Like most half-sane people in this lovely program that is the NCCC I have been scouting out the people that I would be absolutely horrified to end up on a permanent team with.
There’s the guy who spent last year building low-income housing, uses “I have integrity” for one of his truths in two truths & a lie, and wants to be a role-model for kids back home, but then sits in the back of the community meeting partaking in a conversation about “fucking some bitches.” Role model indeed.
And then there’s the girl who thought this would be a really great time to sport some ‘Oh those? My curling iron hit my neck’ spots. Now, these are no ordinary love bites. They run all the way from the jawline down to the collarbone. Come on! I mean hicky is as hicky does, but what really gets me is that no cover-up, creative hair styling, or scarf was used to try and minimize the damage. If you at least make a freaking effort I could probably look the other way, but this blatant display whilst in uniform representing a government organization is just a little too ballsy for me.
I’ve saved the best for last. Get ready.
During our day of service on Friday we were working away from the main site with a couple of organizations that weren’t familiar with what/who AmeriCorps NCCC is and they asked us, as a group, who we were. Most of us could have jumped into a little ‘domestic Peace Corps’ explanation, but I think we all secretly know that AmeriCorps loathes that description, and I fully intend to have it beaten out of us during this week’s media training. Do not piggy back on another organization! It makes you look WEAK! Do you hear me?! WEAK! We had a bunch of team leaders with us so I, ignorantly, figured that one of them would jump in with a little elevator pitch they learned during their media training. Nope, that didn’t happen. Instead some girl decided to take the world upon her shoulders.
Well, we’re AmeriCorpse NCCC and we’re a government program that works with non-profits.
Bada.
Boom.
The media support team leader (STL) shot her a look saying ‘I would choose you for the hunger games and I wouldn’t even feel bad about it.’ Also I think she said a little prayer of thanks that corpse girl wasn’t the corps member selected for an interview with the news station that showed up while we were on the main site.
So here’s my suggestion for next year to the people who organize CTI: move media training to the front of the agenda. Cussing and hickeys have nothing on the person who pronounces corps like corpse. Nothing at all.
• • • • •
Next up, diversity day. Unfortunately, it did not go like this:
Anywho, today during safety training I had a bit of an um, did he really just say that? moment. Here’s the scene: we have to go around in groups and list the riskiest behaviors we will be partaking in this year (driving, power tools, etc.). The guy giving the presentation, a.k.a. Mr. AmeriCorps-staff-member, says something along the lines of “And my favorite riskiest activity of all is… telling a woman she’s wrong! Hahaha.”
What.
The.
H-E-double hockey sticks. (Can’t swear right now I’m in my AmeriCorps hoodie!)
We just had diversity day you freaking jerk and here you are insinuating that us vagina-havers are hormonal basket cases that can’t take criticism. Awe to the some. Emphasis on awe.
And then there’s the guys calling each other faggot in the hallway.
As you can see, AmeriCorps NCCC is very inclusive, as long as you’re not gay or a woman.
I haven’t painted a very pretty picture of AmeriCorps NCCC, but I swear the vast majority of people here are really incredible, it’s just way easier to write about the bad stuff than the good.
Amy x
