Today me and Kurt gave blood. The initial idea was to do it on Valentine's Day, because I don't really care about the day. But they closed early on Monday, so we couldn't make it. And Kurt brought me Korean food and ice cream and wine and cheese and chocolate. The food was nice, but I still don't care about Valentine's Day. Kurt said that when he was picking up the wine, he saw a bunch of burly guys in wife beaters looking bewildered in the card isle at Super Saver. I thought that was funny. But we finally gave blood today, and I did a good job because I have never been this not light-headed afterward.
I helped some guys from the Bhutanese Community in Nebraska start their 501(c)3 application today. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The Karen Society hired and paid a lawyer to do it. Though, I hear the IRS are sticklers, and we might get a bunch of stuff back that indicates we did a poor job. Either way, it was actually fun for me (nonprofit nerd that I am). I liked helping the Bhutanese guys do it. I mean, the two guys who came are two of the most acculturated, best English speaking Bhutanese around, but going through that IRS application is a difficult thing to do even if English is your native language. Reading through it, I was glad for my masters degree. It was fun to help people who are going to help people.
Me and Kurt have been making these shakes lately. Vanilla ice cream, chocolate pudding powder, and peanut butter cups. We made them twice this past weekend, I think I put on a few pounds because of it, but oh are they heavenly.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
cleaning
I don't know what it is, but I've all of a sudden become very interested in having a clean apartment. Not just neat, but clean. As in, I'm about to mop my kitchen floor on my hands and knees because I don't have a mop yet, and I just dusted every surface in my apartment that could be dusted. I don't quite know where this is coming from, though I expect it's somewhat related to seeing how dirty the Herrick house in GR was when I moved out of it in August, having lived there for 3 years. Either way, I'm pretty sure there's no harm in it.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
customs
I have a funny story from work today.
Today I decided that when the refugees come for intake (usually the day after they arrive in the US, to do all the boring paperwork and find out all we can about them), I would see if I could get a time slot in which to sit down and explain a few things about housing to them. For example, when rent is due, where to send their rent (I think I'm going to start giving each family a half sheet of paper with all this info), which utilities they pay, what phone number to call for repairs, when they need to start paying rent, etc. So today, in the first intake I tried this out on, one guy asked me a bunch of questions about his apartment. Since I had personally checked over his apartment, I knew that most of the reports of broken things could be attributed to refugees newly arrived not quite understanding their American apartment, so I ended up driving them home after intake and checking out the problems. The sink, indeed, was clogging up, but the stove was fine. Then, there was the perennial issue of the smell of food permeating the entire apartment, which seems to bother a fair amount of refugees from every country refugees have come from. I just explained to him that American apartments have to have thick walls and enclosed spaces so that we can keep the heat in during the winter. We don't have open space to the outside (which he was worried about because he didn't have). Then he point blank asked me for another bed because when his wife is menstruating, they can't sleep in the same bed. He also wanted another bed for when they had guests in the future. He was very adamant that it was their culture that men did not share a bed with their wife when the woman was menstruating. His wife was even chiming in with "4 days!" He clarified, saying "Four days out of every month, I must sleep on the floor?" I basically told him yes, because LFS buys 1 bed for married people, and we can't buy any more. I told him that when he gets a job and some money, he can buy himself another bed.
I don't usually have client interactions like this, mostly because most of our refugee's English is non existent, or not good. But this Bhutanese family spoke English well (the two young, married adults), and I guess my new idea of having a talk with the refugees during intake might turn into a little more client interaction.
It was snowing pretty hard on my way home from work. This week I've already logged 27 hours (11 yesterday), so since we're still on the 37.5 work week, that means I get to work 10 1/2 hours between Thursday and Friday (with a 2 1/2 hour cushion, if something comes up). Sounds good to me. I love the flexibility of my job.
Today I decided that when the refugees come for intake (usually the day after they arrive in the US, to do all the boring paperwork and find out all we can about them), I would see if I could get a time slot in which to sit down and explain a few things about housing to them. For example, when rent is due, where to send their rent (I think I'm going to start giving each family a half sheet of paper with all this info), which utilities they pay, what phone number to call for repairs, when they need to start paying rent, etc. So today, in the first intake I tried this out on, one guy asked me a bunch of questions about his apartment. Since I had personally checked over his apartment, I knew that most of the reports of broken things could be attributed to refugees newly arrived not quite understanding their American apartment, so I ended up driving them home after intake and checking out the problems. The sink, indeed, was clogging up, but the stove was fine. Then, there was the perennial issue of the smell of food permeating the entire apartment, which seems to bother a fair amount of refugees from every country refugees have come from. I just explained to him that American apartments have to have thick walls and enclosed spaces so that we can keep the heat in during the winter. We don't have open space to the outside (which he was worried about because he didn't have). Then he point blank asked me for another bed because when his wife is menstruating, they can't sleep in the same bed. He also wanted another bed for when they had guests in the future. He was very adamant that it was their culture that men did not share a bed with their wife when the woman was menstruating. His wife was even chiming in with "4 days!" He clarified, saying "Four days out of every month, I must sleep on the floor?" I basically told him yes, because LFS buys 1 bed for married people, and we can't buy any more. I told him that when he gets a job and some money, he can buy himself another bed.
I don't usually have client interactions like this, mostly because most of our refugee's English is non existent, or not good. But this Bhutanese family spoke English well (the two young, married adults), and I guess my new idea of having a talk with the refugees during intake might turn into a little more client interaction.
It was snowing pretty hard on my way home from work. This week I've already logged 27 hours (11 yesterday), so since we're still on the 37.5 work week, that means I get to work 10 1/2 hours between Thursday and Friday (with a 2 1/2 hour cushion, if something comes up). Sounds good to me. I love the flexibility of my job.
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Good Life
Last night me and Kurt met Spanky at IHOP for dinner and a game of Phase 10. He is hilarious. He regaled us of a tale of when he was, like, 13 years old, got a phone in his room, and decided to make a prank call to 1-800-BEER000 and it was a guy named Bob. And how he and his friends called Bob on and off over a 10 year period. It was a hilarious story and my stomach hurt at the end of the night from the laughter.
It was a very fun time played games and eating yummy IHOP food.
Today I met with a guy who will probably be a volunteer for us. He used to be a commercial airline pilot, but now he's going to school to be an airplane technician. He has been in Omaha for 1 week and he's already on board to volunteer. He seems like an interesting person. People are interesting. I like meeting people.
It was a very fun time played games and eating yummy IHOP food.
Today I met with a guy who will probably be a volunteer for us. He used to be a commercial airline pilot, but now he's going to school to be an airplane technician. He has been in Omaha for 1 week and he's already on board to volunteer. He seems like an interesting person. People are interesting. I like meeting people.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Mumford & Sons
After not posing for a while, I'm going all out with a serious post on the last day of 2010.
For some reason, I've heard Mumford & Sons a lot lately. I started listening to them almost a year ago now. I remember, because I thought David would really like them a lot, because they are raucous and thigh slapping with deep, touching lyrics that talk about both the sadness and joy of life. That was his style. But he went into the hospital before I could tell him about the band. He was one of my best music buddies.
And so I continued to listen to them, while grieving, for months. But I love the music this band makes so much, I can't bring myself to stop listening, even though it usually makes me sad. I think it must all go back to the fact that the lyrics are sad but joyful all at the same time. That's just the way life is, anyway.
RIP Davey. I still miss you.
For some reason, I've heard Mumford & Sons a lot lately. I started listening to them almost a year ago now. I remember, because I thought David would really like them a lot, because they are raucous and thigh slapping with deep, touching lyrics that talk about both the sadness and joy of life. That was his style. But he went into the hospital before I could tell him about the band. He was one of my best music buddies.
And so I continued to listen to them, while grieving, for months. But I love the music this band makes so much, I can't bring myself to stop listening, even though it usually makes me sad. I think it must all go back to the fact that the lyrics are sad but joyful all at the same time. That's just the way life is, anyway.
RIP Davey. I still miss you.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
trips
Tomorrow I am going to Baltimore for work. All expenses paid. I get $25 per diem for dinner for Monday through Wednesday. There will be continental breakfast and lunch Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm going to the headquarters for one of the national agencies that we are an affiliate of, meeting with people from all over the country that have my same type of job. I'm very excited to travel for work, and I think it will be helpful for me, since I'm so new in the role. I also love that I have a job that lets me do these types of trips.
I get back late Wednesday night, then I will be in the office for a little while on Thursday, and right after work on Thursday, Kurt and I leave for Michigan! My mom is extremely excited. It'll be a time of food, fun and games, according her text. It will be so nice to have the family together, almost all of us in the same house, even. I will be dragging Kurt around all over Holland and Grand Rapids. I reckon he'll be quite overwhelmed when it's all over, meeting so many friends and family.
Right now it's 5 degrees Fahrenheit outside. That's -15 degrees Celsius. Ouch. I am more than happy to stay cozy and warm in my tidy, underground apartment with my electric heat on 70. From what I hear, it will only get colder. The questions is, as the winter plods on, will I prefer the warmer temperatures paired with excessive snow of West Michigan, or the bone-chilling, lung-freezing winds and temperatures of Nebraska, but with less snow?
I get back late Wednesday night, then I will be in the office for a little while on Thursday, and right after work on Thursday, Kurt and I leave for Michigan! My mom is extremely excited. It'll be a time of food, fun and games, according her text. It will be so nice to have the family together, almost all of us in the same house, even. I will be dragging Kurt around all over Holland and Grand Rapids. I reckon he'll be quite overwhelmed when it's all over, meeting so many friends and family.
Right now it's 5 degrees Fahrenheit outside. That's -15 degrees Celsius. Ouch. I am more than happy to stay cozy and warm in my tidy, underground apartment with my electric heat on 70. From what I hear, it will only get colder. The questions is, as the winter plods on, will I prefer the warmer temperatures paired with excessive snow of West Michigan, or the bone-chilling, lung-freezing winds and temperatures of Nebraska, but with less snow?
Friday, December 3, 2010
bugs.
They are on my mind. Today I was helping my co-worker set up an apartment for some people coming from Bhutan on Monday. Normally, I don't do that, but because we have such an onslaught of refugee arrivals next week, I wanted to make sure everything was ready. When I got into the apartment, I just got to work...unloading my car (a nice, strange looking guy in a man-dress and boots with no laces helped me out a bit), unwrapping all the goods (toothbrushes, shampoo, can opener, pencils, maxi pads, alarm clocks, etc), and putting everything away. I find it very enjoyable to see and/or set up apartments for refugees before they arrive. The whole place has such an aura of hope and excitement. As I was putting stuff away in the kitchen, though, I realized there were bugs EVERYWHERE! Half dead ones writhing on the floor, totally dead ones in the cupboards, tiny alive ones all over the walls and ceilings, cockroaches lounging on the living room wall. All of a sudden I ceased feeling excited and wanted to get out of there ASAP. And I felt bad that this was what they were going to get. Besides the bugs, though, the place was really nice. Huge kitchen, big living room, tons of counter space in the bathroom, gigantic closets. As my coworker who had this job before me says, though, "If we don't rent places that have bugs, we will never find places for our clients to live." It's an unfortunate truth. I have several refugee apartments, though, and this one was pretty darn buggy.
When churches or volunteers encounter these type of things ("Ack! Cockroaches!" Or "Why don't they have cable?" or "They have to take the bus?!") we sometimes have to explain that the refugees are very poor, and they get all the trimmings that come along with that. Even though I know this in my head, it doesn't make it any easier when I'm in a buggy apartment, or see one of those bugs scuttle out of my shoe when I get home (I did take my shoes off in the hallway, though).
Another issue of the week: bad landlords. One family went without heat for a week. I called the office manager a total of 3 times before it was fixed. I don't think I have encountered anything so frustrating as landlords who ignore your requests. I mean, it's one thing to ignore the accented immigrant, because you think they don't have a clue (this particular landlord thought the family had broken the thermostat, blamed them for all the problems, and gave me hell on the phone about it when it turned out the furnace was actually broken), but to ignore the American that can call the Fair Housing Center on you (which I did, and she was furious) is another step into horrible landlord territory. Then, this same week, I mention that my heat is doing strange things, and I get a new thermostat that same day. It's pretty amazing. And frustrating.
On the brighter side, I had a few encouraging meetings. I have another church sponsor committed for a family arriving in a week and a half, and another potential church sponsor. I met with half of the Bhutanese Community of Nebraska board of directors and we talked about their organization and what they can do to get 501c3 status and really grow to help their community. It does seem as though the holiday spirit is inspiring people to do good things for the refugee community of Omaha, and that is a beautiful thing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)