Tattling vs. Reporting

Today's lesson of the day was "Tattling vs. Reporting". It's day three of "daily lessons" which I have incorporated into our daily schedule. I don't know how orderly I will be about maintaining this, however, we have a LOT we need to talk about as a group, so for now, it will be pretty frequently.

We come into the room after snack, first thing, and sit together on the carpet. Rather than sitting on a chair and lecturing at them, I, too, sit criss-cross apple sauce on the carpet with them, and we all talk together. It's been really cool, actually. They've been really receptive to it and are very talkative and responsive to the questions I pose and topics I share.

Yesterday, as a reminder, our topic was "Being Kind", and the day before was "Be the Best Me I Can Be". It's so great to see kids actually putting these things into practice. The past few days this one boy in particular, has been going up to kids who aren't listening, putting his hand on their shoulder and saying, "hey! be the best you can be!" It's awesome and I love it.

Today, we discussed tattling vs. reporting. I introduced this new system to them, where if they come up to me and are tattling (over unimportant matters that they can solve on their own but are coming to me with the intention of getting their classmates in trouble), they will get a little "monster" sticker put in an envelope with their name on it. No one wants to be a tattle-monster. If they come up to me reporting (over important matters that they need adult help to solve, when there is a situation that is harmful, unsafe, or threatening), they get a smiley face sticker. I keep track. They must work on this daily, weekly and monthly as well. We set the goals and talked about what they would lose or miss out on if they had more monsters (computers, Fun Friday, etc.) and what they could work towards (getting Fun Friday back--weekly--and a fun prize come May) with more happy stickers. 

I'm sure I will have to remind them of this new system every day, however, today there was already progress.  A girl looked at me and was like "Misss!! He just..." and I looked at her, and right away she covered her mouth and didn't finish her tattling. THANK GOODNESS because I cannot stand the amount of tattling that goes on. But she made a better choice not to continue on, so that was a happy moment indeed.

I love the life lessons, and I hope, if anything, they remember these things and maybe will use them in life as they grow older. 

:) 


Sidenotes: We finally got our car fixed and picked up on Monday. We were hoping the new part would stop the smoking from the hood. Welp, it smoked again today. I bought coolant, had it put in,and was hoping THAT would solve it. Turns out we were empty on it, oops, but even after filling it, it was still smoking from the hood. So..that's annoying...

But, on a brighter note, went to Zumba again today. Hollaaa. Great workout :)

Preview for tomorrow's "lesson of the day"

be kind to one another.

Today I had my kids do an affirmation circle.

We talked about everyone needing to be kind and respectful to each other.

We all sat in circle and each person had to tell the person to their right,

one kind thing about them.

We, of course, had to talk about it being okay if it was a girl saying it to a boy,

and vice versa.

Those silly kids.

But anyways, I WAS SO PROUD OF THEM.

They all did it, and took it seriously.

You could just see the joy on the kids' faces, as their classmates told them they were

kind, nice, creative, confident, and the best friend in the whole wide universe.

They all started hugging each other, and well, at the end, everyone wanted to hug everyone...

This was the result...

And then  they just wanted to be silly.

I love them, so it's okay :)

I like to move it, move it

Had my first Zumba experience today.

And it was awesome.

Highlights of last week:

Going to the Equestrian in Naples with the girls at Pace
Getting to play with horses there :)
Getting my foot stepped on by a horse and not breaking any bones.
Doing yoga with the girls.
Breakfast & Books :)

And today, I sat down with the first graders before we did our work, and talked about what it means to "Be the Best Me I Can Be". Hopefully they get it! Everyone should ponder that one, though ;)

Coping with Life

Coping with stress, disappointment, and life's letdowns has been something I've been dealing with a lot lately.   Being down here in Immokalee, in a small town in the middle of nowhere, away from my family and friends and everything that brings me comfort, I've had to do a lot of self-examination on the best ways to deal with hardship. I am realizing how thankful I am that I've been able to choose some healthy methods of dealing with and working through my problems, rather them avoiding them or pushing them off with temporary fixes. I am in no way, shape or form an expert on the topic of dealing with problems, but I would like to share some ideas that helped ME immensely dealing with life's crap.

-Take a walk
-Read a self-help book (Let's face it...people DO devote their lives to studying this kinda stuff, they can be useful. Don't be to proud.)
-Pray
-Cry (Don't keep it in. It's okay to feel sad or disappointed. Let it out.)
-Talk to a friend
-Blog (Or read your fun friend's blog ;) 
-Journal
-Workout
-Listen to music (or, if you're like me, turn it up real loud and SING LIKE NO ONE IS LISTENING)
-Drink some tea (May I suggest Tension Tamer?)
-Dance! (I REALLY recommend this one!)

Or, if all else fails..

Face your problems, deal with them, work through them. Feel the emotions and let that whole process take its course. It drives me nuts when people turn to alcohol, drugs or other temporary highs to "escape" their problems. I know each person has their own way of coping, but these things do not solve a darn thing. Maybe for a night. But the next day you will wake up and be smacked in the face with the same problems. You are not coping, you are not dealing with them, you are avoiding them. You are pushing them aside, and forgetting about them for the moment, not working towards solving them. Look deep inside yourself and find that space where you can say "I have what it takes, right now, to get through this obstacle. This is only temporary. Good will come from this. The best is yet to come".

Be blessed, good people. :)

Reflecting on my kiddos.

Golly, I sure do love these babies.

They bring me so much joy.

It's so easy to lose patience at times.

It's so easy to get frustrated at even the smallest things

like not listening, or talking when I'm trying to talk.

It gets frustrating when I am trying to help them,

and have to repeat the same thing

over & over & over.

Gives me a whole new appreciation for my parents,

I can say that much.

Also, makes me think of God, and how He must feel when I don't listen

to Him, and I do my own thing, and am disobedient.

When all He wants is the best for me.

I have to keep reminding myself how much of an impact I am having on these kids.

I'm only with them a few hours a day,

but these kids crave my attention, they live for my hugs, and they love me.

I can't tell you how many colored pictures and notes and art projects they 

have given me.

The picture below speaks volumes.

Things like these remind me of the influence I have on these kids...

This is why I'm here. They are why I'm here.

Detox Days 1 & 2

It's been healthy, folks. 

Real healthy.

Kale Chips

Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Kale

 Not to bad for someone who doesn't cook...ever.

Detox Day 1 Dinner Prep

Rice...so it appears..actually, its cauliflower.

Vegetables (peppers, onions, broccoli)

Detox Day 1 Lunch (red onion, beets, spinach)

detox.

Hello beautiful people! :)

I made it back from Midyear Retreat, safe and sound. As I probably mentioned in a previous post, our volunteer program had our midyear retreat in Pennsylvania. We were there from Wednesday, and got back last night (Sunday). It was sooo nice to see the other volunteers, catch up, hang out, pray, relax and have really awesome conversations with them. There was a lot of down time that we could pretty much do whatever we wanted--take a walk, swim, read, rest, journal, pray, or hang out. There were some talks given, one of my favorites being the one on discernment.

I realized I am going to be needing to make decisions very soon about my future, and what I am going to do with it...at the very least, my next year. I am definitely leaning towards doing another volunteer year (we can do 2 years in this volunteer program). I originally was thinking Cleveland, and I still very much am. I'm a homebody, and hate missing out on things back home. It'd be awesome to be near to family and friends, yet still be volunteering, and potentially making connections with organizations I could even continue to work for, post-volunteering. However, over the retreat, I began to play around with the idea of staying in Immokalee another year....we'll see. I have a lot of discerning to do..Praying, thinking, and listening for God to make it more clear for me. But that's where I'm at with all that right now.

So man, this whole giving up Facebook and Twitter thing for Lent has been ROUGH. And it's only been 6 days...ayiyiyi. Only because it's how I keep in contact with a lot of people. I do appreciate the people who have still been staying in contact though :) It's great too, because it prevents me from being nosy and getting all up in people's business, which social networks provide for so greatly. I don't need that, it's not healthy..

Speaking of health...

Tomorrow starts the 3 week cleanse/detox my roommate and I are doing. She went shopping today for week one, and man do we have a lot of fruit and vegetables in our fridge. It's from a Whole Living magazine, and by the end of the three weeks, our systems will be all cleaned out and ready to start fresh with healthy eating. I'm looking forward to it, because I really want the rest of my time down here to be spent in the most healthy way--physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually--everything. However, the side effects are fatigue, achiness, headaches, etc.  which I already have regularly, so...not really looking forward to that. But I will definitely be updating you all on how that is going. :)

With my time off of the social networks, I'm using that time I would be on there at night, to pray/reflect/journal instead. It's really important to me. But I'm reading through this little prayer book called "The Way", and I'm trying to do  a topic each night. Tonight's topic was character. I figure I'll share a favorite line from each night, why keep good things to myself, right? :)

"Get rid of those useless thoughts, which are, at best, a waste of time."

One final thing to leave you with...We got this prayer/reflection on retreat. It's a great thing to spend some time reflecting on (and for me, a great thing to reflect on during Lent)~ :) I know I can use fasting in ALL these areas. :)

Fast from judging others, Feast on Christ living in them

Fast from harsh words, Feast on words that build up others

Fast from discontent, Feast on gratitude

Fast from anger, Feast on patience

Fast from pessimism, Feast on optimism

Fast from worry, Feast on God's care

Fast from complaining, Feast on appreciation 

Fast from bitterness, Feast on forgiveness

Fast from self-concern, Feast on compassion for others

Fast from discouragement, Feast on hope

Fast from facts that depress, Feast on facts that uplift.

Fast from suspicion, Feast on truth

Fast from thoughts that weaken, Feast on thoughts that strengthen.

Fast from idle gossip, Feast on silence with a purpose.

:)

i'm leaving on a jet plane

sitting at the airport. waiting on this plane. so tired. people watching. i love these old men laughing. they are precious. and this adorable little child in front of me. i want to hug him. that might be weird. i hear a child yelling "da-da". very loudly. but i do not see the child. that man has a lovely lavendar shirt on. real men wear purple ;) hehe. this woman is reading the newspaper. i sure am glad. i love newspapers. there is a young boy, looks about my brother's age. i miss my brothers. and family. i'm tired. i need more than three hours of sleep. okay. enough of this. safe travels, self. :)

peace out social networks, at least for 40 days.

Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is over, thank goodness. I threw away any sense of healthy eating, even though I said I wouldn't. I failed. Yuck. And tomorrow (well, technically today) is Ash Wednesday. Lent has begun. Lot's of Christians are about to get ashy. If you see anyone walking around with a smudge on their forehead, it's not dirt, and yes they are aware.

I've decided to give up lots of things for Lent, in order to grow myself as a person in these 40 days leading up to Easter. It's unnecessary to name them all, but I will note that I gave up Twitter and Facebook, so don't expect to get a hold of me or hear back from me on that. KEEP UP WITH MY BLOG, THOUGH. I will be unable to post reminders on the social networks....And if you need me, text or call (440-781-8995) OR email (amandaperusek@gmail.com) OR MY PERSONAL FAVORITE...send me a letter :) 

I'm excited for Lent, though, to work on sacrificing more, giving more, doing more, and reminding myself what the whole Lent/Easter season is about. :)

Anyways, I'd write more, but I'm finally getting tired at almost 3am..(have to be up at 6:30)...yikes.

G'night.

daily ramblings

Hello good people!

Midyear Retreat is on Wednesday! I am SO excited to  see the other volunteers! Yaaay! :)
We are flying out of Ft. Lauderdale, after swinging through Miami to get Tania and Alejandro, and headed to Villa Maria, in Pennsylvania. We'll come back Sunday. :)

Time's just flyin', it seems. February is almost halfway done, come Thursday, and that dreaded Hallmark holiday...March we have immersion groups coming down, and potentially a visit from a friend! If not, they will come in April. (Cough, Jackie, Cough, Any updates? Cough Cough). Then summer is going to fly by with the all-day summer camp we are going to do with the Guadalupe Center (God, equip me with patience...) And we're getting two new roommates and volunteers in our community for the summer (most likely). Anyways, my point is, time was dragging from August-December, but now it kinda feels like sooner, than later, I'll be back home. (WHAT UP CLEVELAND?!)

What's next?? Ha. Don't ask.....no, but, really, don't ask. It gives me anxiety.

I'm super excited--I got in touch with the Campus Focus people at Ave Maria, and get to meet and hang out with them soon :) Yay for new friends! Yay for growing in my faith! :) I was supposed to meet them tonight, but I'm layin' in bed, feeling sicker than ever, so naturally that ruined my plans...Rawr.

Got a lovely Valentine's Day card in the mail today :) I have the best friends ever in life. I am so blessed with the kindness, love, and support I receive from these beautiful people in my life.

Here comes my thoughts pertaining to God and Faith:

I've been reflecting a lot on what it means to Love Like Jesus Loves...and let me tell ya..We have a good God! I cannot even begin to fathom how after time and time and time again I fail, I am STILL loved, STILL forgiven, and STILL taken back by God. After I choose other things first, and hurt and betray God over and over, not one time have I been left or abandoned. Not once has God given up on me and said "forget you, I'm done with you". It's crazy, because so often when I am hurt and I am fed up, I cut people out. I can't bring myself to forgive them or love them, though I want to love like Jesus loves, it's SO HARD. And therefore, I am so grateful and thankful and humbled by the amount of love and mercy I am given...each and every day. I am also grateful for the lessons I am learning through my own pain and suffering. There are lyrics to a song that I really have been drawn to, and felt like my time here would explain to me: It's a Christian song, and the words are: "Break my heart for what breaks Yours". Let me tell ya...God's allowed my heart to break for sure. And it just shows me how much God's heart breaks at all the messed up, wrong, unjust crap that goes on in this world.  I know the pain of a broken heart. And it coming from one person, I just think of how God's heart breaks like mine, but times, I dunno, about 7 billion??  Sheesh. The next lyrics in the song go: "Show me how to love like You have loved me." God sure is showing me that, but I am nowhere near being able to model that like I want to..but I'm trying....Anyways, I could go on and on about this, as I've been thinking about and praying on this a LOT. We can have more in depth conversation about it at a different time...

Anyways, gotta take the car in tomorrow to get looked at...started smoking from the hood the other day when I was driving it...no bueno :(

I have a headache and it's probably time to sleep.
But I just wanted to let out some random thoughts,
and updates on my life and everything going on in my
crazy head. :)

If you've made it this far, I thank you. You're a keeper :)

Be blessed, people.

:)

break my silence

As I sit here writing this post...
I am feeling extremely guilty.
I overheard a high school tutor raise 
his voice at one of my kids today....

He looked him in the eye and said:
"you KNOW your father doesn't want you! And if you keep getting in trouble, he's not gunna let you play football".
The child looked up with the saddest eyes I have ever seen and replied in a shaky voice:
"How do you know?"
"I just know."

My heart broke.
And it continues to break now,
as I sit here close to tears..

I did nothing,
I said nothing.

Wishing I would have said or done something,
to take the pain in that little boy's eyes away...

I didn't know what to do. I was shocked and so taken aback.
My heart broke for the both of them.

I even wished I could take away the pain
that young man must be feeling deep down inside.

What could have happened in his life, to justify speaking 
such damaging, hurtful words, to anyone...let alone a child?

We all have our scars. We are all hurting.

God, soothe our pain and let us find healing.
and God, just one more thing,

#BreakMySilence.

life updates on the weekend

Sorry it's so cold for those of you experiencing snow...

it's pretty nice here in sunny Florida :)

My dad sent me the best text the other day. 

I get to come home for one of my friend's wedding!

I didn't think I would be able to, 

and I've already missed the weddings of two friends.

And...there's a few more I probably will have to miss as well.

But this friend has been a close friend for a large part of my life

and I couldn't be more elated.

#MyDadLovesMe

My friend Daniela has been visiting since Wednesday!

I've missed her!!

She was interning here in Immokalee

at the Coalition for Immokalee Workers

from the time I got here until I left for Christmas break 

a few weeks into December.

It's so nice having friends be here. :)

Staying in on a Friday night, in sweats, watching basketball, eating pizza, blogging..

#DontLeaveMe

Oh yeah, and she has a really cool blog.

Check it out...I mean, Saczek it out ;)

www.saczekitout.blogspot.com

           Teaching in the After-School Program has been going well.

It seemed when we got back from the holidays, things were just crazy.

We had a time of transition as well, because the classroom we were using caught on fire,

well...the bathroom in the room caught on fire.

Anyways... we haven't been able to use the normal classroom for a few weeks.

We've been in a conference room.

It's been really hard trying to get the kids to focus and adjust to the new space.

I haven't really been able to structure or lead the class how I want to.

But, despite the frustration that comes from change and how it's impacting the kids, 

they still give me countless reasons to smile, each and every day.

One particular instance, happened just last week. I was sitting with one little boy and having him read to me. 

When he finished, I said "Good job, Angel!" And gave him a high-five.

He smiled and said: "You taught me!"

#TheseAreTheMoments

Other Updates:

Tutoring at Pace has also been going well. We decided recently that I will be helping with other projects and things around the center, other than tutoring. I got to go with about six of the girls on a field trip to the Equestrian in Naples the other day. They got to play with horses, it was fun. :) They want to help me make the most of my experience, and be able to interact with the girls in different ways, and by doing different things. So I'm excited for that. Will be sure to keep updating on the new and exciting things I get to be a part of down here.

Mid-year retreat for my volunteer group is also coming up soon. We will be going to Pennsylvania for that. I'm excited to see the other volunteers and hear about the things that have been going on. :)

Total side note: Locked the car keys in the car the other day...Haven't been able to get them out yet...Had a friend try with a hanger, but it didn't work. The police don't do lock-outs. (How lame is that...) They said to call a locksmith, but of course they charge, and I don't have money. So...hopefully that gets figured out soon. Thankfully the school I work at is close enough to walk..