Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Recruitment

Now that I am a former VSC, Sr. T can put me to work promoting Vincentian service and recruiting volunteers. She claims I get a "finders fee" for influencing a college friend to join this year's VSC Community, but that money has yet to materialize. Maybe I get paid in prayers.

I've also had the opportunity to talk about VSC at two very different places: Villanova University's Post-Graduate Service Fair, and my high school's Religion 12 classes. Here are some observations about both.

Villanova
  • Why must college campuses be inherently confusing to visiting drivers?
  • Villanova is indeed as "affluent, attractive, and athletic" as an STL friend once told me
  • Ladies of 'nova, I salute you for actually wearing jeans, or even cute skirts and tights! All the leggings-as-pants and nasty sweats on my current campus make me want to gag.
  • Villanova university, I salute you for giving your students great information about how a volunteer year works and what students can do with it. It was also cool to see monks running around in their black habits.
  • Fellow volunteer programs, I salute you for display boards that were snazzier than mine, and for the great work you do all over the world. I had some great discussions with people who did radio ministry in Alaska, taught English in China, helped at Covenant House in Philly, or even ran a pregnant women's shelter.
Religion 12
  • I'd forgotten how crowded and chaotic my school's hallways could be.
  • People actually laughed at my jokes about "Improving my nun acquaintance 1000%"
  • All those brightly colored VSC pens leftover from Villanova were the surest way to the teenagers' hearts.
  • Baby pictures from NFNF were also a hit.
  • I tried to say things that I would have found provocative at age 17: social justice is for all Catholics, not "liberals;" you don't know everything you need to know about your faith yet; if abortion were illegal tomorrow, there would still be major social problems that need fixing as well. I doubt I blew anyone's mind, but the teacher seemed to think I did a good job.
Overall, these were both fun adventures that prompted me to re-evaluate my VSC year. What did I learn? Have I been following those lessons? How did a year of service change me? What do I need to do to continue to live that out? My resolution for 2010 is to find a weekly service commitment in my new city, now that I am settled in.

4 comments:

Guilty of Gossip said...

leggings and sweats = my entire wardrobe...lol, villanova will probably kick me out.

Sarah said...

But you look cute in them - these girls are a hot mess. For real.

kristina said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kristina said...

I love your resolution and would love to hear about your volunteering experiences in Delaware :) A little Apostolic reflection, perhaps?? ;)

--kristina