Service Learning Paper #1

-Describe setting, persons, and community of your service learning experiences
I volunteer at the Odyssey Youth Center in Spokane, which is located on the South Hill. It is a center for primarily Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Asexual, Questioning, Queer, and Intersex youth aged 13-24. Although the center is primarily for the LGBT community, straight allies are also welcome.

-what do you hope to gain from this experience?
I hope to gain an understanding of LGBT youth. Before I attended Gonzaga, I had never experienced a gay straight alliance, nor attended a school that was vocal about their acceptance of LGBT students. I hope that by facilitating at Odyssey I can learn more about the LGBT community as a whole, particularly young LGBT people. I hope I can integrate what I learn at Odyssey into discussions at Gonzaga’s Gay-Straight Alliance, HERO. I also hope I can learn more about marginalized groups as a whole in society and relate LGBT experiences in society and the church to women’s experiences in society and the church.

-what expectations, assumptions, prejudgements did you have about the population you are working with? where did these come from and why do you think yo have them?
I had a few assumptions about the population I am working with. First, I was expecting to work with some hard-edged kids. I thought most of the kids would be very at-risk or in horrible family situations. I think I had this idea of Spokane’s youth that was completely biased. When I would go to the mall in Spokane, I would see punk or goth looking kids. I assumed this would be the population I was serving.

-After doing service learning, how have your previous assumptions and prejudgements about the nature of the agency or its clients changed or strengthened? why?
I know there can be alot hiding behind the surface of teenagers, but these kids seemed pretty "normal". They were just a bunch of high schoolers. I have realized that not only do Spokane youth look different, but specifically all LGBT youth do not look the same. The youth at odyssey can look as normal as the “upper middle class” youth I worked with at my summer Episcopal camp. I’m ashamed that I had an idea that all LGBT youth would take up a different lifestyle or look because of their marginalization. This doesn’t mean that LGBT youth are not marginalized; This means that they don’t always make poor choices, or look different, because of their marginalization.


-What incidents do you recall that made you feel like something important and significant was happening to you as a learner? One Day, Ian had a task for us. We went downstairs and he had us make tiny backpacks full of condoms. He also had us check pre-made packages to make sure they weren't expired. I was shocked at the amount of supplies Odyssey had. Spokane Group health donated the backpacks, and Odyssey had hundreds of condoms lying around. I realized how blind Catholic school sex-education can be. I went to public school until high school, and then I attended Catholic school. Sexual education basically only included teaching us how we make babies. Not how to prevent teenage pregnancy, not how to prevent STDs. I'm so glad that places like Odyssey exist. Not only does Odyssey teach kids that it's okay to be who they are, it teaches them that its okay to have consensual sex as long as you're protected. The fact is, some kids have sex, and no matter what their sexual orientation, they should be able to protect their bodies, future, and lives. Because of Catholic doctrine, which has strict ideas of sexuality and abstinence, Catholic sexual education is discriminatory not only to LGBT populations, but anyone who can participate in sexual activity. This includes all women. If women are not taught how to protect their body, they may feel overlooked.

Another afternoon that I spent at Odyssey was a rather emotional experience. The week before I dropped by Odyssey, I had read via email that Tyler Clementi, a gay college student at Rutgers University, committed suicide. He committed suicide after his roommate posted a live video of Tyler’s intimacy with another man. I talked to Ian about it and he was shocked. We didn’t talk about the recent suicides until the following week. That next time I volunteered, the youth center got together to watch youtube videos from the Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is an awareness campaign that brings to light the reality of LGBT suicides, and provides an alternative to this life altering decision. The Trevor Campaign includes videos posted by famous people, such as Ellen Degeneres, Kesha, Obama, and more. We watched these videos in solidarity and reflected silently as a group. I knew something horrible was happening at the world and I realized how important suppport groups and youth centers are for the LGBT community. I am proud that places like Odyssey exist, and I am proud that I can serve and learn with this community.

what motivates you to continue working at your site? what does this tell you about yourself and what you are learning in class?
I am motivated to continue working at my site because I learn something new every time I volunteer at Odyssey. Also, by riding the bus to my service learning placement, I am stepping outside my comfort zone, which enables me to grow as a person. I love working at Odyssey because the youth that attend drop-in hours are so diverse. I learn so much about young people and about LGBT people when I volunteer there. I also hope that by working at Odyssey I can bridge gaps between conservative ideals (that stem from some faith practices like Christianity) and the LGBTQQIAA community. I can bring experiences from Odyssey to our class and the Gonzaga community, and share my experiences as a GU student to Odyssey.

what is the most important insight you have gained about yourself as a learner by participating in service learning.
I think I have learned that I can be independent and branch out to others outside of campus. I have learned that I also stereotype the populations that I think I know a lot about, or that I identify with. I have learned that not all people fit the mold I think they are going to fit. I hope I can try to break down these stereotypes throughout my life and remove my judgements so I can see people for who they truly are. I think I can’t be faithful to what I believe in (loving all people) if I don’t try to remove these prejudgements from my brain.

Visit on Oct 7th 2010

I took my third trip to Odyssey yesterday. Scott, Jen and I all went to the center on the bus again. Riding the bus gets easier every time I take it.
So as soon as we arrived at the center, Ian had a task for us. We went downstairs and he had us make tiny backpacks full of condoms. He also had us check pre-made packages to make sure they weren't expired. I was shocked at the amount of supplies Odyssey had. Spokane Group health donated the backpacks, and Odyssey had hundreds of condoms lying around. I realized how blind Catholic school sex-education can be. I went to public school until high school, and then I attended Catholic school. Sexual education basically only included teaching us how we make babies. Not how to prevent teenage pregnancy, not how to prevent STDs. I'm so glad that places like Odyssey exist. Not only does Odyssey teach kids that it's okay to be who they are, it teaches them that its okay to have consensual sex as long as you're protected. The fact is, some kids have sex, and no matter what their sexual orientation, they should be able to protect their bodies, future, and lives.

After we put the backpacks together, we chilled with the kids again. We played apples to apples. It was hilarious. We talked, laughed, and listened to 90s music. I had a blast. The youth asked us to stay longer when we had to catch our bus. I think next time we will. Those two hours are starting to go by so fast!

I made it to Odyssey!

So there was a bit of confusion with how I was going to get to the Odyssey youth center. But I finally got things figured out. My roomate and a freshman honors student are going to trek it to Odyssey with me. We take the bus to get there (which is an experience in itself).


Basically my job as a volunteer at the resource center is to kick it with kids for two hours, and in the future plan some educational/social programs.

I was expecting to work with some hard-edged kids. I thought most of the kids would be very at-risk or in horrible family situations. I know there can be alot hiding behind the surface of teenagers, but these kids seemed pretty "normal". They were just a bunch of highschoolers.


I really enjoyed my first time volunteering at Odyssey. I had tons of fun. The kids there were super social, and active. I was surprised that they didnt utilize any of the games--it was like they didnt need to. They seemed interested in strengthening the bonds they had within friends. There were a few cliquey situations going on, which is bound to happen when you group high schoolers together. But they seemed for the most part very accepting of everyone.

New Semester

So, a new semester has begun. I have attempted to apply for every institutional Job (except telefund) I could find and I haven't found anything. Sometimes I wonder, if I removed my volunteering at the resource center from my resume, would I get called back more often?

Anyway, HERO--Gonzaga's Gay straight alliance has started up. We have tons of new members, and some that have returned from studying abroad. I'm very excited for all of the events HERO is going to put on.

Also, I am volunteering at the LGBT resource center again. Not many people know that the resource center exists, so I'm going to try to fix that. Word of mouth might help. The last time I was volunteering, I picked up a publication that HERO created 3 years ago. It is called "Out of the Shadows." It has some artistic, poetic, and nonfictional short stories from the LGBTQIAA community at Gonzaga. Jen (HERO president) let me bring it up during a meeting--I want to make it a project of mine this year. So basically the idea will be to grab another editor and create a collage of works that describe how the LGBTQIAA community is treated by the Gonzaga community.

Also, today I am going to check out Odyssey, which is Spokane's youth center for LGBT teens. I will be volunteering there on Fridays. I can't wait!

I'm thinking of joining a program called the Drexel Leadership program, also known as an Americorps program, Students In Service. I would receive a grant to do 900 hours of community service over the course of two years. I think it would be a great way to reflect upon my service as a whole, and i would be able to try tons of new/random service activities!

Speed of Sound In Seawater

So I went to a show downtown/midtown with a friend to see the Speed of Sound in Seawater. One of the dudes in the band recorded some of my music, and I like his music style, so I wanted to check the band out live. As we were driving up to the pizza joint that it was right next to the gay district, which was pretty awesome. My friend and I wished we could have gone clubbing, but neither of us are 21.

I was surprised that the other bands/headlining bands were hardcore/screamo/screaming. Aside from the occasional, theatrical scream, I would never consider SSIS hardcore.

If you're into local music, you should check this band out. One of the dudes recorded some of my music. They are a combination of indie-folky-weirdness, math rock, post-hardcore guitar/drums, and screaming. Their albums are up on bandcamp for free.

http://www.myspace.com/thespeedofsoundinseawater

High School Nostalgia-Already?

I've decided to turn this college assignment into a blog about life. I'll include updates about summer, camp, school, and other happenings. Here goes!

Friday, May 28th was my high school's graduation.
It's weird how fast time flies by.
I'm a sophomore already.

Here's to not having a sophomore slump.

Chocolat

Chocolat
The characters Vianne and Le Compte de Reynaud have different images and God and life. These ideas influence how their actions, and how they affect the community. The movie Chocolat was released in 2000, based on the novel by Joanne Harris.
Vianne’s image of God is loving and nurturing. Because of this image, people around her are influenced in a positive way. Rather than faith, her moral values are drawn from the conditions she was exposed to and her heritage. Furthermore, Vianne is more flexible to other things because she has allowed other elements of life to be her teacher. However, one constant religious icon she looks up to is her Mayan heritage. In her shop, she displays Mayan statues, which are viewed as pagan by the other members of the community. However, her Mayan roots make her the great Chocolatier that she is. While her Mayan statues seem pagan, her compassion for others is not. She uses chocolate in a way that heals people. She mends relationships and builds new lives for the entire community. In particular, she heals Madame Audel. She takes a woman trapped in tradition and restores her self confidence. Vianne tells Audel that even though she cannot keep the vows of marriage, she still deserves love. Vianne’s flexibility to be open to other people makes them feel welcome in her presence. She is much more welcoming than the Compte,Vianne proves that sometimes breaking traditions is better than staying stuck in a rut.
The Compte De Reynaud entrenched himself in tradition. Compte de Reynaud’s image of God is the Law. His God is a ruler. His God is also one to be feared. The Compte clings to God to keep the tradition in his town. His image of god influences his daily life. Because his image of God is as a keeper of the law, the Compte attempts to do the same. The Compte stresses the importance of tradition in everyday life. He goes as far as to change Pere Henri’s sermons to make them stricter. The Compte makes sure there is no room for sinners in his town. He puts all his trust into the bible, and will keep the bible’s commandments even if the task is impossible or will hurt others in the end. This is revealed when he tries to change Serge. Even though Serge does not deserve his wife, the Compte is set on keeping the sanctity of their marriage. The Compte’s strictness makes the town fearful and devout. Because the Compte de Reynaud only relies on one teaching, when he questions that teaching for a moment, his morals fall apart. He indulges in hypocritical sin. However, with the help of Vianne, he learns the lesson of adapting himself to situations rather than asking everyone to adapt to his standards. The Compte may keep the townspeople in check, But Vianne makes them feel comfortable with who they are already. When Vianne enters the town, everything changes.
Both the Compte de Reynaud and Vianne change the town for better or worse. They both have good intentions. The Compte’s intentions derive from the Bible, and Vianne’s intentions derive from her personal experience. Each want the best for the town, however they have different ideas of what the best is for the town. The Compte focuses on the sanctity of the town, whereas Vianne focuses on the town’s well being. The combination of the two make the town a warm, loving, but devout place to live. I think the balance of the two create an ultimate form of goodness.
I measure goodness by both intentions and deeds. For example, the Compte has very good intentions, but his outcomes are disastrous for the community. Vianne’s deeds are good but we are unclear whether her intentions are to bring a community together. Vianne is focused on carrying out the traditions of her family, and we do not see whether she would like to change the community or not. I think both characters are good and have good in them, they simply have different ways of showing it—just like most people—we have different ways of showing our goodness. I think goodness is a desire to change things for the better from the bottom of your heart.
Chocolat is a movie that uncovers what is good. The Movie shows us different images of God, and how they affect characters and characters around them. The movie shows that goodness can be interpreted in many different ways, and a good balance of strictness and love can create harmony.