new blogger sign in! new content! oh, happy day.

Since my last post I have traveled far and wide- from a tour of homeless organizations in Sioux Falls to baby orangutans in Omaha and everywhere in between (read: crab pizza in Yankton)- oh, have I got lots to talk about.

Last night I went on a tour led by the coordinator of the Homeless Coalition of Sioux Falls with other USD students and faculty who are participating in our Alternative Spring Break trips. We went to a shelter that houses people for up to a year, moving them up through the ranks until they get to live in their own room, paying some rent and being responsible for saving money and working. It was an interesting place and reminded me of volunteering in New Orleans and living in the Common Ground housing. It is a good way to visualize how hard it would be to live so publicly for such a long time. It is really challenging to sleep in a room with tons of other people and go to the bathroom with them and shower with them, etc. We also drove around a bunch of places where people usually sleep and congregate, partially for independence and partially because no shelters can house couples. It was also interesting to hear the people who work with the homeless talk about them, they care so deeply and work so hard, but there is something weird to me about being responsible for someone else. Watching them make bad decisions and trying to stop it, etc. I guess that's why I'm never going to be in social work.

In other news, the Omaha zoo is O! so incredible. Bridget and Lindy and I rode down there for President's Day and spent the whole day oohing and aahing at all the adorable animals. They have an indoor rainforest and an indoor desert and an aquarium and gorillas and baby orangutans (did i mention those- so cute!). Since the last zoo I went to was the crappy and offensive Hyderabad Zoo, it was nice to see this one that is so well maintained and focused on education. It was just overwhelming to think about all the species that exist and how we're systematically destroying their habitats. Oh, humans, when will we learn?

In Vermillion we're working hard at starting a community garden. It is fun to go to meetings and think about summer and start something that has so much potential, but it makes me sad about leaving. Especially when I realize that the weather won't always be this annoying and actually it would be nice to stay for more of the summer. All for now.