Bon Air-Day 1

Driving over to Bon Air, I tried to trick myself into believing I was more excited than nervous, when in reality, I was all nerves. When we pulled up to the parking spot, I felt my nerves heighten a bit. After getting scanned we moved into the room with the residents where I found myself starting to shake a little (something that happens when I’m nervous). The boys all watched us file in and I immediately told myself, “look confident, look tough.”

After sitting down, we began our opening group discussion where we learned each other’s names, towns/cities where we live, and favorite story. The first things to strike me about the boys were the facts that they had very unique names (which I tried to pay attention to so I could later address my partner by name) and the fact that all of their favorite stories were ones I had never heard of. Already differences arose.

We proceeded to talk and then begin the “I am” poems. Filling out the paper was a bit stressful because I was really trying to write down words or phrases that were truthful but also made me sound interesting. After filling out the paper we divided into our partnerships and at this point I was excited because my partner seemed to be one of the more mature ones and as we started to get to know each other, I realized he was even more mature than I had thought.

I say this because he had a very mature mindset about his goals once he was able to return home. My partner has pretty inspiring plans in terms of education, career choice, and lifestyle choice. From the first sentence, he admitted his reason for being at the facility but proceeded to combat that with how he doesn’t want to return to the life that caused him to be in there. He said he’s been in the facility for many years and when he leaves, he hopes to never see the Bon Air gates again. He also wishes to go to college and receive a degree in business. In talking with him and sharing stories, I learned that amid the turmoil surrounding his past, he only wants to better himself and stay clear of people, places, and things that led him there.

It’s only week 1 but I honestly can’t wait to go back and talk some more; however, what if we overshared and there is nothing to say? It might get uncomfortable but I’m going in excited and with a hopeful mindset. Week 2, here I come!