Katy and Stacy: Howdy! Its Katy and Stacy here, reporting from POW!
Katy: This morning started early for me. I got up at 7am, and was out the door at 8 with Kathleen Parrish, one of our learning partners, to get coffee from Dunkin. It’s become my staple in this trip, having a coffee in hand.
Stacy: Meanwhile, I was in bed watching youtube videos from 730-930 am…….life is empty when you’re finally done with your applications but your body decides to refuse to sleep in the one day you can sleep in. Geez. I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already!
Katy: Yeah! Time sure flies when you’re having fun….and when you’re distracted by all the pain from walking for so long in the bitter cold. But, all of that was worth delivering food to senior citizens who aren’t able to face the cold themselves.
Stacy: But actually! I honestly couldn’t imagine them having to go through that. I have so much respect for those volunteers who do this everyday. How did your deliveries go today?
Katy: It went really well! Today, Khulganaa and I were assigned to a new route, so we got to learn our way around some more of the west side. One apartment that sticks out in my memory was a hybrid hotel/apartment where I met Danielle and her cat Luis.
Stacy: Haha, you also met her cat?
Katy: Yeah! Danielle invited us inside to her apartment to meet her cat Luis. She told us that it was hard for her to get around since she is in a wheelchair, and that she loves meeting new people. She had just gotten off the phone with one of her friends in the apartment when we got there, who just informed her that we were on the way. I have noticed that the meal recipients are very thankful that they get to see our faces, and chat for a little bit. Danielle was especially talkative. She had so much to tell us about her life, and bestowed some wisdom to us about making it in the big city. And her cat was adorable! How did your deliveries go today, Stacy?
Stacy: You know, the usual. Just countless hours of getting lost and aching feet….just kidding…. Since we had done this route before, it went rather smoothly. Actually, we met this rather interesting lady on our last stop who was, get this, a neuroscientist, but also a vocal coach. In fact, she offered to give us singing lessons right there at her door!
Katy: Really?? Did you take it?
Stacy: Katy, we had like five minutes! We still had 10 meals to deliver. But I mean, she ended up telling us about the mechanics behind singing so I guess we ended up getting a lesson anyway. Oh! Also, she told us that one of her students had like 20 cds (she wasn’t counting…. or so she said) and that her brother had 2 grammys! But she wouldn’t name drop so we have no way if this is even true.
Katy: Wow, that’s really cool. I think it’s really amazing that these elderly folks that we meet have led really interesting lives and we can learn a lot from their experiences.
Stacy: Yeah! And apparently they can still bust a move. Remember the dance party that we walked into back at the community center? Emily and I heard the music from the elevators when we got back from delivering the meals and I got sooooo excited when I saw them all dancing. I jumped onto the dance floor before i even put my coats down and left poor emily to deal with the carts and extra meals we had left.
Katy: Oh yeah I remember that. Taha was having such a good time, if ya know what I mean. The older ladies really loved him. This one woman asked him to dance would not let him leave the dance floor.
Stacy: hahaha yeah!! that was hilarious to watch. Man, these ladies really know how to go after what they want! It was so funny watching all the boys getting snatched up. Definitely the highlight of my day. But I also really enjoyed the forum we went to about mental health at Columbia at night. It was so cool seeing all the knowledge that i had from my neuroscience classes being enacted in the real world.
Katy: Yeah, it was really cool to see what research is doing to help the treatment of mental health. I didn’t know their was a stigma associated with mental health within the african and latino community and how that prevents A LOT of people from seeking the help they need to feel better. But hands down the most entertaining moment was when he asked us to tell a partner what animal we would have sex with.
Stacy: OMG I COULDN’T TAKE THAT MOMENT!! But hey, great conversations ensued from that hahaha.
Katy: hahah that’s true….Wow that was a long day!! And we still had to get dinner!!
Stacy: yeah i’m surprised you didn’t knock out during dinner. It was waaayyy past your bed time!!
Katy: Oh yeah, don’t get me started on that! When we did get back to the hostel, I went to bed immediately, I’m sure you couldn’t see how fast I ran up to my room!
Stacy: I was way ahead of you girl. I knocked out in negative 0 seconds.
Katy and Stacy: Well, that’s all we have for now. We’re signing out. See you on the outside!