Tuesday Nights With Friends.

Crossing over the threshold of the train, I left the bitter wind tunnel and entered onto the red line. Immediately the foul smell of urine permeated through my nose. A look of disgust was adhered to everyone's face as they glared at the women bustling around in the corner. This division between the train was more than the odor. To some this woman was crazy...to others, repulsive. She was homeless.

We've all seen the homeless on the train, or people who appear, in our eyes, to be homeless. They ask for change, maybe a sandwich...for someone to just listen. Well, last night I was on my way to listen, to hear their stories. Last night I embarked on my 3 month internship adventure.

1-2 nights a week I will be going on outreach with The Night Ministry, to Humboldt Park, Pilsen, and Wicker Park. In these neighborhoods we provide food, medical care, HIV testing, and most importantly, an ear. My job is to listen to those who have no home, or no medical care. Those who have lost a job, or in search of something new. Those who are chronically homeless, and those who are new to the neighborhood.

I couldn't be more ecstatic about my Tuesday nights.

It was my first time out last night, and I was slightly nervous. Not about safety, or being freezing cold, but about fitting in. Why would they want to talk to me? Would they trust me enough, even if they did want to talk to me? I felt like the new girl in school.

My nervousness quickly subsided as they approached me with hugs and hand shakes. They openly shared their lives with me. We joked around. I met people from Cuba, Ecuador, the south side of Chicago, and Denmark. Sharing a cup of hot chocolate, I learned about their families, their aches and pains, their beliefs. I even learned some more Spanish, and will now have weekly Spanish lessons. Ending in Wicker Park, it began to snow. Big fluffy flakes fell all around us. My toes were frozen together and my nose was running like a facet, but I couldn't think of any place I would rather be. We left with hasta luego, and see ya next week.

Smiling the whole way home, and into my warm bed I felt a sense of peace and comfort. While my experience with outreach and teaching children in Thailand was fulfilling, I constantly felt bad for leaving them. When they asked how long I would be around and I would reply, "1 month," a look of gloom consumed their faces. Last night, when they asked me how long I would be around and I replied, "Until June," a huge smile extended across their face.

I finally feel a little better about being back in Chicago. I feel like I have time to breathe and be myself within my work/19 credit balancing act of a semester. I get to turn off my phone, push away my homework, and extinguish all of my worries. For 6 hours a week I get to be with humanity, with people who listen to me and I listen to them. I have my niche again.

I love my internship.