One thing we often share about AmeriCorps: it’s a fantastic way to build strong friendships. So, 庆祝国际友谊日, we asked some real-life AmeriCorps friends to share how they met and what their friendship means to them.
Our research team has also been exploring the benefits of intergenerational friendship, 这是美国志愿队的一大好处, 因为大多数美国志愿队项目都欢迎18岁以上的人. Nearly 20% of people surveyed were part of an intergenerational friendship, and the majority said AmeriCorps gave them an opportunity to better understand a different generation.
真正的北美军团:布里安和爱丽丝
跟我们说说你们的友谊吧.
Brianne: “Alice and I met 10 years ago through 真正的北美军团 and have been besties ever since. We were asked to do some tabling together to promote True North and I was a bit nervous because we hadn’t talked much prior. 事实证明这就是我们所需要的! 我们一直在聊天，玩得很开心!
服务期满后, 我们成了室友, 一起旅游, 在德卢斯基督教青年会(Duluth YMCA)和现在的impact一起工作!)，甚至还参加了对方的婚礼. Now that Alice is a mom, I like to think of myself as an extra built-in auntie, too! If you ask either of us, we’d both thank AmeriCorps for this amazing lifelong friendship.”
你有多少服役的回忆啊?
Brianne:“我们在米勒营地过夜(见上图)!在那里我们可以徒步旅行，划独木舟，只是闲逛和聊天! I’ll also always remember when our Global Youth Service Day project was nominated for an award, 我们开车送了几个女孩到城里去领. 超级特殊.”
其他的想法?
Brianne: “AmeriCorps really does provide an amazing opportunity for friendship! Just having the chance to meet like-minded people is huge and I’ll always hold my service year in a special place.”
Alice: “I am SO grateful for my AmeriCorps service – it changed my life both professionally and personally and found me some of the most incredible and supportive friends.”
承诺伙伴:Devin, Lori和Lillie
跟我们说说你们的友谊吧.
Lillie: “At my other job, a coworker of mine who had met Devin told me, “He seems cool. 我想成为他的朋友.“一周后，我们一起吃了玉米卷. 对洛里, I can’t think of an exact day or even a general period of time where it started to feel like Lori belonged in my life. 我只知道有那么一刻洛莉在说话，我想, “能和她共进晚餐真是太好了.”
Devin:“莉莉和我都会参加非强制性的承诺伙伴聚会. Sometimes we were the only members to attend, so we had a lot of time to connect. 洛里和我是在一月份的启动活动上认识的, 我知道我想和他做朋友, 因为像我一样，她非常健谈和友好.”
莉莉:“我知道我们将永远互相学习, 适应生活变化, 加强这种亲密感. After this past year I am confident that our friendship will last a long time.“
你有多少服役的回忆啊?
Devin:“我上一个生日的礼物, I had received a cake mix from Dolly Parton’s baked goods line that I still hadn’t made. It became an inside joke about when I was going to make it, since baking isn’t my strongest suit. Lori said that the next time we see each other in person she would get a Dolly Parton mix and bake me the cake so I can see what it tastes like. The next time we saw each other was at an AmeriCorps training happening on my actual birthday. That’s when I found out Lori had made not one but two different Dolly Parton cakes for me!”
其他的想法?
莉莉:“我想我们大部分的故事还在后面. 我们三个认识的时间不长, 所以我很想看看明年的情况.”
美国湖泊之城服务队:凯蒂和J
跟我们说说你们的友谊吧.
Katie: “At this point it honestly just feels like we’ve always been friends. 在那之前，生活要无聊得多. 我们都在伊丽莎白·霍尔小学待了两年. We primarily tutored in reading and math, and also spent time as general mentors. 我们俩也教课后课程, 我教的是健康零食, 我做了一个以户外为重点的.
我最喜欢J的一点是她那惊人的幽默感, 所以我们总是在笑.”
J:我就是喜欢逗凯蒂笑，她笑得很开心!”
你有多少服役的回忆啊?
Katie: “I loved our service trips to Camp Courage where we would help paint or clear brush. 我们也和霍尔学院的几位了不起的老师建立了深厚的感情. Ms. Timander,女士. 费雪女士. 克莱默和她的妻子. Newmann were the absolute best and really made us feel like part of the school community. We spent a TON of time working in the lunchroom together, which was an adventure.”
J:我们在那个夏令营玩得很开心! 还有午餐室! 多棒的核心记忆啊! I also did a girls club for empowering kiddos to be themselves, know themselves, love themselves.”
其他的想法?
J:我真的无法想象没有凯蒂的生活. 她是我的家人. 我将永远感激美国志愿队把我们团结在一起. 在我们服役的两年里，并不是每一天都一帆风顺, but we had each other and we had those amazing teachers Katie mentioned!”
Katie: “Just that I’m so glad AmeriCorps sparked this awesome friendship that has lasted 14 (!到目前为止.”
Note: James, another AmeriCorps friend of Katie and J’s, is pictured on the left in the bottom photo!
可能的大学:兰德里，凯利，艾莉森， & 凯特琳
跟我们说说你们的友谊吧.
Landry: “We met during the many community building activities that are part of 大学可能’s Welcome Week! I knew our connections were deeper than just colleagues when we started hanging out outside of service. Not only has becoming friends made doing our positions easier and more fun, but it’s been equally amazing to come away from our first position post-college with a whole new group of friends.”
Allison: “I knew we clicked on a friendship level when we would all be excited to do projects together or take our lunch breaks together.”
你有多少服役的回忆啊?
Landry: “Some of my favorite memories serving together come from working on projects in the common space of the office. 无论是解决学生问题, 试图解决具有挑战性的经济援助和注册问题, 或者一起欢笑, being able to be in the office and connect with others makes the day go so fast.”
Allison: “Another fun thing we did together was helping high school students prepare for college at 大学可能’s end-of-year celebration, 称为发射.”
其他的想法?
Landry: “If you’re looking for your time serving as an AmeriCorps member to include gaining lots of friends and a great community, my best advice for taking that first step is to be brave and put yourself out there! There are likely other members who want to be friends, too, so remembering that can often help!”
有兴趣为美国志愿队服务? 看看 大学可能, 真正的北美军团, 承诺人，我们的 其他课程选择. 你也可以 皇冠官方APP客户端的招聘团队.
If you’re interested in connecting with other AmeriCorps members, check out 明尼苏达国际服务团理事会. 还有一个 双城美国志愿队Facebook校友小组 所有美国志愿队的校友!
