SPRING BREAK!

Ah Spring Break. The stuff that dreams, bad decisions, and embarrassing tattoos are made of.

When I was a student, I never went on Spring Break. Spring break always came around the time I had run out of funds and the motivation to do anything besides sleep. But two years ago, I went on my first ever spring break trip. To Birmingham, Alabama. With me, I took another colleague, 2 mini vans, and nine of the most amazing students I've ever known. Together with some of our friends from Penn State and St. Joes, we worked with Habitat for Humanity for the week. One day we were putting siding, the next, painting. We did it all. From laying subfloors to organizing the warehouse.

My least favorite part: Installing doors. Wretched job.

Favorite part: Reading the family stories at each work site. I learned a lot, not only about how to build houses, but also about H4H. These homes aren't "given" to people. These men and women are mothers, fathers, they're working more than one job. They pay mortgages on these homes once they move in. The homes aren't fancy. And while you have people who work for H4H, most of the work is done by volunteers. College students, churches, concerned citizens. 

On our first day, it was freezing. You would think that mid-March in the deep south would be decently warm. It was not. It was flurrying snow in AL, while it was unseasonably warm in PA, this is what our work site looked like:

We used the wood scraps to build a fire for short breaks while we put up siding.

By Friday, we were so invested in our projects, that we stayed an hour or so longer just to get the houses ready for the blitz build that was coming in on Saturday:

We also had a bit of fun. After work each day, we would cook dinner together, play board games, or watch movies in the church basement we were staying in. We would regroup about our days, our feelings, out thoughts, etc.

One of the most moving parts of the trip was visiting the Civil Rights Museum in downtown. They don't let you take photos inside, but either way, I think everyone should go there and learn something. But it on your bucket list:

So why am I telling you all this? About a trip I took two years ago? When spring break is 2 months away?

It just so happens that yesterday I agreed to go on Alternative Spring Break again. Again working with Habitat, and I cannot wait! I had such a great time the first time I went. Now if they will just teach me to install flooring and cabinets, maybe I can fix up my house....