Interns and Pow-wows (NaBloPoMo #16)

The interns had a "filling" first day, I'm sure!

With the chimugukuru still flowing (does it ever stop?), they were whisked away to an all-you-can-eat buffet for lunch by one of the volunteers - for two hours! I believe they were encouraged to eat more than they are used to. In fact, they may go home a little "heavier" than when they arrived. Now two hour lunch - their work day is 6 hours, mind you!

So after orientation in the morning, they went straight to lunch - like at 11:20am!. Then I gave them a tour of our center before my lunch break (mine is much, much later...). They got a private, quickie koto lesson from Katsuko Teruya (imagine: they never touched the Ryukyu koto in Okinawa, but here in Los Angeles, they get their first lesson!). They met a plethora o' other folks, and I didn't push the "work" aspect. I can do that tomorrow, when I suspect there will be a lot less people. Today was about the personalities and volunteers that make our organization tick.

Katsuko Teruya-sensei pictured above is the one that gave them impromptu lesson!.

I did find out that they are not staying as long as we initially thought, though. Strange - I was not looking forward to the interns, but they are here and as I suspected, it's not so bad. The other two interns - wonder what their first day was like!

The rest of my day was rounded out by spending time with a friend that I haven't had much chance to touch base with lately. I knew we would have a good pow-wow session, but it really drove home how much I miss certain connections in my life.

I felt immensely better after our time together - much later than we expected and probably hoped. But I felt a certain clearing and understanding that brings me more peace in my heart.

Pow-wows are good, eh? Talking-story, yuntaku, heart-to-heart talks, sharing, just sharing...

All for tonight!