A Day in the Life of a CYP Intern

It's been a long time since I've last written. My excuse? Other than the fact that I'm just horrendously bad at updating blogs, I will say that work has kept me pretty busy. So, what is this work that seems to take up all my time? 

As mentioned, I'm currently participating in the Military Extension Internship Program, through Purdue University. I have been placed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) where I work with Morale, Readiness and Welfare's (MWR) Child and Youth Programs (CYP). While it differs for every intern in the program, I have become somewhat of a generalist, working with every department and position within CYP. A typical day might go like this:

6:30 -- Cover the front desk, answering phones and signing children in, at the Child Development Center (CDC) which cares for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. 
7:30 -- Go into one of the classrooms (the CDC is split into three classrooms: Preschool - ages 3,4, &5; Busy Bees - ages 1.5 to 3; and Tiny Tots/Kozy Kitties - ages 6 weeks to 1.5 years) and help out with getting the kids ready for breakfast 
8:30 -- Head over to the Youth Center (school-aged kids) and prepare for that week's sports clinic. Including getting sunscreen on those kids who are signed up to participate. 
9:00 -- Hop in the bus and head over to the field for a sports clinic, where myself, Brittney and some of the Teen Hires teach kids between the ages of 6 and 18 a certain sport. Last week, we spend three days teaching 28 children the basics of tennis. 
11:00 -- Finish up with the clinic and head home to my townhouse to change 
12:00 -- Cover the front desk of the CDC for lunch 
1:00 -- Eat lunch at home 
2:00 -- Head to the Teen Center (a sort of drop in space for teens aged 13-18). Usually during this time Brittney and I try and get some computer work done, things like updating binders, making labels, etc, while the teens play pool, videogames and basketball. 
6:00 -- Teen Center closes and I head to the gym for kickboxing! 

And then by the time I get home I'm tired and ready to do it all over the next day! 

Some of the kids at our swim clinic!

I appreciate that I've been able to experience such a variety of jobs and tasks in my position. I think some interns spend all of their time in one program, which is certainly not my case, and I'm glad because the constant movement keeps me engaged and on my toes. 

I have, however, had quite a bit of free time to reflect on the purpose and benefits of having an internship and I'm truly not sure I would do it again. This was my first one -- last summer I went to summer school in Singapore and the summer before I worked -- so I can't pretend to be an expert, but it seems to me like intern can be just another name for "person who will do all the things I don't want to". So in that way, I'm not sure I'm truly gaining a since "employee-like" experience during my time here. Unless cutting out and laminating namecard after namecard is also what everybody else does all day... :P Despite this disappointment, I'm content with knowing now what I'd like to do with the rest of my summers (travel, anyone?!). 

I have also learned a valuable lesson about my future career path. Part of the reason I took this internship was to help me decide whether I'd want to work with the military population after grad school, or the incarcerated population. While I'm certainly not ruling out military after being here, I can say that I wouldn't want to live on a military base again in the future. The closeness, the over-friendliness, the same people seeing you at the grocery store day after day is something that I still haven't quite gotten used to, and don't know if I ever could. 

So, as I wrap up in my last two weeks, I am glad that I could come out of GTMO with a ton more practical experience and some lessons for the future. 

But, let's be honest -- I'm ready for California! 

Two more weeks! 
Hayley

GTMO: The Tale of One Woman's Travel Through Time

Not only did I travel some serious miles to make it to Guantanamo Bay (California > Texas > Bryn Mawr > Boston > Jacksonville > GTMO) but soon after I'd arrive, I realized that I had seemingly traveled through time, too. Destination? The good ol' 1980s. I know, I know, how can I, a girl who wasn't even born in that decade, claim that GTMO is like stepping into the 80s? Well, I think I've got some pretty solid evidence:

Hitchhiking: Who does THAT anymore? Oh wait, GTMO residents do. Sure, we all grew up listening to the familiar "Stranger Danger" refrain, but an even more common thought here? "It's GTMO, what could happen?" The first time a man stepped in front of my (moving!) van and asked for a ride, I was so put off that I sputtered some excuse about being late to my exercise class and kept moving. Of course, as I recounted this seemingly strange incident to my new friends, they all laughed and assured me that people asking for rides was completely normal. After all, what could happen?

GTMO Beaters: Thanks to popular media, Cuba's vast collection of old, beater cars might be one of the more well-known quirks of the island. While some people are lucky enough to bring their cars from the States with them when they move, others have to purchase their vehicles here if they want to get around easily. The constant come and go of the military community means that there are trails of cars that have been passed down between residents over time, and they've got the mystery stains and lack of A/C to prove it. And these beater cars? Most remain unlocked at all times. (Who would want to steal that thing, anyways?) Recently I saw a truck, affectionately coined "The Flamethrower" for sale. It was a screaming deal at only $500, but it also looked like it had been used for target practice at some point.

The Internet (or lack thereof): I was warned before arriving in GTMO that I'd have to get used to being "unplugged". The WiFi here is only available indoors (or close by outside), in select buildings. While I do have WiFi  in my townhouse, it isn't strong enough to support things like YouTube videos, Netflix (currently suffering through OITNB withdrawals) or Skype. If I want to do any of those "strong connection activities" I have to go to where the internet is better. Where might that be? Strangely, outside the ice cream shop (CCC) is where I've found the strongest connection. While I can't say I don't miss being able to stream video or video chat with friends, I've learned that the lack of internet means more time to actually TALK to other people, or read a book that been on your to-read list or play a board game. And I think this unpluggedness has a positive impact on family life here as well..

Family Togetherness: Without the ease of the internet to distract us all from each other, GTMO families seem to do activities together more often than families back in the States. It is almost reminiscent of a quaint small town when you see whole families together at the pool, working out in the gym, or supporting a younger sibling at a baseball game. And when they're not all together, many parents let their children run around and explore on their own. Most of the base is walkable, and of course, very safe. It's not uncommon to see gaggles of kids playing together under the bleachers while their parents watch a movie. In GTMO, the safety that a cul-de-sac back in the States might offer extends to pretty much the whole island. And with at least 10 jungle gyms and play areas scattered throughout (there's even one at the chapel!), I'd say this is a pretty good place to be a kid.

Now that you've got a pretty good impression of what GTMO is all about and how it is to live here, I'll give some updates next time about the work I've been doing for MWR and Child and Youth Programs!

Thanks for reading!

Hayley

So what's it like to live on Guantanamo Bay?

Of course, for most people, the mere mention of GTMO brings to mind all sorts of terrible images of barbed wire, detention facilities and all the worst kinds of people.  And while I’ll let you form your own opinions about that particular piece of GTMO, I am here to tell you about the other part, where families live, kids go to school and life carries on as usual. To maintain and run the detainment facility on the island, there must be a group of workers and service members here full time. And those people have families who also live here full time.  To support the needs of the base’s full time residents, GTMO has plenty of amenities. I’ve discussed some of the one’s I am more familiar with at length below:

The NEX (Navy Exchange) is like a Super Walmart but a lot less super. Either way, it is the one-stop shop for all base residents for anything from marinara sauce to diamond jewelry.

We have an outdoor movie theater, the Downtown Lyceum, which shows current movies for free every night. So far, I’ve embraced my younger side and seen How to Train Your Dragon 2. I’m still waiting for The Fault in Our Stars to make its way over, though!

For those sportier folk, there is also a bowling alley, golf course, Frisbee golf course, mini golf, plenty of sports fields and a 24/7 gym that holds free fitness classes open to all base residents. I try and go to at least one class every weekday. My favorite is the cardio kickboxing class, even though I feel really silly doing it (does ANYONE look cool punching and kicking the air?)

Because of our location, GTMO is a great place to indulge in every kind of water sport you can imagine. I’ve already gone boating twice and snorkeling once. You can also get Scuba certified on the cheap here, and you can try your hand at stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and fishing. The beaches here, while not quite white sand, are also worth a weekend trip. Ferry Landing beach and Cable Beach have cabanas to escape the brutal Cuban heat, while Windmill Beach has lounges to lay out on (a must since the beaches here are mostly rock. Girl Scout Beach and Glass Beach are great for exploring as you can find some incredible shells and pieces of sea glass there!

Just a lazy day out boating at Hospital Cay

Some green sea glass from Glass Beach! 

And after a long day hitting up the base activities, GTMO offers a variety of restaurants and fast food joints to energize you for the next round. There’s a McDonald’s, Subway, Taco Bell, Caribbean Coffee and Cream which sells ice cream and Starbucks coffee, The Jerk House (open for dinner) serving up homemade Jamaican food, The Windjammer has some more traditional American food offerings, and The Cuban Club, which seems to be a favorite of many, dishes out traditional Cuban fare with a twist (try the spaghetti!). There are also the galleys, standard on military installations, which offer buffet style food for low prices. To finish off the night, there are a couple of bar/club type joints like O’Kelly’s (supposedly the first Irish pub on communist soil) and the Tiki Bar.

Chicken meal from the Jerk House! YUM. 

While there IS plenty to do, without the ability to leave base, you can imagine how claustrophobic GTMO eventually becomes. Sometimes I feel like I’ve been plopped into a small Midwestern college town where everyone knows each other and I am the new girl.  I can’t go to the NEX without seeing a familiar face, which can be both a curse and a blessing (do I really want my boss to look into my shopping cart and see only panty liners and spaghetti squash??). But this close-knittedness certainly has it’s perks, too. Kids can run around the island at their leisure, cars remain unlocked (where, really, could anyone drive away with it?) and people aren’t afraid to start up conversations with strangers, or even give a pedestrian they don’t know a ride home.  I’ve talked to quite a few residents who have “GTMO glasses” now – they see the States as crime-ridden danger zone that makes GTMO look like an all the more appealing place to settle down. While I don’t think I would ever adopt this viewpoint, it is interesting to witness what a few years in an almost fictionalized small town can do to your opinion of home.  Still the newbie, though, I am convinced of something else – GTMO is stuck in the 80s! Stay tuned for next post where I’ll tell you why (slow internet, home phones, GTMO beaters, oh my!).

Thanks for reading,

Hayley

Hello, GTMO!

Let’s be honest, I am pathetically late in starting this blog. I like to think it’s a good sign that I’m having too much fun enjoying these MOments to actually sit down and write about them all. While that’s true, it’s also true that this island makes me incredibly lazy. Ever heard of island time? Well I think my body runs on that now. Every night, before I crash at 11 PM like the grandma I’ve become, all I want to do is curl up and read one of the many cheesy teen fiction books I’ve checked out from the base library. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I apologize (to the many who have impatiently messaged me asking for updates) that this has taken so long to get started, but that’s just the way things work here.

What am I doing?

Most American college students are NOT spending their summer breaks in Cuba, for the obvious reasons, which makes the fact that I am one that draws many questions. So, how’d I get here? Through a program run by Purdue University, the Military Extension Internship program,  I am funded to intern with Child and Youth Programs at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. As an intern, I split my time between the Child Development Center (CDC), which provides daily care for children aged 4 weeks to 5 years, the Youth Center, which serves school-aged children, and the Teen Center, a kind of drop in rec center for 13 to 18 year olds. Within my position, I not only get to chase kids and go on cool field trips (the Youth Center went to the beach TWICE this week!), but also begin to understand the managerial/administrative portion of running youth programs.

How long?

I’ll be in Cuba all summer, from June 6^th to August 15^th.

Where?

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is at the very bottom of the island, and the naval base is completely separated from the rest of the island by a gate. No one is able to enter from Cuba proper, and no one is able to leave from GTMO into the rest of Cuba. More to come later on the specifics of the base and what all there is to do here! 

P.S. A little note to internship seekers: don’t give up! What turns out to be the internship, and opportunity, of a lifetime was hidden away in the fourth, yes fourth, page of google results for “social work military summer internship”. I didn’t find it by scanning the first page and giving up. If you want a specific internship that fits your exact interests like mine does, persevere in your search. Try variations of your keywords. You never know what you might find!