I left my heart in New Orleans...

Last week for spring break I had the opportunity to go down to New Orleans for a few days with nearly 400 other Clemson students from FCA to do various forms of mission work around the city. We departed from Clemson in the wee hours of Saturday morning and arrived in the Big Easy around 5:00 that night. Saturday night and Sunday found us exploring and experiencing the unique cuisine and abundant culture of the city. On Monday morning, my group of thirteen students set out for the New Orleans Mission, our work site for the week. When we arrived, we were given a list of projects that the mission needed done. The New Orleans Mission is a homeless shelter for the people of New Orleans. They house approximately 150 men each night and a smaller number of women and children. I learned that the homeless population of New Orleans, which was about 6,000 before Hurricane Katrina, is thought to have doubled or tripled since the storm, to a number between 12,000 and 18,000. The mission can only help a tiny percentage of those who are still without homes, but the impact they have in the community is making a difference nonetheless. We originally thought we were going to have direct contact with homeless people, but we ended up doing odd jobs around the shelter. We built cubicles so that social workers can come in to the mission and have a place to meet with the shelter's clients and help them find jobs. We built shelves in a linen closet, patched a hole in the wall of the new addition to the shelter, and organized their warehouse and clothing donations they have received to make things easier to find and access. Overall, we had a very productive week at the mission. We were all sad to see the week end and come back home, but it was a very good learning experience for us all. This was my third trip to New Orleans, and I have learned more and more with each visit. I hope to continue going down there to help out because, although a lot of progress has been made to rebuild, there is still a long way to go.

Article Reflection

This was an interesting article to read. I strive to be honest in all I do and say, so the idea of lying on a resume has not really occurred to me. The article made some valid points. I agree with its statement: "You jeopardize your future when you lie about your past." This makes perfect sense to me, because I have learned over the years, both from personal experience and the mistakes of others, that a lie cannot continue forever. The truth will eventually be discovered. So it seems to me that the best path to take is to be honest. Dishonesty is unfair to everyone. Lying may seem worth it temporarily, but the consequences to which it will lead are far worse than just telling the truth all along.

Presentation Reflection

Recently in class we spent time giving and listening to presentations on a wide variety of topics. Overall, the presentations were very interesting to hear. Our class members shared things about which they were interested and/or knowledgeable, which ranged across a broad spectrum. My personal favorite presentation was done by Michael Wade. He talked about Clemson football, and since he is a football player, he was able to tell our class a lot of interesting information that I did not know before he spoke. He talked about the team schedule during the "off-season," although there really isn't an off-season for football players. They always have practice or weight training or mat drills or meetings or something going on, even when they are not playing games on sunny Saturdays in the fall. I thought it was neat to hear about the football program from a inside perspective. Michael did a good job with his presentation. It taught me something new about something I enjoy.

Mock Interview Reflection

I had my mock interview on Wednesday morning. I thought it went fairly well, but there were definitely things I could improve with practice. I have not had many "real" formal interviews so I have not had very much experience. I was just a little bit nervous but not really because I knew it was not real. I didn't really know what to expect in the way of questions. I was "interviewing" for a teaching position at an elementary school in Greenville. I was asked questions about different aspects of education, No Child Left Behind, and why I would be a good or qualified teacher, among other things. Some of the questions were a little bit difficult because I am just now getting into my education classes since I am only a sophomore. I think because I have this class as a sophomore, I can begin to build on what I have already learned and what I will continue to learn in this class about the work world.