Orienting myself to be a volunteer

Hello everyone!

Orientation is at a small Church of the Brethren camp near Orlando, Florida.  We stay indoors in bunks and we have electricity and hot water (yay!) and somewhat scarce internet access.

One of the unique things about Brethren Volunteer Service as opposed to other service programs is that we don't determine our project until orientation.  Much of our free time here is spent going through project files, talking to the BVS staff and trying to figure out where we want to spend the next year of our life, and what kind of work we want to be doing.  I won't talk about my project hopes here because I'm somewhat superstitious and don't want to jinx it - and because I'm still sorting through my own stack of projects.

Another unique thing about BVS orientation is our food groups.  The 13 of us volunteers here are spilt into four groups.  We are each responsible for planning, shopping for and cooking several meals in a week.  The challenge of this is our budget.  We are giving a dollar per person per meal.  So, if there are sixteen of us who need to eat dinner, we are given sixteen dollars to buy the things we need for dinner.  It's a challenge, but it's definitely doable and we have been eating quite well.  Although, my sweet tooth misses desserts (oranges and apples are not quite as satisfying in the same way as cookies and cupcakes).

It's fabulously warm here.  Yesterday I was in a t-shirt and jeans and wishing for a pair of shorts.  Today is cloudy and windy, so it's a bit chillier, but I'm still outside right now without being bundled up.  Earlier this week, I tried my hand at kayaking in the camp's small lake and found I really enjoyed it.  The lake provides a peaceful backdrop and the trees are all hung with Spanish moss, so the overall atmosphere of Camp Ithiel is relaxed.  There's a highway very near the camp, but suburban girl that I am, I find the sound of flowing traffic soothing.