its been good here in cali, i cant believe its only been a week today since i left new york i feel like i live a whole other life now. everything has changed, i've fallen in love with my penguin every day. I'm happy now. Its been rough to say the least. we've been in training every day waking up different times sometimes 4am but rarely as late as 7. I'm easily living on new york time falling asleep around 2100 here which is 0100 back home. I miss my bed, these are prison style beds that we've been given. I've also lost a few pounds, about 13 so far, looks like i'm coming home a different person. I've also gained a lot of respect for my family and how they've worked hard as a result of having to clean my room ready for inspection, fending and cooking for ourselves on a budget and dealing with messy roomates maximus the gladiator and thaddeus the great better known as max and tk, washing dishes after a long day for those on my POD(temporary teams) because they're disgusting. The uniforms are useful however they tend to get old fast it seems. yesterday my pod and i went downtown and walked to the light rail, we ended up walking through old sacramento. it was a great experience i love my pod for the most part they're some of the best people to spend time with. I've already been able to act as a peer counselor. Today after we had our muster (morning call) I was sent to the trainer coordinator and was thrown into teaching a CPR class because they were short an instructor. It was great besides my co-instructor being very short and patronizing. I was amazed at how low budget these other red cross chapters are, using one set of manikin faces for two people, reusing lungs and refusing to give out the books. It was good though, my schedule is messed up right now because i need to make up the required training session i missed. We were told today that our Permanent teams will be assigned as soon as the Team leaders who were sent to help in American Samoa are able to return. Once we do that we'll all change rooms to be near them, I think my roomates are great and hope to get ones as good as them however, one can only hope I guess. We failed room inspection twice so i hope i get a roomate who's clean. Saturday we were given our first project which entailed gardening and pruning an elementary school designed specifically for low income students, formerly a private school for rich kids. It was great, the campus is amazing but it was an exhausting day. We were assigned our first team project or SPIKE as its called. it's going to be a training and get to know event at camp mendacino, and we were told to inform everyone that when we do we'll be away from cellphone contact for approximately a week. I'll let you knowhen i find out when that will be. Tomorrow is another 5am PT. Its so exhausting and draining to be here, its definately a challenge living in a new life style but hopefully its worth it. I'll be strong for you penguin
ps. pictures to come soon