I happened to be sitting next to Tim on the bus (Tim is the Jesuite Volunteer that works with Anita at OLG). The girls were pestering him and decided to do the whole "do you have a girlfriend" routine:
"do you have a girlfriend?"
" Yes"
"what's her name?"
"Jennifer"
They then turn to me and say
"Ms. Trail, whats your first name?"
"Maura"
"Oh"
Of course, because I am sitting next to Tim, I am automatically the girlfriend that he speaks of... right? That is until I say my name is Maura.
For the most part, they were middle school girls. They wanted to see how far they could stretch their bounds before I called them to come back to the group. We really just needed to cage them up and put them on exhibit because middle schoolers are some of the most interesting creatures to watch in their natural habitat. As frustrating as they may be, tell me that it is not intriguing to watch them make a big deal about the tiniest detail as if their world would come crumbling down if it went wrong. In a way its a whole different culture, completely worthy of an anthropological study.
Anyways, the zoo itself was wonderful. So many animals to see, so little time. My favorite animal that we saw was this fuzzy mammal that gives off a pheromone that smells like popcorn or fritos... although it made me want popcorn. I wanted to see the lions, but the guide didn't have time to fit that in because she wanted to make sure we saw the kangaroos, the polar bears, and the penguins. I did love seeing them, but I wanted to see the big cats.
I finally saw, in person, a scarlet ibis. Gorgeous birds, though they always make me think of this really sad story that I read in Ninth grade literature class.
My favorite part of the day was definitely seeing the girls enthralled by the Llamas. Actually they weren't enthralled by the llamas, but when the guide asked them what their favorite animal was they all said llama. In effort to make their day better, the guide took them to the llamas, the girls weren't too thrilled with that.
On the way home, I happened to be sitting next to Tim on the bus (Tim is the Jesuite Volunteer that works with Anita at OLG). The girls were pestering him and decided to do the whole "do you have a girlfriend" routine:
"do you have a girlfriend?"
" Yes"
"what's her name?"
"Jennifer"
They then turn to me and say
"Ms. Trail, whats your first name?"
"Maura"
"Oh"
Of course, because I am sitting next to Tim, I am automatically the girlfriend that he speaks of... right? That is until I say my name is Maura.
15 September 2006
Its a Mold Thing
Let's talk about mold. Apparently one of my my roommates, lets call her Q, is highly allergic to mold, a common happenstance in old houses like the one we live in. Now, Q decided to call our land lord and attempt to get it all taken care of... so she complained about the basement, the ceilings and the bathroom. Now the bathroom was certainly legitimate since there was actually a mushroom growing in it... remind me to post a picture. Well the land lady got us a dehumidifier for the basement, but of course it doesn't work, and she had someone investigate the bathroom. As soon as the land lady said that she was going to fix the bathroom, Q decided to up and move to this retreat center while it is fixed. By the end of it all she will have been out there for two weeks. So G, my other roommate, and I decided to stay in the house until last Sunday and then head to the retreat center while they did work on the house. We thought work would begin last Tuesday after they checked the house out, but of course it didn't. it will begin next Monday, so G and I moved back into Detroit to avoid the 45 minute commute in the morning while Q stayed at the retreat center.
First of all, Q needs to get her act together because the house will not be any better once the bathroom is fixed because they are leaving the basement as is. The basement is probably causing her more problems than the rest of our house, but the land lady is doing nothing to the basement because it would cost WAY to much to fix up... in the sense that she would have to completely finish the basement.
I guess what i am saying is that it is completely illogical for Q to stay out 45 minutes away for two full weeks.
1. It wastes Gas, which is expensive right now... and she has a gas guzzler
2. It splits up the community
3. It is replicating the late 70's flee to the suburbs
4. She gets lost enough already
not to mention I am a tad irked still that she didn't even try to work it out as a community, she just said that she was leaving until the bathroom was fixed. And no offense to her, but saying "i don't care what you guys do" does not mean that we worked it out as a community. I feel like she has some issues, or rather discomforts about the city that she refuses to tell me and G about... but when we have a community that is supposed to be open about sharing concerns, and she doesn't share there's not much we can do.
Moral of the story: just because there is a fungus among us, does not mean you should run away...
... and mold was just an excuse for Maura to vent about the situation
First of all, Q needs to get her act together because the house will not be any better once the bathroom is fixed because they are leaving the basement as is. The basement is probably causing her more problems than the rest of our house, but the land lady is doing nothing to the basement because it would cost WAY to much to fix up... in the sense that she would have to completely finish the basement.
I guess what i am saying is that it is completely illogical for Q to stay out 45 minutes away for two full weeks.
1. It wastes Gas, which is expensive right now... and she has a gas guzzler
2. It splits up the community
3. It is replicating the late 70's flee to the suburbs
4. She gets lost enough already
not to mention I am a tad irked still that she didn't even try to work it out as a community, she just said that she was leaving until the bathroom was fixed. And no offense to her, but saying "i don't care what you guys do" does not mean that we worked it out as a community. I feel like she has some issues, or rather discomforts about the city that she refuses to tell me and G about... but when we have a community that is supposed to be open about sharing concerns, and she doesn't share there's not much we can do.
Moral of the story: just because there is a fungus among us, does not mean you should run away...
... and mold was just an excuse for Maura to vent about the situation
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