Lots of work and lots of fun

Oh my goodness, I am so exhausted! Today we had our classes, and although there is so much going on in the city tonight (Oktoberfest in the loop), I can’t do anything but just sit here and decompress. A good time to write my blog I think.

Last Thursday I started my internship at St. Sabina Social Services/Catholic Charities. I shadowed the first day and by the second day I started doing my own cases! They desperately need the help at St. Sabina’s. Right now I am in charge of the smaller cases of food and clothing. Clients come in, sign in (stating their purpose for coming), and wait for a caseworker. If their interest is food or clothing, I bring them to my cubical and assess them. I put their information into the computer and ask them what happened that they are now in need of our services. I was really nervous about assessment at first because I thought my clients would be uncomfortable sharing their stories with me, but I have found that they are eager to share and willing to answer all of my questions. I ask them to present identification and documentation on any children, etc. Then I type everything into the computer, fill out paperwork stating the same exact thing, and then get another client and do it again. To say in the least I do a lot of running around… but I love it and am grateful to have an internship that gives me a lot of responsibility.

Over the weekend I went out of town. My boyfriend, Josh, goes to the University of Illinois and I went down to visit him. We went swing dancing, and I was ever so proud of him for trying. I’ll have to find a swing dancing joint here in the city to go to.

Last night was a lot of spontaneous fun. Chicago Semester opens up its offices on Monday and Tuesday nights so students can make use of its computer lab. They need two computer lab “monitors” to keep an eye on things each night, and I signed up (I could use the few extra bucks that’s for sure). Last night was my first night on the job. After we closed shop, those of us who were left headed for the red line to go home, and what do you know but the red line going northbound was closed! Ahhh! So, we took a different train, walked for a bit, and finally got on a bus… and guess who was on the bus?! Ronny Whoo Hoo! Ronny Whoo Hoo is a famous fan for the Chicago Cubs. He attends every game in his Cubs uniform and incessantly cheers “Cubs Whooo…Win Whooo.” People in the city know him. Anyways, I saw him and started waving frantically, and he scooted over to allow me to sit next to him! I talked to him all the way home. He even said that he wants to come to my internship and give me a baseball! I didn’t have the heart to tell the guy that I’m not a Cubs fan, but I still couldn’t contain my excitement. What a shame I didn’t have my camera!

More stories about Chicago to come!