Welcome & Orientation

Welcome! Thanks so much for checking out my blog. I will be writing periodically about my experience in Los Angeles as a Jesuit Volunteer. Keeping a blog was a great way to tell family and friends (mostly you, MomMom & Hubba!) about what I was up to in Quito, so I thought I'd give it a shot again. I'll try to add pictures of people/places once I get settled!

I arrived in California (for the first time ever) last week for JVC orientation in Aptos, CA. All the volunteers serving in Arizona and California gathered for 5 days to meet one another and prepare for the year. A bunch of really dynamic FJVs (Former/Forever Jesuit Voulunteers) came to speak to us about the four values that we have all pledged to live by over the course of the next year: community, spirituality, social justice, and simple living. After Orientation, we rented cars and drove from San Jose to our home in LA!

After arriving in LA, I took off for LAX and flew home for Kelly's wedding (Congrats!!). I was back here Monday evening just in time for dinner with my community and to start work on Tuesday.

A few fun facts and links...

My "Casa" is named Dorothy Kazel, named for one of the churchwomen murdered in El Salvador in 1980. All the LA houses are named for the four women killed - Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and Jean Donavon are the other houses. Casa DK is now home to five new JVs - myself, Julie, Cara, Zach, and John.

We all have different jobs in LA. My position is with Urban Compass , a nonprofit that runs an afterschool program for students at 112th St. Elementary School. We are located on the campus of Verbum Dei High School, an all boys, Jesuit, Cristo Rey school.

At JVC Southwest Orientation last week, there were 13 BC grads! Impressive, huh?! We were the biggest contingent there. Go Eagles! [Sidenote: When I stepped of the plane wearing by BC Maroon & Gold rugby shirt, I realized I would easily be mistaken for a USC Trojan...not cool! My house is about a mile from USC.]