It has been a really excellent last few days in Sacramento. Picking up from when I found my keys...
Thursday morning we had a service project with the Sacramento parks and rec department. We cut down a bunch of hedges, and then cleaned up the trimmings we cut down. We were done by 11:30, so we took an early, and long, lunch. After lunch the TL's got together to discuss what we would do in the afternoon. So, for an hour we played in the park, and then proceeded to go home because there was nothing left for us to do. We spent the afternoon soaking up some sun, and went out for Mongolian Barbeque for dinner (awesome!). That night there was a talent show, and let me tell you there is quite a bit of talent out here in AmeriCorps...most of the show was guitar playing and singing, some acts were funny, and some were just down right amazing. I don't think that the world is ready for my talent yet though, so I just sat back and enjoyed. Friday morning was our induction ceremony. There were a couple "inspiring" speeches, and we mumbled our way through the AmeriCorps pledge which we are working so hard to memorize, and then went back to campus for a catered lunch. After lunch some Gold 2 members decided to entertain ourselves by doing a TL scavenger hunt...so we went around the kitchen taking pictures of all the green shirts. We didn't say anything we just snuck up all "stealthy like" and took a picture then carried on like nothing had happened. They were pretty creeped out, but we thought it was hilarious. In the evening we went back to the climbing gym and spent a few hours climbing and bouldering around. We got back just in time for an open mic poetry reading that some corps members put on. There was a surprising amount of talent in the audience (even though most poetry goes right over my head), but I was sitting next to my favorite cynic, so I'm not sure I was the best audience member.
Saturday our team picked up some stuff from Target, and basically just got ready to leave on Monday. Saturday evening I went to an event called Second Saturday in downtown Sac, where a bunch of art galleries were open late to the public. There was some really awesome art to look at, and again, like with poetry, some of it just went right over my head.
We went to a couple bars downtown, and I have officially become a lightweight because after a mere 3 drinks (spread out over the evening) I obtained a pretty hefty hangover. This is another demonstration of how I "get my poor on."
Today was my last day in Sacramento. I was able to spend a lot of time with the people I am going to miss most. There was a lot of cuddling with my former pod mates, and again more game playing in the lounge again (for old times sake).
I am really going to miss a lot of people, but I love my team, and am really, really excited about getting down to New Orleans, LA (NOLA). There is a lot of work to be done down there, and I can't wait to be there as a member of the community, and not just as a tourist.
Look out NOLA, here we come!