Through all of this, Lonnie reveals himself to have a true adventurer’s soul. Living vicariously does not necessarily have to fit under a strict definition, and I believe that Lonnie truly enjoys going on his little expeditions. Some of them are planned, and a lot of them just seem to happen, like the trolley ride. Lonnie’s belief in accepting his fate and learning to live with it is exemplified by his willingness to let the trolley take him wherever it was going. This is a main character trait of Lonnie’s, and one that took several days of interviewing to uncover at that.
Reflection Grumpy, cranky, overly sweet, and extremely talkative ‐ before we went to the Gary and Mary West Senior Center, I already had initial thoughts. These thoughts were combinations of expectations and stereotypes. The expectation was that it was going to be awkward talking and trying to connect with the seniors. I also expected us to be individually paired with seniors, and the whole interview would feel strict and forced. The small amount of volunteering seniors allowed They have lived their experiences, us to be in groups and so we and it defined their personalities. were able to work together and it also helped us bond easier. My original stereotypes of seniors were a little undefined, since I have not met many retired people. From past experiences with seniors, I thought that seniors were either extremely friendly and helpful or very cranky. These judgments were both proved and disapproved. Each senior couldn’t just be categorized as nice or rude; they were more complex than that. Coming into this project, I thought that it might become an awkward experience with the seniors; I thought the whole interview and bonding experience would be awkward. However, I was surprised how relaxed and well that this project was, even by the first day. When we arrived at the senior center, I didn’t know what to feel. I huddled around my friends, not knowing what to do. When we stepped inside, it smelled like what I expected a senior center to smell like ‐ cheap soap. I felt a weird coldness around me, separate from the air outside. When I walked further into the room of my classmates and strangers, I felt warmness. Every part of the senior center had a different feel to it, and I can say the same about each senior. Our senior partner, Lonnie, turned out to be the extremely friendly and helpful type of senior. Knowing that he volunteered at the computer room nearly every day was enough to consider him a helpful person to the community. He volunteers at the Cyber Cafe, which is where we interviewed him. Stepping into the Cyber Cafe made me understand what a senior center actually was ‐ a place where retirees can find comfort with other people. There