Last Thursday I completed my final day at The Village at Rockville (TVAR), packed my bags and traveled back to the Midwest. As hard as it was to leave Washington DC, I had always known there would be an end to this summer opportunity. In my short stint of twenty-one years of life, it seems as though there is always a beginning and an end. Within a year I will finish my undergraduate degree at Valparaiso University and take part in an entire new beginning. When I reflect on my summer experience, my time at TVAR was not defined by the beginning or the end but rather by continuous movement of time between those two points. My time at TVAR was like a train, whatever I tried to do, time was always moving towards the finish line. My summer was defined by many small successes and failures that compose my overarching experience. Those little successes and failures will soon become, last week’s successes and failures, last month’s successes and failures, and last year’s successes and failures. The movement of life will continue and that is why I believe with each success or failure should come a more ambitious goal. Whats next? Life will continue to move past this summer opportunity but the individuals, successes, and failures from this summer, have guided me to set new more ambitious goals for my life and vocation.

On a different note, I have realized the value of the CAPS program to Valparaiso University. During my first three years at Valparaiso University I often found myself questioning if the university truly backed its focus on calling and vocation. I found it hard to find organizations and groups of students who were motivated to seek the place where passion meets purpose. Yet, The Institute of Leadership and Service shattered those previous feelings as I found myself involved in meaningful work, reflect-ins, and the opportunity to have an alumni mentor. The CAPS program provided the bridge for me to explore my passions and calling in life. I attended networking events in DC, participated in community discussion at the McCain Institute and established lifelong connections. This summer has been the first time I have felt like I am truly fulfilling my college expectations. Throughout my internship I have constantly found myself asking “why not”? Whether it has been asking the CEO of NLCS a difficult question or walking into a networking event full of strangers, the moment I began to doubt my ability, I asked myself that simple question. The journey outside of my comfort zone has been accompanied by success and also some failures. Failures that have inspired me to take the next step, do the extra work, or maybe something as simple as making a stranger smile.

Before I traveled out to Washington DC, I was set on being a physician and that goal has not changed. Rather obtaining the status as a physician is no longer the finish line but a new beginning in the future to establish new, more ambitious goals, building on the experiences at TVAR and Valparaiso University.

In the rise of technology firms and innovation in Silicon Valley, there is one thing that consistently drives these companies. These companies want to change the world with their product, but they want to make money, through differentiation. What appears different and innovative about us that would make you spend the extra money. While there may have been problems with connectivity, networking at the turn of the century, the solutions were brought upon by competitively driven businesses. Blackberry was nearly put out of business by the likes of Apple. While the effort was to change the way business is done, success and making money was the driving force, and therefore Blackberry was left in the dust.

In my last couple weeks at United Way of LaPorte County, I was exposed to the opposite of that. While on the surface, it’s easy to understand the difference between for-profits and non-profits, this exposure taught me the foundational differences between the two.

In three-pronged approach, UWLPC wants to help in the areas of income, health, and education. UWLPC isn’t the only group trying to solve these problems in LaPorte County. This is a good thing but there can be setbacks. If certain people are using both UWLPC as well as another service, such as a shelter or a counseling center, they may receive some of the same information and it may be inefficient to the user. Thus, collaboration is necessary. I was able to be a part of a couple of meetings that involved ways to unify efforts to help house the homeless, employ the unemployed, etc. In the for-profit world, there is little to no collaboration as it is all about the success of your brand. While in the non-profit world brand success is important, it is more important to solve the issues. Getting exposed to this help me really understand foundational differences between the for-profit and non-profit industry.

Working at Forest Manor Multi-Service Center this summer has taught me so much and definitely affirmed the idea that every experience is a good one in that it can teach you something. And as leaders, servants and even human beings, if we’re not constantly learning then what’s the point? Through my time there, I learned that although parents paid a weekly fee for their child to attend camp, these fees did not cover all the many activities that the kids were involved in. So the organization applied for grants as well as had an entire host of donors to help supplement daily costs. Seeing all the good that an organization like this does, it was easy to see that they deserve as much funding as possible. So I one day hope to be involved in efforts that somehow helps non-profits to a greater degree in extending their outreach, whether this be through tax subsidies or more state/federal money being allocated towards these efforts. I feel that when a community has such a positive connection to an organization like Forest Manor, it needs to be given room to flourish and grow.

 
Being a camp counselor/ teacher also allowed me to bestow some of my knowledge gained at Valpo upon the little minds. For my theology course requirement at Valpo, I took “The African American Religious Experience” taught by Dr. Gregory Jones. While this course focused on religion in the African American community, it also provided many history lessons on influential African American figures. I was able to introduce a weekly Black History figure to my class which was pretty fun. We focused on figures such as Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, and Thurgood Marshall among others. I realized this was needed after a student mentioned Malcom X and the rest of the class had never heard of him. They only seemed to know about Dr. King, which to me was rather sad considering the entire class was African American. We also talked about various Indiana colleges just to get them in the mindset of going to college and making that a reality for them. It felt good to actually be able to teach them something considering I did not have a background in teaching.

Being involved in the CAPS Fellows program truly helped me realize that leading and service are not isolated entities not can they be performed alone. It was great to hear the other fellow’s experiences via Google Hangout and actually reflect upon what it is we all are trying to do. It really provides new perspective on servant leadership and how to belong to a cohort of fellow servants. This experience also forced me to humble myself. Often times it is easy to get caught up in the mindset that you’re such a great person for wanting to help others, but when working with children, I really saw that it’s not about that at all. I realized that some of those kids will remember me for years to come and the impact I left upon them-whether positive or negative. This really brings you down a notch and also helped me to focus on doing the best job I can do and always remember that serving is not about me at all, but those in need of help. I intend on continuing to experience as much as possible because I know it all can help me become the best servant leader if I know what to look for. The CAPS Fellow program has definitely enabled me with that.

To the Children of Horton’s Kids,

You have changed my life.

Every day you inspire me, you humble me, you frustrate me, you confound me, you encourage me, you challenge me, and you change me.  I will only be around for a season in your lifetime, but you will be an entire chapter in mine and I am grateful to know that the times I have had with you will be things I carry for the rest of my life.

The first day I met you all, I was terrified.  You try meeting some fifty some kids all at once– it’s terrifying.  In the following few weeks, as I got to know you better, I wondered if my place truly was among you all.  How could I meet you where you were at and provide you with anything?  The inadequacy I felt was stifling.  You all were so independent, so strong, and seemed like you had it all figured out.  It was incredibly intimidating to try to figure out the best way to serve you.  

Caring for you all the past few months is the most challenging and humbling experience of my life to date.  Every day your youth and innocence (despite the things you have grown up with and experienced — some of which has made you much, much older souls than I) holds a mirror up to my own heart.  It shows me how cynical and guarded my own heart has become over the years.  Every time we are together, we are learning from one another whether we both are aware of it or not.  It has made me conscious of softening my heart in efforts for you to avoid the same cynicism and hardening that my heart has experienced over the years.  You have reminded me how important it is to remain hopeful, how important it is to be grateful, and how important it is to continue to leave my heart open even if it’s for little, ordinary, everyday, miracles.  You are teaching me to love better, deeper, and without expecting anything in return.  

So on that note, I want to thank you.  Thank you for giving me something to look forward to, every day for the last three months.  Thank you for allowing me to serve you through smiles, arts, and crafts, and unexpected hugs.  Thank you for letting me be a part of your life from 2-6pm,  Monday through Thursday.  Thank you for challenging me and frustrating me and allowing me a glimpse into your lives.  Thank you for driving me nuts with requests for coloring pages and immediate dispersion in public places that gives me a heart attack (Maternal-instincts man).  Thank you for testing my patience so I grew to be more patient.  Thank you for challenging my thoughts on poverty stigmas and my understanding of underprivileged youth that previously only came from academia.  Thank you for humbling me with your friendship and good faith. Thank you for providing me with the experience of knowing each and every one of you.  

If I can instill anything into you all – it is that you matter.  You are significant and capable even when it feels like you are not.  You are both capable and able.  The biggest barrier will be yourself.  You have the power to make influential choices regarding your life; some won’t be easy and others will not be without consequences but learn from those decisions.  Each and every single one of you has the ability to rise above and beyond.  It’s not easy, Lord I promise you it might be one of the hardest things you ever do in your lifetime, but it is possible.  Remember that you are kind, you are capable, and you are important.

In this day and age, it is essential that you know you are important.  For almost two months straight I flipped on the news every morning and I read some horrific news about the racial bias in this country.  My thoughts immediately flip to you and I wonder what this society you and I are growing up in will mean for you.  I worry that the society we are surrounded by will get into your head first and that you will let the way things are dictate your path.  The way things are are not always how things should be.  This is why I want you to remember that you are important.  I want you to remember that your voice is important.  I can not guarantee who hears your voice but I can promise you someone will — your mother, your brother, your sister, your friend, your child, or even the staff of Horton’s Kids.  Someone will hear your voice.    

I want you also to remember that it is good to ask for help.  Take it from someone who is constantly learning just how hard asking for help is: asking for help is brave.  It’s brave to admit that you need someone other than yourself to assist you.  Whether it’s over homework or digging yourself out of the deepest, biggest hole you’ve ever found yourself in, asking for help is okay.  It is brave.  It is humbling.  But most of all, it is freeing.  It is freeing to ask someone to help you with whatever burden you are carrying, even if it is to give you a temporary rest.  

One final thing I want you to know, Children of Horton’s Kids, is that for every laugh, a smile shared, and hug exchanged, because of you, I am becoming a better me.  And my only wish is that every day, you try to become a better you.  There will be days you fail and on those days, I hope you forgive yourself… but continue to grow and continue to try, try, again.  

With love,

A Woman You Made Better

In an instant, the summer adventure I began 9 weeks ago, came to an end. Having an internship in Chicago has given me a lot of opportunities and experiences, that has no doubt changed me for the better.

As far as vocation goes, in these short 9 weeks, I have reaffirmed my passion for working in an international relations/service field. At the beginning of my internship, I didn’t know what to expect as I first entered into Heartland’s doors. I was excited to work with and help people from all over the world  but I was also anxious, as this was my first internship experience. I was able to help serve a population I had so little knowledge about beforehand and was able to grow more culturally competent while working with a population that most Americans do not come into contact with on a daily basis. Working with refugees and hearing their stories made me grateful for what I had while simultaneously giving me the drive to work harder in order to make the refugee’s resettlement here in the United States a little more comfortable.In the US, debates run rampant about immigration and refugee laws, but never does the legislators ever pay attention to the actual people themselves. This experience allowed me to see the humanness in the refugees and their situations that are often desensitized in the media.

Social wise, this summer in downtown Chicago allowed me to go on adventures and  make friends  that would not have been possible if it weren’t for CAPS.  When not working, my fellow Chicago CAPS-mates and I would explore Chicago. In this, we would go to music festivals, Karaoke in Chinatown and eat authentic Japanese Ramen on Chicago’s north side. Living in the city allowed me to see and experience neighborhoods I had never been to before. My CAPS-mates and I have went through alot of things both positive and negative, during these short 9 weeks but none of this would be possible if it were not for this program.

My time at Douglas Land Conservancy has come to an end, and with it, the summer of 2016.  As I now prepare to return to Valpo for my senior year, I have been thinking a lot about community.  When you are in college, it can at times appear fairly easy to find a community.  After all, you are living with your closest friends, and surrounded by students nearly every day.  You find those with like minded interests, and a community forms.  A consistent cautionary tale that I have heard echoed by nearly every graduate from Valpo over the past few years is that I cannot take for granted that community because when you move on from college, finding a community can be more challenging.  I have taken this advice to heart, and plan on maximizing every opportunity in front of me this upcoming school year.  My time at DLC, however, gave me a different kind of expectation for my time after Valpo.  Not only does DLC protect open space and wildlife habitats, it fosters and builds a sense of community.

One of my favorite aspects of DLC is the guided hike series that it puts on throughout the year.  Often these hikes focus on a certain aspect of the natural world, such as bird watching, local history, geological formations, scenic vistas, or wildflowers, just to name a few.  These hikes are lead by trained volunteers, often members of the local community who volunteer not only for DLC, but countless other organizations throughout the county.  The volunteers help make the hikes as successful as they are for each and every hiker.  Each hike can draw upwards of 50 people, all of whom are interested in the kind of work the DLC does on a daily basis.  I had the privilege of attending one of these guided hikes over the summer, which was a wildflower hike at Dawson Butte Open Space in Douglas County.  The hike was lead by two native plant masters, who know and can tell you anything you’d like to know about plants in Colorado.  There was a tremendous variety of people in attendance, ranging from retirees to young families to middle-aged professionals.  Each person had their own particular interest on the hike, but everyone was interested in conservation as a whole.  You met like minded people, and there was a sense of community.

DLC puts on guided hikes and other community-oriented events throughout the year in an effort to continue to build its relationship with the community at large.  In a conversation I had with one of my bosses, she emphasized the necessity for the greater Douglas County community to know about DLC and its mission.  If you truly care about the land you live and work on, and the environment you live in, DLC offers you a productive outlet for that passion.  You can volunteer and meet others with the same priorities as you.  And through that, a unique and special community forms.  DLC’s work serves not only to protect that land, but to build that community that is integral to our lives.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I get the feeling that not many work environments take ice cream breaks together. Nor do they always wait for everyone in the office to be there before they share their stories from the weekend. If you haven’t done either in your workplace, give it a try. Seriously. You’re never too old or too busy for a nice walk in the summer sun to get some ice cream. There is also no reason to exclude someone from the excitement of hearing and telling a story for the first time. These are the priorities in life. These are the things you should make time for.

At the beginning of the summer my friend asked me “What do you hope to learn this summer?” I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t think that far ahead nor imagine what I would learn from my placement. Now as I reflect on my summer and my journey on discovering my Calling And Purpose in Society, I must say, I am not the same person I was walking into Erie House in May. It is scary and yet so exciting to go into the next school year, and then the next chapter of my life, with the knowledge and insight I gained from the summer.

Anticipating the moment where I would have to write my final blog post, I started asking myself, “What do I want to share with people? What do I really want to express?” And then it came to me: I want to share with you all 5 lessons I learned.

1. Take ice cream breaks. I promise, this is about more than just a tasty treat. When I was in Little Village we occasionally took ice cream breaks. They were the best. What made them the best though was not the ice cream itself, though it was a big plus! What made them the best was that for about 20 minutes I got to hang out with my coworkers and supervisor as fellow humans outside of a work relationship. We discussed our opinions on different topics, shared about our experiences, and invited each other a little more into our own worlds. When we would go back to the office we would get back to work, but knowing a little more about each other than when we left. I don’t like connecting things back to the “professional benefit,” but if that’s how your mind works, then the professional benefit of this is improved workplace morale, better teamwork and collaboration, and an overall more desirable and welcoming work environment. The human benefit is simply connection. And connecting with people and being invited to see their world is one of the most beautiful things that can happen to us. I definitely regret my missed opportunities to get to know the people I have been working with this summer. I am lucky though, because I know that when I come back to Chicago I can email or text the staff and meet up with them. Not everyone is that lucky.
   
2. Pay attention to your questions. The thoughts you are continuously drawn to probably shed a lot of light on where your passion and purpose lies. I find myself constantly thinking in terms of preventative measures and the roots of problems. This summer there were many times where my supervisor and I were discussing a client system and how to best approach the situation. Though we were talking about what to do in that moment and moving forward, I was thinking about what I could do to prevent that situation in someone else’s life in the future. I am not only talking about approach though. Preventative measures are my approach to service. I also find myself always going back to race relations and macro level/policy work. This is where my passion lies. If you are stuck in your life, not sure what your next step or chapter is, start noticing where your mind travels off too. You will discover more than you think.
   
3. Teenagers are intimidating. I know what you’re thinking, “Seriously, Eleni? Teenagers? What lesson could you possibly be sharing with me right now?” But hear me out. I helped facilitate a cooking club this summer. One for teenagers and one for elementary school kids. I loved cooking club with the elementary school kids. Not only did they listen, keep an open mind, and let their excitement shine, but I got multiple hugs every day we met for cooking club! Teenagers though… less listening, less open minded, rare and minimal excitement, and no hugs… none. Now, I’m not telling you that teenagers are no good. Instead, I want to remind you of when you were a teenager. And I’m not talking 17, 18, and 19 year olds… I’m talking 13 and 14; that first taste of being a teen. You know, when acting like nothing excited you made you popular and the “too cool for school” attitude was running through your veins. Think about that teenager, now think about having to entertain that teenager and trying to teach them or share with them something they do not know. Kind of intimidating right? Right. So don’t be that person. Do not be “too cool for work.” When someone shares a new idea, be excited! Inquire. Encourage. You’re a part of a team of individuals who are trying to accomplish the same task; share the same message. Help the situation, make it better with your investment in the project. Don’t be that teenager staring us down because you don’t want to admit you actually might like cooking club…

4. Who says dream jobs have to be lifelong? I have been thinking hard about how to express this in the best way. It was a lot easier to express when I was explaining my thoughts to Jane and was able to talk with my hands. This summer, time and time again, I have been shown how overrated dream jobs are. Hear me out. Everyone thinks that straight out of college if you are not pursuing or working at your dream job that you have somehow failed. But what is your dream job? Because let me tell you, my dream job has not stayed the same. Actually, I am not even sure I have one. Instead, I find that I am constantly discovering my “dream job”. I have encountered so many people who love what they do, but that does not mean they will be doing it forever. It is OKAY to change jobs, positions, careers… it is okay to be doing something for 15 years and wake up one day and realize that it’s time to do something else; time to uncover the next layer of your dream job. From each job you have before you believe you are working your “dream job” you will learn so much and discover so many things about yourself and how you work and what you like, that your dream job will never be the same as when you first thought it up. To think it will be is just silly. To think it it will be says that you will not grow or change at all between now and the time you start working. So I have dropped the idea of a dream job. I don’t have one. I loved working at Erie House this summer and wish I could do it again, but that does not mean I want to do it for the rest of my life. It was a stepping stone; a good place to start. I realized that Erie House was my dream job for this moment in my life. This was the perfect place for me to be working this summer. I feel like through my attempt of explaining all this to you my message still remains unclear. What I am trying to say is this: Drop your dream job. Listen to your thoughts and passions and pick the next place you find interesting and go work there. Trust that you have something to bring to the table everywhere you go. You will gain so much knowledge and insight that you might realize your dream job wasn’t your dream job all along. And that’s okay. Because when you think you might have figured it out, it will change again. So stop trying to figure it out. Follow your passions, absolutely, but don’t get too specific.

5. Be courageous. When I went to lunch with my alumni mentor, Jason, one of the things that really resonated with me was when he said how Social Workers need to be courageous. Of course I knew that, but I guess I never truly knew what it meant. Going to protests and rallies, yes, those are courageous things. But that’s not what he was talking about. Having the responsibility, whether you want it or not, to speak up or act out when something is not right and actually acting on that responsibility – that is courageous. Explaining to your best friend or favorite uncle why the comment they made is discriminatory and wrong, rather than ignoring it, that is courage. Standing up to a guy on the subway who is harassing a girl, that is courage. Those are the hard things. And I realized, I am not courageous. I am afraid to be courageous. But the things that haunt our minds are the things we did not say or do. So, try to be courageous. Push yourself that first and second time you think you should speak up to actually speak up. It will never be easy, but it gets easier from there. This is what I have to do to, all of us, everyday.

 
I challenge you to tweak these lessons to fit your own purposes, work environments, and lives. But I also challenge you to put your work down right now, grab your sunglasses, and take an ice cream break with your coworkers.

At the beginning of this summer I remember being so nervous that I wasn’t fully prepared to take on an internship yet. And as much as I tried to be prepared, that start date approached much more quickly than I could have anticipated. I quickly learned that even when you aren’t ready, life keeps moving. And that’s what I did this summer, I learned. Working at Exodus has taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

It started with the simpler things. I learned how to enter data, refine my kitschy marketing language, and I even discovered some organizational skills I thought were nowhere in my genetics. About a month in another intern and I were asked to start mentoring a new refugee family twice a week. At first I was thinking “I just learned how to use a copier, do you guys really think I’m ready?” But as life does, our first day approached before I thought I was ready.

It’s funny how when you first meet people there are those awkward lulls of silence, and then that awkwardness starts to slip away as you get to know each other. That awkwardness has a little more of a presence when you and the person you meet have no common language.  Our first few weeks with our family were fun, interesting, and mostly a lot of hand signals and laughing. We developed this ritual where the other intern sits with the parents and practices English, and I run around with and watch their three amazingly sweet children. At the end we sit down for tea and we almost always end up leaving a few hours later than we are supposed too. We are friends now.

These days, the kids always run up and hug us when we arrive and pout when we leave. We’ve come up with some weird mix of hand motions and various languages and we can now understand each other most of the time. But I think the hardest part of getting to know this family is knowing that our time together is coming to an end. The father has begun calling us his sisters and has explained that since their family is so far away, that Exodus is their family. I can never put into words how much this experience with them means to me.

Today is my last day with the family and I hope we will cross paths again someday. We have tried to help them as much as we can, but I think in the end, they are the ones who have helped us. They have shown me how truly resilient one can be, how close you can become with someone when you take the time to know them, and how important family truly is. I will never forget this experience with Exodus and I am so thankful to have been led in this direction by the CAPS program. I plan to spend the rest of my life working with refugees and getting to know such strong and beautiful humans.

With my internship ending last week and me moving back to Valpo next Tuesday I’ve spent some time thinking about what I want to do after graduation. I was blessed to be exposed to the world of entrepreneurship. I think being able to reflect on the past is one of the best ways to grow and move forward.
This summer was full of new experiences, places, and people. The CAPS fellows here in Chicago were great people to share the summer with. So many of us had the same questions about life and purpose. I also had the opportunity to go with Cindy to an MBA tour to look at grad schools. It seems weird to be looking at grad schools already when I still have two years at Valpo, but looking at options and new possibilities is always exciting.
However, looking to the more immediate future, I had the pleasure to meet with a Peace Corps recruiter. I think I’m drawn to the Peace Corps for the same reason I was drawn to the military, out of a sense of service. While the purpose of the Peace Corps and the military may seem different to be ideologically opposed, I think they’re rather well aligned. Being an exemplar of American values overseas.
The positions I’m looking to apply for are focused on economic development in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe, specifically the Balkan countries, have been in turmoil sense the collapse of the USSR. I’m talking genocide, civil war, political unrest, and more. I think the philosophy of turning swords to plowshares is important in these countries. While Humanitarian work is important in these countries, economic development is going to be a vital catalyst into the country having a chance at long term recovery.
When we think of business in America we often think of fortune 500 companies with CEOs that have houses in every time zone. However, when I think of business, I think of small business owners. Every dollar that goes in their pockets isn’t going to be a third house. It’s paying for a child’s guitar lessons and improving a family’s quality of life. Essentially: Individual, family, community, region, country, then world.
By helping these business owners develop their businesses and assisting entrepreneurs, it’s laying the foundations for a better tomorrow in their country. Better business will increase the quality of the communities they are in and can provide the financial means in taxes to improve the country’s infrastructure overall.
I want to spend the next couple years refining my skills and gaining new knowledge to best prepare myself for this role. Often times in the Peace Corps you are on your own and most of the projects you take on are taken on your own initiative. Think the best pathway I want to approach is focusing in on is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a skill that is universal, knowing how to use it will be critical in turning a former combat zone into a community.