Top 10 and short update

We have officially begun our summer program for the refugee kiddos! We have 27 adorable little hell-raisers from 9-2 every day and we are working on math and English with them in hopes of preparing them for school in the fall. I have mixed feelings about it--on the one hand these kids are RIDICULOUSLY CUTE and are really benefiting from the program but on the other hand I am EXHAUSTED. Seriously, I don't know how teachers do it--I come home from the program everyday and just collapse on my bed for a few hours (those of you who lived with me in college--think fall semester of sophomore year). There are a couple of really cute 6-year-olds whose shenanigans are a source of infinite amusement and tears (something else is also a source of amusement and tears--there are five nepali boys named yogesh, prabesh, pranesh, prajal and naresh in one class and I have to keep them straight). I will be collecting stories to share with y'all over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, posts might be few and far between because while at the summer program I have no internet access except after work at the local library and those hours were just cut! But I shall persevere :)

In any case, the main purpose of this blog is to share a list that I have been working on for the past 11 months:

TOP 10 WAYS YOU KNOW YOU'RE A JESUIT VOLUNTEER (based on actual experiences this year)

1) You use phrases like "sacred tension" and "intentionality" to discuss the chore wheel
2) You think that plants are a viable source of milk (e.g., almond milk, rice milk, etc)
3) You find yourself seriously discussing whether it is better to keep the thermostat at 45 degrees or 50 degrees during the winter.
4) Your "Mr. Roger's routine" when you get home is putting on long-johns and a flannel
5) You get piercings together and then "solidarity soak" them in salt water every night.
6) You really want to be classy about splitting a restaurant bill but with 8 roommates earning $100/month you never are.
7) You have to remind yourself that "if it's yellow, let it mellow" is not a socially acceptable practice when you were invited to someone's house for dinner.
8) You aren't phased when food shows up on your doorstep from an unknown source--or if someone you don't know comes to your door at 10:30pm with cinnamon rolls.
9) You don't have real pie weights so you have to use beans but then you get really stressed out about wasting the beans.
10) You go so long without shaving your legs that you need an electric razor first when you finally decide to tackle them. (not me, one of my roommates)

Bonus: You manage to find room in your budget for booze but you can't afford chasers or mixers.