tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91956979509089860792024-03-21T05:52:36.536-07:00Encuentro DominicanoComunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-66096816177480339122016-05-04T10:42:00.002-07:002016-05-04T10:42:43.748-07:00Hold on To Your Humanity<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22.5px; line-height: 36px; margin-bottom: 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Last Friday, the <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Comunidad 19</em> traveled to the Haitian-Dominican border in order to witness market day. The pushing of the crowd quickly pushed each of us through the initial shock of doing something few of us ever pictured ourselves doing. As my eyes soaked in the piles of dirty, donated merchandise presided over by glazed stares, I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere that vibrated the very air with sounds of struggling humans– struggling for their daily bread and struggling to believe in their dignity. During that day, I met more faces and still shared smiles, but I could not help but be moved by the fact that this brutal learning exercise for me was their ugly, daily reality. Did they know that they were made for more? How could they? As is brilliantly noted in one of my favorite travel articles of all time,</div>
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“Happiness is important, sure. But it’s also common and can be found in most situations once your mind adjusts to your surroundings. You can find happiness in any slum or in any mansion, on the beach, in the mountains, or in the middle of the desert.</div>
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But what is rare in many parts of the world is human dignity. You know, people who aren’t treated like animals — used, ignored, cheated, beaten, mutilated, silenced, or suppressed” (<a href="http://markmanson.net/5-life-lessons-5-years-traveling-world#tmhmdj:Li3Y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ca2017; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">5 Life Lessons from 5 Years of Traveling</a>).</div>
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I have explored marketplaces before, most impressionably the Jerusalem bazaar shown below, but what really struck me about this binational convention was the distinct lack of crafts, or anything locally hand-cooked or hand-made for that matter. Everything was packaged in crisp plastic, evidently manufactured in bulk, and soiled from the transport. Clearly there is no fault in making your living by reselling donations, but the initial tragedy that I realized was the lack of resources and training available for the merchants to harness their human creativity and ingenuity in providing unique goods, services, and creating wealth. As humans, we take pride in the works of our hands. We love to create beauty and order when we cannot find it naturally in the world around us. I would have leapt for joy at the sight of one single artist.</div>
<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_399" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22.5px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px auto 1.5em; max-width: 100%; width: 689px;"><a href="https://claritybyclara.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/dsc_0549_2.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ca2017; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="DSC_0549_2" class="wp-image-399 size-large" src="https://claritybyclara.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/dsc_0549_2.jpg?w=679&h=1024" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%;" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 0.7em; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 15px; text-align: center;">”Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”</figcaption></figure><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22.5px; line-height: 36px; margin-bottom: 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Unfortunately, the picture gets substantially darker. Underlying the ugly market is the uglier disease of rampant corruption, bribery, and mistreatment. Whenever there is a situation where one group’s livelihood is at the mercy of another, there you will find scumbags taking advantage of the powerless</div>
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…but on that battlefield you will also encounter those who choose have turned their backs on comfortable, safe lives in order to protect the powerless. They hold on to what makes us human.</div>
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During our stay in Dajabón, our group listened to two talks by groups who labor to protect and defend, sometimes in the face of persecution– our first speaker had just been released from over 500 days of unjust imprisonment. Relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic are complicated and overshadowed by miscommunication and misinformation, but there are always those who profit off the weak and those who speak up for them.</div>
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I know which side I want to be on.</div>
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On that theme, I’d just like to share a TED talk that I watched this morning. It’s uncomfortable, unsettling, and not fun, but it’s <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">infinitely</em> better to work at bringing truth, dignity and beauty to the uglier faces of life than to cowardly cast our eyes away. Hold on to your humanity.</div>
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Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-72081333085515388612016-05-04T10:41:00.000-07:002016-05-04T10:41:00.414-07:00English, Spanish, and now Creole?<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #404040; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; padding: 1.3334em 1.3334em 1em;"><div class="entry-meta" style="border: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8461rem; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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English, Spanish, now Creole? For service, I am teaching English at a Haitian school. Haitian immigrants generally don’t have their birth certificates and since a birth certificate is required to attend school in the Dominican Republic these children normally don’t receive an education. A pastor and his wife have set up a makeshift school inside of a church where about 115 children ages 3 to 15 come daily for school. I thought one language barrier was difficult until I was faced with two. The children speak only a little bit of Spanish and because my Spanish is no where near fluent the communication is slow and difficult. Even the teachers at the school speak very little Spanish. My partner, Clara, and I have been working on teaching the parts of the body through songs like “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and “The Hokey Pokey”. We have them repeat words over and over again. One example of a fun communication gap happened during the hokey pokey. Clara was having them repeat phrases like “right leg in” and “left arm out”, between two phrases Clara said “so” and a resounding “SO!” echoed. Already I feel my Spanish improving because I have to think of different ways to say what I mean when the first couple ways don’t work. The kids are eager to learn and really seem to enjoy our presence. With my study abroad community we are talking about ministry of presence, which is serving people just by being with them. This is especially applicable to my service site because a lot of the time I have to interact in the absence of words. Because of the island’s history with colonization and slavery the people of Haiti and the Dominican Republic value their Caucasian, European blood much more than their African slave blood. People with darker skin are by default lower class. This phenomenon is called “el negro detr<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">á</strong>s la oreja” or “the black behind the ear” because the people of Hispanola try to hide their African heritage. Because of this discrimination, Haitians, who are much darker than most Dominicans, are considered lower class and treated as such. One of my jobs at the school is just to show the kids respect and love to build up their self worth.</div>
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A major accomplishment of this week has been navigating public transportation without help. To get to my service site, we first have to take a guagua, which includes getting the attention of the man hanging off the side of the vehicle to tell him we need to get off. Then, we have to walk down a few streets and catch a T or CJ car, which will take us the rest of the way to the school. It may sound pretty straight forward, but communicating directions in Spanish is quite difficult. On the first day of service, some of the money for the trip back to ILAC fell out of Clara’s pocket. We only had enough to take either the car or the guagua. We tried to walk one leg of the trip, but it was much farther than it seemed, so we had to call our student life director to come meet us at the guagau. First transportation obstacle, overcome!</div>
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A few other adventures from the past few days include venturing out on a scavenger hunt around Santiago. As we made our way to the monument we made two pit stops: one at Bon for brownie ice cream and the other at McDonalds. The monument’s marble exterior disguises the immense history lying inside. The monument has changed names and purposes multiple times from honoring the dictator Rafael Trujillo to now honoring those who fought in the war for Dominican independence. Sunday night we decided we needed a little bit of home so we went to La Luna a sports bar to watch the Patriots vs Colts game. After the game, we went to a colmado, a little store, and played dominos with the locals. We also went to a dance club called Dubai for ladies night and to celebrate one of the girl’s birthday. The music was very fun to dance to! One of the girls knocked a 3,600RD (about $80) bottle of alcohol off of a table. Luckily it was filled with water as a decoration so she didn’t have to pay for it. In other news, I am going to have a very inflated ego when I return to the United States because everywhere we go we have guys yelling “Que bonita!” and “Do you need a boyfriend?”. As a group of 11 American girls, most with blond hair and light eyes, we get a lot of attention when we go out. Of course, most of them are only looking for a green card, but hey a little ego boost never hurt anyone!</div>
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Sara</div>
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Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-51541899819624626232016-05-04T10:39:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:39:43.770-07:00Study Abroad in the DRhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=squl62eE8UQComunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-88800871077919128752016-05-04T10:38:00.000-07:002016-05-04T10:38:09.254-07:00Casualties AbroadOn my plane ride down to the Dominican Republic for my semester abroad, I thought to myself, “I’ve got this Spanish thing down.” I’d taken Spanish since kindergarten, studied a multitude of different tenses and learned hundreds of vocabulary words, yet during my first conversation with a Dominican, I froze. I couldn’t answer the simple question of ‘how are you’?<br />
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My brain scrambled to remember the basics from 14 years of Spanish classes, which should have engrained into my mind. I managed to shout back ‘what?’ and when he repeated his question; I succeeded with the simple answer of ‘good’ as my cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.<br />
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That’s the hard part about learning a language in a classroom setting; grammar often comes before actual conversation. In high school, the only time we actually listened or spoke Spanish in class was during the respective sections of final exams.<br />
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The reality is, conversation is the most important skill to learn in order to understand and respond to someone in their native tongue.<br />
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But more than that, it’s about making mistakes. After spending a total of eight weeks in a Spanish-speaking country, my cheeks are permanently red with embarrassment, because my Spanish speaking abilities are poor.<br />
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Some moments, like the time I walked around the Mormon Church for two hours telling people welcome (bienvenidos) to their own church instead of good morning (buenosdias), still makes me shake my head in humiliation.<br />
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Other moments your friends never let you live it down. I am reminded of walking up to a fruit stand full of confidence to ask the lady if she had any avocados (palta). The look on her face set off every alarm in my head trying to remember what I had said and figure out where it had gone wrong.<br />
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Generally speaking, fruit stand owners get a little suspicious and confused when you ask them if they have any money (plata). To deepen my embarrassment, my loyal friend overheard the encounter and laughed loudly behind me.<br />
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Making mistakes is the best way to learn. Never again will I welcome people to their own church or forget the word for avocado. The reason children catch onto a new language so quickly is because they repeat what they hear and don’t fret over grammar or stop a conversation to look up a specific word in their dictionary.<br />
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There is no easy way to avoid messing up, but when you finally get it right, it’s worth it. The first time I successfully asked a person for directions and got on the right bus home left a smile on my face for hours.<br />
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Until the next day. when, after messing up a sentence, I tried to tell the bus driver ‘I’m embarrassed’ but instead informed him I was pregnant (estoy embarasada).<br />
Whether he thought I was blaming a non-existent pregnancy on my inability to answer his question or knew enough English to realize what I was trying to say, I will never know.<br />
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I dashed off the bus before the tires stopped rolling not wanting to turn around and acknowledge my extreme language failures.<br />
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These stories still make my face burn red but messing up and making a fool of yourself is part of learning a language. If you never speak it, no improvement will be made. Also, now when I look back, I will have amusing stories to share with friends and family.Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-19975341369880989162016-05-04T10:37:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:37:14.609-07:00Oh, There's an Academic Part to this thing too?<div style="background-color: #1a1a1a; box-sizing: inherit; color: white; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px;">
For those reading, you have heard me mention before the main class I’ve been taking here: the 6 credit EDP class (social justice in the Dominican Republic). I think I’ve also mentioned that it is a certified writing class, meaning we have a 15-20 page argumentative research paper due this semester. As it turns out, the rough draft is due this weekend, so I don’t have much to write for this week because I’ve been working on this paper so much that I haven’t had too much time to do much else. I don’t even have a single picture from this week. As usual though, here are the more eventful instances of the week:</div>
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We finally played dominos again with José Luis. It was nice to catch up, show off our improved Spanish, and just joke around until 1 in the morning…on a Sunday.</div>
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On a guagua ride into the city on Friday morning, I immediately noticed that I was sitting next to a boy about 3 or 4 years old that looked pretty sickly sitting on his mom’s lap next to me. Sure enough, about mid-way through the ride, I got thrown up on by the boy sitting next to me. So, I had to spend the morning sitting in wet pants that I had attempted to wash the throw up off of. Who do these things actually happen to?? There’s no way that’s a common occurrence here, hence, another example of my luck. It’s all good though…I mean, how many people get to tell a story like that?</div>
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On Saturday morning, we made the trek back to Los Tres Pasos to spend the day with our campo families. It was wonderful to see everyone again. Anissa, Sarah, and I went with our families to a nearby beach called Ensenada. I have never seen a beach with water so blue. The beach was filled with locals, no tourists, and bachata or dembow music was echoing everywhere. The best part may have even been the ride to the beach. We piled in the back of a truck and raced through the winding roads through the green valleys with views of all the little towns we passed through, farm animals, the mountains surrounding us, and even a giant lagoon. It was an incredible day and I did not want to leave whatsoever.</div>
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Back to finishing up the draft for this research paper…</div>
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Peace, Cassie</div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-29584997298529066282016-05-04T10:35:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:35:10.223-07:00Packing List Clothes and Shoes<br />
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Jeans 3 pairs<br />
Shorts ---you can wear shorts at ILAC as long as they are conservative.<br />
Also, you will want them in April when it’s hot. I packed one pair of Bermuda<br />
shorts and wished I had packed 2 or 3 more. Athletic shorts are acceptable in<br />
student areas and for exercise. 3-4 pairs<br />
T-shirts --- you will want to have comfortable clothes for class and weekend trips.<br />
Pack at least one long sleeve shirt. 4-5<br />
Business casual shirts --- light and dressy shirts are ideal for night life and mass<br />
on Sunday---Dominican culture tends to be more formal than American culture. I<br />
packed things that can be mixed and matched to make multiple outfits. 5-6<br />
Wedges --- these would be very useful for going out. They are very popular in the<br />
Dominican Republic. 1 pair<br />
Tennis shoes --- you will want one pair for exercise, volleyball games, and/or<br />
work in the campo 1 pair<br />
Lightweight climbing boots --- some members of my community brought 2 pairs<br />
of tennis shoes instead of climbing boots. However, I found them handy for<br />
climbing Pico Duarte and during the manual labor in campo. 1 pair<br />
Tank tops --- I only brought one of these because of the mosquitos, but having<br />
more to layer would have been nice. Again keep in mind, dress at ILAC and your<br />
service site will be more conservative. 2-3<br />
Sandals --- I recommend packing one active wear type such as Tevas, Keens, or<br />
Chacos and one formal pair of sandals with straps that are comfortable to walk in<br />
for going out or sightseeing. 2 pairs<br />
Flip-Flops --- at least one pair for campo and going to the beach. If you break<br />
them here, it is hard to find a durable pair that lasts longer than one week. 2 pairs<br />
Work pants/jeans --- this depends on your preference. I would recommend<br />
packing more jeans over work pants. Jeans that can be worn for work and going<br />
out are ideal. More than likely your host family will do your laundry half way<br />
through the 1st immersion trip, but still pack enough for 4-5 days. 3-4<br />
Work t-shirts --- bring a couple for manual labor in the campo and for daily<br />
volleyball games with the staff or exercise. 5-6<br />
Work gloves --- to limit blisters bring a pair 1 pair<br />
Safety goggles and glasses --- I brought my pair from gen chem 1 pair<br />
Sweat pants --- I wore mine during the chilly nights on the climb up and down<br />
Pico Duarte. You will want super warm clothing for Pico Duarte (layering is best) 1-2 pairs<br />
Sweatshirt --- Again, I only wore it on the climb up Pico Duarte on the 30 degree<br />
nights. In January, it does cool down at night in Santiago, but a light sweater was<br />
sufficient for me. 1<br />
Long skirts --- they must be conservative at or below the knee to wear at ILAC to 1<br />
church. I recommend light and dressy.<br />
Dress shirts --- You will want a couple for going out or sightseeing downtown<br />
Santiago. I recommend bringing ones that could mix and match with several other<br />
pieces of clothing. 3-4<br />
Long sleeve shirt --- May want in campo or around ILAC. 1<br />
Socks --- bring long and short socks for campo and daily volleyball games 10-12<br />
Underwear --- Most likely, this will be one piece of clothing that your host family<br />
will not wash for you. So bring enough for the 10 day immersion trip. 10-12<br />
Sundress --- I recommend bringing a couple dresses that cover your shoulders<br />
and are not too short for April and May as well as special occasions. These are<br />
nice for going out too (sleeveless is fine for going out) 2-3<br />
Pajamas --- I wore shorts and a tank top underneath my mosquito net each night 1-2 pairs<br />
Athletic shorts/ yogas --- Volleyball games are a great way to get to know the<br />
staff, exercise, and practice Spanish. You will need to bring at least one pair.<br />
Acceptable to wear in student areas. 3-4 pairs<br />
Swimsuit and beach accessories --- there are plenty of spectacular beaches to<br />
explore. 1-2 pairs<br />
Bandana/ hat --- you will appreciate this during your campo immersion trips 1<br />
Over the soldier bag/ beach bag --- this would be useful for going out and going<br />
to the beach 1<br />
Rain coat/ winter jacket --- This is essential for the climb up Pico Duarte which I<br />
would recommend doing. If you don’t want to bring a puffy winter jacket bring<br />
tons of layers and a rain coat. 1<br />
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Necessary Packing items<br />
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Passport --- make sure to pack a copy too 1<br />
License --- bring one form of identification 1<br />
Flashlight/headlamp --- necessary for campo 1<br />
Reusable water bottle --- this is an essential item at ILAC and in the campo 1-2<br />
Bathroom supplies – if you wear contacts, bring enough solution for the<br />
semester b/c it can be expensive. ILAC provides bath towels and washcloths,<br />
bed sheets, and mosquito net. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc can be bought at<br />
the store. Bring one and if you need more you can buy another bottle. Do not<br />
bring laundry soap – this can easily be bought at the store. 1 of each<br />
Journal – this is a great way to document your trip 1<br />
Feminine Hygiene Products --- these are very expensive in the DR 4 month supply<br />
Alarm Clock --- I used the alarm on my watch, which was handy everyday, but<br />
especially during the early mornings in the campo. If you are a heavy sleeper, 1<br />
perhaps a battery-operated alarm clock will be important.<br />
Backpack --- this is VERY important for weekend trips 1<br />
Prescription and OTC Medications --- there is a medicine kit at ILAC and a<br />
clinic on site, but be sure to bring any prescription medicines you need 4 month supply<br />
Baseball hat --- aside from the bandana, this is a key accessory to staying cool<br />
in the campo 1<br />
Thermometer --- hopefully you will never need this, but it is good to have just<br />
in case 1<br />
Credit Card/Debit Card --- there are a couple ATMs in Santiago, but I would<br />
bring some US dollars to exchange for pesos right when you arrive at ILAC. 1<br />
Instant Hand Sanitizer --- you will use this in the campo 1-2<br />
Repellent (with 30% Deet) --- I brought 3 bottles and used it everyday, but<br />
many in my comunidad did not use it except for in the campo. Similar brands<br />
are available in the DR if you need more 2-3<br />
Guía --- the guidebook for Encuentro is handy for packing and reference for<br />
choosing service sites 1<br />
Optional Packing Items<br />
Sunglasses 1<br />
Watch --- I wore a watch everyday, especially on mornings at my service site in<br />
order to be back at ILAC in time for lunch. 1<br />
Sunblock (SPF 30 or stronger) 1<br />
Mesh Laundry Bag 1<br />
Camera 1<br />
Granola Bars or Cliff bars --- these are nice for climbing Pico Duarte, but there<br />
is a colmado close to ILAC for reasonably priced sweet snacks or La Sirena<br />
downtown for major grocery shopping. La Sirena is similar to Walmart. 1-2 boxes<br />
Beach Towel --- you could use a bath towel from ILAC, but I think they prefer<br />
you using your own. Plus, the bath towels are not as big or comfy as a beach<br />
towel. 1<br />
Notebooks/ Pens/ Pencils --- You will need at least one for EDP, and Profe will<br />
bind textbooks for everyone in your comunidad throughout the semester. Bring<br />
lots of pens and pencils as well. 1-2<br />
Laptop 1<br />
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Dominican culture is a lot more formal than American culture, so when you pack clothes try to get a good mixture of dress clothes for church and going out and casual clothes for class and being around ILAC. Bring things that can be mixed and matched into various outfits.<br />
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For the men, keep in mind that shorts are not allowed in most night venues but nice jeans are acceptable. Once again, Dominican clothing tends to be more formal. Pack lots of gym shorts for everyday and working out.Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-31426970074067429532016-05-04T10:33:00.003-07:002016-05-04T10:33:57.743-07:00Survival Guide to Pico Duarte<br />
Climbing Pico Duarte is an Encuentro tradition. However, a lot of planning, forethought, and speed-walking training should be completed before taking on this endeavor. Here is a list of things we wish we would have known before climbing the highest mountain in the Caribbean.<br />
1. Communicate with your guide:<br />
It’s important that you communicate with your guide before you leave for your trip. Make sure you know how many days you’ve signed up for and that you’re physically ready for your trip as well. Ask if you or your guide will be buying the food. Also, make sure you know your eating schedule so you know if you should pack extra snacks. (The mules carry the majority of your food, so bring some snacks in a day pack). Ask if you will be provided a good tent (with no holes/and a rainfly) as well as sleeping bags.<br />
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2. Bring A LOT of water:<br />
The guides won’t carry water for you on the trail. There are water stops along the way, which are sourced from rivers and mountain springs. This water is fine to drink, but your guides will make it seem like there’s more than there actually are. We heard many times that the water stops were only “un poco mas arriba”, but in Dominican time, that’s probably around two hours away. Bring more than one water bottle so you don’t get dehydrated.<br />
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3. Bring plenty of warm clothes:<br />
You may be used to the Dominican weather that you’ll encounter during the first leg of the hike, but you will be in shock the first night if you don’t bring a lot of warm clothes.<br />
We would recommend taking warm socks, several layers of shirts and sweatshirts (tank top/dry fit shirt, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirts), a raincoat, a hat, and several layers of pants (running shorts, under amour tights, leggings, jeans, sweatpants).<br />
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4. Pack sh*t for your case of the sh*ts:<br />
The food and mountain water does a wonder on your digestive system. Some people don’t handle this too well. You don’t want to be stuck taking your sweet time in a latrine that has a burro tied to the door keeping you company. We’d recommend pack anti-diarrheal medicine such as Imodium as a quick solution for this problem.<br />
5. No sunrise hikes:<br />
No matter how cool it may sound to watch the sunrise on the peak, it will most likely be cloudy. You will have to wake at 3 am, hike up the steepest part of the mountain in the dark while it’s raining, and have a near frostbite occurrence on all of your fingers and toes. Wait to hike up to the peak around lunch because the fog will be gone and you will actually get to see the view.<br />
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6. If Mount Everest is a 10 on the difficulty scale, Pico Duarte is an 8:<br />
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Okay, not really, but it is a very challenging hike. The path can be very steep and slippery at times. You go up and then immediately back down; you begin to question the point of all your effort because you made no progress in elevation. Make sure you know your physical limits and ask to ride a burro if you need one. You can also schedule the trip so you can ride burros the entire way up. Keep in mind though, by the end of the trip, you will feel and smell like you’ve been shoveling burro sh*t. The need and want to shower will be overwhelming. Additionally, unless you’ve kept up with Encuentro speed-<br />
walking team (founded in Spring 2015, Comunidad 19), you will probably want to only sign up for the three day trip.<br />
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7. Take in the sites:<br />
Even though every inch of your body may be in pain and all you want to do is pass out at the campsite, make sure to stop and take in the beautiful scenery. The views from the peak and along the trail are absolutely amazing. Also, bring a camera and take some time to take a lot of pictures. You will want the pictures to remember the beauty without feeling the pain.<br />
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8. Talk with fellow hikers:<br />
Don’t hesitate to branch out and strike up a conversation with the other hiking groups and the guides. You could meet people from all over and learn a lot about life. You might be out of breath and in dire need for a rescue inhaler from the trek up, but after you recuperate, don’t be afraid to talk around the campfire.<br />
9. Extra necessities:<br />
Bring plenty of large trash bags to keep clothes and other things from getting soaked. Toilet paper is also a must-have as it will not be provided for you. A lot of snacks (trail mix, granola bars, fruit snacks, etc.). We’re not joking about the snacks, bring a shat-ton of snacks. Shoes to wear around the campsite to give your feet a rest from your hiking boots (P.S. wearing sturdy boots while hiking is the only way to survive Pico Duarte). Sunscreen is important even though it may be cloudy and cold at some points. Bring a flashlight/stylish headlamp in case you are forced on a sunrise hike (see #5). The light on your smartphone won’t quite cut it.<br />
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10. Go anyway:<br />
The list above may sound discouraging, but it is only to help you have a more enjoyable trip. Climbing Pico Duarte is truly a once in a lifetime experience and you don’t want to miss the opportunity. Not everyone can say that they’ve successfully climbed the highestComunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-70180552006162119322016-05-04T10:31:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:31:34.611-07:00Being an Encuentro Man: Tips for Success.<br />
The men of ED are few and far between. In our community we had four of the fifteen members of the male gender. While this initially could be viewed as a roadblock to having a fun time while in the DR, it also provides many opportunities for the men of ED. This post, written by the men of communidad 19, will discuss a few tips for success for the men of ED.<br />
1. Bro it up. Set aside time for just chilling with the guys. Being part of a small community within your ED community with people who share your gender can provide lots of opportunities for you to form meaningful relationships with the other guys of ED. This can be eating together at dinner or going out together. We loved to go to the Colmados and grab a fria or two.<br />
a. –Anthony.<br />
2. Learn to Dance. Dominican Culture has dancing at its forefront. Learning how to dance will allow you to fit in when all of the girls want to go out dancing (Trust me they don’t have a clue how to dance either). Additionally, you’ll get some serious compliments from your Dominican peers for your skills.<br />
a. – Justin<br />
3. Give yourself alone time. During my time in ED I loved to use the computer room to just chill by myself, sometimes even until the early morning. Once everyone saw that I was very tech-savvy they began to discuss technology with me, and it helped me make friends. Before I knew it, everyone was in the computer room with me watching my favorite youtube videos.<br />
a. -Pedro<br />
4. Speak Spanish. Speaking and practicing your Spanish will allow you to form friendships with the staff of ILAC and other members of the community. During my time in ED I was able to make friends with many staff members, people who I’ll try to keep in touch with when back in the states, not to mention the command I gained of Spanish.<br />
a. -Luca<br />
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Luke HowardComunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-21515711321926759942016-05-04T10:29:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:29:23.729-07:00Do it AnywayThe Monday of finals week, I visited my service site for one of the last times. I was pushing two little girls, Elizabeth and Carolina, both around the age of 7, in a double stroller. As I walked them around Ángeles de CONANI, the orphanage for kids with disabilities that the girls call home, Juan, the director of the orphanage, approached me. He told me that a group of kids was at the park down the street and suggested that I join them. I did not tell him that I already knew there was a group of kids at the park and that I had chosen not to go. At CONANI, there are a group of children that go to the park on a regular basis. The other kids, many due to the fact they are less mobile, get left behind. I figured that I would stay and play with those kids. When Juan told me I should go to the park, I went out on a limb.<br />
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“¿Puedo traer Elizabeth y Carolina?” Can I bring Elizabeth and Carolina?<br />
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After a brief moment of consideration, Juan smiled and responded, “Si!” Yes!<br />
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I immediately brought the girls to the front gate. I was as excited as the girls were confused. I told them we were going to the park, but they seemed a little concerned as I wheeled them outside of CONANI’s safe walls. After we were outside for about 30 seconds, the girls became excited too. They could not stop laughing. I wrestled with the wide double stroller down the narrow sidewalk and once we reached the park, two men saw me struggling to get the stroller over a curb. They immediately ran over and helped me lift it. Once in the park, I began to push the stroller to the big group of CONANI kids on the other side. At this point, the girls were ecstatic. Both were laughing, but Carolina’s laugh was broken with intermittent squeals. Elizabeth was also clapping. After about a minute of walking, one of the kids in the group noticed us coming and immediately started running towards us. The other kids followed suit. We heard them shouting “Elizabeth, Carolina!” as well as a lot of laughter. As the two groups met, I was overcome with joy. These kids have adopted each other and become a family. They love each an extraordinary amount and when two little girls get to go to the park that normally do not get to go, it is a reason for all the kids to celebrate.<br />
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When I started volunteering at CONANI, I knew I would fall in love with the kids, but I never imagined how hard I would fall or how painful it would be to leave. I am going to miss these children with all of my heart. Even so, I am incredibly grateful for the experience and would not change it for the world. My advice for future CONANI volunteers is this: leave your comfort zone. If you do not think you can teach a little girl how to walk, try anyway. If you do not think you can connect with a bedridden teenage boy, sit with him anyway. If you do not think two little girls in a double stroller will be allowed to go to the park, ask anyway. Above all, no matter how much it may hurt when you leave; love every one of the children anyway. As the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “’T is better to have loved and lost / Than to never have loved at all”.<br />
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Kara WoltersComunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-33550264078596486212016-05-04T10:27:00.003-07:002016-05-04T10:27:48.672-07:00<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Let's throw it back to the first semester of freshman year, nervous, unaware of things to do, perhaps just an adventure seeking person? Well similarly to freshman year, we have created a bucket list for encuentro dominicano.</span><br style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">1. Visit albertos</span><br style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">2. Climb a palm tree</span><br style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">3. Climb pico</span><br style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">4. TRAVEL. (santo domingo, cabarete) don't be afraid to go places because that's how the memories are made. </span><br style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">5. Order bon</span><br style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">6. 27 waterfalls</span><br />
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7. rooftop</div>
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8. go to other service sites</div>
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9. go BACK to campo (Ride a horse there) </div>
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10. tan on the roof </div>
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11. understand michael</div>
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12. make a bucket list of your own</div>
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13. speak spanish for an entire day</div>
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14. take a picture every day. things change so fast and you won't remember everything.</div>
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15. embrace the culture here. you have 4 months and there is a lot of history to learn, take it all in while you can.</div>
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It isn't something too long or difficult but the semester goes by faster than you will know it.</div>
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-Dani Stokes</div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-65073100658353628762016-05-04T10:26:00.004-07:002016-05-04T10:26:33.864-07:00Past, Present, and Future<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: 'Alegreya Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 20.8px; line-height: 31.2px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I sit here trying to figure out what to update friends and family back home on. It’s been a while since I wrote anything. So much has happened, I don’t know where to start, how much to share, etc., I hate to make this into a blog about the touristy adventures of studying abroad because this program is so far from that.</div>
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People back at Creighton constantly ask me if I’m having fun. Well, sorta. The student life activities are fun; for example the trip to the waterfalls. My past weekend was incredibly fun. I finally got to see Enrique Iglesias in concert. There was an open bar on the bus ride to the venue in La Romana. This is the stuff that people are hearing from me; the student life activities are fun, adventurous, exciting, but it’s not all I do with the program. I tried sharing information about campo, but people won’t understand unless they go through the same experiences that we are having here.</div>
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One of the most helpful activities we have done so far happened after our trip to the border. We took the opportunity of having the new president of CU down here in ILAC to talk with him about everything Encuentro. As a comunidad, we had a small group talk with Father Hendrickson over our recent trip to the border and a reflection on our <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">past</span> experiences in the program, what is <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">currently</span> going through our minds, and what the <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">future </span>holds for us after this all ends.</div>
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Through more reflection on this experience, I have come up with a summary of how I am feeling, how I am doing: I’m busy, tired, stressed, <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">joyful</span>. I’m contemplating things about my life; vocation, advocacy work, social justice issues, friendships, relationships…There’s a lot more to this story that is so hard to put into words, and that makes sharing the depth of this experience that much harder.</div>
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So much of this program is solidarity. So much of it deals with seeing and experiencing. The epitome of the program that encompasses what I have just mentioned, in my opinion, is campo immersion and a trip to Dajabón. The most recent academic trip to the border was beyond fun. It was struggle, it was harsh, it was hopeless, it was confusion and despair. No one back at home wants to hear of the struggles and the confusion of life that happen here, but that’s the reality of the situation, one that is hard to explain.</div>
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One of the hardest things is having this program for only one semester. We have a glimpse of <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">real</span> and <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">genuine</span> dominican life. We <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">experience</span> some of that. We try to be in <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">solidarity</span>. But that is only for one semester. Personally, I could continue doing this for a longer period of time. There are approximately 39 days until I hop on the plane and get back to the completely opposite world that is the US. I have 39 days to try and digest everything that has happened, which is not enough time. I need Comunidad 20 at my side for the next 39 days so we can try and decipher what all of this means. I now realize that we will be a pretty close group, along with past encuentro alumni, once we return to campus. They understand what we have experienced, what we are going through because of it, and what it can mean for our future. We are all just trying to experience, learn, integrate, and interpret this experience so it can be something that will stick with us in our futures in whatever way possible.</div>
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One thing that is constantly bringing a smile to my face is the music that Profe Edwin is introducing us to. Many of the songs, I already know. But, today, I was introduced to a new song that is currently on repeat because I love it so much. It’s a fun, catchy, happy, joyful, romantic, and full of love song.</div>
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So if anyone needs a little pick me up on this wonderful Tuesday, I would suggest watching this…</div>
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“Mi Persona Favorita” (my favorite person)</div>
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Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-72092213031044928192014-12-21T10:40:00.000-08:002014-12-21T10:57:05.802-08:004 Things The Campo Taught Me <div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4 lessons learned in
the campo<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Poverty <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before my Campo immersion, I saw people experiencing poverty
as individuals who had much less than me and were therefore unhappy or
unfulfilled. Living in the Campo completely changed my view of “the poor”. People
may be considered “poor” because they lack material things, but I found that
they are very rich in other aspects of their life. I felt that the people I met
in the Campo had much deeper relationships with their families and community. I
also felt that their faith was much stronger and richer than mine. It made me
think, who are "the poor"? Are they the people who lack material wealth? Or could
they actually be the people who lack relationships with others and
self-awareness?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since high school, I’ve heard many people talk about the
issues with access to water. Many times statistics are thrown at us about how
many people don’t have access to water. It was not until I was living with
people who have very limited access to water that this issue became something I
could start to understand. I had never thought about how necessary water is for
the daily function of a household. I found myself constantly worried about how
much water I was using. I would rarely wash my hands and sometimes avoided
brushing my teeth. It really hit home one day when my family asked me to bathe
in the river because of their severe lack of water for even drinking and
cooking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people in the campo were
not even working for clean filtered and treated water; they simply just wanted
water. Suddenly the statistics I had heard for years had faces behind them, and
the shear greatness of the numbers now overwhelms me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Plastic Chair” Culture<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plastic patio-style chairs are everywhere in the Dominican
Republic. I did not realize the significance of the plastic chairs until living
with my family in the Campo. Wherever I went around in the campo, I would
always be offered a plastic chair to sit in. When people would come visit my
family’s house they were also immediately offered a chair. This was a culture I
was not used to, but I loved it. Unlike the culture in the United States, people
will rarely say more than a simple “hello” to an acquaintance or casual friend
and if they do, they ask how they are doing in a matter of 20 seconds. When people
greet each other in the campo they spend at least a few minutes to stop and talk.
People are much less concerned about time and instead value the relationships
with others much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me the
plastic chairs were symbolic of the people’s desire here to spend time
together. I hope to take this part of their culture back with me and implement
it in my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unconditional Love</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While living in the
Campo I experienced an incredible amount of unconditional love from my host family
and the community as a whole. From the moment we stepped out of they bus they
applauded and showered us with love. Despite the fact that we interrupted their
lives and invaded their homes, they constantly showed us love. They would
prepare us their favorite desserts or fruits. They wanted to teach us
everything they knew, whether it was digging, cutting fruits, cooking rice, milking
cows, or riding horses. They shared so much of their lives with us. I have
never been shown this kind of love from complete strangers. The campesinos gave
their whole-selves to us. They taught me that it is possible to show
unconditional love to anyone, even the people we do not know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Clarita, Comunidad 18</span></div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-67933189474815336442014-12-18T12:41:00.002-08:002014-12-18T12:41:18.813-08:00In Their Eyes<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">People avert their eyes
from things that are uncomfortable or out of the ordinary. I feel that this was </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">glaringly</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> true as I reflect on the first time I visited CONANI.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;">Looking in from the street, one wouldn’t know
what is behind the thick bars that resemble a prison. This street filled
with restaurants, shops, and food karts galore is home to children who have no
house to call their own. They are hidden from the street, confined to cribs
behind locked doors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However,
contrary to the desolate appearance to a passersby, those who venture inside are
greeted with the most precious smiles and biggest bear hugs. These sweet kids
are overflowing with love, but rarely get the opportunity to share it. My first
day at CONANI I felt that I had found my home for the next four months. I had
heard about CONANI from previous Encuentro students and I always thought I
would choose it as my service site as well. However, I didn’t want to blindly
pick it before I weighed the pros and cons of the other sites; but when I
walked through the doors I just knew. I shared a moment with sweet little Elizabeth and with teary eyes, I heard God whisper to me that I needed to love
these kids because they are His. I am so thankful for the opportunity to love
on these kids, but it definitely isn’t a modest mission. I have quickly learned
there is a great deal of heartache that stems from deeply rooted issues of
justice, quality of life, and the basic human need for love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Justice
is defined in the dictionary as “based on or behaving according to what is
morally right and fair.” I think that the word justice is often casually advocated
but not actively acted upon, especially in such instances as the living
situation at CONANI. Justice to me is simply treating others the way you want
to be treated. Seeing these children covered in unidentifiable bodily fluids,
rarely getting their diapers changed and left as though untouchable in their
cribs day after day is not doing them justice. Human beings need interaction,
affection and nurturing. Looking into these children’s faces, I see my
reflection in their eyes and can’t help but put myself in their position. If I
were to ever find myself in their condition, I would hope and pray that I would
have people surrounding me who love me and would want to fulfill such basic
needs as I mentioned. More often than not, these children are left in their cribs
staring with distant eyes, lying lifeless in soiled clothes, because their
caregivers fail to see their constant yearn for affection. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
just the few days I have been blessed to spend with these kids, I have seen in
their eyes their gusto for life when given the chance to live. We took a few of
the bed-ridden children outside to play and the joy that ensued was precious. The
little things in life are truly the biggest blessings: having a hand to hold, a
partner to dance with or someone to embrace you closely. I am too blessed to be
able to share these moments with these children in the few hours I am there
each week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Although I am renewed by
the slightest bit of hope I can offer these kids, I can see how their
caregivers are defeated by the children’s seemingly hopeless conditions. They
spend each day surrounded by children that are not their own and who have
serious health conditions that will most likely stay with them for the rest of
their lives with little to no improvement. It is easy to get caught up in the
hopelessness of the situation, but I try to hang on to hope and linger in the
moments of joy. It is discouraging to think that despite our efforts during
this semester that as soon as we leave the children will no longer be
stimulated in the ways we have implemented. All things considered, I will
choose to love each time I enter the gate and offer all that I can in the time
I have with these precious lives because all people are born with integrity
and inherent justice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Steph Sehon, Comunidad 18 </span></div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-3841219771533951832014-12-18T12:26:00.000-08:002014-12-18T12:27:15.526-08:0010 Suggestions for Students of Encuentro Dominicano<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO3pEVEIcQj0aA0jFWfhGMJhclP6-RpIwdOnY9E3CYBEp2JhYc77p0T-Y2N9dFjvMWT4vRgjiohNRG1xlrTOfIz36Mo4hrS6Q-1iFB709-PuZVhUGtwZTUbym6fsw2rciKDcTrBATEZI/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO3pEVEIcQj0aA0jFWfhGMJhclP6-RpIwdOnY9E3CYBEp2JhYc77p0T-Y2N9dFjvMWT4vRgjiohNRG1xlrTOfIz36Mo4hrS6Q-1iFB709-PuZVhUGtwZTUbym6fsw2rciKDcTrBATEZI/s1600/Untitled.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Get to
know the people in your comunidad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>You
will experience so much throughout this semester.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your fellow comunidad members may be the only
ones who will be able to fully understand what you went through when you return
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Build your relationships so you
can trust and support one another, you’ll be happy you did!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t be
shy about using your Spanish.</b> Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself;
stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to improve your Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go out of your way to practice your Spanish
whenever you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people who do this
will end up improving the most throughout the course of the year.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>3. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Make
friends with the workers at ILAC!</b> The drivers, the gardeners, the cooks,
everyone! The ILAC staff is great and they’ll all be there throughout your
entire experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking with the
workers is also a great way to practice your Spanish. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5jbrk-GAqXqox4iL1a3jraJ8fn5Yq299bd3w5BEAq8kTgqmITBPSKYZoXKL5heYhfQzJFCr-Za-fyj0YqMCVjvXDaX00SdyrxOhJ54CVh_C21hgIB5ZdVH4MNcKgEuSgyvvaO-iOTj8/s1600/Untitled1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5jbrk-GAqXqox4iL1a3jraJ8fn5Yq299bd3w5BEAq8kTgqmITBPSKYZoXKL5heYhfQzJFCr-Za-fyj0YqMCVjvXDaX00SdyrxOhJ54CVh_C21hgIB5ZdVH4MNcKgEuSgyvvaO-iOTj8/s1600/Untitled1.png" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Play
volleyball! </b>Playing volleyball every weekday at 5 is a great way to get to
know the workers and get some exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ILAC staff gets really into it, especially JJ. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfZO5Ule-WPokW7RLDzvjRf7WchI_Wl15GSl4V71BbMedkoi5ZatsYXmqmS0BJnLwH_o18fQ5OC-O6eV5QanoC2HywnQCHealIIhmhDE1HvXis_1BSbiUkQKl68cJV8LnAGTLJ2rfaeo/s1600/Untitled2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfZO5Ule-WPokW7RLDzvjRf7WchI_Wl15GSl4V71BbMedkoi5ZatsYXmqmS0BJnLwH_o18fQ5OC-O6eV5QanoC2HywnQCHealIIhmhDE1HvXis_1BSbiUkQKl68cJV8LnAGTLJ2rfaeo/s1600/Untitled2.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Make
friends Santiago. </b>Santiago is your new home, so make the best of it! Making
friends with people in the city is a great way to experience the culture and
learn about the popular things to do/places to visit within the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d also recommend reaching out the PUCMM
students; they are super friendly and welcoming. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6. <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Download
whatsapp! </b>Make sure to do this before coming to the country because it
often will not let you download it unless you are in your home country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many Dominicans use the app as a means of
communication. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF67Tjj9dNDkpwIhfIWQeiGmmF0u01p2zYuFc6uUKwRf3VG7Bz6Q0yXyJg5MnFMTry3tEHKPHbQytA39zCcbvanqEDbZjTLJKQRbiWf25F5sG4nD681d01PtnO8oesx65JL8482vXxxA/s1600/Untitled3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF67Tjj9dNDkpwIhfIWQeiGmmF0u01p2zYuFc6uUKwRf3VG7Bz6Q0yXyJg5MnFMTry3tEHKPHbQytA39zCcbvanqEDbZjTLJKQRbiWf25F5sG4nD681d01PtnO8oesx65JL8482vXxxA/s1600/Untitled3.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Travel. </b>Although it may seem scary in a new country, now is your time to step out of
your comfort zone and be independent.
There is so much to see and do in the DR. Fit in as much as you can with
the time that you have!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYDlO4qZzNDmZ9ZyxFB8PkGT65ChGKaP4hH45WLTbEpQf3yAR946rW85UeQzwyzViLKVNruKvPhuPqBn5zvMun-Qk95BA4tw4XzH3cIH92zAnG0E5kJ2GphBLGYhTo8yTv4OVLlncPUw/s1600/Untitled4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYDlO4qZzNDmZ9ZyxFB8PkGT65ChGKaP4hH45WLTbEpQf3yAR946rW85UeQzwyzViLKVNruKvPhuPqBn5zvMun-Qk95BA4tw4XzH3cIH92zAnG0E5kJ2GphBLGYhTo8yTv4OVLlncPUw/s1600/Untitled4.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">8. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Climb Pico
Duarte. </b> Mountain climbing may not be everyone’s thing, but is a great way
to come together as a group for some serious bonding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rain or shine (or hail!), it’s worth it and
it’s an Encuentro tradition!</div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>9. </b></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Explore ILAC.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Sometimes with all the school work and studying, we got sick of being in the
same place for so.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Taking study breaks
and exploring ILAC is a great way to get a change of scenery.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Grab a snack from the Colmado and eat it on
the roof.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Or grab a friend and head to
one of the track kiosks for a study break.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk6oeu0XtjfpAU2Nd1OTkjJ_gOlJoek8kYQJJcyUmOTASXiTCSKrYZKduzoGeFQBVHU5wqULcPpvVU54NOnNoluKK1pJudYdpJCn3y6aV02ewcBvhPDuqfLxz1-XxafnkbEzsvp-RCJU/s1600/Untitled5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk6oeu0XtjfpAU2Nd1OTkjJ_gOlJoek8kYQJJcyUmOTASXiTCSKrYZKduzoGeFQBVHU5wqULcPpvVU54NOnNoluKK1pJudYdpJCn3y6aV02ewcBvhPDuqfLxz1-XxafnkbEzsvp-RCJU/s1600/Untitled5.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></b></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Go dancing.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Santiago has a fun
nightlife scene! Dancing is a big part of the culture and definitely something
you don’t want to miss out on!</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Dani Grobeck, Comunidad 18 </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-43483536801317808332014-12-18T12:08:00.002-08:002014-12-18T12:08:44.714-08:00Spanish Immersion Classes <span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;">The Encuentro Dominicano program is equipped with the resources for all of the students to learn conversational Dominican Spanish. The program is lucky to have Professor Edwin Paniagua as the instructor for all the Spanish classes. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;">He is a an established Spanish language and literature professor at a local university as well as a published author.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;">Each class he instructs on ILAC is individually structured for the Encuentro students current knowledge. The approach he uses to teach the classes are excellent for learning how to emerge yourself in conversation with people you will meet while traveling as well as making connections with host families and friends in the campo. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;">A fun aspect of his class is learning the Dominican slang. From personal experience it is a satisfying feeling to have real life progress of comprehension and a widened rang of vocabulary to select from while in conversing in Spanish. Everything I learned in his Spanish class was definitely helpful and I use in my daily life here in the DR. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px;">Comunidad 18 member</span>Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-2773857771586208832014-12-18T10:20:00.001-08:002014-12-18T10:20:04.950-08:00Hiking Pico Duarte<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The day
after returning from the campo we began another incredible adventure. For three
days, we were to climb Pico Duarte, the tallest mountain in the Caribbean. We
bought all of our food and climbed in the taxi at 4:15 AM. We drove two hours
to the base and met three genuine men that we would be spending the next few
days with. They packed up all of the gear onto horses and mules and we began
our first 10-hour day! </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It was very step trail and definitely harder than
expected. We had no idea what was coming for us! About 6 hours into our climb
the skies darkened and clouds moved in fast. Within minutes the rain began to
drizzle and all of the sudden it was pounding down on us. Then it began to
hail - hail the size of large pebbles that battered our heads and left welts and
bruises on our bare legs. The mountain began to flood and our path became a
little - but powerful - stream. We were completely soaked through; our boots full of
water and our legs and toes going numb. Amongst all the chaos and torrential
storm, I ironically found peace. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">We picked up our climbing pace and I kept ahead
and to myself, allowing my mind and body to embrace the storm’s energy and
chill. I think my peace came from the realization that I couldn’t do anything
to improve the situation and it wasn’t worth fretting about. The only option
was to continue forward to our base that we anticipated was just a few hours
ahead. (Little did we know we still had about four hours coming.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Slowly the
hail stopped but the rain didn’t let up for a few more hours. Later, we come to
find out that a hurricane had just hit the Dominican Republic; hence the
torrential hail and rain. The thing we didn’t understand about our trip to the
actually mountain of Pico Duarte was that we weren’t only summiting one mountain - we were continuously ascending and descending mountains, each a hike of their
own. We had to venture through the mountain range to actually reach the famous
peak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">We
eventually reached the actual base of the peak around 5 PM and were welcomed
by our already arrived horses and soaked sleeping bags and clothing. We put on
what was relatively driest and stood by the fire bringing back up our body
temperatures. We held up all of our sleeping bags and clothing in front of the
fire for the next few hours and our patient guides cooked us a warm and filling
meal. They casually smirked at how unprepared and inexperienced we were. Still,
I conversed with them in my recently improved Spanish the rest of the night and
began developing friendships. We set a fire in our little cabin and all
squeezed close on our cold wood floor, shivering in our still damp sleeping
bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The rest
of the trip was much more enjoyable for we peaked the next day. We were high
above the clouds and could see the miles of mountains we had climbed through.
We came back down to our base and had a much more restful night. The second
night was a lot less cold for our sleeping bags and clothing had dried that
day. We still slept all in a row and Steph and I zipped our sleeping bags
together in order to increase the body heat! It was very successful!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The following day
we began our descent around 6 AM and made it down to our starting point around
3 PM. Thankfully, our faithful friend and taxi driver, Big Luis was there ready
to take us home. Overall it was a very successful journey of severe body odor,
torrential storms, wet clothing and a never-ending mountain range.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Delaney Effeldt, Comunidad 18 </span></div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-21856752189505067562014-12-18T10:04:00.000-08:002014-12-18T10:04:58.149-08:00Service site: Caritas <div class="MsoNormal">
Every Monday and Wednesday, my service partner and I spend
two hours at an afterschool program called Caritas Licey. There, kids from
lower-income backgrounds who live in the neighborhood can come to get lunch. It
is run by a group of nuns who teach the kids crafts and lessons on theology. My
partner and I contribute by teaching English lessons and bringing different
crafts to do with the kids. Some days we will teach them songs or play games
with them in English. Other days, we will do origami or color with them. Then, we
help the Sisters serve lunch to the kids.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There have been some very challenging things about
volunteering at Caritas Licey. It’s hard hearing about the difficult situations
that the kids face. Many of them are from lower-income homes and their family
lives are not always the best. It can be challenging to teach sometimes because
the kids are misbehaving during our lessons. Sometimes it would be difficult to
get through a lesson because they were distracted or fighting with each other. I
have also learned a lot of discouraging things about the education system here
in the Dominican Republic. For example, most kids only go to school for about
four hours a day and many drop out early.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Overall, though, I had a great experience with these kids and
the nuns we worked with. It was always great to go to service and find that the
kids were excited that we were there and to see what we had planned for the
day. Most days they would get really into the crafts we had prepared and the
games we played to teach them words in English. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The kids and the Sisters taught me many things that I hope
to bring with me when I go back home. They taught me to be creative; for
example, the kids did not have many craft supplies, so we would usually have to
be very creative with the materials that we used. We would bring toilet paper
rolls, soda pop bottles, and egg cartons from the kitchen. They also taught me
about simplicity; it did not take much to entertain them. They were perfectly
content playing marbles with us or sitting down and coloring for thirty
minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am glad that I was at this service site because it
challenged me in new ways, but it was also just really fun. I hope I always
remember the kids at Caritas and the things I learned while serving there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Comunidad 18 member </div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-87965685788474193422014-12-18T09:56:00.003-08:002014-12-18T09:56:40.071-08:00PUCMM exchange<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .5in;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This Halloween was quite
different than most of my previous Halloween celebrations. Living in the
Dominican Republic during the American holiday meant that the celebration would
not include lavish costumes, haunted houses or grand parties. However, comunidad
18 did get to celebrate Halloween with the PUCMM students by playing Halloween
themed charades! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
spent the afternoon with a student organization that welcomed us to their
campus and shared with us about their organization and what they do on and off
campus. They gave us a tour, treated us with refreshments and gifted us PUCMM
water bottles. This particular organization, ADEA (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">asociacion de estudiantes de administracion</i>) is comprised of
business students who are honing their leadership skills while serving their
community. It was a very unique experience to meet our peers in another country
who attend a university very similar to Creighton. The student body is about
equal in size to Creighton and their campus has similar aspects as well. The
students we met are very driven and involved in their school work as well as
extracurricular activities which is refreshing after learning how lacking the
Dominican education system is at the grades school and high school levels. It
was fun to make connections with other students our age who are working to
advance their education in order to have a successful career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
was really nice to have people to hang out with that were our age. After our
meeting we kept in touch with a few of the students. One evening they showed us
around Santiago and took us dancing. It was fun to experience the city from
their perspective because they knew the fun places to go and where to get great
food. We also shared our Thanksgiving meal with them which was exciting to be
able to share our culture with them after they had shared theirs with us. It
was a great experience to have friends with a different cultural background! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steph Sehon, Comunidad 18 </span></div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-28685390251204609812014-12-18T09:50:00.000-08:002014-12-18T09:52:24.857-08:00Campo Hospitality <br />
We spent our campo immersions with the remarkable people of Copeyito. During our first ten day immersion, we picked up shovels and picks to work on an aqueduct and help the community find a new water source. Though the community members were quick to thank us for our help, I felt that I received much more than I gave during this experience. We not only were welcomed into the homes of our individual host families who looked after us during our stay, but also into the homes and lives of the entire community. I will forever remember the generosity and love those in Copeyito gave us – from constantly offering us chairs to sit on to pulling together their resources and talents to make us all matching skirts to wear home.<br />
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One of my first nights in Copeyito contains a memory that shows how widespread the hospitality of the community was. Our group of students was being escorted to the home of one girl’s host family by the kids of the community. My escort was a ten-year-old girl named EliAnni. As I was walking with her, EliAnni and I talked about our surroundings – the fields, the cows, and the stars above us. Being ten, EliAnni then decided it was a good idea for us to run to the front of the group so that we could lead the way.<br />
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Thus, leading the pack, we approached a house with a light on. EliAnni then proceeded to lead me down the walk and into the home of a husband and wife who I presumed to be the couple we were visiting. The husband quickly offered me a chair, and asked if I would like one of the apples that the wife was peeling. It was as the wife handed me the offered apple that I noticed the rest of our group passing this house. Together then, EliAnni and I realized that this was actually NOT the same family we had plans to visit. With my beginning Spanish, I started to offer an apology for intruding on this couple’s home. However, before my embarrassment could reach full heights, both the man and woman waved off my apology and told me to come back again. Before I knew it, EliAnni and I were back in the group, walking to catch up.<br />
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As we finished the walk to the correct house and I finished my apple, I reflected on how bizarre the situation that had just passed really was. It is not anywhere that you can walk into the random house of a stranger and instead of being called an intruder, be offered a seat and a snack. Though I didn’t interact with that first couple again on the immersion, I will always remember how their welcome and easy openness made me feel. And it is not the only time I was shown kindness; throughout the rest of my days living in this campo, I met many other extraordinary people. This is but one example of the many people I encountered in Copeyito who were quick to accept me without even knowing my name.<br />
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Erin Dorpinghaus, Comunidad 18Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-31053593677602449702014-05-14T12:03:00.004-07:002014-12-18T08:11:19.946-08:00Accomplishments Accomplishments are a funny thing to describe because each person has their own definition of accomplishment. Some people believe an accomplishment can be just waking up in the morning, and others believe an accomplishment has to be that feeling after some great achievement. This semester, I have had many different kinds of accomplishments because I believe since living in the Dominican Republic I have been “Ruined for Life”. Cliche as it sounds, this experience has changed me, and changed me for the better. It is because of all the accomplishments I have made that I know that the unsuspecting future, scary as it maybe, is full of endless possibilities and great wonder.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When the Encuentro Dominicano program was over, that’s when I really realized that I and everyone else in my Comunidad has accomplished so much. When looking back at all the many things we had done, we did them well, and we had fun. An accomplishment, that feeling of success or successfully doing something, was shown especially in our use of the Spanish language and acclimating into the Dominican culture. I believe these were important personal accomplishments for me because these were very pertinent to semester abroad and for personal growth. Another accomplishment for everyone and especially me was creating life-long relationships with the people in the campo, our service sites, and at ILAC.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>These accomplishments were made using what we learned in our studies and understanding ourselves in different situations. An example of this is, is when we used the pillars from ELP class in our daily routines at ILAC and at our service sites. We had to be self aware of our surroundings, and our abilities of what we can and should do. In doing our actions we had to use ingenuity, be creative and flexible. Everyday regardless of what we did we had to be and were loving with everyone we met and interacted with. Also through this the overall result was becoming a hero in a sense or having heroic characteristics with actions that are commendable.Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-41610942354793818022014-05-13T09:16:00.001-07:002014-05-13T09:16:56.216-07:00Cienfuegos: The Phoenix of Santiago<i>“Una comunidad que emergía desde las cenizas como el ave fénix para volar incansablemente para siempre, por los cielos del desarrollo integral.” </i><br />
It is a community, whose own existence has emerged out of the ashes like a phoenix flying tirelessly forever through the heavens of integral development.<br />
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This quote from Hipolito Martinez exemplifies the incredible and almost Cinderella-like story of <i>Cienfuegos, un barrio</i> in Santiago de los Caballeros whose own name clings tightly to its fiery origins. From the ashes that destroyed one hundred homes, through the late 20th century issues of corruption and violence, and now currently to an industrial hub of north-central Dominican Republic, <i>Cienfuegos </i>truly embodies the title ‘underdog’.<br />
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From the first glance, our eyes saw many traditional Dominican sights of the neighborhood that most people told us was ‘rotting’ and ‘decaying from violence’. There were obviously the colorful <i>colmados</i>, bustling with smiling faces whose value of time puts the conversation first and the business second. A baseball field with young aspiring<i> jugadores</i> dressed in matching blue-grey uniforms was situated next to an <i>empanada</i> stand, giving off the fantastic smell of fried dough and melted cheese-covered chicken. The roads, with the ever-constant speed bumps tapping at your muffler were packed with commerce and energy as the men, women and children of <i>Cienfuegos</i> resumed their daily duties. In fact, this neighborhood seemed pretty awesome – a great example of semi-urban Dominican life. Had I not heard of the story behind such a place before our exploration of <i>Cienfuegos</i>, I would never have imagined the history and incredible obstacles faced by this hustling little district.<br />
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Pedro Almonte, a Catholic deacon and inspirational game-changer in the <i>Cienfuegos</i> neighborhood, reassured us that the Cienfuegos that was humming with energy in front of us in the year 2014 was a starkly dimmer and dangerous area just a few decades before. As we sat in the first-floor apartment, whose humble cinder-blocked walls were decorated with colorful paintings of Dominican rural life, Almonte treated us with the story of<i> One Hundred Fires</i> - the phoenix of Santiago de los Caballeros. In the summer of 1975, a fire destroyed one hundred residential homes in an area outside of Santiago called<i> El Ejido</i>. The name <i>Cienfuegos</i> comes from that original inferno, meaning <i>One Hundred Fires</i> – a reminder of the ashes that gave birth to its existence. The families of this inferno were relocated to an uninhabited area where they endured extraordinarily difficult conditions, our modern day <i>Cienfuegos</i>. The tin and cardboard houses lacked water, sanitation, sewage systems, electricity and even adequate roads for inter-connection. However, a hope was born alongside these shanties. Something as simple as a church and a crude structure that substituted as a school sprouting out of the ashes proved overtime that investment in the public infrastructure could literally turn cardboard into cinderblock (the picture below shows the incredible progress, especially with paved roads, that has developed in <i>Cienfuegos</i>). Yet, the setbacks were severe.<br />
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With its origination, Deacon Almonte noted that<i> Cienfuegos</i> became a hub of violence – a categorization that still afflicts the minds of most citizens of Santiago today. Prostitution houses were swooning along with drug lords and gang members. The social issues exploded, as did the hazards of daily life in <i>Cienfuegos</i>. Impoverished rural workers began migrating towards this neighborhood, in search of jobs and opportunities; that poverty followed them and spread. Add the fact that <i>Cienfuegos </i>was home (and still is) to Santiago’s largest landfill and what one is left with is a neighborhood in desperate need of reform. Things were so terrifyingly bad that the own residents, afraid for their families’ safety and disgruntled about the lack of basic infrastructure, threatened the local community leaders of burning down the entire town – an action that would put <i>Cienfuegos </i>back into its state of birth.<br />
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The threat, and many more that followed, eventually revamped the society that ran <i>Cienfuegos</i>. Soon, the cardboard houses took the form of cement walls. Social organizations and schools became commonplace, each with electricity and running water. Industrial zones have brought in jobs for migrant rural workers and expanded the population into an income-receiving body of workers. The trash dump required its pickers (individuals who make a living by sorting through material and recycling what they find valuable) to even register and self-identify as ‘workers’ to effectively utilize every facet – even the ones filled with trash – for the betterment of the society.<br />
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<br />
I do not, however, want to ignore some chronic issues that still afflict <i>Cienfuegos</i>. There is no doubt that poverty ensues with an enduring distress in the area. The picture above shows a district of <i>Cienfuegos </i>in which infrastructure and development is crucially needed. Many still live without electricity, roads, or potable running water. The landfill causes nightmares in terms of health and safety – a hazard that looms over the neighborhood. Furthermore, the value of education, from the eyes of current <i>Encuentro </i>students Shayna Bartow and Erin Kurvers, is absent. Shayna and Erin, who spend two mornings out of the week teaching English at a public school in <i>Cienfuegos</i>, assured me that the most obvious issue that they can see is the lack of educational sincerity. The children, who are often violent and ill mannered, regularly display a disinterest to learning. With that, there are a disappointingly small number of students with educational materials – pens, books, and pencils. While the <i>Cienfuegos</i> that I saw showed a side of hope and success, the setbacks are still extremely evident.<br />
<br />
A connection can then be made between these areas of poverty and the crime and lack of education that still plagues <i>Cienfuegos</i>. The poor farmers who have moved toward the city have brought more than just their scarce belongings; they have brought their poverty. Urbanized destitution then colors the darker side of <i>Cienfuegos</i>. Why are children disinterested in schooling? Perhaps their parents do not have the sufficient income to purchase the necessary educational materials. What is the result of this? These children find themselves already behind their classmates. With a lack of education and guidance, prolonged for years, crime and violence will surely follow. Those are the major issues facing <i>Cienfuegos</i> today – something that I perhaps overlooked as I was awed by the obvious progress the neighborhood had made.<br />
<br />
What did I take away from our tour of <i>Cienfuegos</i> and the history that was shared? The ability to overcome obstacles and situations of strife are subject to the individuals who endure the madness of it all. Deacon Almonte is one such individual. His work in <i>Cienfuegos</i> for over 20 years has culminated with soup kitchens, education programs and neighborhood groups whose soul purpose is to protect the citizens and eliminate crime. While the dump will forever cast an ever-smoldering shadow on this neighborhood, reminding its citizens of the fire that once engulfed the meager houses of <i>El Ejido</i>, individuals like Deacon Almonte will continue to mold the ashy ruins into the baseball fields, <i>colmados </i>and smiling faces that we happily see today. There is something to be said about the ‘Phoenix of Santiago’. Yes, there are still some very real, ugly, and urgent problems facing the area. Yet, if the world is willing to look past the misconceptions and categorizations, address the issues without fear or hesitation, then one can see how truly amazing and how vibrant the story of<i> Cienfuegos</i>, and districts around the globe whose names perhaps strike visions of violence (Harlem, Washington Heights, North Omaha, East St. Louis, South Chicago, Oakland, Baltimore – just to name a few) truly is. Rising from the ashes, <i>Cienfuegos</i> is the phoenix of potential – a potential whose very existence began with the ash water and splintered lives of poverty.
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-13001573965278855702014-05-09T20:31:00.002-07:002014-05-09T20:31:56.829-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Starfish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
by: Tyler Badding</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It sounds
like a silly title – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">starfish.</i> How
could I possibly surmount my four-month, love-filled, adventure-driven,
relationship molding, eye-opening experience into the single word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">starfish</i>? The problems we have studied
both in literature and by sight, the issues of injustice and inhumanity that
run rampant across this bleeding earth, the daily struggles of voiceless
young’uns who clamber for pencils and notebooks – how could I possibly
illuminate all these tribulations and their emotional connections with a
sentence, let a lone a single word? I know that action is not required of me,
but I find solace in the idea of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">starfish</i>.
Allow me explain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When we
begin to question the validity of our world’s ‘norms’, we step into a dangerous
arena of personal questioning and daunting challenges. We uncover a planet of
undeniable pain, innocent bloodshed, destructive hunger, and lonely nights
spent by both the victim and the oppressor. A damaged world is revealed to us
and scars our thinking and our actions. We can never turn around to our own
lifestyle because we ourselves are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gloriously
ruined</i> – glorious in the idea that we have become enlightened, ruined in
the idea that this enlightenment will haunt us. How does one deal with such a
blow to their rationalities of this world? Many become paralyzed. My mother, on
the other hand, has taught me to run against the wind with my eyes wide open;
she does so with the story of the starfish. It reads as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There was an elderly man who walked along
the shore of the sea. This daily habit gave him peace, comfort, and an easy
purpose in life – enjoy what is before you. One day, however, the man noticed
that thousands upon thousands of starfish had washed up along the shore the
night before and were hopelessly dying as the rising sun dried their bodies.
The man did what a good man should do; he began picking up the starfish
one-by-one and began tossing them back into the sea. The number of starfish was
endless, and another passerby noticed this sad fact. He approached the old man
and questioned his actions. “Why do you waste your time? Can’t you see how many
of these helpless creatures there are? You will never save all of them. What
difference can you make?” The old man, tossing another starfish as he spoke,
said “Because it made a difference for that one”. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This is how
we must live! The world is in pain, and we ourselves suffer with her as we
expose the sad truths and realities that are often masked by our comfortable
lives. However, we must acknowledge that pain and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">act</i>. Yes, it is daunting! No, there is no possible way that one
human can repair this hemorrhaging planet. But nevertheless, one must <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">act. </i>For me, the greatest way I can act
is to recognize the many starfish in my life, and consequently, recognize my vulnerability
of being a starfish at times. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Encuentro
Dominicano </i>program revealed to me many situations where simply focusing on
the individual can be impacting. I look back at my time at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caritas </i>in Licey, a before and after school program for children, some
of which are homeless and rely heavily on the program for their daily meals. I
look back at my time in the campo of Juana Diaz and peer deeply into the
relationships and many memories that were created. I can think back to our
excursions to Dajabón, our studies of Haitian immigration, our tours of cacao
fields and our physical visions of urban and rural poverty. The problems we
encountered were real, painful, and large. Yet, with the starfish story in
mind, I think I had success both personally and communally. It has taken the
shape of many actions and interactions, some filled with love and some filled
with discipline. Nevertheless, there was success.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caritas</i>, I do believe, was perhaps the
most challenging amongst my experiences. The children, whose adorable faces and
squeaky Spanish-speaking voices, swiftly stole our hearts. As my
partner-in-crime Annie Townley and I learned rather quickly, these children
were facing a lot of issues that seemed very foreign to us. Hunger,
homelessness, lack of education, lack of decent shoes/clothing and aggressive
violence – these were all apparent and soon haunted us, who as volunteers were
called upon to teach English and show love. How could we ever repair the
familial damage done to little Robinson and his brothers, who currently live
their lives between neighbors’ houses, searching desperately for some source of
structure and security? I found success by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not
</i>avoiding the issues of violence and rude-behavior. If my role needed to be
more of a ‘big brother’ approach, then that is what these kids deserved out of
me. I did just that! There were days when they were not too happy that we had
returned. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">americanos</i> meant rules,
regulations and lessons. However, we balanced that with activities and games.
At the end of the day, and even at the end of the semester, the success we
achieved was simply <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love</i>. I do love
those kids! They are energetic, witty, clever, independent and creative! I hope
that my impact is this: love can come in many forms, and the form I gave was
unconditional care, whether that be through discipline or hugs, teaching
lessons or airplane rides. They may forget my name, but I know I can leave Caritas
with an impression of genuine care. Leaving them was difficult, as I know our paths
will most likely not cross. However, as 12-year-old Bobby so sweetly states it,
“If I don’t see you again in this life, I hope to see you in the next.” Wise
words from a wise kid. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPSx-u8V_w9h9qn5vLkIkHZGFbkpkjNAdPFoaGXXQON8EjuI0sQu9wmRKJlcHV9vTXLs49TIftz8yp0WuabsHa_5p-Wo2l5CN1cLIJuCOJydLkO5MEWeqrfjM905tftsRVcu_fxvgzQg/s1600/10325354_669419396428316_8168705791808554402_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPSx-u8V_w9h9qn5vLkIkHZGFbkpkjNAdPFoaGXXQON8EjuI0sQu9wmRKJlcHV9vTXLs49TIftz8yp0WuabsHa_5p-Wo2l5CN1cLIJuCOJydLkO5MEWeqrfjM905tftsRVcu_fxvgzQg/s1600/10325354_669419396428316_8168705791808554402_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Juana Diaz,
a place that I can call my Dominican home, was a source of many achievements
for our group and for me personally. A family was created that will last
throughout the remainder of my life. My host mother Isabel and her son Javier
remain close to my heart. The hospitality that was shown to our group and
myself was immense and overflowing. With that, I have learned the importance of
acceptance and unconditional love. I had just met these individuals, yet they
awarded me the best of everything to assure my happiness. I think that sense of
immense love has stuck with me. Yes, there were issues in the community. The
lack of running water was of primary concern. While our group did offer a
helping hand and encouragement in their aqueduct project, we obviously knew
that our 10-day work experience paled in comparison to the years of planning
and dedication that had rested upon the shoulders of these loving people.
However, I could use the love shown to me to reflect upon those who I was
working and living with. My success in Juan Diaz was the ability to connect and
create loving relationships with others. By learning to lead by love, I
absorbed the many facets, emotions, and intricacies of the human life. The
doors of one’s life are therefore opened to us; that is something
beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeikiSiy5PlU-yZwkKlQY85vzs3gpdN3WLV-E1qMUhz0TDekGTH93Y3lXhs7a9jK3pWAtD1DbyaWNQsw67rOQKMWyUSLM3-GJnSXWJL1IZL6i5Jj5es4xN4CBLPT4rvfWRIKwdzdw5L8/s1600/1621793_661918553845067_6555364966452130547_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeikiSiy5PlU-yZwkKlQY85vzs3gpdN3WLV-E1qMUhz0TDekGTH93Y3lXhs7a9jK3pWAtD1DbyaWNQsw67rOQKMWyUSLM3-GJnSXWJL1IZL6i5Jj5es4xN4CBLPT4rvfWRIKwdzdw5L8/s1600/1621793_661918553845067_6555364966452130547_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I think any
success that was achieved during this semester first required self-awareness.
At <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caritas</i>, I knew that I didn’t have
the power to change the familial situations of those children. I didn’t have
the adequate Spanish to explain the importance of kindness and gentleness.
However, self-awareness is not just the acceptance of what you are faulting,
but more so of the gifts and talents you have grown. For me, I love working
with children. They bring such a joy into my life! I love working in an
educational environment, especially teaching English. Yet, self-awareness does
not stop there – strengths and weaknesses scratch just the surface. For
instance, understanding your personal privilege is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crucial</i> for self-awareness. Understanding what makes others a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">starfish</i> is the knowledge of their lack
of privilege (water, food, education) while also recognizing my personal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">starfish </i>(faulting in love, faulting in
community, relying on material goods). It is a beautiful relationship of
sharing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Love then
follows. With love comes a beauty that is simply indescribable. It has many
levels, which are not all clean and fun to observe! Love requires you to know
that a suffering child will not receive a meal tonight. Love requires you to
question the evil that births in this world. Love requires you to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be human</i> and denounce anything that
threatens that idea. For me, love came in the form of my friendship with a
young boy from Juana Diaz named Ivan. He was just as any other 9-year-old child
should be – creative, energetic, and mischievous. However, the holes in his
shoes and the somewhat obvious lack of adequate clothing depicted a challenging
picture. Love acknowledges those factors, but never harps upon them. Love
suffers along with the suffering, yet safeguards the beautiful moments of
innocence and joy. Yet, one must be willing to work with the challenges of
love. The best approach to such obstacles is ingenuity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJ6UDXrezsQsUdMtlphmwvSXfPbkSP1BYxHeZgcYSRC7ESlRUr6Ar2Y9fESu-a3qHaDwjrbjN3FUADLbW654dEGh7pRqsHH11sggLfRuEJ-Qt5Y7FXBp_8GgvkJkleaRvtG6pZvHhe7o/s1600/10307414_657589127623844_1223304760288344145_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJ6UDXrezsQsUdMtlphmwvSXfPbkSP1BYxHeZgcYSRC7ESlRUr6Ar2Y9fESu-a3qHaDwjrbjN3FUADLbW654dEGh7pRqsHH11sggLfRuEJ-Qt5Y7FXBp_8GgvkJkleaRvtG6pZvHhe7o/s1600/10307414_657589127623844_1223304760288344145_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ingenuity
takes the situation at present, searches through the privilege or lack of,
understands the complexity of love and suffering, and attempts to give an
action that is completely unique and self-giving. For instance, my time at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caritas </i>was met with much frustration.
The value of education was minimal while violence took center stage. I
understood that maybe my role was not so much a fun-loving, super popular
volunteer. Rather, my role required discipline. My role required guidance. They
deserved my ingenuity of understanding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what
exactly</i> is my role and consequently how I will address those situations.
Tossing the starfish back into the sea depicts a simple answer, yet showing
love and achieving results with real human examples requires originality and
patience. That originality understands failure and accepts its presence. It
remains hungry and observant, always ready to alter its approach and technique.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That hunger
gives way to a certain form of restlessness. When we remain hungry to give
ourselves, to learn more about our world and its people, we become
human-centered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">heroes</i>. A hero focuses
on others, remains restless, is bothered by the fact of hunger, and challenges
him or herself with action. For me, this type of hero is acknowledged by the
simple fact that the elderly man <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kept
walking </i>down the beach. Before him, he knew that many would perish. He knew
he would not reach them all in time. However, he also knew that he had a job
and that job made a difference – maybe even just to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i>. This semester, I hope that I have made a positive impact on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> individual. Perhaps they won’t
remember my name or my face. Perhaps that is not all that important. However,
they will be different in some minuscule way – a way that is better. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-8746116524956007142014-05-09T20:30:00.000-07:002014-05-09T20:32:21.109-07:00Ruined for Life<style>@font-face {
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9FXcfV7LxXoh3d-drybS6q0SwruvE8keT9yMv6jn_F9cQVNG5xeFHyTlQJojf3nP8VVjJARbgb8PzDZqoayWBtzLucG6NVQ-99pjGGX-aYVrFucavfuPWXB1YNQKNeZglp1f1pAauc0/s1600/DSCN2231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9FXcfV7LxXoh3d-drybS6q0SwruvE8keT9yMv6jn_F9cQVNG5xeFHyTlQJojf3nP8VVjJARbgb8PzDZqoayWBtzLucG6NVQ-99pjGGX-aYVrFucavfuPWXB1YNQKNeZglp1f1pAauc0/s1600/DSCN2231.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They say I have been ruined for life. I will go back to the
United States and never be the same. The scary part is, I believe them. I have
spent the past semester in the Dominican Republic studying through the
Encuentro Dominicano program and it has given me the opportunity to experience
things that are far from the life I live in the United States. The fact that I
have been changed is not scary in the sense that I do not want to do it, but it
is scary in the fact that I will never fully be able to go back and live the
same life I lived before coming here. It will be impossible not to make changes
in my lifestyle because it would be denying the emotions I have felt when I
have seen so many injustices. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I am not
saying I needed to come to another country to see the injustices; I was just
lucky enough to have been a part of a program that made a conscious effort to
educate its students on many of the existing issues in our world today. There
are so many simple life choices we make each day that can make a difference in
the lives of others. It has made me aware of the amount of time I spend in the
shower while others do not have running water. It has made me aware that maybe
the difference in me spending that extra money on my clothing item means a
family is paid a just wage. It has made me aware that having citizenship in the
country I live in has opened up a world of opportunities. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
experience has changed me, and I could easily argue it was for the better. I
have formed relationships that have made the statistics personal. The numbers I
used to hear about how many people’s lives change when I buy fair trade, those
numbers are now the faces of the people I met and the personal stories I have
heard. Beyond becoming aware of ways in which simple choices can make a
positive impact, I have seen and felt a deep sense of love. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Love, not
in the romantic sense, but in the selfless gift, the no strings attached, the
pure giving and caring for others. I have been touched by this love. Whether it
was through the hospitality my family in the campo showed me, or in the love I
felt for the children I worked with at Caritas en Licey, the love transformed
me. I have learned what it means to lead with love and the vulnerability that
comes with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have watched Sister
Carmen (my service site director) give her whole self to helping the children
at Caritas and the impact she makes with the love she shares. Love is powerful.
Showing love and leading with love can change lives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am now more aware than ever that I am to
live a life than can make a positive impact, and this past semester has helped
shape me into a person who can really do that.<br />
<br />
Annie Townley </div>
Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-40816150031392482522014-03-19T13:59:00.002-07:002014-03-19T14:00:10.447-07:00No longer a statistic<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Joseph Stalin once said,
“The death of one person is a tragedy, but the death of a million persons is a
statistic.” As an American citizen, the tragedies of the world can often seem
like just another news story. A lost plane in Malaysia with almost 300
passengers, conflict in Ukraine that may lead to a terrible war, or millions of
children dying from curable malaria, these are all stories that flood my Internet
home screen every time I get on the computer, but are these statistics or
people? When the stories and oppression of these people are confined to a
screen, it is easy to become numb to their suffering. Their tears do not land
on my shoulder, their fearful faces do not send me look of desperation, and as
easy as that, they fade into the back of my mind.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I, like many other consumed Americans, take a moment of silence,
recognize that something is gravely wrong in this world, but with an
over-whelming and unsettling feeling in my gut, move on with my daily schedule.</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After spending two
months in the Dominican Republic, I have realized the horrific consequences of
this submissive and uninformed lifestyle. Every cheek I turn, every blind eye,
allows injustice to spread, grow, and conquer. This does not mean, however,
that I am expected to end terrorism and world hunger, or that we as Americans
are solely responsible for the suffering in the world. It does, however, give
us the opportunity to become informed citizens of the world who make conscious
decisions to fight injustice. The stories of hijacked planes and terrible wars,
although unjust and unacceptable, are not the only cruel realties that are
often under acknowledged. Basic human rights such as access to water, and fair
wages are also statistics that many people struggle to understand and relate to
in a deeper way. The smallest decision, however, like what candy bar you buy at
the supermarket, can be a choice between a just or corrupt world, and can
forever change the life of one of the “nameless sufferers.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMUzDgdB8SsGultNS8QjDdSjjcGEDJjBQypAXn25E19oRs_lT6DTys71J6gIZjTaw0QGfnF9m7LuKk7wFD_8BqzaM49rWsc4NZpONxYRFJpmGYMU_fUY25BN6J4M_jEdyNrpQXXGiqAQ/s1600/Santos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMUzDgdB8SsGultNS8QjDdSjjcGEDJjBQypAXn25E19oRs_lT6DTys71J6gIZjTaw0QGfnF9m7LuKk7wFD_8BqzaM49rWsc4NZpONxYRFJpmGYMU_fUY25BN6J4M_jEdyNrpQXXGiqAQ/s1600/Santos.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meet
Santos Constanzo (Niño). He is a local cocoa farmer in the Dominican Republic. Every
time that a consumer chooses to buy a fairly traded cocoa product his life is
greatly improved, but how is this possible? Niño is one of the many lucky farmers
who are involved in the CONACADO Fair Trade Cocoa Co-Operative. The goal of CONACADO
is to significantly improve the small-scale cocoa producers’ income, and
consequently, the living conditions of the farmers and their families. Through
the fair trade, the Co-Op farmers are guaranteed a certain trade price, even if
the international market drops, so they have a stable and just income at all
times. The blocks, or designated work areas, are composed of farmers that work
together to make a quota. Along with receiving their just pay, they also
receive some funding bonuses that they use together to better their
communities. These bonuses have been used to improve the infrastructures at
local schools and build meeting halls where the community works on
strengthening their relationships with CONACADO and the fair trade industry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>COCACADO
not only works hard to insure just wages, but they also make sure that all of
their farmers use environmentally sustainable farming techniques. Their
products and farming methods are organically certified (Biosuisse and NOP
certification) and in accordance with the fair/alternative market prices (FLO).
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This also means that their farming
practices are safe, and ban dangerous child labor. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
simple message I hope to get across is that conscious consumers can make a
larger impact on this world than one might think. Hearing tragedy after tragedy
on the news, it is easy to become overwhelmed and numb to all the people
suffering in the world. Especially when there is no face to put with the
struggle and pain, oppression can become a distant and un-relatable emotion.
Now that you have heard an individual story, I hope Michael Himes’ words ring
true, “Now they are not the abstract “people”; they are “those people,” and so
we mobilize to assist them.” Something as simple as buying fairly traded
chocolate bars instead of a Hershey’s bar, can mean three warm meals a day for Niño
and his family instead of one. So look for this symbol when you are shopping
for groceries. It may not solve world hunger, or stop the spread of disease in
the world, but every act of kindness makes a difference in someone’s life and
brings us one step closer to a just world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1WpuuwuCL_OmRBbvbFjpmeZsOvDDGhDjysDxbtGyRZ178NoozKKjim2nQQ4DwkswkLsZRA1suCkgU8QfMqz3HfrdRjlF3tDEv50eMSQlixmN-GLv4ilf8XiOhSJsI1givh6ZMqpNC7Q/s1600/Fair+Trade+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1WpuuwuCL_OmRBbvbFjpmeZsOvDDGhDjysDxbtGyRZ178NoozKKjim2nQQ4DwkswkLsZRA1suCkgU8QfMqz3HfrdRjlF3tDEv50eMSQlixmN-GLv4ilf8XiOhSJsI1givh6ZMqpNC7Q/s1600/Fair+Trade+Logo.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<o:p></o:p>Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9195697950908986079.post-30473516658114911012013-12-14T08:59:00.001-08:002013-12-14T08:59:29.759-08:00
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<o:Company>Creighton University</o:Company>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dominican Lovin’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">By: Madeline Pilney</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While studying in the Dominican Republic for the past four months, the
love that the ILAC workers and my campo family/community have given to me has
had the biggest impact on me. Every morning at ILAC, I would wake up and as I
got ready, all I had on my mind was making it down to breakfast as quickly as I
could to receive and give my daily hugs and kisses. This is the first thing
that impacted me while living here. The love I felt every time I walked into a
room was overwhelming and showed me how such a small gesture can make a huge
impact. Every time I passed by a worker in ILAC they greeted me and often we
would chat and catch up about our lives. This is something that I find hard to
find back at home; people stopping and talking to me because they truly want to
know about my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then
as I was welcomed into my campo home, I was quickly introduced to my three
siblings and parents. My parents were adamant on giving me their bed to sleep
in because it was more comfortable and I would have more privacy. On top of
that, I was showered with affection and after every time I left the campo to go
back to the city, my dad would continue to ask me not to leave and stay with
him. He would cry every time because I was leaving, even though all those times
he always knew when I would return next. One of my fondest memories of the
campo is the love I felt after my first time returning to the campo over my
Fall Break. As we were driving up to my house, many members of my family and the
community were sitting at “my” colmado (a mini store) and they began to yell
and scream because they were so excited to see us again. They all ran up to the
truck and greeted us as if they hadn’t seen as for ages and that they had known
us their whole lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Little
things such as the love I was shown here is something that has impacted me the
most. I will always remember how spending those few extra minutes to check in
on someone can have such a huge impact on a person. That the extra effort to
smile at someone can put someone in a better mood and change their day. These
little things are the things that I hope I am able to pass on upon returning to
the states. I want to be able to love others as they have loved me.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWhyphenhyphen5M3QrvC9ulR1EgooIimGwga26I1j5z5s1vfne-9D4HJxh6tltIh-GRfZ5KJgb2QJnysjUqVCkn8gOG9n1Rh6IQsUrVo-Wit8Yu6TbqbH-R-5UHYqCP0wcjGZAu0ftm-KbBnOhuHQ/s1600/DSC01721+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWhyphenhyphen5M3QrvC9ulR1EgooIimGwga26I1j5z5s1vfne-9D4HJxh6tltIh-GRfZ5KJgb2QJnysjUqVCkn8gOG9n1Rh6IQsUrVo-Wit8Yu6TbqbH-R-5UHYqCP0wcjGZAu0ftm-KbBnOhuHQ/s320/DSC01721+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My beautiful siblings and I :)</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Comunidad 13http://www.blogger.com/profile/09032220123874647392noreply@blogger.com0