No, I'm not leaving Kentucky anytime soon, but in the last week and a half I have been able to do more in the area. And, in the process, I've gotten to know some very interesting individuals.
To begin, about two weeks ago I took part in the Apple Festival 3K trail run at Paintsville Lake State Park (~35 minutes north) and although I took away a small trophy, I also met the local bike shop owner who invited me on the shop's bike club's ride later that morning. Suffice to say I went on that ride and I enjoyed myself immensely. This part of the state draws few true cyclists and it was fun talking to people that appreciated my love of the sport. This past week there was a 50K bike race in town and, although I pinched a nerve in my back on a 1 mile climb at the midway point, I still finished close to the second group. After the ride I met a local podiatrist and osteopathic physician who told me about the best (i.e. cheapest) clinic and a good chiropractor in the area. Timely for sure.
Active sports aside, one area that I have been missing in my life here was the companionship of people my age and 2 weeks ago I met a group of young people at church that changed all that. The Christian Appalachian Project, or CAP, is a volunteering organization operating in about five different counties in the area and two of their volunteer bases are located less then a half hour drive from where I'm living. After having lunch with a few of the volunteers that Sunday
after mass, I found a group that shared my devotion to service and sort of a second family here in KY. So far we've gone to town festivals, shared movies, and last Sunday drove over an hour and a half to West Virginia to check out a corn maze (which only toke 30min).
All being said, I'm starting to really meet some interesting and enriching folks that help me to not think so much about what I'm missing being here in KY, but rather what an awesome place it can be through the right eyes.
Love to write more, but I'm off to go grocery shopping before the weekend. On Sunday a big group of college students will be arriving from the University of Notre Dame and I'll be tied up with them for a week. They will be learning about the area and helping with the teaching process. I'm felling a little burned out, so this change to the usual daily grind will be a nice change.
Until I write again, God Bless you and keep your prayers coming this way!
Peace Out!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
One day at a time
Hello! I first must apologize for the delay in posting. It's been quite a while since I've had the time, or should I say made the time to sit down and put fingers to keyboard and update the outside of my status in Kentucky. Well, here I am!
Exclamation points aside, it has been a challenging experience thus far and I am still searching for that illusive feeling of having everything under my complete control. My preconceived ideals concerning the big picture of being both a source of knowledge and a role modal to these kids sustains me each day, and I must say that the ability to shrug off the little annoyances and instead of over-reacting or freaking out has given me at least a superficial sense of calm in this nontraditional setting. Calls back home and occasional visits with friends and relatives in Ohio have given me inner strength although that to is not always easy. For example, driving back to David from Cincinnati, Ohio a few weeks ago gave me a harsh lesson in handling severe weather as I had to contend with the combined force of that bad storm which hit Chicago and fallout from Hurricane Ike. Together they combined to create one of the worst windstorms Kentucky has ever experienced, with Gail force cross winds and occasional rain playing with the nerves of all drivers on I-75. Driving the truck was a challenge and what normally would have been a 3.5 hour drive lasted almost 5 hours.
Since that experience I have done a little exploring and have checked out local state parks, lakes, bike shops, and random small towns in an effort to better familiarize myself with the area and escape the relative isolation of the school. For example yesterday I checked out the Apple Festival in the town of Paintsville. Although the "festival" itself was less interesting then I had been lead to believe, I did get some grocery and hardware shopping done at Lowe's and Walmart. However, since Paintsville is located in a dry county, procuring any type of libation was not possible. But fear not, I'm working on that. :)
Classes are going well for the most part with industrial arts being the most entertaining of my six periods. The students have already completed several projects including boomerangs, bird houses, bird cutouts (to protect birds from flying into the school windows), and several laminated cutting boards. Current projects include a bat house, several speaker boxes, and a host of folding walnut and canvas camp chairs that would make a wonderful gift for a loved one this holiday season (hint, hint!). It's great to end the day with smiles on the kids faces, all my fingers, and a dusting of sawdust. A day well spent!
Until I write again... God Bless!!!
Mike
Exclamation points aside, it has been a challenging experience thus far and I am still searching for that illusive feeling of having everything under my complete control. My preconceived ideals concerning the big picture of being both a source of knowledge and a role modal to these kids sustains me each day, and I must say that the ability to shrug off the little annoyances and instead of over-reacting or freaking out has given me at least a superficial sense of calm in this nontraditional setting. Calls back home and occasional visits with friends and relatives in Ohio have given me inner strength although that to is not always easy. For example, driving back to David from Cincinnati, Ohio a few weeks ago gave me a harsh lesson in handling severe weather as I had to contend with the combined force of that bad storm which hit Chicago and fallout from Hurricane Ike. Together they combined to create one of the worst windstorms Kentucky has ever experienced, with Gail force cross winds and occasional rain playing with the nerves of all drivers on I-75. Driving the truck was a challenge and what normally would have been a 3.5 hour drive lasted almost 5 hours.
Since that experience I have done a little exploring and have checked out local state parks, lakes, bike shops, and random small towns in an effort to better familiarize myself with the area and escape the relative isolation of the school. For example yesterday I checked out the Apple Festival in the town of Paintsville. Although the "festival" itself was less interesting then I had been lead to believe, I did get some grocery and hardware shopping done at Lowe's and Walmart. However, since Paintsville is located in a dry county, procuring any type of libation was not possible. But fear not, I'm working on that. :)
Classes are going well for the most part with industrial arts being the most entertaining of my six periods. The students have already completed several projects including boomerangs, bird houses, bird cutouts (to protect birds from flying into the school windows), and several laminated cutting boards. Current projects include a bat house, several speaker boxes, and a host of folding walnut and canvas camp chairs that would make a wonderful gift for a loved one this holiday season (hint, hint!). It's great to end the day with smiles on the kids faces, all my fingers, and a dusting of sawdust. A day well spent!
Until I write again... God Bless!!!
Mike
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