In case you give a hoot:
I'm finishing up my year with AmeriCorps in late July and either moving to Columbia, MO or Chicago. I haven't decided yet. The year's been great. Cape Cod has so many beaches, and they are all beautiful. I've spent many nights drinking, chilling, camping on the beach this year. Living with 13 people is sometimes a bit trying, but there hasn't been much drama and the companionship is gratifying. I've met lots of really awesome people, gotten to them and their passions, and we've enjoyed many fun moments... the only downside being that bam!--it's goodbye in two short months.
Work wise, I'm placed twice a week at the Cape Cod Commission, a planning agency that oversees regional development on Cape Cod, and the rest of the time I'm an environmental educator for elementary and middle school age kids. I teach classes on invasive plants and gardening, recycling, the effect the moon and sun has on tides, stuff like that. I've learned a lot about coastal ecology this year, and I'm finding that teaching suits me in many ways. I'm also becoming fascinated with renewable energy. A developer proposing a massive wind farm off Nantucket, it's really controversial with the rich snobby elitist liberals that own summer homes on the island. A friend who lives near us just finished installing a solar thermal water heating system with radiant floor heating, and I got to help out a bit. I've been thinking about pursuing a career in green building.
My main responsibility this year has been to schedule and run our Water Festivals, http://www.capecodgroundwater.org/festivals.html. The Wet Fest is an event our 28 members put on in school gyms across the Cape (we've done 13 this year). They usually consist of about 15 hands-on games and activities that teach about 140 kids/event about watersheds. For instance, one activity is called "Flush the Kids"... we built a huge plaster toilet seat, used dog runs for pipes and a tent with felt safety pinned on top to look like an underground septic tank. The kids get flushed down the toilet and crawl through the septic tank with grease, bacteria, solids, nitrogen and phosphorous cards in hand to see how it functions and where the different elements are siphoned off. Since 98 % of the houses here are on septic, nitrogen loading and resulting algae blooms are a big problem.
We also have weekly outdoor service projects- cleaning herring runs, growing oysters in the bays, trail maintenance, etc. Those are always fun b/c all the members are together. Last week we were building underwater water diversion structures in the Quashnet River at the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. As for next year, I'm applying for another AmeriCorps program with the Missouri Dept of Conservation in Columbia, MO where my brother goes to school. A friend in Chicago wants me to volunteer with Amate House, a residential program sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago. I have no problem with the Catholic Church when they are doing good for the world, but that would probably mean another year of celibacy. If I did that I'd most likely be teaching at a school in South Side Chicago. Could be cool. I've been thinking, I definitely have wanderlust in my blood, and though it has been amazing to see so much of this country the last two years, a little stability is now something for which I yearn. I’m definitely trying to balance a need for that go-off-on-your-own-and-see-the-world independence with a desire for relationships that don’t disappear after a year.
Sorry I haven't been better at keeping in touch. Glad you made it out of Pullman sucktown Christina. Hope the Hoot Hoots album is a big success, Adam. Congrats on the sweet new job in the suburban Burg, Pete. Hope you have a nice wedding and g'luck on the house, Sam. Best wishes to all of you. I'll be home for my cousin's wedding May 25-June 3 actually. I'd consider making the trip to Gburg, but I'd need a place to crash. Peace.