First days

Well I'm on my third day in South Dakota. This is my first real day of working though. I'm currently in the office looking for grants or donations for us. Still a little green about where to look, but I'm sure I'll figure it out soon. The experience has been great so far. Larry, the director, came to get me on Monday from the airport where my flight was delayed by 40 minutes, and they lost my check in bag. Fortunately they flew it on the next flight. We drove the two and a half hours from Rapid City to Eagle Butte, and he told me some awesome stories. Something he said really stuck out to me. "Humans are the only things in this world that concern themselves with time." I had never really thought of that, but it's true. And are we any happier for it?

I stayed that night in the volunteer house. I went to bed at around 8:30 because I had been up for about 30 hours. The next day I went to the office and met Ted, the construction manager. He fixed up my camper that I'll be staying in for the remainder of my time here and taught me how to drive the old Ford. The truck has no power steering and is definitely older than I am, but it's endearing in a way. The water tank in the camper had burst the previous winter, so I have to go over to the volunteer house for anything involving water. I drove the old truck to the grocery store that night, and when I got back, the little girls from next door were waiting on me. They invited themselves into the camper and proceeded to ask for every bit of food I had just bought. I asked if they had had supper yet, and they said yes. They had rice, chicken, vegetables and gravy. Those kids are bottomless pits I tell you! We played card games (with rules made up by the girls as we went) for a while. I finally had to beg them to leave at dark. The last thing I want is their parents to be mad at me! After they left, I hid my food. I feel bad having to keep telling them no, but I won't have anything left if I give them everything they ask for!

The first volunteer group gets in on Sunday. It will be nice to have some more company. Maybe then I'll get into the groove of things when I start helping them out.

The reservation is a wonderful place. It reminds me a lot of Waverly. Everyone waves when you pass by, and there are lots of little shops. Everyone I've met so far has been incredibly friendly, and I haven't felt uncomfortable at all. I'm sure as time goes, I'll have more indepth things to relay, but for now, this is all I have. Until next time!

This is my camper and truck with the volunteer house behind it. Cute right?