This week was a very LONG week. Teach for America, the organization that I’m interning with, was hosting their Induction ceremonies on Tulane’s campus for their incoming ’08 corps members. It was insanely intense; I was averaging between 10 and 13 hour work days. I’ve never been so tired in my life! If this is what being a "grown up" is like, I don't wanna do it. At all. Undergrad forever!
My reality crisis aside, it was crazy to see TFA (pronounced tee-fah) bring in 265 new teachers this week. I can only imagine what it's like to not only have just graduated, but to come to the realization that you're going to be TEACHING people in a few months. Little people yes, but still people capable of talking back and driving you crazy and doing silly things when you're not paying attention...It really makes you think about TFA mission down here, how amazing it is what they, as an organization, are doing here in New Orleans. After hearing the testimonies of second year corps members, it was unsettling to hear them talk about children in 4th grade performing at a 1st grade level. It was moving to hear some students themselves come up and read poetry they had written in their 9th grade English class that was so full of hope despite all of the confusion, pain, violence, and anger. It was inspiring to hear the staff talk about their goals not only for the corps members on an individual basis, but for the region as a whole. This whole week solidified my decision to join TFA after graduation and I’ll be honored if I am allowed to dedicate my two years to the city of New Orleans.
The challenges that these children face in some parts of New Orleans are unimaginable to the majority of people who attend Duke—Hurricane Katrina aside. Homelessness and gang activity are uncomfortably common in some places, especially now due to after-effects of the hurricane and the destruction of the majority of the city’s housing projects. I was very impressed by those 9th grade girls, not just for their ability to express their experiences in words, but for the courage they showed in sharing their experiences with 270-odd people that they did not know, the overwhelming majority of whom were white. I sat there wondering if I could do the same.
This week was definitely a changing experience, and I figure it’s the actual reason why DukeEngage sent us here—not so much to perform service (that’s a good thing too, though) but to change. To be touched and inspired, motivated to make ourselves better; I feel like I’m on my way to making that change, and I couldn’t be more excited. Perhaps I'm ready for this grown up thing after all......not really.
NEVER GRADUATE. Haha.