Leaving with a Bang!

Last day of work, last day of New York City, for a time at least. I cannot even tell you how much I love this place. I have made so many new friends In New York; I have had so many fantastic experiences here. Thank you God! It definitely will be hard to top New York City for our next spike. We are headed to back to Vicksburg, MS tomorrow, but we will stop in Lexington, KY, for a night, which is an hour away from my home. I cannot wait to see my family; my mother, cousin, my grandmother and grandfather will be having dinner with me. I am so happy for them to come and see me; definitely the most challenging thing is being away from my family. I am ready to see them and hug them. I never really appreciated my family, but I feel like I have a greater appreciation for them all. My father just visited me last week; I have to say it was a great visit together, we Saw Jersey Boys, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, went on a boat tour around New York, had lunch at a fantastic Mexican restaurant Toloache 82 and went to a Jazz/soul concert at the Marble Church downtown. We have a 10 hour drive tomorrow, how excited I am to head to the South, I sure do miss it. We are trying to get to NOLA April 5th, so that will be fun. Thanks for all the love and support! Sarah ELizabeth New AmeriCorps video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg7QNeos3Fc\ Nicole Zuraitis Jazz/soul concert at the Marble Church downtown: http://www.nicolezuraitis.com/videos.asp

Fried Duck and Noisella

Wonderful things have been happening these past weeks. I have been to so many amazing places, have served so many people, and best of all I have been served with an amazing slice of a New York City. I made it a priority to go to church about every Sunday, I really enjoy the services. It has helped me deal with team problems, let go of pent up emotions, to think about the person I want to be, and to just check in with myself. I look forward to my Sunday adventures! I am attending the Unity Church of New York for the second time and the service was on "Prosperity Bullsh**t and Other Spiritual Traps" which was hysterically perfect for this spike. The minister Paul Tengalia was right on the money, when he was talking about others, he said "send them love and let them go". I recently read "God Never blinks" by Regina Brett, by far the best book I have ever read. My favorite part of New York City by far is Central Park, it’s simply incredible. The trees are so tall and beautiful, many rock formations cover the park; I just can’t help but to whistle while I walk along the rocky path. The street performers also amaze me, doesn't matter if your homeless, doesn't matter what you look like, doesn’t matter what your talent is, you show your uniqueness to NYC and people love it. I love the drummers in the subway station and the singers on the train because they bring happiness and life to a smelly dingy train station. I saw Matt Vorzimer in a subway station, on the way to church, this man has talent, and this man put his soul into his music. He is a drummer that remixes popular songs and just gives the song a new sound. So I am standing in the subway station and just tapping along to the beat in amazement. A homeless woman comes up and smiles and dances like no one was watching, just dances and is completely absorbing and loving the new sound, and right before she leaves she pulled out the few coins from her pocket and put it in Matt's guitar bag. I love street performers because they play on the wild side, they do what they love, and they take risk. I have been to so many delicious restaurants lately; my new favorite food is Noisella, like Nutella but a little chocolatier. I found this fantastic spread at a French restuant I visited on a Sunday afternoon. I have been to many great Italian restaurants, a Thai/Japanese restaurant had some awesome fried Duck. The 911 Memorial was an incredible Service Learning Project that I was in charge of. I recently went to Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim exhibit was fantastic. I have seen a few musicals including Avenue Q, Chicago, and I am going to see Jersey Boys this Thursday. If you have any suggestions to go anywhere, please tell me!! Love, Sarah

Spike 2:)

Adventure time, round two, New Year, new experiences, new people, and a new adventure in my life!! I just want to thank all my family and friends for this journey, for the support, the love and everything in between. I haven’t blogged in a while, I know, but I needed time for the right blog, I didn't want to produce anything but the truth and what came from my heart. I am on this AmeriCorps journey and it’s the most exciting and terrifying thing I have done yet!! Spike #2, drum roll…….we are working in New York City. Oh my goodness and no my life couldn’t get any better. So our lodging at the moment will not be in the city but an hour and a half out of NYC. So Camp Hope is where we are lodged for the time being. It is very nice; it has beds, showers, central heat, an oven and four burners that actually work, also we have a washer and a dryer. The commute to work is long but we make due. I actually changed my work to Public Assistance instead of mission support FDRC, which is what I did in Denver, Colorado. I wanted something different than what I did in Denver and I actually know little about PA, so I’m sure it will be interesting. I am working with some great people in PA, they always want to help me out and I am the only FEMA Corps working with them. All of the FEMA Corps work 4 days a week, 8am-4:00pm Monday through Thursday. I bring my lunch about everyday but there is a deli across the street which might be the best sandwich shop I have ever been to! We work on Queens Blvd so the food choices are endless. I have to say that I am in love with NYC; it is filled with so many interesting and wonderful opportunities. Today we made it in the city to church and we were late so we just rode the Staten Island Ferry and saw lady Liberty and stuffed our faces with pizza! WOW is she beautiful! I also can’t get enough PIZZA; I think I have had it about four times since I have been here. Friday we went to time square which was incredible, I never knew how big it was and of course we went shopping at the four stories FOREVER 21. Earlier Friday we strolled through Central park, and Grand Central Station. I am in awe every time I go into the city. We have almost mastered the train station, and we have gotten lost many times. I also want to commend myself on driving in NYC down town traffic without killing anyone. The people are so different than the people from Louisville, KY or Vicksburg, MS they are much louder, a little angrier but I have met some wonderful people on my journey and the people wear a lot of black. I have to say this has been the best AmeriCorps adventure yet! This Tuesday we are scheduled to go to the show The Doctors, so look for me in the audience, it will be showing the 22nd of January. My three weeks home, was the best three weeks of my life, I got to see most of my friends and family. I am so thankful for the three weeks because it just shows me the support I have and the fact that I need to graduate this program to show myself I can do anything. I was so happy to be able to go to South Carolina to see my McAllister family as I only get to see them a few times a year. Thank you all for the love and support!

FEMA JFO Address:)