Family is Forever

Today was a day that I planned to be very productive well my planning didn’t go very well. I wanted to get my gifts out of the way so I could relax a little on Friday but it didn’t really happen so tomorrow I am waking up at 6 to work out then getting things done but still going to take it easy and enjoy my last day in the city. I did it Cuban food today which happens to be the best thing in the whole entire world and just eating that food could make my day. So I am going back tomorrow J Today I had New York cares and it was at a nursing home and even though I had a good time it really had me thinking a lot about growing old and my family. Seeing the people with Alzheimer’s was extremely hard for me. The thought of someone I love and that’s close to me and them forgetting me breaks my heart.  It made me realize how much I love my family and that I shouldn’t take my life for granted I cant begin to explain how much this trip to New York has opened my eyes. The one thing I cant wait to do now is spend time with my family. When I was at the home there was a lady that reminded me so much of my grandma she would raise her eyebrows when she talked and nod her head, just like my grandma does when we talk. Looking at this lady broke my heart. I though about all the times my grandpa wanted me to go to church with him on Sundays and I shot him down because I hated the people at my church. I never actually took the time to realize that he just wanted to spend time with me. I was his little blonde bommer. Then there is my mom who makes me call her twice a day thats was very hard for me at first i got irritated but its just because she loves me so much and she couldn't handle the fact that her little girl was in NYC. Today we were talking and she told me how glad she was that I was coming home and how many times she sat at the table with my grandma and cried that i was gone. I think my mom thinks that i don't appreciate her and that i don't miss her but gosh i really do. And I am going to try a lot harder to show her this. I love my family so much and being in college I sometimes forget about them. Thanks to this day, that will never happen again…mark my words.

 

Yours truly

Blonde bommer J

5 for 5

So today I kind of woke up on the wrong side of the bed…I don’t really no why maybe because I wanted to sleep in but couldn’t. I just kept telling myself I can sleep when I get back home. So I woke up early and headed to Canal street to try and get some gifts for friends and family before heading home unfortunately I just ended up buying perfumes for some of them and am going to have to make another trip back tomorrow. Then after my little shopping I did I went to New York Cares with Eric. We had a nice long chat on the subway since it was on the opposite side of the town. I have found a lot out about Eric from being here and that’s that he has one of the biggest hearts. One time when Eric went to go pass out sandwiches he brought extra so he could give them away to the homeless people that couldn’t get seconds, it was so sweet. He also was very good with the kids at are project today. That’s one thing with me I get a little impatient when the kids start going all crazy but he keeps his cool. The New York cares today was fun I met a nice guy named Ted and we ran the baseball station together where it started off really good and the kids were loving it but then it ended up getting out of hand within a half and hour but it was fun. Then Eric and me headed back but we stopped at a grocery store because I spotted some good deals. Eric learned a thing or two about grocery shopping and probley if he would of went with me earlier would of saved a lot of money. He was amazed when I showed him a deal 5 for 5 when it came to frozen pizza and he bought five of them. So he should be pretty set for the last few days we have here. I just got back now from the gym and am ready to hit the sack I am exhausted.

Sweet and Salty

Today I had kind of a easy going day I woke up and worked out then I headed to my day two at the spa which was good but not to good due to the fact that I now have skin missing from under my eyebrow. L  But besides that it was good. Then after I spent half the day there I headed to my New York cares which was in Inwood. I find bedtime stories to be my least favorite thing. First things the kids have a really hard time opening up due to the fact that there English isn’t very good also I just don’t really like the activates we do and I never feel like I really did something after I am done its more or less a babysitter. I did meet some neat ladies though that were really interesting to talk to one girl named Andrea was so driven and wanted to do so many things she almost reminded me of myself for instance next week her and her best friend are going to Ireland and going to rent a car and travel around for 2 weeks sounds like something I would do. Then on my way home I bought a homeless man McDonalds which was nice because I had been wanting to do that for some time. I bought myself two apple pies but on the way home I saw two homeless people on the same block and gave each of them one. They both loved it almost more then the man I gave a whole meal to. Then I was out of a meal so I had to walk 4 blocks to the next grocery store to by myself a apple and pretzels probley a healthier decision on my part anyhow. But it was a good day sadly this trip is winding down.

 

Peace

Future

Today was a good day we took a tour of the fountain house which I had no idea what that even was until today. But what it is, is a home where they take in people who are mentally challenged and help them work and find jobs and places to live. Because the way they feel about the place is that work will heal the people with the illness. I definitely agree with this motto. I can already tell that it means so much to the people to come to work every day and feel important the fountain house also helps them get a education and feel like people truly care about them but that is because they do care at the fountain house this program is so neat. Being here in NYC has really started making me look at what I will be doing in the future and I think it would be amazing to do some kind of internship or summer job at some of the houses we have been to my favorite being the Rivington house. I feel that this trip has really helped me grasp what I want to do with the rest of my life so I wouldn’t change anything I have done since I have been here. I cant wait to one day make a difference in this world and love my job so I will never have to work a day in my life. Thanks New York City

Mariah (future resident)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

Today was a day I will never forget. I had new york cares this morning at the Rivington house and I am sure you might not know what that is because heck I didn’t know either but it’s a home for people that have been suffering from HIV and what we did was simply just hang out with them. I cant even explain to you how much this ment to me but when I think about how much it means to the people in the house it blows my mind. When I first got there we helped serve donuts and tea and coffee. They all where so nice and then after that was all done we just played games and talked. Well see I started playing trouble with a group of people showing them how to play and getting things started and then I just let them play and watched. When I heard someone say “Hey baby girl you want to see my grand baby” I turned around to see a little Latino man (quit handsome for his age) sitting in a wheelchair. I say of course I do and we sit down and he pulls out a envelope full of photos. We start going threw them one by one and he slowly starts to tell me about his life which to me sounded crazy and when I say crazy I mean gangs and fights and drugs and women and I wasn’t for sure how to handle this man. But I could tell he loved talking about it in fact I think that’s all he ever wants is to talk and for someone to listen. And that’s exactly what I did I sat there and listened to Louis talk to me about his life for 3 hours. I never wanted to leave him I wanted to learn more I wanted to spend the day heck I wanted to know everyone in that room. But the program came to an end and he had to go to church. He asked so nicely if he could skip because he really wanted to keep talking to me but they told him he had to go now. So he did and before he got onto that elevator he told me that I better come back next week and we can take a picture together. I never got to tell him I wont be back and this broke my heart. As the elevator doors closed I tried my best to hold back my tears. But as soon as I got out of the building I started bawling and I called my mom and I couldn’t say anything I just told her I was sad and she wasn’t going to understand heck I don’t understand but it was one of the hardest things I have had to do. I loved it so much and I want to go back so bad I want Louis to finish his story with me. But that cant happen joining new york cares was amazing but the policy of not being able to talk to people outside of the program is so hard. Because this man truly impacted my life and I wish we could stay in touch. Louis is dying slowly of HIV and I wouldn’t give him to much longer to live but who knows that old man seemed pretty darn tough. After I left the home I spent the rest the day by myself and for some reason could not quit humming the song amazing grace it just popped in my head out of know where. I will never forget this day as long as I live or Louis. 

balling

Saturday gets here a day I have been waiting for because I have Sport explores in the Bronx. I was so excited when I received a e-mail saying that we would be playing volleyball. I love volleyball it was my favorite sport in high school and I was excited to play with the kids. The trip to get to the school was crappy the subway G that we had to take was closed so we had to take a bus. Which was really confusing and kind of scary because we where in the projects and it was something that I had never seen before. It was exactly what it looks like in the movies dirty streets and graffiti everywhere. There was also a lot of Jews at least I think that’s what they were but it was a different kind they wore big fur things on there head and had to long strands of hair in the front like bangs curled in tight curls. Once we got to the school it was cool. We got the kids together and did volleyball drills which I could of did all day long because it was so much fun. Then we scrimmaged and it was pretty fun even though I wish I could of went all out. Later on in the day I went to Westside story with Anne where we sat in the front row right in the middle. The singing and dancing and acting was all so great but I just don’t like the story line of west side story that much it’s a little to cheesy for me. But I really loved going to it and I am glad I went. Then I came back to the apartment and crashed.

 

Love

Maria…I mean Mariah

Poor Anne

Friday again was a morning that came to soon maybe because I didn’t sleep well the night before. When I woke up I got in the shower and started getting ready when Anne came up stairs in a panic due to her face be swollen. She could barley open her eyes and her lips were huge. She had a allergic reaction to the fruit she ate the night before so she didn’t come with the group that day. L We all went to Carnegie hall which to be honest at first I had no idea what that even was but once we got there I soon realized. It was were they host a lot of the big events in NYC. It was absolutely breath taking. We got a tour and got to sing in the main hall as well. Seeing this place was unreal everything dated back to when it was originally built which was stunning. By the way this place was built for a birthday present! Can you believe that…sure honey I would love for you to build me a huge building that I can perform in for my birthday. That would be a hard present to top. Especially with how famous it has become today. After all the learning we got from the tour we parted and went on to the other things we had for the day. I had New York cares at a elementary school where I hung out with this little Asian boy for 3 hours. He was brilliant I felt that at times he was teaching me more then I was teaching him. The only thing about him was that he didn’t really play well with others for instance we played candy land together and I never once got to touch my guy or pull a card because he wanted to do it all. Its not like I cared to much but he still cheated and won every time. After that I ate at my new favorite restaurant in the world called Fresh Co. I eat there anytime I have time to go to 28^th street the salad and soup is to die for.

 

 

Love

Mariah