The End?

     Sitting at my desk in my room I can't help but feel like nothing is real here. My desk is a table at the Paper Factory Hotel in New York. My room is filled with ten other girls whom I can talk to all night about anything I want. My desk is surrounded by all my friends around it as we write each other notes and reflect back on our day, not pencils and books. My room is crowded with dirty laudry, chip bags, empty water bottles, and friends, not laptop bags and schoolwork. I should be eating take-out on a big leather couch curled up with everyone, not picking at Raman noodles alone in silence. I feel like I have left my home and am in a strange old world that I once knew but that is somehow lost to me now. How am I going to fall asleep without the sound of ten other people breathing? Without the lights and noises of the city? Where will I go in the morning if I can't eat breakfast with everyone? How will navigating the school halls feel compared to navigating the subways? How will schoolwork feel compared to service? How will my day be without seeing the faces I have become so accustomed to? I don't know the answer to these questions but I do know this- I feel like the work we did in New York filled a hole in my heart that can only be filled in dedicating your time to others, and now the hole has returned because I am back home. But rather than being sadden, this newly emptied space in my heart is fueling me with a desire to do more. I want to make a change. I want to leave my mark. I want to matter to people, to make a difference in their lives. I want to continue doing work like what I have done in New York even though I know I can never recreate that experience. And I want to give back, because I feel that that is the best way to thank God, or the Universe, or what ever higher power there is, for giving me the blessing of this trip to New York. There are no other words to describe it other than life changing.
     Our journey does not have to end here. We can choose to continue on with our work everyday from now until forever. Service is a choice and we can choose to make that choice on a daily basis in small ways to make a huge difference. The end of our trip will not come unless we choose to stop making the choice of service. If we choose to continue then New York will be infinite.

Teaching and Learning

Over the past six days I have been amazed at the quantity and quality of work, reflection, and community that is the NYC Service Learning group. They are an extremely capable, hardworking, responsible group of people with a culture of genuine caring, honest communication, and the sincere belief that they can change their world. I am honored that I was able to share in their experience, and become one of their group. I hope that all teachers get the opportunity to see their students the way I have been able to see this amazing group of young people. I feel truly enriched as a teacher, learner, and person for this experience.
- Regina Shopiro

I totally forgot to say who wrote that soo the post the starts with "hey anyone reading this" is by Kathleen (kat) Julius! My bad!

Amazing

Hey anyone reading! This trip was AMAZING!! I have been doing New York/ Philadelphia service learning for three years now! I can't believe next year will be my last :( but at least I got to do what I could! Everything has been such an exciting journey. I've made many self discoveries as well as discover things about new friends I make on the trips! This week I've painted a daycare/ childcare kind of place and I got plenty of paint on me, leaving me with people paint handprints and a line on my back from when I accidentally backed into the doorway haha. Then the next day we cleaned up a beach on Staten Island. So cool, we saw cool stuff, like a horshue crab. I dragged log after log of wood off the beach so it'd be nice and dug up trash and carried around bags of trash which though it may not sound fun, is totally thrilling apparently (and quite a workout!) Then we delivered some meals to elderly people who couldn't leave their homes, they were so sweet and I loved seeing and talking to them. Today we went to a Latin American festival and helped set up and talked to some of the performers. I'm so happy to have been able to serve with such a great group. I can't thank the group and chaperones enough for what they've done and accomplished. I'm going to miss this all sooo much!! I can't believe how fast it all went by. Well it is late and I need rest so I can get up and go home.

Last thoughts

Tonight was our last night in New York and I have never felt closer to this group of people in my life. The bonds we've created through the work we've done are incredible. Saying goodbye to New York city and all of the seniors has broken my heart more than anything else I have ever experienced. But the happiness I feel in my heart that stems from this trip overcomes any sadness left within me.
The past few days have made me feel more fifilled than I could have ever imagined. I feel as though I've found the piece of my soul that I've been missing all my life.
I love every single member of the group more than life itself and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to work with them and get to know them on the deepest level possible. My life is forever changed and I wouldn't have it any other way

To be honest you're probably all gonna have to physically force me to leave New York so good luck in the morning.

It's our last night here in NYC. I'm sitting on my top bunk talking to all my roomies and really I can't remember the last time I was so happy. These past four days, I have felt so at peace and I genuinely love these people. It's like we're in our own little world here and I wish I could live like this forever. Unfortunately, I'm a senior. This week marks the end of so many things and the beginning of so much more. The last thing I want to do is go back home to all of the stress. I know there's a lot to look forward to--getting finals over with and ending school, prom, graduation, grad parties, summer; but really, none of it matters to me as much as my service learning experience. From these past two years I've learned that this is definitely what I wanna do with my life, and I know it will continue but that doesn't change the fact that everything is changing and it'll never be the same again. We've all worked so hard these past ten months, all for this amazing four day trip. I can't believe how fast it's flown by and I can't imagine senior year without it. I especially would not be the person I am proud to be today without Mr. Kane. Thank you.
-Amanda Fata

Abbey Sulivan

This week has been absolutely life-changing in so many ways. I have made friends with so many  wonderful people and feel a connection with them that is unique and almost indescribable. Growing and changing and accomplishing amazing tasks with people in such a short span of time creates a bond that is unlike any other.
The work we have done in the past few days has been truly incredible. We have accomplished so much and deserve to be proud. We leave places like Jackie Robinson Park and multiple Sandy-ravaged homes better for our being here. We leave New York tomorrow with it being just a slightly better place. That is something we get to carry with us for the rest of our lives thanks to Mr. Kane, the three coordinators, and every member of the group who each brings something indespensible to our dynamic.
Today was different from the rest in that it only consisted of a few hours of service. However, it was extremely valuable on a personal level in that it gave me (and everyone else) the time to truly further the bond I feel with the friends I have made in either the past ten months or the past four days. I loved talking leisurely with these people almost as much as I loved digging up bamboo-like weeds for hours with them. The opportunity to do that in Times Square and at the Loisada festival solidified in my mind that these friendships will continue as we all clumsily readjust to normalcy on Tuesday.
As a senior, it's extremely saddening to think that I will never come on this trip again. However, I am so incredibly grateful to have had this experience for the past two years. I will continue to be affected by the values I have gained and the changes I have undergone as a result of this indispensable program. I will leave this school and this program knowing that I will continue living with service in my heart for the rest of my life.
Thank you so much Mr. Kane for the opportunity to have this experience.