Home Visits

Today I went to visit one of my students in their home. What an experience. An outsider like me in thier neighborhood, in their building, on their block.

It was an experience. We were separated into four buses, when we got on our school bus, our bus driver, dressed in a cowboy hat and boots, took the time to introduce himself and let us know he was from Texas and if he got lost just tap him on the shoulder and let him know which way to go. Well that right away didnt instill a positive sense of confidence in me that he knew where he was going. And low and behold he didnt. Then when the lady who did know how to get there tried to tell him he wouldnt listen. It was a comedy trying to direct that man. We dropped of different groups, all had local volunteer ACORN members with them. Most groups had two or three teachers, for me it was just me and my volunteer. We had to go to a housing project. The building was difficult to find initially but we found it. We went in and walked to the stairs. The area was dark and dirty. We walked up to the third floor and then realized we needed the second floor. We went back down the dark stairwell and found the apartment. She knocked on the door and told them who we were, we waited a little bit and then a boy, a teenager, came and said she wasn't there and had cancelled the home visit. So we left and went back outside. The bus was gone and as far as I was concerned, we were in the middle of the projects, on the westside, lost. I didn't relay any of these anxieties to her, I just said, "Well, what are going to do now?" She just matter of factly said we'll walk over to the next location. WALK, I thought!!! In this neighboorhood! But, that's what it was all about. Getting to know the people in the neighborhood. I said, OK, lets go. Hoping that I'm safe with this little ol' lady that I was paired with. The walk was hot. We stopped at a local vendor selling snowcones on the street and she bought one for me and herself. I probably would have walked by him if I was on my own. We got a little turned around but she got us to the next house and we visited with group there. We sat on the front porch and talked about the changing neighborhood and waited for the bus driver to return. We must have stayed ther for about forty five minutes when he finally drove up. It was a good experience.It will help me understand the conditions my children have to go through just to come to school sometimes. My sensitivity level was heighten to their everyday struggles. I don't come with sympathy and low expectations. I come with inspiration and high expectations.  

I hadn't checked my email in a couple of days and noticed today that I had a AOL Alert that a comment had been posted in my journal. A comment, what, who, how, was it you, when??!!! So I read the comment, encouraging, uplifting, nothing dirty, (thank goodness) and nothing too personal. So I investigated. When was this posted, was it in the journal now and why didn't I see this before?  So I found it was two entries ago, three if you count this entry. How did I feel about that? I have never had a written response to anything in this journal. Would it change what I write about now? Well, after over analyzing it like I do,  I decided, the message was good, it was positive and no harm was meant. So, of course, I continue with my love letters to you. That what I have decided they are meant to be. Sometimes they aren't but that's what they should be.

OK, I'm going to get ready and go to WWW. I haven't been this week.

Take Care and have a good evening. Be Blessed.