Our Tuesday started off with a rocky start. We walked from the Steinbruck Center and headed to Community of Hope - Marie H. Reed Community Learning Center. The walk took longer than we anticipated so we were late. We also encountered a few more bumps along the way but when all was said and done we worked as a team and got through it. Although our morning was a bit stressful the weather was on our side as it was finally not raining today!
When we finally arrived to the learning center we led a discussion on stress management to the parents of students attending the learning center. Most of the parents that arrived were mothers. However, there was two fathers present. We discussed several things like what causes stress and how to effectively manage it. One woman began crying and explained that she just lost her job and this was most stressful to her at this time. I feel that just by listening to this woman and her story it was worth every stressor that we experienced in the morning to get to the learning center.
The ironic thing about these stressors was that at the end of our discussion everything was OK. We worked together and got through it. However, with the homeless population their stressors such as shelter or food are much more worrisome. In some circumstances they may not be OK at the end of the day. This helped to keep in perspective on what I think is a bad day, is nothing compared to what the homeless population goes through on a day to day basis.
Also, in these stressful situations it reminded me of the importance of the support of others. As I was walking around Washington D.C. I noticed in one area a group of homeless people with all their belongings which consisted of only shopping carts, blankets, etc. were all clustered together. Then a half mile down the road I did not see any of the homeless population. They may have developed a support systems of family and friends just to survive through each day. Things may not always go as planned but with the support of others you are able to push through it a bit easier.
Later that afternoon we arrived at Shaw Jr. High. As we entered there were two security guards at the entrance as well as metal detectors. This was very different to the middle school that I went to. I think the only thing close to a security officer was the D.A.R.E officer for adolescents to resist drugs and violence. All of us visited with students in each of their classrooms.
That evening I was able to visit the Holocaust museum which was absolutely amazing and then also the Arlington National Cemetery. I would highly recommend those two places if you ever plan a trip to Washington D.C.
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