So this is the update:
Monday/Tuesday participant retreat. It went really well but I was not doing that great because of math stress and the unbearable heat. It was fun to get to know the participants and give them a good idea of what the program is going to look like this summer.
Wednesday – I hit my breaking point. I went to BHCC (school) to reschedule my final exam because I thought I had failed the midterm. My professor told me that I had NOT failed my midterm and that I had to take the final that day because grades were closing at noon. I had to take the test unprepared and unfit. He graded it once I finished it and I failed it BUT he gave me an extension, which is really nice. I have until september.
Because of the math thing, I got to SJS three hours late AND sweaty. One of the main things I wanted to do this summer was play a big mentorship role – as it turned out the participants took a vote so staff could see who the participants would be most comfortable with as mentors (in the morning when I wasn’t there). Apparently – I only got one vote.
I don’t take this entirely personally. I got to there late that day so I was not on their radar screens at all and I’m pretty sure that non of us had a chance to really make an impression by that point. Because of this I lost one of things I had wanted to get most this summer.
Either way, it was definitely a dissapointing day.
AND finally, today. I had orthodontics in the morning (I AM GETTING MY BRACES OFF ON AUGUST 5TH!!!!!!) Then therapy, then a staff meeting, then the program. SK did a fantastic workshop on organizing. After that we had another discussion about class then we broke up into class affinity groups. We had working class/poor, middle class, upper middle class/owning class, and mixed class. It was self defined and the participants chose which one they associated themselves most with. I chose upper middle class, even though I associate myself more with middle class (did you know 80% of the population think they’re middle class?) It was no where near as awkward as we all thought it was going to be and it turned out to go pretty well. I got a chance to facilitate a little bit which was FANTASTIC because staff has been trying really hard not to participate in the discussions (mainly because it has the potential to turn into a lecture that way, and this program is there for them, not us.) It was nice to have a chance to play a leadership role and I look forward to that.
I got to hang out with WP today and debrief the week and the various other drama I’ve been dealing with. It was great because I feel like he’s really on my side and he helped me calm down about things. I hope I was able to support him too.
THAT’S ALL. I swear.
Another (hopefully shorter) update soon.
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