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It’s the first week we’re back in service after winter break and the end of the first half of the service year has me reflecting on our team’s variety of service projects up to this point.  So far, has had the opportunity to serve in over 12 unique cities across the country!  Seeing so much of the United States and traveling to other communities as frequently as we do has expanded my worldview and fostered a greater appreciation for places outside of where I call “home.”  That said, being part of a travel-based service team is new set of challenges and rewards.  I’ve compiled a list of my favorite things I’ve gotten the chance to experience during my time with Team Care Force!

• The people!
  Everyone from corporate partner volunteers to community partner points-of-contact, to the people who benefit from the services of our community partners – meeting and working alongside these different people on service projects has been a privilege and a joy. When leading volunteers at John McLaren Park in San Francisco, one of the volunteers on my tree planting team was from Lafayette, LA – my hometown!  I’d met folks on other events from Louisiana, but never from Lafayette specifically, and that was such a cool connection to make.  Finding the hospitality and warmth in interactions with a variety of people has made me feel at home anywhere we’ve gone.

• The pictures!
  The newness of a sunset or sunrise from a different perspective. The way the buildings in metro areas stretch up towards the sky and the way the earth flattens out in a big, marvelous expanse in the less-crowded areas.  Wispy clouds sweeping above and below the wing of an airplane; if you find yourself in a window seat!).  The wondrous feeling of new sights – and my camera sees them all!  Pro-tip: I keep my geo-location tag on in my phone settings so that if I don’t remember where I took a picture, I can easily check!

• The food!
  Our team usually tries to find local restaurants to check out for dinners during event weeks. The cuisine of choice for the team is Mediterranean and, let me tell you, we’ve had some great   It’s exciting to get to work together to choose a restaurant, sometimes in a city none of us have ever been to and share a meal and laughs after a long day of service- not to mention the simple joy of venturing out to a local café for an iced coffee on later-start prep days!  I may or may not keep a ranked list of the best coffees I’ve had in the cities I’ve gotten to visit.

In anticipating the second half of the service year, I can’t wait to see how my worldview will continue to grow as I get the opportunity to make more new friends, take more pictures, and eat more great food.