Day One: Joy's House

INDY SAB!
Day One: Joy's House
-Erika Capinguian

Today was an awesome and eye opening day. We all had a rough time adjusting to the hard floors, but if today's experience reflects what the rest of the trip will be like, it's definitely a sacrifice worth making.
For our first trip of service, we began at Joy's House, an adult care center. This house hosts "guests" ranging from ages 22 to 94 years old, with disabilities like dementia, Alzheimer's, or epilepsy. We began the day by talking with the guests and doing puzzles with them. This getting to know you portion was memorable from the very beginning. We then proceeded to do morning stretches, eat lunch, interview, and sing karaoke with the guests. 
Joy's House is styled in a homey and comfortable way, where you really feel as if you are at home rather than being in a clinical setting. The guests were nice and welcoming, and loved the interaction. From the start, they shared personal stories that I will never forget. Stories of personal troubles and challenges, and inspiring stories about the way they've overcome their challenges and have come to live the fulfilling lives they have today. 
Miss Thelma told me about her family life and twelve kids. Mr. Red relayed stories about World War II and how he's a country boy at heart, while Ms. Lucy told me about her stories of strife and struggle working in an assembly line of a factory while supporting her family. 
The way they live now, and the things they've been through before, will not fail to inspire me in the future. It's important to see the different perspectives of life, and always be thankful for the things we have. Sure, it's hard to get through finals, and it's hard to sleep on hard floors, but then we should think about the things we should be grateful for. We have the opportunity to receive higher education, we have the opportunity to be on a more equal ground between genders, and we have the opportunity to be alive each and everyday. The most important thing I've heard today is that it's not important how old we are, but that we should "be happy to be alive." 

Our First Group Picture at Joy's House!