Greetings from Columbia, South Carolina! Site leaders Emma and Bobby here reporting for the first time for (A)ASB through Mizzou Alternative Breaks! It's been a long couple of days, but the energy coming from the Habitat for Humanity office is insane. All of the anticipation is coming to fruition as we begin our journey from Columbia to Columbia!
Yesterday from 6 a.m. to midnight we were making our way to our home for the week. We had two cars bestowed upon our trip and we affectionately named them Mom and Dad. After listening to the Frozen soundtrack, countless country jams, and play lists from every participant, I think its safe to say Mom and Dad have become a part of the (A)ASB family. We stopped for lunch in Nashville and spent the rest of the fifteen-hour drive jamming to our favorite songs, learning new games, and maybe drifting off a time or two (cough*Richard). We pulled up to our housing in the Habitat for Humanity, Columbia office a little after midnight and were greeted by our wonderful Volunteer Coordinator, Talisha. Talisha has been a wonderful resource for us and it was wonderful to finally meet her! We squished all of our bedding and luggage into a small conference room and quickly fell asleep to prepare for the day ahead.
Today was workday number one. The day started at a nearly finished (and, of course, black and gold) Habitat house, and we were able to completely insulate the ground level to prepare for vinyl and wood the rest of the week. We met another Habitat employee, Steve, who was more than appreciative of our work and incredibly positive! He was very helpful and encouraging and even allowed us to sign the house before we left. We look forward to seeing Steve later on this week! After we finished our work we headed out to the Habitat ReStore for lunch and to finish out the day. Talisha and another employee, Matt, greeted us. Talisha grilled some burgers for lunch and explained a bit about the history and mission of Habitat for Humanity. Shortly after, we got straight to work. Matt turned out to be quite the character! Everything from his red mustache to his positive attitude and extreme talent of remembering names made him a staple in conversation for the rest of the day. We spent the remainder of the time creating a tool storage unit under Matt's supervision. Seeing the walls go up at the end of the day was the most rewarding experience so far! We spent the evening catching up with some friends and AASB alum in the area at a local restaurant and headed back to home base for games and reflection.
Every evening before bed, we will reflect on the day's experience. For a first reflection, the group was open and energized. Everyone shared some of the day's highs, some challenges, and many lessons learned. Tonight's reflection especially focused on Serve, Don't Help, Poco a Poco, and Be Gumby. Everyone was very, very impressed with the Habitat mission and the consistent energy brought by the group.
We are INCREDIBLY proud of our group! Each one of them has been integral to the team dynamic and group success.They consistently push themselves and push us to Be Present and have the best experience we possibly can. Stay tuned for each evening's blog featuring a reflection from a different member of our group!
Signing off with (A)ASB Love,
Bobby and Emma
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