Why be less, when you can B-MORE?!

As most of you know, I am spending this year in Baltimore, or "B-More" with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I am working in a home that cares for people living with HIV/AIDS. I live in a house with five other volunteers who are doing different types of work. Some people may think of this set up as a "Real World-Like" atmosphere...without the luxuries. My housemates are: Kelly, Amanda, Rachel, Tom, and Scott. They're pretty great! Each week we have spirituality nights where we reflect, pray, and talk about our past and present expereinces. We also have community nights each week that help us to get to know each other better and get better oriented with Baltimore. The four values of JVC are: simple living, community, spirituality and social justice. Therefore, during this year the six of us (along with hundreds of others throughouth the country and abroad) will be living our lives in ways that hopefully achieve these four values. So, I could go on and on about JVC, but I'd rather give you a little glimpse into my life these past few weeks:

From the outside looking in, parts of Baltimore may at first seem overwhelmingly sad. Over the past decade the population of Baltimore has steadily decreased (unlike most cities in the U.S.). This reality has left an abundance of abandoned buildings, homes, and businesses. As you walk down the street you can help but notice the beautiful red brick buildings with boards covering the windows and doors.

In addition to the depressing appearance of these abandoned areas, I have also seen the pain and struggles that the people I am working with face on a daily basis. 100% of the residents I work with suffer from HIV/AIDS in addition to some other disabiltiy. These disabilities include blindness, diabetes, paralysis, etc. Each morning, afternoon, and night medications are prepared and distributed to each of the residents. Some residents may take ten pills at a time multiple times throughout the day. As I sit in the attic office during my shifts I am constantly overwhelmed by the numbers of medications that surround me. I often try to appreciate the fact that there are these medications and that without them I probably wouldn't be here, because my residents wouldn't be here, they would have lost the fight a long time ago. Most of the time, however, I am simply overwhelmed by the mystery of this virus and how it interacts with the human body and how no matter what medications we use to fight the virus, it is always one step ahead.

The most confusing thing about these first few weeks of working with this population in Baltimore is that I have seen joy and hope in each of my residents...including one woman who will most certainly be the death of me. (Every time I come to work and help this woman get ready in the morning she looks at me, rolls her eyes, and says, "You gettin' on my nerves.") However, even she has her moments that show me there is hope. Over the past two weeks, I have found time to listen to music (mostly R&B) with the residents, get informed of all the happenings in The Young and the Restless (the favorite soap in both houses), laugh, play games, cook, eat, and rest among some of the most beautiful people I have ever met.

While the residents can be irritating and trying at times, I am finding that more often, they just want to live their lives and be as happy as possible; which, is the same for most of us.


Now, aside from work, I have also been experiencing the joys of community, transportation, landlords, etc.

Lets starty with community. I love my housemates. I couldn't have asked for a better situation. And although I'm sure we will have our disagreements throughout the year, I know we will still support each other and learn from one another. At some point I'm going to write a bio of each one of them so you can get to know them better.

Moving on to transportation....somebody shoot me! In two weeks I have successfully (or rather unsuccessfully) managed to go through three bikes. I was throughly enjoying my "new(used)" mountain bike with rusted wheels and torn seat. Although it wasn't pretty, it sure rode nice. Then, on Monday, after I had successfully bargained for a $15/month membership at the YMCA, I was coasting down hill when all of the sudden I was unable to continue because my chain had snapped! I'll tell you I was not a happy camper. I got off my bike and walked it the remaining two blocks home. The past two days I have been taking the bus to work and walking home. I would like to go for round four for a bike, however, my $85/month stipend is convincing me to hold off.

Lastly, my house. My beautiful brick row home in Charles Village, a quaint little neighborhood on the north side of the city with beatifully painted homes... Well, although our house is quite adorable, there are some issues that may be invisible to the unsuspecting. I'll give you a preview now, but wait till my next entry to share the details (hopefully the issues will be resolved by then and I will be more eager to discuss). Anyway, a preview: mold, mice, mosquitos, ghosts, HD box, etc.

Thanks for reading! I miss you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Peace and Love,

SCH