Conclusion of the Brethren Service Center BVS Project

This last Friday, my services at the Brethren Service Center for my first BVS project concluded. I spent two years here and I must say it was definitely an experience. I am going to talk about this past week that I had leading up to the last day.

Monday: Francie and I had to make one last trip to the Southern PA District office because we had to work on the administrative assistant’s PC. We had to reload everything from scratch because she kept getting the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) when she boots up Windows. That was an interesting day. That was my last day in New Oxford so it was cool to see Georgia and Cindy again.

Tuesday: The new Mid-Atlantic District Executive Gene Hagenberger invited me out to lunch with him and his daughter. We went to this place in New Windsor called K&B and had a sub sandwich. This was a little nice restaurant that I didn’t know it was here close to me. I also started taking pictures of each department starting with the Conference center and Material Resources.

Wednesday: I don’t recall anything happening on Wednesday except my next group of pictures was the Buildings and Grounds staff and the MAD office.

Thursday: Roy Winter, BSC Executive Director and I went out to lunch at this place in Union Bridge. I can’t recall what the name of this place is but it was the second time I have eaten there. This time I had a bacon burger instead of the chicken fried steak I had last time. Then I went down to the warehouse and took pictures of the BDM staff. I went back up to my office where I got a picture of Barb and Francie. Then I went back down to the warehouse where Zach Wolgemuth, Jane Yount and I had a meeting regarding the BDM facebook page. I volunteered to help them out with the pace even when I am gone.

Friday: My last official day of work. In the morning, Francie threw a little get together for me in the Blue Ridge building where we all sat around and had donuts and juice. This was cool because I thought she would do something like this but I didn’t know exactly. It got a little emotional for me because it was when I woke up this morning that I knew I was leaving it hit me.

Saturday: I just continued to pack up some of my things. Packed up some boxes that are going to be sent to me when I am in Kansas. Not much else went on.

Sunday: I hung out with a friend of mine, Jerrel that lives here in the Becker apartments like I do and just kicked it and listen to some music. I also showed him how to upgrade his memory on his computer when he is ready to order it. Then during the evening, it was my final game night. The volunteers and I didn’t do much playing, but we did hang around and have some good snacks. Then we all took a lot of photos. It was fun. I am going to remember this night for a long time. I didn’t get that emotional, but again it was one of those things that reminded met that I was leaving. I am still trying to adjust to the idea of that because this has been my home away from home the last two years or so.

Monday: I dropped my boxes off in my former office so that Francie knows where they are when she sends them to me. From there I just picked up the apartment a little bit and packed my bags that I am taking home with me. Larry and Elaine Balliet invited me to dinner this evening. We went to this place called Papa Joes. This is a very good Mexican restaurant. I had eaten there twice. And again, it didn’t disappoint. From there, I went over to my friend Emma’s apartment, where my friends Al and Liz were there so we can watch some WWE wrestling. That was Monday.

Tuesday: I got up and prepared for the big day. I made sure everything was packed up and ready to go. Then I went outside to walk around a bit because it was something that I like to do. It was so humid though. When I walk just a little bit, I start to sweat. Then I came back up to my apartment and waited to take by bags over to Francie’s car. From there it was lunch time, where I wanted to go and say goodbye to everyone. After that, Francie drove me to the airport and a lot of hours later, I am back in good ole California.

It had been a great last week for me. Everyone was cool and supportive of me leaving. It is going to take some time to get used to not being in New Windsor, but I will manage. I like to thank everyone at the Brethren Service Center for being able to take me in and allowing me to do my service for them. I like to thank all the volunteers who I have had the pleasure of becoming real close with. It has been an great experience for me and I wouldn’t change nothing about it.

All Love:

Jay C. Irizarry

One work week left!

Well I have one work week left here at the center. I guess as the days go by it gets a little more exciting to know that I am going home for three weeks, the off to Wichita. I still have mixed emotions about leaving, but I know it's time because I know I can't stay here another year as a BVSer. It will drive me insane. I need something new in my life. I need another challenge. Going home will clear my head a bit. This last week I am here, I am going to focus on taking as much photos as possible. I've taken a lot of photos since I been here, but there are quite a few people here who I haven't got a picture of yet, but I am going to change all that this week. Not much else to to this week but that. I still have a little more packing to do, most of it will be shipped to Wichita when I get there. I still can't believe my time here is coming to a close, an end of an era.

Last week was a good work week for me because I got a lot done. I felt like that is a good thing because I don't know how much I work I got this week because it is my last week. I got a chance to meet two people on staff that work in the Dominican Republic, Irv and Nancy Heishman. I was very impressed with them. They seem like really nice folks. We prepped one of our Dell Latitude D630 laptops for Irv. Then I got a chance to work with the new Mid-Atlantic District's new District Executive. His name is Gene, and is very cool guy. I prepped a new laptop for him as well. Then on Thursday, I had dinner with Roy Winter, who is the Executive Director of the Brethren Service Center and Brethren Disaster Ministries, and his family. That was one of the better evenings I had in a while. I helped him configure his new second hard drive that he bought for his home PC. I was happy that I was able to help out Roy before I left. Roy is one of the coolest people here at the center and I got so much respect for him as a person, and as the boss of the center. Then my good friend Bekah Houff came down to the center for a week to lead her workcamp. It was awesome seeing her again. I always enjoy visiting any of my unit members and it was cool to talk to her throughout the week while she was here.

Now I am just prepping for the final days that I am here. I think maybe like two or three days before I leave, I might get more emotional, but right now I am just waiting. I am definitely going to keep in touch with most of the people from the center. I can't wait to see what life is going to be like away from here. I hope I find happiness soon. Well, off the have one hellava week. Peace!

At the golf range! July 2009

Jay and Larry Balliet

Two weeks and some change...

Well, it's finally August. Something that at one point I wished never came. But it is here now. As the days go by and the closer I get to going home, I get a little more anxious about moving on from here. I have made this place a home for some time and to move into a different direction is going to take some time to get used to, just like it was for me to get used to not living at home. Around here I just been preparing to leave. Last Wednesday, I sent three boxes back home. The rest of my things will be shipped to Wichita when I arrive there. Now I am just counting the days.

Last weekend I did something that I hadn't done in years. I went to a driving rage to hit a bucket of golf balls. I went with my friends and fellow volunteers Larry and Elaine Balliet. It was fun just to go out there and hit some balls. My technique wasn't great by any means, but I did end up hitting a few that I was proud of. I am kind of hoping to do the same when I get back home. I might end up doing it again before I leave.

This last week in Information Services was very interesting. I got lot of work done in the office. I worked on a few laptops, prepping them and making sure one is fixed just right for one of the fellow employees. I was happy that accomplished a few things this week.

So far I haven't told to many people back home that I was coming the 18th of August. There were a couple of people I had to tell. One was my dad, because he needed to know when I was coming home. The other was my friend Glenn, because I needed a ride back from the Sacramento airport. Then I posted it on Facebook, and now my blog. But I haven't called most people back home. I am kind of hoping to call when I get in. But I will see how that works out.

This week is going to be a good week for me, I hope. A friend of mine from my BVS unit, Bekah Houff came in for the week to do some work for the church workcamp. I am excited to see her, especially because I am leaving pretty soon, at least something cool is going on around the center. Then Ric and Jan Martinez, a volunteer couple who I got a chance to know since being here, returned for the third time since I been here. I am really fond of Ric and Jan, so it will be nice having them around when I leave.

Not much else going on. These next two weeks are going to be an emotional time for me because it is an end of an era, but happy that I am going somewhere in September. I catch myself thinking how hard it is for me to pack up my things because I had made this place home away from home for the past two years. I know its time to leave because I am ready, but I am just going to take in the positive moments that happen here at the center. Anyway, got to go. Be back soon.