A new experience ...
This evening I rode my bike a mile away to Angel's Flight, a temporary home for runaway or at-risk teens to volunteer by participating in a few group activities to bring fun and lightheartedness to these teens.
I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't that nervous, really. I've been anxious for some new experiences lately and so I was ready for this one. But I definitely wondered if these kids would be sultry, angry, immature, mature, looking for role models or completely disinterested. I wondered if I'd look like a fool trying to make them feel better, when I really had no idea what they were going through. My biggest concern right now is what, of the many opportunities available out there for me, I'd like to do for a living. I had a wonderful childhood, parents that have loved me and guided me all along, and a family I am very close to now. How could I ever relate?
Truth is, it was easy, it was very easy. And I loved it. These kids were all about 16, with one 12-year-old and one 13-year-old. All spoke English or were bilingual except for one kid (the 13-year-old) that only spoke Spanish. Within an hour and a half, we played three games. At first we sat on couches arranged to be facing each other and were handed little cut-out figures with celebrities or important figures' faces on them and had to write down who we thought they were and grade each other's answers in the end. Then we all stood around a pool table where one side was "Yes" and the other was "No" and we were asked questions so that we had to walk to one side of the pool table or the other, depending on our answer. Such questions were "did you eat a healthy dinner tonight?" or "do you exercise" or "do you have a pet?" The leader translated everything from English into Spanish, so I even learned a few new words.
Lastly, we all filled out a worksheet where we listed 5 goals we wanted to accomplish by the time we were 25 (I chose 35), and then shared them with everyone. And you know what? All of these kids had such beautiful goals. Real goals, and you could tell they really wanted them and were proud to share them. And the funniest part for me was that while I was smiling so big and clapping so hard when each of them shared their goals, I recognized that I was in the same boat. Heck, we're all in the same boat. I'm sure we'd all have to think a while if we had to write down five goals we wanted to accomplish in the next ten years. It feels so good to read those goals out loud.
And their goals were solid, and wonderful, and personal - to play guitar well, to move to Norway, to go to college, to raise a family ... it made me really happy to know there are institutions like this one, even if 3 weeks is the longest any teen can stay there, where they get counseling, tutoring, and activity sessions - motivation. They were not sultry or violent, they were hopeful, and their goals were REAL to them, not the impossible dreams I thought they would be. I wanted to stay there longer and hang out with them. One started telling me all about moving to Norway and how he's been there before and likes the cold, how he wants to "expose" the band he's in. They have recordings they've made in their garage and he wants to release them to the public. He plays bass, and so do I. I was nearly ushered out since they had to group-up and complete the day and get ready for bed, etc. but I could tell I would get attached easily.
I remember telling Serenity I was going to go volunteer at this teen center, and she said she thought she'd like to work with teens before but found she worked better with little children in the end. As a result, I was aware of whether or not I would work well with them or not, and I think I really did. I get impatient with the little ones because I'm always looking for connection, or some relation, but the little kids are in their kid world, where they belong, and where you can guide them by giving them an environment in which they'll learn and develop and thrive. But for me, teenagers are old enough that I can connect with them by having more closely related life experiences. I feel I can communicate with them more easily.
I think I will go again. I will rarely see the same kids since the activity is monthly and the maximum stay is three weeks, with the exception of those waiting for paperwork and court dates to carry them to legal citizenship. But yes, I think I will go again.
I wish I could write more detail and more insight, but it's past my bed time!
I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't that nervous, really. I've been anxious for some new experiences lately and so I was ready for this one. But I definitely wondered if these kids would be sultry, angry, immature, mature, looking for role models or completely disinterested. I wondered if I'd look like a fool trying to make them feel better, when I really had no idea what they were going through. My biggest concern right now is what, of the many opportunities available out there for me, I'd like to do for a living. I had a wonderful childhood, parents that have loved me and guided me all along, and a family I am very close to now. How could I ever relate?
Truth is, it was easy, it was very easy. And I loved it. These kids were all about 16, with one 12-year-old and one 13-year-old. All spoke English or were bilingual except for one kid (the 13-year-old) that only spoke Spanish. Within an hour and a half, we played three games. At first we sat on couches arranged to be facing each other and were handed little cut-out figures with celebrities or important figures' faces on them and had to write down who we thought they were and grade each other's answers in the end. Then we all stood around a pool table where one side was "Yes" and the other was "No" and we were asked questions so that we had to walk to one side of the pool table or the other, depending on our answer. Such questions were "did you eat a healthy dinner tonight?" or "do you exercise" or "do you have a pet?" The leader translated everything from English into Spanish, so I even learned a few new words.
Lastly, we all filled out a worksheet where we listed 5 goals we wanted to accomplish by the time we were 25 (I chose 35), and then shared them with everyone. And you know what? All of these kids had such beautiful goals. Real goals, and you could tell they really wanted them and were proud to share them. And the funniest part for me was that while I was smiling so big and clapping so hard when each of them shared their goals, I recognized that I was in the same boat. Heck, we're all in the same boat. I'm sure we'd all have to think a while if we had to write down five goals we wanted to accomplish in the next ten years. It feels so good to read those goals out loud.
And their goals were solid, and wonderful, and personal - to play guitar well, to move to Norway, to go to college, to raise a family ... it made me really happy to know there are institutions like this one, even if 3 weeks is the longest any teen can stay there, where they get counseling, tutoring, and activity sessions - motivation. They were not sultry or violent, they were hopeful, and their goals were REAL to them, not the impossible dreams I thought they would be. I wanted to stay there longer and hang out with them. One started telling me all about moving to Norway and how he's been there before and likes the cold, how he wants to "expose" the band he's in. They have recordings they've made in their garage and he wants to release them to the public. He plays bass, and so do I. I was nearly ushered out since they had to group-up and complete the day and get ready for bed, etc. but I could tell I would get attached easily.
I remember telling Serenity I was going to go volunteer at this teen center, and she said she thought she'd like to work with teens before but found she worked better with little children in the end. As a result, I was aware of whether or not I would work well with them or not, and I think I really did. I get impatient with the little ones because I'm always looking for connection, or some relation, but the little kids are in their kid world, where they belong, and where you can guide them by giving them an environment in which they'll learn and develop and thrive. But for me, teenagers are old enough that I can connect with them by having more closely related life experiences. I feel I can communicate with them more easily.
I think I will go again. I will rarely see the same kids since the activity is monthly and the maximum stay is three weeks, with the exception of those waiting for paperwork and court dates to carry them to legal citizenship. But yes, I think I will go again.
I wish I could write more detail and more insight, but it's past my bed time!
posted by Sara | 10:49 PM
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