Learning Curve

I'm loving NY right now. I miss people from home and STL a ton, but have found that I'm learning so much, and big things are really happening here. I want to be part of that. I keep having to remind myself to sit still and learn before i try to do! I just want to jump in. I have been getting energy from riding the subway. I'm learning it, and when i get on a packed subway, I feel part of something so much bigger than myself, and part of a world that is flying by! For some that seems nuts, but for me, I'm ready to tackle it head first. I want to make some changes and be part of something great. I want to push for positive changes in the world, but first I have to learn how. So, I got an internship! That's super exciting. I'll be helping with systematic change around domestic violence through policy analysis, talking to policymakers, and courts, education and so on, but most importantly, working with people who have been directly affected by the policies and helping them to make the changes they want to see. SUPER EXCITING. I've been dreaming a lot though. Today we went to the UN and took a tour, and then got to talk to someone working in one of the UN offices. I loved it. It's an international government trying to work together to make global changes....end poverty, bring education, gender rights,....so many cool things. There are plenty of criticism of the UN, but i look at it in the same light as child services; it's easier to point out the flaws than what great work is being done. Anyway, it just reminded me that these are the kind of issues I want to be working on some day...global issues and policy that will affect global change and promote human rights. My passion is coming back! I'm in the right place. Speaking of being in the right place, I'm loving my policy course, and even the loads of reading i have (which i should be doing now about the US budget). Last night I did reading on US Healthcare. That was awesome to start to understand. Did you know that the health care reform is actually helping the US budget by a lot once it starts?!?! It provides care for more people, and tons of improvements, plus helps the US budget. YEAH! And, if i understand it right, for all you made about the abortion part of it, the funding of abortion is only for rape, incest, and women who could have life threatening complications due to pregnancy. I think that's what I understood. Anyway, point of the story, i'm super interested in what I'm learning and excited to learn more so I can start putting this into action. I feel like i'm learning so much that will be incredibly useful soon. I was nervous as i came back to school that I wasnt ready to be back in the social work world, but as i'm entering into the policy part, i'm thrilled and feel a drive to really make some systematic changes. Can't wait. I keep wondering what kind of work i'll be doing in five years! So much energy and excitement!. Hopefully this continues as the year goes on and i get swamped with work! Miss y'all at home! Love, Trouty

The City That Never Sleeps (OMG It's True!!!)

Another journey. As my cousin Jamie said, "you never know where on earth Jessica is going to be." This year, I'm in New York City and have officially started classes at Columbia University. Can you say "intimidating?" So, I moved here to get my MSW in Policy Practice and International Social Welfare. Do I want to be a policy analyst? Nope. So why, you may ask are you doing the Policy track? Well, I want to be able to speak the language that policy makers speak and to be able to analyze the policy, but use that skill set to work with the people and change those policies. I have too much fight in me to sit behind the desk. I have to be on the front lines but want to make sense while I'm there. Needless to say, I've pretty much realized this is going to be the hardest year of my academic career. I have to take Econ, and do a lot with numbers and stats, and so on. YIKES! That side of my brain has never really been my friend. I'm gonna get in a lot of fights with it this year, and i'm determined to win! You're probably bored with what I'm here to do, so what have i been doing? I flew with my mom to NYC just over two weeks ago. We moved me in, and then took a sightseeing bus around the city. We got to see Uptown and Downtown Manhattan (I live in uptown) and also some of Brooklyn. We went to the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 Memorial which was really powerful. After my mom left, I was on my own for a week. I explored my neighborhood and found a jazz concert in the park. I also went out one night with a Former Jesuit Volunteer who I contacted on the JV listserv. We talked for like 6 hours! As I was about to go crazy, one of my roommates, Jill, moved in. Thank God. I needed some personal interaction. So I spent some time with her and her family. Then Monday morning came. We got up to get ready for orientation as our other roommate, Mandi, moved in. We all went to orientation and I was presently surprised how down to earth all of our staff and faculty were that talked to us. I imagined since it was CU, that it might not be so pleasant, but they all seemed wonderful. I also got to meet the 53 other Advanced Standing students in the program. SWEET! Tuesday classes started. Our Practice class is somewhat hard. Well, it's not really hard, it's just a lot of reading because it's condensed. I've been pleased with how confident I have been that I understand the material and am keeping up. I've also been pretty relaxed that I will do as much of the reading as I can, and let what I honestly can't finish just be. Yay for keeping sanity thus far! The other class is a Field Seminar and it's pretty simple.; only a little reading, and mostly talking and comparing experiences. It's more of a fun class. The classes I'm worried about are coming in September! haha. So now that my first week of classes is over, I'm trying to catch up on some of the reading, but also see some of the city. Today I went to the gym for the first time here too. HOLLY HELL! It's big, and lots of strong men. Again, intimidating. Anyway, as I was cooling down and walking the track, I saw banners for all the Ivy League Universities hanging. I thought, "Holy Crap, I'm part of that! How did that happen. Yup, this year is gonna be hard! Enjoy is while you can!" Finally, last night we went out to a couple of bars around my neighborhood, and tonight we're going to Greenwich Village to see some of those bars. Sorry, this one's prob pretty boring. Just step by step update of life. Oh, one last thing, I've pretty proud of myself and my knowledge of transition. I think although I'm lonely and missing a ton of people from home, I've been pretty rational in putting my transition loneliness and irrationability into check. New York does seem like such a different culture tho. I really hope I don't lose my Midwest friendliness. Everyone says I will just in defense of the crazies. I guess y'all will have to put me in check when I come home if i'm a rude New Yorker. Love y'all and miss y'all! Jessica