Inaugural Post

I arrived at SFO at about 12:15 in the morning of Sunday, June 13, 2010. I came with a bag full books, a bass that had lost its headstock sometime mid-transit, a beat up old L.L. Bean backpack with an “I -heart- Oberlin” pin, and ideas about doing service somewhere completely novel. (Novel to me, at least; nearly all my community service work in the past has been confined to Oberlin, Ohio, from whence I hail.) As of this writing, it’s been about a week since I left. Two of the books have been finished, the bass has been re-headstock-ed, the backpack (and pin) are pretty much the same as ever. The service, I’ve only just begun.

I suppose I should explain myself a little here. I’m working at two Sonoma County non-profits this summer, as part of my first Bonner Scholar Summer of Service. They are: CalSERVES (a Americorps tutoring organization that works in local schools), to help them make a tutor information database, and the Adult Literacy Program at the Sonoma County Public Library System, tutoring patrons in computer skills, grammar, and writing. In addition to just being able to help these organizations, I hope that both sites will give me some more insight into the work that I do tutoring in Oberlin’s City Schools during the academic year. Specifically, I’m curious to try to learn more pedagogical tools, and learn a bit more about what goes on above my (proverbial and literal) pay grade in a tutoring organization like America Reads.

A quick note of why I’m doing a Summer of service: Bonner Scholars is a service-based scholarship program, where funds are granted primarily to low income college students to defray education-related expenses. In return, those students agree to do, in addition to substantial service during the academic year, 280 hours of service each summer, for two summers. One of the great things about this service is that Bonners receive a $1000 living stipend at the beginning of the summer, and are allowed to do their service anywhere in the world, with any non-profit agency. I chose to get out of Oberlin for my first, so I could have an opportunity to get some perspective on service (and living) in a place fairly different than my mostly liberal Midwest college hometown.

I have to thank the generosity and warmth of my hosts out here, in the town of Sebastopol, Emily Robinson (another Oberlin student, working with the San Francisco Health Dept.’s STD Prevention program this summer), and her mother, Kate Schaffner. I’m extremely lucky to have such gracious hosts; I feel totally welcomed and comfortable in what will be my home for the next two months or so. As far as living conditions go, Emily and I are staying in a renovated trailer on her mother’s property, next to a horse pen. It’s a little chilly at night sometimes (it goes from about 80 Fahrenheit during the day to about 50 at night outside), but is as good a home away from home as anywhere I’ve seen. Emily commutes into the bay every week to work, and stays with her dad; I stay here and go to my service sites.

Coolest moment thus far: On the plane ride from Atlanta to SFO, the flight had to run about 100 miles south of a thunderstorm. I was lucky enough to be awake and have a window seat for this, and I saw probably the greatest light show I could imagine. Greater, even. It went on for an hour or more, with titanic ("jovian" is probably more apt, though) explosions of fantastical proportions. It reminded me of Star Wars, and the fragility of all of the passengers in the rocketing metal tube, and of Wagner, and of a billion other things besides.

A note about the nature of this forum, I’m planning for this blog to be discursive. The reason I’m here is the service I’m doing, but I’ll probably lapse into a digression or two every now and again. I’m planning on updating about twice a week. As I understand it, if you hit the “follow” button, you can be alerted of when this is updated, if that is convenient for you. Lastly, if anyone has anything that they’d like to ask, or like to see answered, feel free to post it on here, at the bottom, or email me at kgilfeth@oberlin.edu. Please enjoy, and I hope you like reading.