Hi everyone, this is Gabe reporting about our first month at Haverford House! It is hard to say what has been heating up faster: the Philadelphia summer days, or the Haverford House fellows’ excitement for the year ahead. July has been a whirlwind of transitions: new experiences, new people, new jobs, and news papers. Amid the ups and downs, we have relied upon each other to make the adjustment as smooth as possible.

We moved in June 30th and spent the following week getting oriented to the house and community living. Thanks to the outgoing Fellows, the house was clean and in great condition upon arrival. We also hosted a “cool” housewarming party, where we blasted AC and shared dinner with guests.

We have all enjoyed spending time together after work and sharing about our days. The shift from the unpredictable college schedule to the 9 to 5 workday has been a notable change in lifestyle. The first weeks entailed a balance between excitement and frustration as we learn the rhythm of our organizations and what our jobs encompass. At the Center for Hunger Free Communities, I have been asked to do things I have never done before, such as work on policy briefs and redesign the website. At times the learning process has been challenging, but I am excited about the journey of taking on these projects. I also attended the Philadelphia Trauma Training Conference. Community workers, teachers, mental health counselors, therapists, and artists all convened at Jefferson University to collaborate about how they make their workplace trauma-informed. Several of my colleagues gave a presentation about one of our programs, the Building Health and Wealth Network. I found the experience of having so many smart, passionate minds together in one place to be a useful way to reflect and learn.

Last week we met the Chesick Scholars. I had forgotten just how much energy incoming first-year students have, and I enjoyed feeding off of that excitement for a night. We went out to dinner with them to New Delhi Restaurant, and told them about our experiences at Haverford.

Finally, we celebrated Hanae’s birthday this past weekend with a party and Hanae’s favorite dessert: an Italian Cream cake. The cake was delicious, the conversation was lively, and most importantly, Hanae was 22.

Cheers,
Gabe Halperin-Goldstein ’19, Fellow at the Center for Hunger-Free Communities