I was at home in the Twin Cities this weekend to do some volunteering for Youth in Government, a program I participated in when I was in high school that I credit as having helped me develop the most when I was a teenager. Over five years, YIG taught me the value of political engagement, the skill of public speaking, and the confidence to see myself as a leader.
Last year I was invited to be a Program Specialist with the program, which is essentially a glorified volunteer that works directly with the students elected to lead the program. It was an immense honor, and it was especially cool to be home at YIG right after the election. One of the big reasons I voted, despite my apathy, was because I wanted to know I’d set a good example for the kids I was seeing this weekend.
The only drawback of sorts is that getting home involved a five hour bus ride on Friday and another one this afternoon. In preparation, I saved up most of the reading I have due next week and brought along a couple of other books to keep me busy. I finished A Prayer For The City on my way home, so I feel justified in using the time today to read what I want… probably The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.
The long bus ride actually isn’t a bad thing at all. How often do you get to cut yourself off from the world for five hours, and have time when no one can expect you to be doing something more productive than getting wrapped up in a good book to taking a nap? Not often enough, I say.
This post is part of National Blog Posting Month for the month of November. You can find out more about NaBloPoMo here and view my NaBloPoMo profile page here. Thanks for reading!
Related posts:
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Congrats on the YIG assignment – sounds fascinating. and on the uninterrupted time to read and turn off the world…
Hurray for volunteers and volunteering. There’s nothing like it. Several hours to read without being interrupted is pretty good, even if it is on a bus, I think. I’m enjoying finding out what everyone is up to now that I’ve joined Sunday Salon.
bkclubcare: Yeah, giving back to YIG is one of my favorite things.
Sandra: The bus ride was actually great. I turned my iPod up, settled into the set, and got more interrupted reading done that I have in weeks. It was a little cramped, but overall worth it I think.