good-bye email i sent to my coworkers yesterday

Farewell, Jumpstart
A haiku series by jenna

Just one year ago
I began a new journey
To Boston, I came

Jumpstart was the place
As operations VISTA
I would be the first

One. collateral
Two. metrics and child data
Three. umm... oodles more!

From ops and PM
To all my VISTA Sistas
You've taught me so much

I've met some great folks-
Their great love for kids: solid
Dancing skills: iffy

One year in this place
From beginning to the end
I have loved it all

Now my year is done
And westward is where I'm bound
Say it! "OR-E-GUN"

Thank you for the laughs
And warm hearts, ten-times too big
Farewell, Jumpstart friends

Now for stuff that I got tired of counting out the syllables for:
This has been an amazing year for me. A little over one year ago I decided that I wanted to try living on the east coast for a while and knew that if I applied to be an AmeriCorps VISTA in Boston, I could make that move. I accepted the position at Jumpstart because I thought it would be neat to work for a national non-profit that works in the early education field. I underestimated the neat-ness. I can't believe how lucky I am to have worked here or to have been a part of this team. Jumpstart will always have a place in my heart and you better believe that I will be a supporter for life.

I had thought about only sending this farewell to the people that I worked with directly in the office, but then I realized that even if all you and I did was chat in the kitchen while we waited for our lunches to heat up, I have enjoyed getting to know you and will miss you all. I don't know what is in store for me in my LAJ (Life After Jumpstart), but I am not too stressed about that just yet. On October 25 I shall run away from the impeding Boston winter (dumb snow) to the wonderful dampness of Oregon (yay rain!). Many of you know about my love for all things Pacific Northwest, so whenever you are out my way, whether Oregon, Washington or even northern California, I hope you will give me a call so we can meet up and I can show you in person why I love it so much.

OK, I'm getting all misty now because I just read all of my new "t-shirts." You guys are fantastic! I will end this by saying one big THANK YOU for everything.

love,
jenna

Jumpstart's Read for the Record 2009 at the Boston Public Library