12/17/2019 - My journey at San Quentin State Prison began more than almost a year ago in the mental health department.
Since then, I have been inside several of the housing blocks, consumed several pieces of media about the institution and discussed them briefly with individual inmates, seen some sunrises that left me rooted to one spot in front of the castle-like gate and requested a move to the dental department on the first floor of the hospital.
Though the job isn't my favorite, I love so many other aspects of my life right now. I adore Marin County; this place is home. I love living so close to San Francisco, one of the best cities in the world and one which offers anything you can think of. I love my neighborhood and the situation with my roommates is the best I've experienced in my life. We don't often speak or see each other, but we all keep the common areas clean and drama is noticeably absent now. None of us are "friends", though, and we have yet to spend time with each other outside of the apartment; perhaps that is for the best.
I have put down roots in this area. San Rafael is my home. I have friends now. I have been volunteering at a local art organization. The weather in Marin is perfect. Sure, it's incredibly expensive and traffic is insufferable, but I believe it's all justified when one gets the opportunity to live in paradise.
It's ok that I don't enjoy the job because it allows me to live in Marin County, close to San Francisco. It allows me to pay the bills and save some money. It allows me to buy the things I need and a few others that I simply want. It allows me to travel. It gave me a role inside of California's first prison, one which practices restorative justice and one in which inmates have ample opportunities for self improvement.
I dislike my job, but I love being at San Quentin. I want to be there. My gut tells me to stay there because there has to be a role at the institution that I'll enjoy.
3/6/2020 - However, my time there is soon coming to a close.
I have an opportunity to visit Australia, Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand and Hawaii for more than a month.
4/15/2020 - Or not!
I was due to be in Sydney right about now during that trip to Australia. I had actually submitted my resignation letter to my San Quentin supervisor about a week after writing that previous entry.
But then the Covid-19 pandemic formed a day or two later and brought the world as we know it to a grinding halt. Fortunately, I was able to rescind the resignation letter because, apparently, my coworkers like me.
So at the moment, the journey down under is tentatively scheduled for late September. It is impossible to visit sooner because the Australian government closed the country's borders for six months due to the pandemic. The cruise ship line I was supposed to use docked all of its ships for two months due to the virus and a general lockdown has gripped most of the world for the foreseeable future.
Instead of writing about the pandemic and how daily life has changed, I'll explain the origins of the opportunity to visit Australia, a place that's been on my radar for several years now. (Did you know that the Australian continent is bigger than the United States of America?)
This trip was originally planned by my godfather and his partner, Warren. Unfortunately, Warren suffered a heart attack in December 2019 and passed away in January. After some intense grief, my godfather turned to me and delivered the shocking offer of taking Warren's place, in return for nothing more than emotional support.
