movin down south

top pic) one of my first nights. lacking a table, chairs, and the motivation to unpack my dishes doesn't prevent me from doing what I do best: eating and watchin my favorite ladies. 

bottom pic) my house :)   




When I returned from my Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) in Atlanta, GA I had about a week to pack up all of my belongings in Baltimore, MD and say my farewells.  I had such mixed feelings.  I was really excited to make a much needed change in my life but I was also really sad to say goodbye.  I am used to uprooting myself (i.e. college, studying abroad, etc.) and creating a home elsewhere but this time it felt different.  I had genuinely made a home in Bmore...afterall I had been there (off and on) for about seven years.  Other than my (then) current job situation I was quite content in Charm City.  I lived only three hours away from my parents, had wonderful friends, an endearing boyfriend, and fabulous roommates one of which being my best friend and sister.  Though it was sad, considering what I would be leaving behind, I couldn't overcome the intense and not too common feeling of total assurance that this is what I was meant to do.  After some major packing and a memorable goodbye party I was ready to head down south!

 On Friday the 28th of August, my parents and I finally arrived in North Charleston, SC.  I soon realized that the term "approximate location" used on the google maps street view option has complete validity.  The house I was assigned to was, well, not exactly what I pictured.  But hey, for $25o/mo. including utilities, I really couldn't complain.  After some serious cleaning and unloading I was ready to start a life in my very "humble" abode.  My parents left on Sunday the 30th...and that is when I finally asked myself, "Am I really doing this?"  I experienced sudden but short lived panic spells for maybe the first half of the day.  I couldn't understand why I was feeling this way.  It's not like I haven't been in a situation like this before.  But I just chalked it up to being a common feeling I've had in past/similar situations that I chose not to remember.

The next day I started work which was only two blocks away from my house!  Ok let's just take a minute and explain my work/living situation.  This gets kind of confusing (I'm still trying to understand it) so try to stay with me.  I, as well as a handful of other VISTAs, live in the Navy Yard http://www.navyyardsc.com/.  It's an old naval base that closed down in the 1990s.  Since then the property was sold to the Noisette Company  http://www.noisettesc.com/over_whatisnoisette.html.  The Noisette Company has turned the Navy Yard into a sustainable community (a.k.a. a model of The New American City) focusing on the idea that "cities must be equally responsive to social needs, environmental responsibility, and economic vitality."  The Noisette Company hopes to improve, perfect, and spread this concept to other communities.  Soo within this company there are non-profits helping to achieve these goals.  I work for the one of these non-profits called the Noisette Foundation http://www.noisettefoundation.org/.  Within the foundation I am working with the Community Wellness Initiative (CWI).  The Noisette Foundation has partnered with the Medical University of South Carolina - College of Nursing (MUSC- CON) to work with this initiative.  I will be working half of the week at the Noisette Foundation and the other half at the CON to, in essence,  prevent obesity and diabetes in the impoverished areas of North Charleston.  I will spare you the other details haha as if I haven't detailed enough already.  Anyway, I started work on the 31st and unfortunately it's been pretty anticlimactic.  I've done a whole lot of sitting at my computer (which I am so not used to) running odd and I mean odd errands, and occasionally (the most exciting part) going over to CON to be overwhelmed with information and future tasks I will be expected to complete.  But not to worry, I know things will change.  

I've been down in the Lowcountry (coastal counties of SC) for little over a week now.  Since then I have (surprisingly) already started to appreciate the distinct smell of the nearby paper mill, battled large hairy spiders in my living room eek!, encountered the cutest little frogs I ever did see, dodged a familiar "Carolina grocery store bagger incident", and began working in an office that belongs on a movie set.  Most importantly I've already met some amazing people.  I'm surrounded by people who are going through the same experiences that I am and who also share most of the same values and beliefs that I do.  This helps to reassure me that I will make it through my one year VISTA experience.