I got up early and went down to the Unemployment Service Center in NE Washington. As you might recall, I have been struggling to get them to pay my benefits. So far I have not received a dime. I went on Monday, but apparently I got there too late.
So this morning, I made sure to get there early. I arrived at 8:30 and was out of there by 10:15. I met with Ms. Bonham. She was friendly and took care of my situation and hopefully I will start receiving my unemployment benefits. Thanks Ms. Bonham!
I thought it would be great to find someone at the Unemployment Office to give my $10 to. There were some people right outside the office who I suspected had just left. I approached a woman waiting for the bus. Nadine, a 32 year-old living in Columbia, MD is originally from Cameroon. She actually was not at the Unemployment Office, but was waiting for the bus to get to her job as a Home Health Aid. You might recall that Davitia from Day 14 was also a HHA.
Nadine was all bundled up. Her head was just barely peaking out of her hooded coat. She has been in the US for five years and says she is happy here. Even in the winter. “I don’t like the heat,” Nadine said. “I really like the cold.” I found this ironic given that her homeland of Cameroon probably never gets below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, with the exception of the upper parts of Mount Cameroon. Want a bit of trivia? Cameroon’s name is derived from the Portuguese word for prawns or shrimp, Camarões. Back in the 15th century, the Portuguese landed on the shores of the Wouri River where they found a large supply of prawns and crayfish and named it River of Prawns (Rio dos Camarões).
Anyway, I asked Nadine what she would do with the $10. She said that she would put it toward her school savings. Nadine needs to finish about six courses to get her Licensed Practical Nurse certification. I hope she gets back to school this year and finishes her studies. Jameela, from Day 7, is an LPN now trying to get her RN. Maybe she can give you some tips or advice.
By the way, I am going to start adding some video to the blog…stay tuned!
Year of Giving 