Dorky, Awkward, and Stupid

Well, we are officially more than a week into orientation in Boston, Massachusetts and boy has it been a ride. However, before I speak to any of that, last Thursday Rostro de Cristo (RdC) was split up into houses!! It was very similar to the NBA Draft...except instead of well-paid athletes it was volunteers anxiously awaiting to be put into an intentional communities: either Mount Sinai or El Arbolito. And the drum roll....

Mount Sinai!! That is the town/neighborhood where I will be spending the next year of my life. I'm extremely excited, as I have heard a lot from Becky and Aaron, two Creighton alumni who were in Mount Sinai two years ago. There will be 6 of us in community, made up of [from top left to bottom right]: Greg, Jimmy, myself, Colleen, Ana, and Heidi. We're getting to know each other better as days go on and I'm getting pretty excited to start the year.

The whole RdC crew [top left to bottom right]:

 Greg, Chase, Jimmy, Mike

Ana, Andrea, Jazzmin, Chris

Colleen, Heidi, Kate, Danielle, Jim

As for the orientation, this last week has been wonderful. I've gotten to know so many wonderful people (see picture below) and we've had jam-packed days--typically 7:45am-11pm--of great sessions from amazing presenters, fantastic meals, a lot of euchre and socialization, and much time to journal and reflect on the information we've been given. We've talked about culture shock, relationships, simplicity, self-care, and even got to go to a presentation at BC given by Fr. James Martin, a well-known author, who talked about how humor, joy, and laughter are under-appreciated and underestimated qualities of spirituality and of the church. It turned out to be like stand-up comedy...but by a priest. Highlight of the day.

Two days ago we had one of my favorite presenters so far, Paul Fugelsang, who came to talk to us about listening, communication, and confrontation. At the end of the conversation he told us if we were to take away one thing, it is to "Pay attention and gravitate towards these mindstates: Dorky, Awkward, and Stupid." When you are being dorky, or when other people think you are, you are putting aside "being cool" and you worry about your own personality. When you are awkward, it means you have left a comfort zone of some kind, and that is the largest way in which we grow. And when you think you're stupid, you are admitting that you don't know everything. They are states of vulnerability that are priceless, and you need to hold on to them.

I think I'm going to have many of those times this next year, and it was a great piece of advice that I think applies to all of life, not just world experiences. It's crazy to think that a week from now I will be in week one of in-country orientation 3,000 miles away, but I'm getting more and more prepared, and more and more excited. These two programs spend a great amount of time, resources, and energy getting us prepared, and I feel like the week so far has reaffirmed me in my decision with this program. We've talked about logistics, retreat groups that we will be hosting, and other parts of the program and I'm reassured with how much support and care we have for us while we're down there. Tomorrow we leave for a retreat center where we will begin a two-day silent retreat, which I have never done but am actually looking forward to, and after that a couple days until take off.

Expect one more blog before I'm in-country! Hoo-rah.

JVC + Rostro de Cristo + Staff = Fantastic Crew of People