Reflections

It seems like a very long time ago that I responded to an email posting for an internship position in the Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement here at UB. It's hard to believe that Alternative Spring Break has come and gone already.

My fellow ASBers were amazing. I know we represented UB well to the larger community and I am proud of all of our efforts. ASB 2009 was a wonderful team to be a part of. I am back in my residence hall office now, and as the residents won't be back until tomorrow, I am finding myself a little lonely. After sharing a space with 16 other people for a week, it seems so quiet here. I made some new friends during ASB and I hope to be able to maintain those friendships as I continue here at UB as both a student and staff member.

The group exceeded my expectations. Everyone was focused on accomplishing our tasks each day and we had good conversations and fun when we were back in residence. I don't think I could have asked for a better group!

My largest personal goal for the week was to re-connect myself to the Buffalo community. Like many young people who grow up in Western NY, when I left here 7 years ago, I never planned to return. But, my family and graduate school brought me back after my undergraduate education and time in the Adirondack Mountains.

I came back so focused on advancing my career, getting my degree, and doing it all as efficiently as possible. I wasn't necessarily thinking about being a part of the larger community, both within UB and outside of it in the city of Buffalo.

ASB gave me the chance to see and experience what happens when people are at their best. The students, Terri, the people at the volunteer organizations who showed such passion for their work: Chuck with Habitat for Humanity, Cassandra at Buffalo ReUse, Bill at City Mission, Ms. Cheeks at Enterprise Charter... I could easily make a much longer list.

The point is, I found myself inspired daily by the people who were around me. I am grateful to have had this experience. I know I will volunteer again with City Mission and Buffalo ReUse. Moreover, after ASB ended I felt different about being back in Buffalo. It feels like my city again, I feel like I am a part of something, rather than just someone passing through.

After ASB was over last night, my boyfriend and I made our way downtown to go hear a band. As I was walking on the city streets and looking around, I was happy, I felt at home. In my previous post I wrote about what a little girl, Diamonte, told me a community was. By her definition, Buffalo is certainly my community again.