WriteGirl was all I could think of Sunday night. I was afraid of losing sleep because my mind loves to play over everything that has happened during my day. I wondered what interning there would be like. I wasn’t nervous about WriteGirl, I was nervous about the bus. What if I was late, got lost, or missed my stop? It was cold inside the bus and chills ran down my spine.
I arrived at my stop. Music always plays in my head when important things happen to me. So I walked with the song “I’m so excited, I just can’t hide it” all the way to the WriteGirl office. I knocked three times and no one was there. Maybe I was at the wrong site? I got worried but then I realized it wasn’t 10 o’clock yet. At around 10, Keren came with someone I had not expected: Wasabi, her chocolate Labrador. (Cue horror theme!) I got so scared I couldn’t walk into the room. I am terrified of dogs because as a kid a dog had almost bitten me. I felt like my heart would leap off my chest but I finally got the courage to enter the room. Wasabi came to smell me. I was scared; I wanted to run out of the room as I imagined the sharpening pain that I would feel if his teeth sank into my flesh. Keren showed me the office and I noticed how much Wasabi loved her because he followed her everywhere and she has had him since he was a pup! It reminded me of my pet bird Lucky, who is so much like Wasabi because he follows me around and is always looking for a bite to eat.
I did a lot of things during my first week here. I had fun making phone calls and using the computer, which is what I normally like to do anyway. After leaving on my first day, I knew this was my place to be and became more excited for whatever the next day would bring. I wrote and got helpful tips from both Keren and Katherine. I learned to be more detailed and to use all my senses because many of us just like to write what we see.
I also got to taste something new: kumquats! Do you know what they are? Well, they’re good but they aren’t for everyone. They’re sweet and sour. If you can’t take sour, you’ll probably make a face that could break a mirror. I remember my first bite. They look like orange grapes and have a smooth but hard skin. I bit into one and felt my taste buds tingle. It was so sour that I wanted more, and next to strawberries, they’re now my most favorite fruit.
WriteGirl will change my life forever. I am on a new journey and doing new tasks everyday. I found out how committed Keren is to WriteGirl and met some other staff members like Katherine, Reparata, Amber and Allison. Also, I met some friendly volunteers like Estella. They all put so much amazing work and effort into WriteGirl. I am happy to be part of the WriteGirl team and I know I have much to learn. I know that my writing will improve and if I ever write another blog after this one, it won’t even compare.
My daily bus worries have now changed. I see familiar faces now and a familiar driver. This Sunday night as I lay in my bed to rest, there will be fewer doubts and I won’t lose anymore sleep. My mind will again play over everything I did, except this time it’ll be clouded with positive thoughts about WriteGirl and excitement that will leak into my dreams.
Jackelyne and Katherine, working together at the WriteGirl office.
