The Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco isn’t a place where you’d want to get lost. Notoriously the worst neighborhood in San Francisco, the Tenderloin is a containment area for drug deals, junkies, homeless, and vagrants. Most people warn against traveling to this neighborhood located in the heart of San Francisco’s civic center, but we had the privilege of visiting to learn about one of the bright spots in this struggling community.On a Friday in late September, Tom and I were set to meet with Michael Anderer, the vice-president of the De Marillac Academy. The De Marillac Academy is a San Miguel School offering quality, Catholic, and tuition free education to the underprivileged children living in the Tenderloin, The Mission District, and SOMA (South of Mission Area). Michael has over 20 years of experience working in schools like this. Starting in the Camden, NJ area, he transferred to a school in Chicago caught in territorial gang violence. After more than a decade of work in the gang riddled neighborhoods of Chicago, Michael moved to the Bay Area to serve at the De Marillac Academy. Michael has been working in the Tenderloin for a few years now, and we felt measurably safer […] Read More
Rule #76. No Excuses. Play like a champion Tom and I were in Vancouver, eating a fairly quiet Sunday dinner at a Mexican restaurant, lingering to maximize the free restaurant wifi during a week without cell service. After we had our fill of tacos and internet access, we decided to head down Main Street looking for another drink before heading back to our AirBnb apartment. While walking, we were caught rubber necking, checking out a some overdressed people sitting on the steps outside of an event hall.“Can I help you?” a mid-30s looking guy questioned. He was wearing a Tux with a loosened tie, wielding a beer bottle. We apologized for staring and asked him why everyone was dressed up. “It’s a Wedding” “On a Sunday night?” “Yea. I know. It’s cheaper this way. Plus, I get to take the day off tomorrow” This sparked a conversation with our new Canadian friend, John, who was the best man at his brother’s wedding. John found out we were from the US and was excited to question us (Rule #88: You are from out of town, ALWAYS). He had spent time in Philadelphia and made an instant connection with Tom. We chatted […] Read More
“What the Hell are you chewing?” I say this phrase almost every day when I hear an unfamiliar crunch coming from the back seat. Mac has added a lot to our journey through 7 weeks. He’s brought us love, frustration, happiness, blood boiling anger, and lots of laughter. When I told people that I would be traveling with a dog for 10 weeks across the country, I usually received an eyebrow raise and a look that says, “You’re f#*$ing crazy”. The truth is, Mac has brought us through the entire spectrum of emotions, but I can’t help but think that, given the chance to do it over, I’d bring him along again. Here are the pros and cons to traveling with Mac. Pros 1. He takes the pressure off Everyone knows that houseguests can get annoying after a few days. You feel pressure to entertain them, they overtake your living room, eat your food, and occupy the bathroom. Mac’s primary job is to take the focus off of us (needy houseguest) by stealing the heart of the host. We’ve had nearly 20 different hosts thus far, and most of them are so preoccupied with Mac’s puppy cuteness, that they actually […] Read More
