Blog 1: Service Expectations

     When starting a new service project, I always consider my hopes of what I can learn about myself and others and what talents I can share with others.  I also tend to make assumptions about the project and those I will serve based off of what I already know and what I feel I will learn.  Since Lydia Home is a new service project that I am participating in this semester, I continue to consider these elements. 

     The first thing I consider is my hopes of what I can get out of the service project.  In regards to Lydia Home, I hope that I can learn many new things about myself and others who are not as fortunate as I am.  I hope that I can pick up new skills on how to communicate and interact with underprivileged children who have not had the chance to have as wonderful of a life as I have.  I also hope I can look at my life in a new perspective and see how great my life really is and always be grateful for and appreciate what I have!  Finally, I hope that I can really make a difference in the lives of these children, even if it is just spending a couple hours with them every week.  I hope that by sharing my talents, I can help make the children's lives a little better.

     Along with considering my hopes for the service project and those involved, I also contemplate my assumptions about the place I am volunteering for.  Most of the time, my assumptions are based off of knowledge I already have on particular project.  In this case, I am volunteering for Lydia Home. Based off of my knowledge of Lydia Home so far, I am assuming that it is a wonderful and safe environment filled with people who genuinely care for underprivileged children!  I am also assuming that those volunteering for Lydia Home really do strive to create a place for these children to interact with others, be educated, and learn the true meaning of family and friends. And while I do not know very much about Lydia Home, I do like what I have heard and read so far! I look forward to working with Lydia Home and volunteering my time to share my talents and see how Lydia Home can really make a difference for underprivileged children.

     A third aspect I think about when volunteering to help others is the people I will be working with.  Based on the information I have researched so far about Lydia Home, I can assume that the children I will be interacting with will have come from a much different life experience than I have.  I am assuming that they will have had fewer privileges and will not have had the ability to go to Catholic schools, go out with friends and family to dinner, or even go to the movies.  I am also assuming that these children may not be very well educated and, depending on their age, might even be a bit cynical towards me at first.  However, these assumptions can easily be proved otherwise, meaning that I have to keep an open mind!  This is especially true because based on my past experiences, children have continuously shown me how grateful and appreciative they are to those who are willing to spend time with them!  Because of this, I am going to do my best to put aside any negative assumptions and let my experience working with the children determine what I think about Lydia Home and the people it serves! 

    Finally, I ask myself why I chose to serve a particular place.  Some service projects have simple reasons while others have more complex reasons.  For me, Lydia Home has one simple reason:  I love children!  I have always loved children and I thoroughly enjoy devoting my time to helping them and taking care of them!  During the summer, I spend much of my time babysitting kids or volunteering at various camps and schools!  I really like donating my time to children, which makes volunteering at Lydia Home very appealing!  I feel I can really give back to these children because I have done so before in other ways! I feel that by volunteering my time and sharing my talents to help these children, I can effectively and efficiently do something I love and know I am good at!

     After considering my hopes, assumptions, and reasons for choosing to serve, I realize that Lydia Home really is the place for me! It deals with helping children, which I love, and it also involves giving back to those less fortunate that I am.  I will keep an open mind and let my experience at Lydia Home determine how I feel about the service project as a whole!  I look forward to serving those at Lydia Home and I hope this experience can really help me become an even better person for myself, my family, and my community!