Community Service October 29, 2007

Today I went to the Sisiters of Charity to volunteer. When I arrived I helped set up for Bingo by preparing the snacks and arranging the tables and chairs. Then I helped the other volunteers bring the nuns in wheel chairs down to the activity center. Many of the nuns were very excited to meet me ,and they thought it was great how i was taking time to help with the activites. During bingo I thought it was interesting the reactions from the different nuns. For example, one sister really wanted to win. She would become upset when her numbers were not called. Then towards the end, she called Bingo a couple of times when she didn't really have it. I was surprised by this sister's reaction because I had always percieved nuns as always selfless and not very competitive. I also think that her reaction relates to the way many people act in society today. Because many people are competitve and will take drastic measures for something that is not very important. In contrast, another sister who had won more than once felt bad because the person next her had not won once. I believe this was an act of compasion, and being humble. When I was helpping these sisters with bingo because some of them could not read the small numbers on thier card made me realize how thankful I am for my eye sight. Also, I hope that when I am older, I am able to have good health. After bingo, I helpped pass out the snack, and I socialized with the sisters. When I was talking to Sister Margarite, she said she used to be a chemistry teacher at Clarke for ten years. She said that she really enjoyed teaching, and loved chemisty. Also, she said she will never forget when the building was caught on fire becuase of the roofing problem. When I was listening to this nun talk about teaching and how much she really enjoyed it, made me really excited to have my own classroom to teach in someday. I actually stumpped Sister Margarite when I asked her how she believes teaching is different today than it was when she taught. This made me wonder how much the teaching field will change during the next 10-15 years while I am a teacher....