Mistaken Identities

I've had two strangers approach me thinking I was Mexican in the past week. And since Mexican women are so beautiful, I am absolutely taking that as a compliment.

Some guy in a minivan with an indeterminate accent stopped me while I was walking to work yesterday and asked for directions. I gave him directions, and he thanked me and drove away. This is a happy story for two reasons. 1) I was able to give directions in Chicago. 2) The last time some guy in a minivan with an indeterminate accent stopped me to ask for directions (back in Tennessee), he turned out to be a bit of an, um, exhibitionist. Luckily, it was a whole different guy this time.

Daena has been playing football in the road with some people from the neighborhood. Some of them are kids, and some of them are about our age. The other day, they asked her why they never saw the cameras. Apparently, some of the people in our neighborhood think we are with The Real World. Daena said, No, we're volunteers. They said, Yeah, volunteers with The Real World, right?

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I'm working on four writing projects right now. I'm most creative when I'm busy, and I hate getting bored at work, so lucky for me, work is getting more exciting.

I'm going to have up to three guys starting CCP lab soon. One of them doesn't speak English very well. The program is in English, but you get to work at your own pace, so I think he'll be okay with that. We also work on outside reading as part of the program. Alberto and I decided we should find a Spanish book to read, so that the class becomes bi-lingual. This should help M. stick with it until he can enroll in Chicago's one highschool that offers ESL classes (English as a Second Language). The other two guys are fifteen and want to get back into school, but are too young to get into Dugan, and have been in too much trouble to get into regular high schools. They really want to go back, so we're thinking we may have more success with these guys than with the first two.

HOPE Program is getting going again. I've been working on tons of paperwork for the city and for the other grants with Yesica. We have a presentation tonight. I'm going to go, but I"m not going to give the presentation. She says this is a very difficult crowd because they are rude and disruptive. It should be fun. I"m also trying to figure out some new places we can go this year to give presentations. And I'm creating the new HOPE Program brochure.

Also, tutoring has been slow over the past few months, because whenever I ask people how they're doing in school, they're always doing fine and never need any help. But the other day, some family members of several of the guys told me differently. So I've also spent much of the week hunting these guys down and telling them I'm going to tutor them. I've got a full roster now. All it took was getting a couple of the guys to agree, and then the others were more willing to admit they were having trouble. And then people I didn't know started asking for help.

My art class hasn't met for awhile because of the holiday break. Then no one came on Monday because there was something else scheduled. I told them that they need to come so we can finish the comic book and start sculpting. So everyone agreed to come tonight. Then last night, Sr. Angie scheduled a Youth Council meeting for tonight. Every member of my class except one is on the Youth Council. So I"m going to the HOPE Program presentation instead. But really, any time now we'll have a comic book completed.

This morning was first Friday breakfast meeting for all of Holy Cross staff. My days usually don't start until noon, but I dragged my tired self up here at 8:30 this morning. Then Yesica and I finished our paperwork for the day, and then I did the internet research for HOPE Program and for my art supply costs, and then it was noon, and I have nothing to do until four when my first... tutee?... comes. So I guess I'll work on my four writing projects.