Homelessness

This week has gone pretty well, and no surprise, has been very busy.  I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Atlanta Children's Shelter, which is a shelter that provides free daycare for single mothers who are currently homeless.  After a few hours of working or looking for a job, the women pick up their kids and go to whatever homeless shelter they are staying at for the night.  The statistics that shocked me were that 20% of the women and children there were fleeing spousal abuse, and 60% had a history with domestic violence.  Unfortunately, this organization is the only one of its kind in Atlanta, so hundreds of other families are waiting for this kind of care.  As someone who is interested in non-profits, I was really impressed with how things were run.  The staff worked tirelessly to make sure that these families would not stay homeless for long.   I also slept out on the quad both nights for Homelessness Awareness Week.  It proved to be a really good experience.  After just two nights, I was ready to go back and return to my normal life.  I could not imagine doing that week after week, never having a place to call your own.  The most important thing I took away from this experience is that being homeless, even if it is just for a temporary amount of time, can leave you with emotional scars that impact you for the rest of your life.  I could not stop thinking about the children I saw at the shelter days before, and wonder if they had slept out on the street.

On a lighter note, I definitely enjoyed myself at the Etiquette Luncheon.  It taught me that good etiquette is something that is learned and takes practice.  I am glad I had this experience early in my college career, rather than later.  I will remember that meetings or interviews while eating are about building relationships, not the food.  I thought the war documentary we watched in class did an excellent job of demonstrating how the government has always had the same attitude toward war: when our freedoms are being threatened, action is necessary.