lessons learned

I spoke at the Jesuit Volunteer Corps SW Orientation this week & the following was my introduction. These are the lessons learned, or hyperbolized, or ganked from other JVs.

1. It's not a great idea to introduce your JVC plans to your parents with the line, "Mom, Dad, I'm going to California to be ruined for life!"

2. If one of your housemates says the smell of tuna makes her throw up, I would suggest taking her word for it rather than gathering the casa to conduct what will turn out to be a less that covert experiment.

3. In certain situations 8 people can sleep quite comfortably in a twin bed. Although I suppose some of you already learned this in college.

4. My husband, who spent 2 years with JVI in Micronesia, swears that expiration dates on food are just suggestions, proof of the principle that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

5. If your heat gets turned off during a long holiday weekend one great way to stay warm is to light a bunch of candles & huddle around them while starting your own cottage industry kitting Christmas gifts for every family member you can think of.

6. Specifically for those living in Casa Pedro Arrupe: when drunk frat boys steal a ladder & climb into your second floor windows to check out the "nuns" the priest next door will be quite helpful in getting them to leave.

7. Towards the end of your year you'll start to appreciate retreats for entirely different reasons than you do now, namely the 4 star accommodations: showers without rust, roofs that don't leak, 3 well-cooked meals a day, etc.

8. If this is your first time working full-time it will be important for you to find the local hangout you feel comfortable going to in your pajamas. This serves the duel purpose of not feeling that your social life peaked at 20, & ensuring you don't wake up on Saturday in the same clothes you wore to work on Friday. And again for the Santa Clara folks that location would be the Claren Lounge.

9. There is no good way to respond when, at the end of the day, one of your housemates asks you, "Is this your underwear?" And they're referring to the pair they currently wearing!