It is not possible for words to even begin to describe how much this summer has changed my life.  I already know that my experiences at Urban Mitzvah Corps will stay with me forever.

The people that I have met and the job sites that I have worked at have all been amazing!  After spending my first three weeks of the program working at Elijah’s Promise, a local soup kitchen, I now think of myself as an Elijah’s Promise veteran and a farm boy.  I loved working both on the farm and with the food, and seeing how food goes from farm to table was an amazing experience that I found incredibly valuable.

I was sad to leave Elijah’s Promise, but then fell in love with Regency Heritage, a Jewish nursing home and my new job site.  The residents at Regency were amazing; they had an incredible ability to make me laugh and cry at the same time!  One of the highlights of time there was having one of my favorite residents tell me that she thinks of me like a son!  It was a complete surprise in such an amazing way!  I also heard about one woman’s story about living through the London Blitz, and I have even met and spoken with a Cuban Jew!  I am so sad to have had to say goodbye, but I know that I did so much good for the New Brunswick area and the residents at Regency Heritage.

This summer will 100% always remain in my mind, and in my heart.

NFTY Mitzvah Corps Costa Rica hadn’t really ever been on my radar; I guess you could say that it has a quiet confidence. With a capacity of 25 participants and such a remote and “un-Jewish” location, MCCR has a mysterious aura about it. Going into my senior year, having already been to Israel on NFTY-EIE Summer Semester, and itching to go on an exotic trip, NFTY MCCR was a good choice for me. So with two of my closest friends from URJ Camp Kalsman and my best friend from EIE, I embarked on a journey that was unlike any NFTY experience I’d ever had.

The first thing that hit me was the humidity. As soon as we walked outside upon our arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica, my friends and I looked at each other and said with great exasperation, “EWWW THIS CLIMATE IS SO GROSS!” Of course, most of the other participants were from the East Coast and had little sympathy for us Seattleites; people from the Pacific Northwest tend to be preoccupied with the weather.

On our first day in Costa Rica, we rose early for a breakfast of rice & beans (a Costa Rican staple), loaded our buses, and drove literally across the country, all the way to the Costa Rica-Panama border.  From there, we traveled upriver in dugout canoes to the indigenous village of Yorkin, where we stayed for the next three days. We spent the mornings performing acts of tikkun olam(repairing the world) by helping the people of Yorkin build a new room for their elementary school. We got to help the locals saw and plane planks of wood, nail those planks onto the frame of the building, and schlep rocks up from the river to build a path.

MCCR 2012

After intense mornings of hard work, we spent low-key afternoons swimming in the river and learning about the culture of the Bribri people (indigenous tribe of Costa Rica). We learned how they make chocolate from scratch and use a bow & arrow, plus we learned a few words on the native Bribri language such as “welcome” and “thank you.” The people of Yorkin speak Spanish, so many of the participants on the trip could communicate with the locals. Having taken only French, I relied heavily on my friends to translate for me.

Yorkin is special in that it is totally in the middle of the rainforest. There were moments when all we wanted was to be back in the city, like when we found a three inch-long forest roach in our bathroom, or the spider that was about the size of my face, or when the howler monkeys woke us up at 5am with their screeching in the distance, but everyone on the trip left Yorkin with peace of mind, and new appreciation for the rainforest and the life that it sustains.

We returned to San Jose on Friday night, and attended Shabbat services at Congregation B’nai Israel, a progressive synagogue in the city. It was interesting to experience Shabbat in Spanish, and the rabbi was nice enough to read off the page numbers in English as well. The next day, we drove up to Poas Volcano and hiked up to the crater. We were disappointed to find that it was much too cloudy to see anything. We sat in a circle and shared our most meaningful Jewish experiences. Some participants shared deeply personal experiences, and it was at this time that I realized what a special community we had built, and it only took a week.

Our second to last day in Costa Rica was spent in La Carpio, the poor section of San Jose. The inhabitants of this area are mostly immigrants from Nicaragua. They live crowded together in makeshift homes, and it is impossible to escape the aroma of sewage. We helped these people mix and pour cement to pave a road. It was a lot of work, but we completed most of the job.

Our last day in Costa Rica was a reward for all our hard work. We drove to the coast and took a catamaran out to a private beach for the day. It was so tropical and beautiful! We went snorkeling, and swam in the ocean, and ate foods besides rice & beans and plantains. Honestly, this day made every hardship we faced earlier in the trip totally worth it. Every cold shower, every mosquito bite, and every puddle of mud we had to step in. Totally worth it.

When I returned home and wrote in my journal about all the experiences I had, I realized how much I missed the low-stress lifestyle of Yorkin. The people of Yorkin are some of the happiest people in the world; they don’t have to worry about half of the things we worry about in the US. While in Costa Rica, we discussed the differences between a “want” and a “need.” The inhabitants of Yorkin have so much less than we do, yet they are so much more satisfied. I think there is a message here.

We also discussed the idea of “sustainable service.” If something is “sustainable,” that means that it’s there for the long-run. By building a classroom and paving a road, we — the participants of NFTY Mitzvah Corps Costa Rica 2012 — made a sustainable difference in the communities of Yorkin and La Carpio. As I stated in a Facebook status upon my return home, “I hope that we will all draw things from this experience to implement in our daily lives, because we really can make a positive and sustainable difference in the world.”

Thanks, NFTY’s Mitzvah Corps, for such a positive and fulfilling experience!

Today, less than 72 hours before I complete my life changing summer in New Brunswick, I can honestly say that Urban Mitzvah Corps has grown from an experience into a feeling. There are times where I barely think about my life during the school year, and become so involved in my volunteer work it becomes a comfortable routine that I can’t imagine life without. It isn’t just a program for Jewish teenagers that do volunteer over summer break; it is home.

I never thought I would have this much fun in a camp-like setting, where all you do is volunteer for things and do community service, but that’s part of UMC’s charm!  I’m so glad that this summer I was able to take advantage of the opportunity offered to me to help other people in my community, and in more ways than I could have dreamed possible. As if that weren’t enough, with the friends I have made here, nothing is unpleasant or boring! The work can be pretty challenging at times, regardless of which jobsite you pick, but knowing that you have a team of roommates, and family, behind you every step of the way makes it a learning experience unlike any other.

For my jobsites this summer, I’ve had the pleasure of working first at Elijah’s Promise, followed by my second three weeks at Play S.A.F.E.  To my slight surprise, I found that while the kids at Play S.A.F.E were awesome and so fun to hang out with, occasionally

The UMC 2012 Family

they can get very noisy and sometimes they seem to prefer continuing their organized chaos rather than take a break to listen to instructions. Luckily, the staff that work there are so nice and understanding, and they have no problem with assisting a volunteer.

Working at Elijah’s Promise was challenging in a more physical type of way.  The work several times a week involves working for several hours on a farm, which can get hot, and you definitely need that bug spray! It is beautiful, but getting dirty and sweaty is a daily occurrence. However, the reward of just knowing you helped someone is great, especially later in the week when you actually get to serve people the very same food you helped to harvest and prepare.

Speaking of food, the meals here at UMC are pretty good too, even when I help to make it. The trips we go on are always fun, thanks to our genius staff members. A personal goal I made for myself was to take advantage of every opportunity, put myself out there in my relationships with the other participants, as well as professionally in my jobsites, and leave on August 5^th very sad, but very fulfilled, and with no regrets. Well, mission accomplished!  Now, with only days left to go, the thought of leaving this place nearly brings tears to my eyes. I know that I could chat with my friends with the internet or over the phone, but it won’t be the same. I wish I could relive the little funny moments here a million times. I love everything about UMC, and if reading this article has made even a small fraction of the impact on you, that participating on the entire program has made on me, take a chance, and spend a summer here too!

Never in my life have I had a summer as amazing and life changing as this one.  At UMC, I’ve learned to challenge my mind in a way that I never have before.  Though in previous summers I have attended sleep away camp, lived without my parents for an extended period of time, and roomed with other people, this experience has exceeded all of my expectations, and is unlike anything I had done in the past.  Within just the first week, I had already made so many new friends, and over the past month, have been lucky enough to live not only with my two incredible roommates, but with a beautiful house full of people I now consider my family.

For the first half of my time at UMC, I worked at Play S.A.F.E., a fully subsidized day camp for children ages 6 to 12 who live in the New Brunswick area.  My time there was challenging, but incredibly rewarding.  I worked with a group of seven-year-old boys who were so amazing, and I was able to learn so much from them.  I took care of and successfully lead my class, formed

UMC at Play SAFE!

relationships with some remarkable kids, and even picked up a little bit of Spanish along the way!  It was really hard for me to leave Play S.A.F.E. after the three weeks that I was there, and I still miss my boys dearly, especially playing musical chairs and dancing to “Alejandro” by Lady Gaga!

Over the last three weeks, I have started working at Regency Heritage, a nursing home in the area.  In the beginning, it took me a little time to get adjusted to the change.  Going from Play S.A.F.E. to Regency is shifting between two completely opposite sides of an emotional and developmental spectrum.  At Play S.A.F.E., I ran around and was always on my feet, working with young, active, inquisitive, and energetic children.

Quite the opposite, Regency is a calm, slow moving, reflective environment for the elderly, but a very trying experience in its own right.  The work requires a lot of patience, and making the transition took a bit of time, but it has been worth it.  Now, after the second week, I can say that I am in love with Regency!  My favorite unit to work in is G2, which is the wing of the building where the residents with Alzheimer’s and Dementia stay.  At first it scared me to work there, but as I visited more, developed totally different types of relationships with the staff and clients, and grew more accustomed to the different atmosphere, I conquered my fear and have come to really enjoy it.

All in all, I love UMC so much!  I wish it lasted further into August just so that I could volunteer longer at each of my locations.  Yet as the program is drawing to an inevitable end, I fully intend to enjoy this last week to its fullest.

Each member of BAMCorps, both participants and staff, were asked to sum up what BAMCorps means to them in 1-2 sentences. Here is what they said:

“I have changed because I found out the importance of helping indigent people. I have learned that many poor folks are not crazy people, but rather misunderstood and hapless.”

“BAMCorps means forever. BAMCorps means having your eyes opened to the terribleness that exists in the world. BAMCorps

BAMC 2012

means looking like fools while trying to pick berries from a tree that is a tad too tall. BAMCorps means friendship.”

“BAMC means that I can change the world. BAMC means that I am responsible. For myself. For my friends. For my family. For people I know, and people I have never met. For the people I love, and the people I don’t love yet.”

“It means family and family, means no one gets left behind, but this is not only true for the 19 of us. The word is family; we are connected so no one should be left on the street, or have nowhere to go if you’re mentally disabled, or if you have no food to eat. BAMCorps is helping repair our forgotten family and add love that’s dearly missed.”

“BAMCorps for me is a tool that helped me to grow as a person and understand that life isn’t so straightforward – it is complicated, there are a thousand sides to every story and everyone matters.”

“It means that I have found myself. To be honest, I came in with a negative outlook and I came out empowered and with a passion

BAMC Rawr!

to fix myself and the world.”

“BAMCorps was a way for me to feel like I was making a difference while meeting some great people. It made me feel powerful. BAMCorps means family and family means no one gets left behind.”

“BAMCorps means to me: making new friends and lifelong bonds while discovering more about myself and learning to become a better person through social action.”

“Bay Area Mitzvah Corps is pure beauty. Thank you for letting me be a part of it and allowing myself to become a better person.”

“BAMCorps is awesome person training! BAMCorps is a training camp for do-gooders!”

“BAMC is this amazing program that has changed my life. Volunteering and being part of a Jewish family made this experience unbelievable. BAMC has changed many of my views on life in general.”

BAMC Scavenger Hunt

“BAMCorps 2012 means many things to me. BAMC means family, help, and love. One example is when in one of our games we were supposed to touch the head of someone who you consider family and all of the people standing up touched everyone’s head.”

“I met a person that I really love and care about.”

“BAMCorps opened up my eyes to serious problems that are not often addressed around where I live, i.e.: Girls Hope – are few if any organizations in my town to help children in bad environments.”

“When I think of BAMC I think of watching people’s face change when you do something. I could be giving them a plate of food or simply saying good morning to them.”

“BAMC means family to me and I love them. It also means education from people. It means learning I say the word ‘down’

BAMC Boys

weirdly, and falling in love with J Pom.”

“Through BAMCorps I have made close friends. I have made tangible differences in the Bay Area and am now confident I can continue to do so in my own community.”

“BAMCorps gives me the chance to make a change and the ability to be proud of the changes I see us all making.”

“BAMCorps is a safe space to call home. No matter where I am or what I am doing these are the 18 people I can always come back to.”

Upon entering UMC, I didn’t know what to expect when it came to the jobsites.  Would the work be hard?  Would my coworkers be nice?  All those kinds of things that one would question before starting a new job.  However, when I got to my first worksite, all my fears vanished.  For the first three weeks of the summer I worked at Daisy, a summer camp for children and adults with

UMC 2012

disabilities, and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life!  I mainly worked with the youngest campers, ages 8-13,

but I went wherever they needed me to staff.  Some of the kids in my group were very high functioning, but a lot of the time I worked with the less functioning kids, which could be a challenge.  But I like challenges, and I had fun at the same time.

A typical day at Daisy included art, dance, swimming, playing with the X-box Kinnect, all the typical things that kids without disabilities would do, too.  The goal at Daisy was to help these people who are differently-abled have a fun camp experience, and I think we were successful.  I bonded so much with these kids that I actually cried when I left on the last day!

These kids changed my life for the better.  This job taught me patience and understanding, and it gave me a glimpse into the life of a counselor.  I learned that I want more.  The people at Daisy, staff and campers alike, were all so kind and unbelievable.  You know the quote, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your

life?”  Well so far this summer, I haven’t been working.  I fell in love with Daisy literally from day 1.

UMC 2012

Even though I was sad to leave my Daisy campers, I got a whole new set of eight year old girls at my new jobsite Play S.A.F.E., a camp for underprivileged children in New Brunswick.  The work is different, and in some ways even more challenging than Daisy, but I already love my girls.  Each day at Play S.A.F.E., I think back to my time at Daisy and how I always came home with a smile.

We were twenty seven. 27 people with different beliefs, ideas, and sexual orientations; a gremlin, an egotistical Russian, and boy with a deep love for his beads, among many others. Our supervision consisted of a nocturnal comedian, and two quirky kids at heart.  We were chauffeured by a cell phone addict and an overly enthusiastic tour guide with a medium haircut. On paper, we may have been less than glamorous. In the flesh, we were phenomenal.

In these types of programs, the words “community” and “safe-zone” get thrown around a lot; however, in our humble home of 554

MCS 2012 - We came from all over!

at the Brent House Hotel, self-consciousness was not in our vocabulary. Because of this, we looked at every task openly and reserved our complaining for mealtime. That doesn’t necessarily mean we were excited by every task, but we were willing to try.

When Emily started to discuss creating a service consisting of no Hebrew but instead of our own personal interpretations of the prayers, no one really knew what to expect. When we began the exercise, I started to think of G-d as less of a concept and more of an idea. I thought of G-d as love – love between individuals and love between communities. If that’s the case, relationships are like prayers and our program was the home of  G-d.

We all ended up developing not only our Jewish identities, but developing as people because of the tight knit community we made up. Sometimes a person can make a prediction about a situation that fits perfectly in retrospect; this was not one of those times. None of us could have predicted how close we would get to one another and the profound experiences we shared.

Two Chains.

When our staff informed us that we would be taking a break from working with Habitat for Humanity in Birmingham just to tour Temple Emanu-El, I didn’t at first “get” why we were visiting a congregation without evening staying for services. However upon meeting Rabbi Haas, I quickly understood why.

My main stereotype of Birmingham was that the people there were not going to be accepting of Jews. Martin Luther King Jr. focused his energy there because it was supposed to be the most racist place in the South, leading me to believe that they were not very accepting of anyone who was different. However, the exact opposite was true. Temple Emanu-El has been standing for 100 years, has 750 families there, and are very much accepted within the greater Birmingham community.

For all the feelings of tolerance, there have been bumps along the way. Rabbi Haas told a story of a boy who became a bar mitzvahand was very happy. That night, he asked the Rabbi to call him. When she did, she found out that someone had told him that since he was Jewish, they couldn’t be friends anymore. The rumor spread, and lots of people said they too couldn’t be his

MCS 2012 at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham

friend anymore.

Another surprising thing was that the rabbi we met with was a woman. That might seem weird for me to say, but since Jews aren’t always completely accepted in their communities, they might not have accepted a female rabbi. Reform Jews, however, really seem to be accepting of everyone and everything, no matter their color, or their gender.

Relating this back to me and my Jewish identity, I realized how strong our community is. In the Torah portion of the week we were in Birmingham, we read about Balak and how when an obstacle is in your way, it might be there for a reason. Prejudice in the South has, in my opinion, made that community stronger. The people there have had to deal with hate and hardship, and have continued to survive. Birmingham has changed since the time of Martin Luther King Jr., and while prejudice may still exist, we have the strength to overcome it.

This year’s BAMC group had the opportunity to meet with a former participant, to hear about her experiences last summer, and reflecting back one year later, how her life has been changed by the program.  Additionally, another participant wrote in answers for us to read out to the group.  Below is a transcript of what they said!

Why did you choose BAMC?

Hillary:

BAMC for me, was a chance to be away from home. Now, I’ve been going to camp since I was 9, so it wasn’t so much that I was without my parents, but more of an opportunity to find myself in a place in which I had never been. I wanted to be far away, on my own, with people I didn’t know.

In getting on my flight, I didn’t know what to expect. I feel like I may have been the only one who didn’t stalk everyone else in the group on Facebook, and who didn’t know at least one person indirectly at the very least. For me, BAMC was a chance to throw myself into a situation in which I was totally out of context. My expectations were not vast. All I knew about the program of Mitzvah Corps was what I heard from the bunch of kids from my temple who did Urban Mitzvah Corps.  I expected to, like, do

Alissa and Hillary, BAMC 2011

work, and meet people, but that was the extent to which I had thought it over in my head from the start. In short, I didn’t really know or analyze very much prior to my leaving, and I didn’t want to.

Alissa:

For me, choosing Bay Area was mostly logistical. I had never been to sleepaway camp, so the length of the trip appealed to me. It was in an area I had been to, but never experienced wholly, and I wanted to fall entirely in love with. (spoiler alert: I did.) Plus, it was all about social action, which is the aspect of Judaism I am most interested in. It’s kind of my thing. I knew Dusty from my freshman year, but only knew her as “the Regional Advisor of NFTY SoCal whom had never met me but had been my mother for a year regardless”.  My expectations were mixed, at first. To start, I expected to meet people, but probably not forge tight-knit, lasting friendships (spoiler alert #2: I did make those beautiful lasting friendships.) I expected to be homesick at some point in time, but I never really was. Even if I had been, I could have easily immersed myself in BAMC again and turned everything around. My biggest expectation was that I would become at least a little more adventurous and independent. I knew I would from the first day, as I set eyes on the city and felt all my fear and nerves be replaced by excitement and wonder. In my first two days of BAMC 2011, I shattered all my negative expectations, and blew my positive ones out of the water.

What were your favorite things about the program?  Did anything surprise you?

Alissa:

My favorite thing about the city as a whole is the paradoxical themes it encompasses. I’ve always been a big fan of symbolism, and to me, it was beautiful that the same city could hold such gorgeous art and sights, while still harboring the very human suffering we went out every day to work against. Above all, the best aspect of the experience was spending all day with people I loved dearly, doing hard, intense work which we all loved as well. Once we all meshed, everything was more fun, sunnier, and positive, even with regards the darkest of topics.

The biggest surprise for me was how much I continued to connect with my religion on the trip. I have never been the single most spiritual person I know, and don’t believe in the single mold version of God. However, the way Dusty and Sam (and Abby, you

BAMC on BART 2011

would have loved her!) planned services, there was something for all of us. Dusty’s meditation services were relaxing and beautiful, and Sam’s services allowed all of us to mix our melodies we knew from home, highlighting our differences and similarities. It was SO cool. Anything you want to gain from BAMC, you will.

Hillary:

A list of my favorite aspects of BAMC would be extensive and endless. Pretty much everything I did, and everyone I met, was a favorite in some way. If you asked me the site at which I liked to work the most, and time flew by the fastest, I would say Open Hand with G. If you asked me where I felt the most impact and the singular day in which I actually chose to call my parents to tell them about, I would say St. Anthony’s. My favorite ballerhino? Ben. My favorite mom? Incomprehensible. My favorite place to be? The laundry room at esseffessyou. Favorite game? Lap tag…but don’t tell our moms.  If it isn’t apparent, I loved everything. Even Iris Clearwater.

I was surprised at how quickly we all became a family. When people ask me, I jokingly say it took all fourteen of us approximately 2 hours all to fall in love with each other…but it’s really true. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed working at every site. I was talking to Mrs. Charvonia [Alissa's mom] this morning, and saying that one of the parts of BAMC that I loved the most was forcing myself into situations in which I didn’t feel comfortable, but being a part and making sure that I ultimately did feel comfortable, and wanted to be there. An example being Habitat for Humanity, where I was originally reluctant to go, but in the

Sam & Dusty, BAMC Staff 2011 & 2012

end was discovered to be one of the only ones who could actually construct walls, and had an amazing time hanging out of 3rd story windows and grasping at the scaffolding with Rob. The biggest surprises came in situations in which I didn’t generally think I’d find myself, but ultimately…did.

How has this program affected you?  Looking back one year later, how have you changed, and what parts of the program remain with you?

Alissa:

Before BAMC, I would have called myself a pessimist. Now, I can honestly say that while I retain my realistic side, I am more optimistic. I look at a challenge and say, “I walked the ENTIRE Embarcadero, and to Ghiradelli Square. THIS, is easy.” When someone asks me to do something outside my comfort zone, I’m excited instead of scared. I can’t wait to experience more and more as time goes by. I also have enjoyed working with others more than ever before. Though pre-BAMC I preferred to work solo and finish as much as possible, now, if I am in a team, I love explaining and cooperating to see as many sides of situations as possible. Besides all that mental stuff, I have made the best friends of my life, and I know I could easily spend several weeks in Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Florida, or anywhere my BAMCers are.

Hillary:

It’s cliché, but BAMC changed my life. I think about it almost every day, and miss it juts the same. Junior year is…annoying, but knowing that at the end of the month I’d get to see Hannah Ritter [another BAMC 2011 participant] and talk about ballerinas, got me through it. BAMC opened my eyes to the way I looked at Branchburg New Jersey. The biggest impact it had was this new attitude I have, which is that I pretty much agree to try anything. If someone asks me to help with something, or to try something new, even if I don’t necessarily feel 100% excited about it, I like to take part. It’s surprising how much you can enjoy something just by doing what you might not think you want to do. I learned to put myself into new situations that seem weird or scary, and just go with it…because, seriously, why not?

Lastly, do you have any advice for current and future BAMCers?

Hillary:

Here’s the thing…you don’t realize how fast it goes. It sounds stupid, but literally savor every freaking second. Every second. Realize how lucky you are to be doing what you are doing. The work you’re doing…remember it. Remember how it feels too fold cardboard boxes at the food bank, and to hammer in a bazillion nails at Hab for Hum. And then do it all again, because you can never hammer nails enough. Tell chef G how awesome he is, and don’t be afraid to buy mom a pink girls hat at the Wharf. The

BAMC 2011

biggest point I’d have to stress, is value the people you’re with, because you will never find anyone else like them. I know that every group of BAMC is different, and I know our experience is different from yours, but try to savor it. In my case, these people aren’t just with you for a month. I just stayed with one of my friends I hadn’t seen in a year, for over a week, 3000 miles away from home. That’s saying something. BAMC was an experience I still say was the best month of my life, and I don’t think it will be rivaled any time soon.

Alissa:

Be as open as possible. When you’re stressed, don’t be afraid to stay in your dorm and relax, but spend every moment during which you are in the right place to getting to know everyone else. Soak up every part of the beautiful city, and discover ways to enjoy the people everywhere you go. This will be the best experience of your life, as long as you let it, and it will hopefully stay with you forever. Your BAMC will be different from my BAMC, and from the BAMC of next year. But it will always be YOUR BAMC: know that and revel in it every minute that you can.

I woke up to the sound of an annoying alarm clock.  Something all teens hate to hear in the morning.  I bathed, got dressed, and went down to eat breakfast.  I had packed the day before, so all I had to do was throw all my stuff in the back of the car.  I hugged

Ethan and one of his new BAMC friends!

my dad and got in the car.  My mom and I started the car, and drove away.  I was excited yet sad, knowing that that moment, was the last time I was going to see my home, my dog, my dad for a month.  I was leaving my home.

When we arrived at the airport, my mom helped me get all my stuff out of the car, gave me a hug, and I knew my journey was about to begin.  I walked into the hectic building, checked my bag, and started to go through the one thing everybody hates… TSA.  Thankfully, I did make it through and started to go to my gate.  I boarded the plane, and the pilot started to talk about the weather and arrival time of the great city of San Francisco.  Flying from North Carolina to San Francisco, alone, and knowing that it was a place I had never been to before was a bit nerve wracking for me.

After a long five hours, I finally arrived to a text message from a man named Sam Pearlson, one of our staff members, welcoming me to the Bay Area. I found my way and met up with him.  It was scary, but he made me feel like this was going to be a life-changing experience and I had nothing to be scared about.  One by one, more people started to come to the terminal.  After about an hour there were seven kids that I was looking at that I had never seen before, and yet we were all already friends and all talking as if we had known each other for years.

Fast forward to a few days ago, when we were all taking a break, and just hanging out.  I looked around and realized that we had evolved from complete strangers into a family.  I realized that I made a new home.  You don’t need a physical place to have a home, all you need is people around you that love you for who you really are.  That could be parents, siblings, or even a small group of kids that you do community service with.  And I realized that’s what I have!  People around me that love me for who I am.  We are one big happy family.  Here, I love everyone!  It’s the coolest thing to be a part of.

BAMC 2012

Most kids get homesick.  It is a common thing and I completely understand it.  The one problem with getting homesick is that you have to be away from home, but the thing is…. At Bay Area Mitzvah Corps, I am home.