Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I have last written. I'm gonna try and get you caught up on the last weeks of my project in San Francisco, CA. We continued to work with the Presidio on beautifying the park. We did some more weeding, planting and mulching! We definitely "got things done!" We had a really awesome, I mean REALLY awesome opportunity to work on Alcatraz; beatifying their community gardens. On Dec. 8th my team, Blue One, took a ferry to the Island. It was raining that morning, one of the very few days that it ever did rain! We were all suited up in our flourescent rain gear that AmeriCorps had issued us! We got to work pulling a weed called oxalis, and pulling radishes on the hillside. After a couple (misrable) hours of being cold and wet, we called it a day. We were then free to roam the Island. My team took a guided audio tour of the cells where all the inmates stayed. It was sooo neat to see everything and hear the history behind Alcatraz. The tour included talking about the innmates everyday schedule, to explaining how innmates tried to escape. There were tours of the cells, the kitchen, officers quarters, and the play yard. I had gone to Alcatraz on Thanksgiving, but was never able to look around the Island or take an audio tour. Below are some pictures of me and my team's "Journey to the Rock!"
On our way to "the Rock!"
Pulling weeds! We had lots of wheelbarrows!
Me taking the audio tour in my bright rain suit!
Cell Block.....Erie!
Alcatraz Escapees! Scary!
We wrapped up our last week in San Francisco with some more sight seeing of the city, and finishing a few more projects around the Presidio. We ended with a goodbye party for us on December 15th, before heading back to campus in Sacramento.
After coming back from San Francisco on the 15th we had our winter break. We had two weeks off. December 18th - January 2nd. I went back home to Minnesota for Christmas. It was a nice break, and it was nice to see all my family and friends! It seemed to go by so quickly. I am now back in Sacramento and its gonna be a long haul until I am home again. I will be coming home next in July when my program ends! I will try and keep more updated on my blog to keep you guys in the loop! Hope that everyone had a good holiday!
♥ Kristen
