First, as always, I must apologize for the long lapse in blogging... My last five months in El Paso flew by at lightening speed. I ended up with a huge case load of around 90 clients whose cases I managed. Due to increases in visa availability and a number of other events all colliding it seemed there was more need than when I first started. I definitely learned a TON about the durability of the human soul and human beings ability to overcome hardship from my time working with survivors of domestic violence and crime. I really don't think I have fully processed that experience and all that I saw in my time with the Border Servant Corps.
So as for the transitions... Since not all of you know where I am now or what I am doing :)
I wrapped up at :as Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center August 5, with many tears saying good-bye to my clients and co-workers. I spent August 6, packing and saying many more goodbyes to my Border Servant Corps group mates and other friends and flew out early August 7, to Baltimore, MD. For those of you who have never lived in an intentional community it is hard to explain how hard it was to leave my group mates. I tend to say, "It is like saying goodbye to your family when you strike out on your own but you know you will not be back for holidays." I tried to not cry because it was over but smile because it happened, though even now I miss that group of 11 more than I can say, as well as many of my other friends and clients in El Paso.
A dear friend picked me up from the Metro in DC and I moved in to her living room... As I had no home... August 9, I started work as a fellow at A Wider Circle, the same non-profit I worked for two years ago. Our mission is to help individuals and families to lift themselves out of poverty. The simple description is that we make sure individuals who were sleeping on the floor last night have a bed to sleep in tonight and that they have access to health and wellness education, money managment, stress management, and job skills information that those in poverty usually can not access. It is an AMAZING place and we have been recognized for our outstanding programs. I was hired to direct the educational programs... I was just starting to wrap my mind around what that meant my third week of work or so and was offered a different job at the same organization...
I am now the Director of Development. I agreed to a two year contract (I know you are all thinking, "WHAT!?!? Karen commited to something!?!?! And it sounds like a real job!?!?!" :P ).
So I will be here at least that long. I have to say I have never before felt like I am in the exact right job for me. I am amazed that the Exec. Director and Assistant Director were able to see something in me that I didn't even know was there. For all my writing teachers who are reading this, those skills you nurtured will now be put to use writing grants. I get to manage and organize events. I get to network. I get to make connections with corporate partners. I get to form relationships with individual donors. I get to help oversee a million different things while forming mutually beneficial partnerships and explain to others why they should want to be involved in making sure that every child has a bed in which to sleep. Who knew there was a job that encompasses everything that I love to do? Now I just have to figure out how baking and making bread contributes to ending poverty... And when I will have time to do that...
I literally wake up in the middle of the night because I am coming up with new fundraisers, new approaches, new things we could try, etc. It is amazing - Not the lack of sleep but the energy and excitement I have for this job! I have a ton to learn but as my boss said, "This will probably be intellectually challenging for you." My response was, "GREAT!" Now I just need to be patient with myself as I learn, which is a virtue I lack for myself :) .
Other than that I bike around, pretty much everywhere. I love being in a place with trees again. I live near a trail which I bike, run, and walk on and just find myself smiling as a play in the rain (Yes, I am an Oregonian at heart).
So that is life now days. I will make the same promise I always do, I will try to update this regularly and improve on my communication. I think I hope if I keep saying that sooner or later it will actually happen :) I would love to see any of you who would like to travel out to these parts, and now you have two years to do it :)
Though I miss you all loads - except for the few of you who are out here and I get to see so I don't have time to miss you- know that I am very content with where I am at and feel like this will be a great place to be for the next two years.
Many hugs and lots of love to you all!
