Friday March 21, 2015
Kendra Pryor

      To sum it up, this week has been amazing. I would say that this Alternative Break has been one of the most important experiences of my life. Not only was I able to meet so many inspirational people, including those in my group and the people we met here in the Dominican Republic.  Each of my group members is very unique and passionate, and I would like to get to know each of them better, because I know they each have so much insight into life.  Seyi and Yari made us laugh and lifted our spirits, Sydney taught us to be kind, Dani taught us how to hope, Judy showed us how to think critically, Illiana broke the language barrier, and every member of the group contributed in countless ways.  The people we met here, their experiences, and their words have also changed my mentality and outlook on life.
     Throughout the week, we learned about women's roles in Dominican culture through discussions with the girls from New Horizons as well as interactions with women and girls from various schools, Las Hermanitas, La Colorada, and Barrio Blanco.  The girls of New Horizons are working hard by going to college and mentoring Las Hermanitas. The girls of La Colorada and Barrio Blanco are all working towards improving their communities.
     One girl named Wyeliza truly inspired me. I do not know her whole life story, but her actions motivated and inspired me. Although she acted very humbly, she is an important asset to her community of Barrio Blanco. Wyeliza told me that she was only 16 years old, however the whole week I though she was much older because of her composure and maturity.  She was the teacher for the Young Stars afternoon group, and she assisted the kids practicing reading, playing games, and putting on a play with us volunteers on Thursday.  She was also an unpaid volunteer. All week we have been told that girls grow up at a young age in the Dominican Republic, and it usually has a negative connotation such as the fact that they get married early and have children young.  However, Wyeliza showed that growing up young also has positive aspects. She took initiative in her community to improve the lives of the children, many of whom are only a few years younger than her. She always did so with a positive and joyful attitude, and I admired that so much. I helped her paint her bookshelf on Thursday, and I could tell she was excited to have one of her own just like the kids. Seeing the transformation of the bookshelves from planks of wood, to forms of bookshelves, to decorated representations of learning in people's lives is wonderful. Wyeliza also wanted to enhance her personal education through reading.  We carried the bookshelf to her house placed it in the living room. I'm happy that now she has a beautifully decorated symbol of education that she created herself.  If Wyeliza has the drive to improve her community directly, I know that I can do the same at home.
     When I go back to Maryland, I will think of the values Wyeliza taught me without even knowing it: take initiative, express maturity in a positive way despite circumstances, and spread happiness.

Last Day

     After 5 days of service, we had our free day.  However, in the morning we were able to return to the house that we saw get torn down on Sunday to be replaced.  When we got there it looked completely different.  The foundation was set and the cinderblock columns were already getting started. It's amazing what hard work and dedication to the community can do.  Following the visit we made our way to the waterfalls. I thought we were just going to be walking alongside the waterfalls and just appreciating its beauty.  That was not the case. We were given helmets and life jackets and then marched up a mountain to where the adventure began. We were white water rafting down the river with our bodies. We'd be sliding down makeshift slides and jumping from 15 feet in the air to water that was according to one of the guides, "deep enough." The waterfall trip exceeded my expectations completely and it looked as if it happened to everyone else.  We were wet and tired, but still having a great time. Following the waterfall adventure, we went to a restaurant and I had some of the best shrimp.  I also proceeded to eat the leftovers from other people's plates so I'm still full as I write this.  Next we went to a gift shop, but it was mostly jewelry and overpriced so there was little purchasing there.  Following that, we went to a market where we were able to barter for what we want to pay for what they were selling.  We would hear prices drop dramatically or the frustration from not getting the price to go down.  In the end it was an experience for everyone being able to barter for what we would pay on an item because of how rare that is in the United States. Next, the beach.  After all week of anticipation we were able to go to the beach and enjoy the warm water.
     When we got home we were greeted by the sound of karaoke coming from the building next to us and within a few minutes, the party came to our backyard. The group and the New Horizon mentors got to have a farewell party and just have a great time dancing and singing and enjoying cake.  Enjoying what the Dominican Republic or wherever one goes has something to offer because you want a reason to come back to do service and give you a reason to do service. Everyday on our drive we would pass by landscape that looked more beautiful than anything I've ever seen.  I fell in love with this country on the first day driving to where we were staying from Santo Domingo and today we were able to appreciate the inner beauty of the DR.  I can't wait to come back. I don't know when that will be happening, but it will.

Will

A little late but Wednesday! =)

Okay, I'm going to tell you guys about my day (well yesterday which was Wednesday). Soooo we had the opportunity to get an inside look into some of the public schools. The [DR]eam Team split into 3 groups and was divided amongst 3 different schools.  My group went to one school where Makayla and I, went with some young ladies from New Horizons, through a neighboring community where some of the students lived. We went to houses of the students and spoke with the mothers to get some information about the reading program that Las Americas has started (which promotes the importance of reading).  They were asked information about the people who lived in the house, (name, age, & relationship to student). The mother was then asked if she had heard about the new reading program & it was then explained to her. The goal of going to the students' houses was to get the parents engaged in their child's education. The moms were given some activities they could do with their child to help further their reading skills.

When we returned to the school it was just about time for lunch. We ate our lunch and played a few games with the New Horizons ladies. After a while it was time for recess, where we got to interact with  some of the kids.

Later my group left and went to another school. Here we taught a few 3rd & 4th grade classes about germs. We did this neat activity  where glitter was put in the hands of the students. The glitter represented the germ that you have. They then went around shaking the hands of there classmates. At the end they ended up with many different colors their hands which represented the germs from everyone you touched. After they had to wash it off and it was explained how to properly wash your hands. The purpose of this was to learn about how germs are spread and the importance of washing hands.

While all of this was going on I was observing the kids. I noticed  soooooo many things about them. The kid were just like kids from back home. I noticed that no matter where you are in the world, kids are kids.They run around, laugh, joke with friends, sing songs, tease one another, EVERYTHING. The kids here seemed to be so free. It was like they had nothing to worry about, and were just loving life!
I saw this little girl, Jalessa, walking around and decided to introduce myself to her. just like that we were connected by the hip, she did not leave my side until our bus came to pick us up. Even though we barely understand each other, there was this I guess this internal connection. She introduced me to her friends and  teacher as her "new friend", we played hand games and shared a few laughs. It was great!

Jalessa and other students

From seeing and interacting with the kids at the different schools, I realized how we(people around the world) are no different. Yes we have different cultures and languages and other thing, but we are all people. We're all people who just want to be loved and live happy and free!

Kids playing during recess

-Brianna

Day 6: Our Last Service Day

       It's sad to say that our AB trip is coming to a close. Today was our last day in Barrio Blanco. Our day started off with us playing with the students in the monastery school. We sang along to some songs and then broke off with our respective little friends to play with some educational toys that they chose. My little friend Fadlin (on the very left in the picture) was obsessed with playing with the toy animals and identifying them. Afterwards, the children were called to line up for picture day, where they had to pose for their class and individual pictures. In the meantime, we split into three groups. Some stayed with the kids, others went to finish up the wall murals, and I along with a few others helped prepare the assembled bookshelves for future decoration by painting them white.
       While the bookshelves were drying, we all gathered inside to watch a play that some AB-ers and Young Star students were involved in. The audience also included some parents. They rehearsed a few times, so the kids were pros at it and the end result was beyond cute.  Then, we celebrated the successful play and our volunteer work in Barrio Blanco by eating a cake with everyone that read: Gracias University of Maryland!
       Finally, we were able to work with a Young Star on customizing their bookshelf. My Young Star was Adriana, who told me that she like three things: the color pink, butterflies, and smiley faces. And we made it happen! We added a beach with fish and even a soccer ball to customize it even more. But something that touched my heart was when she asked me what my name was and painted it underneath her name. Her bookshelf read: Adriana y Mikha. It was then that I realized how much she and other students in that community appreciated us. To have my name on her bookshelf that she would use for years and years and years to come will remind her that we came here so long ago to serve their community and to support her. After our Young Stars were satisfied with their bookshelves, we carried the bookshelves to their homes. We, then, marked the map wall mural with our painted hands and said our goodbyes to Barrio Blanco. It was sad to think that we might not see the same people again next time around, which made the goodbyes even more sad. And I know this won't be the last time I see Barrio Blanco, but I will miss it and its people.

Day 5: Land of a Thousand Hugs

If I had known when I woke up, that my day would include dozens of hugs I would have jumped out of bed a lot faster. Still I woke up, to the roosters and the car horns, excited for a day of teaching a small group of children. We piled into our guagua and set off for a short drive to a local public school. There is so much to say about my day. I will attempt to keep my recollection as coherent as possible, pero algunos días son como sueño. 

I was with one of the first pairs to walk around the community with two hermanas de Project Las Americas and speak with parents (primarily mothers) about the importance of helping their children read at home. "Un libro cerrado es un amigo que espera". At the houses I visited, the mothers welcomed us; they opened their gates, pulled out chairs, and shared a part of their lives with us. Las hermanas encouraged them to spend twenty minutes a day with their children befriending a book. What an important message to disseminate in a community where education is not everyone's biggest priority. With this experience I know I was a part of empowering people to educated themselves and their families using the skills they already have and the skills their children will bring home from school. What an inspirational start to my day! 

We returned to the school and sat in on lessons, recess, and lunch. The sun shine so brightly into the classrooms that the teachers didn't even bother with the lights. Even in classrooms of 30+ kids, with noise from every direction and the beautiful day beckoning from the windows, the teachers carry on with their lessons and the students were eager to participate. I have to admit I am jealous of how well they are able to focus when they are competing with the roar of mortocycles, the joyful yells of children playing, and the the sheer newness of us being in their classroom. Still they learn, and they read, and their hands fly up eagerly to show off what they know. 

There was an atmosphere of love at the schools we visited today that I have never experienced anywhere else. The teachers are patient. There is no shortage of curiousity and excitement from the children. After lunch, we moved to a different school less than two minutes away. Just in time for a few lessons and then...recess! I am not exaggerating when I say recess was for these kids was absolute chaos (in a good way!). Swarms flocked to us ready to dance, laugh, run, play, or just stand their looking at each other. No matter when we did, it was fun for everyone. We played games they  would teach us, we played games we would teach them, and we played games we would make up as we went along. Who cared as long as we all were having fun, and when it was time to go we all parted ways as new friends. Recess was the land of a thousand hugs and endless possibility. Isn't that a place you would like to go? 

A Home Away From Home

          We worked with the kids of Project Las Americas today and it was so much fun! First we split up into groups and my group went to the first school to help the teachers with their activities. We first worked with pre-school kids and did an activity where the teacher read a story and then asked the students questions about it. The kids were so energetic and rowdy and I almost forgot how great it was to be so free and happy. Even though there were so many distractions in the classroom and the kids were running around, they miraculously knew all the answers to the questions and it was great. When those little cuties left, we got to work with third graders and we did a fun activity where we exchanged seats based on what was said in a story. Needless to say things got a little hectic with all the moving around but it was still fun. That was where I got to meet one of the girls who told me about her brothers and sisters in the little time that we shared together. From what I could understand, I was very happy to hear that her older sister went to school and so that's why her and her younger brother were also encouraged to go to school. Education here is an individual effort but when you're young, it is especially a result of your environment and what kind of support system you have.
          Later on in the day the kids had recess which they seemed to really love. I mean I enjoyed recess back in the day but here it seemed like every age group was our together and there were no really structured activities, everyone was just running around and having a good time. After recess we worked with fifth graders who were placed into groups and had to come up with a story based on pictures on their table. We listened to their stories and picked the best one. A story about a poor musician who nobody supported because of his background. The musician persevered and eventually became famous and lived happily ever after. This story really had a great message, and these students are really creative!
          The second school my group went to was less structured than the first one but had a similar dynamic. The students were often playing around outside or even in the classroom, but at the same time they still were engaged and very talented at multi-tasking because they could still answer questions and do their work even with all the chaos going on around them (All of the classrooms are structured with open windows and doors probably because of the heat. I even had a tough time hearing the teacher). I have to say this was pretty impressive and I could tell the students enjoyed being in school and the teachers truly enjoyed teaching and being with the kids because it seemed ten times harder teaching in this kind of environment. We even got to try our glitter activity where we explained how easily germs spread when you d on't properly wash your hands. We did this by putting a different color glitter on the kids' hands and having them shake hands with one another and by the end each kid had about two or three different colors on their hand. After we went over a proper hand washing technique. Overall the entire day was busy but satisfying and a lot of fun.
          I think one of the main things I took away from today was that school was a home away from for these students. It was where they could go to learn and see their friends. It was where they often had most of the meals they would eat for the day. It was where they could run around free and just enjoy themselves, and be kids. Living in the Dominican Republic the kids might not always have the best stress free environment at home and I feel like school is somewhere they can go to escape. At the same time, knowingly or not, they are taking the steps to better their future so that eventually they won't have to go back to a home that is negatively affected. I had so much fun working with all the kids today and it reminded me, while education is important, have fun with it and everything else will fall into place.

Day 4: Reflections

Hey, it’s Mikhaila! So I know most people have been blogging about our service activities, but, instead, I’ll be blogging about tonight’s reflection exercises. Before I expand on them, I should explain a couple things. First, reflection activities are what separate Alternative Breaks trips from other service trips that I have been a part of before. It allows us AB-ers to think critically about our service and what it means to those who we are serving. And it also opens my eyes to what we should be taking away from each day’s activities. Second, AB-ers follow the Vegas rules: What is said here stays here between us, but what is learned here leaves with us. Though I won’t mention any specific comments, I will provide you readers with what I have learned from one of tonight’s reflection exercises.
Tonight we read an article, (link provided below) written by Kent Annan, calling attention to the differences between traveling as a “poverty tourist” and a citizen of the world. The article outlined what questions to ask yourself in order to make sure you aren’t acting as a “poverty tourist.” Specific questions that I had to think about regarding my own service experiences were: What kind of photos do I take here? Does this experience make a difference to how I live in Maryland? What do I do in Maryland to help? This discussion opened my eyes to being more aware of my actions here and my actions at home after this trip.

Another exercise we engaged in involved us choosing a spot on the spectrum of thin service à thick service as different service activities were read aloud. Ariana did a great job of explaining the differences between thin service and thick service, so refer to her blog post. I especially appreciated this exercise because sometimes it is hard to realize the impact of service activities that you do. This activity made me realize that simply painting a wall can inspire some (depending what is painted on the wall) to do great things, or assembling a bookshelf can encourage young readers to move on to do great things like attend college, and even playing sports with kids can teach them important lessons as well as keep them from getting into trouble. Reflection activities provide us with lenses to look at our experiences here through. It allows us to learn more about our service as well as ourselves. I can’t wait to learn more while I’m here! I’ll talk to you later!

Article Link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kent-annan/poverty-tourism-can-make-_b_803872.html

Day 4: It was a dark start out for today. it rained while we slept leaving the ground moist and riped for mosquito population. As we woke to the sunlight streaming through our window we heard the sounds of cars blaring and the faint sounds of roosters cawing. We stirred trying to wake up from our supposed restful sleep, trying to turn on the room light. We flipped the switch and it glitched, we thought nothing of it until we saw the red light on the powerbox signify the generator kicked in. One of the first differences in the day that we encounter that we take advantage of on our trip.
---Let me rewind, this first paragraph shows how any situation can be taken lightly or in another way. But it also shows we can write meaning into our world just like this trip can and should do to us.
Today we continued working our our previous project, painting garbage cans, building bookcases, and helping out the kids in the classroom. These seems like nonchalant projects which they are if one looks at that way but not us. One has to focus on the deeper meaning behind why we are doing these projects. "See it, do it" one lady says to us, which is true all the way. Take a moment and think about it....
Talking about the projects, we focused on painting and beautifying the items to be used and be appealing to the fellow people of Barrio Blanco. Last year the last AB trip made mobile trash can units that can be moved from place to place and make it easier for the people to deposit trash. The trash cans can then be moved to the start of their town and be picked up and moved to the dump. This year we were repainting them and trying to make them more appealing and encouraging to the people to put trash in the trash cans.
We also helped in the classrooms with making snacks for the kids and interacting with the kids. One issue of getting education is the amount of  attention that is needed to be given to the children. Children need to be payed attention to and encouraged. They need to be inspired and able to show what they know and the interest you have in them will help with the learning process. Interacting with the kids was small in the big picture but it's one step in the process that can lead to many bigger changes. As we continue in our journey, we seek to learn more of the topic on educational and community development and how the bigger picture of what we do and what we have done unfolds before our eyes.
--Till next time

Day 4: Building Bookshelves (and Dreams)

          Day 4 in the beautiful Dominican Republic! I'll start off by giving a short recap of what we did today. (And a side note I'm not that great at putting my thoughts into words because there's so much to think about with this trip! But I'll try my best.)Today we returned to Barrio Blanco to continue to work with the students from the [DR]EAM Project. We split up into groups once again and I first went to continue building the bookshelves that are going to be put in the children's homes. An activity we did after we came back home was to think about different actions and whether those actions were "thin" or "thick" service. I have never heard of thin or thick service but now that I have the meaning is clear to me. Thin service is doing service that will have a very superficial, short-term impact while thick service is doing service that is meaningful, has a lasting impact, and will create change. Thinking back to making the bookshelves, on the surface we were literally drilling nails into wood. The meaningful part comes into the service when the person doing the service chooses to make that extra step. To me, it was not just building bookshelves, it is what opportunities the bookshelves would yield that would end up making a difference. By putting the shelves in the children's homes we are opening that door to accessible education. We are giving the students a chance to take what they do at school and bring it home where they can continuously be motivated to learn. Maybe they can start to read with their siblings or even share the books with a community member who doesn't have the same resources. Like a group member pointed out today, it's not just the literal act of reading the book or putting the books in the home, it is what that means. Because not everyone loves to read or will continue reading once they don't have to. But our intent is that they will find the intrinsic motivation to get a good education, owning a book is just a stepping stone for that.
          Today we also finished painting the trashcans which turned out great! We have some really great artists in the group and even some of the kids in the community got to help by putting their hand prints on one of the cans. One of these kids, who we've seen both times we've been to Barrio Blanco, we learned about her "story" today. This made me think about how the AB mission is not just to do service and leave the community. It is important to learn about the community and its members to truly understand what you're doing. It connects you with the people that you're helping and reminds me of the advice we received from our host our first night here. It also reminds me of the quote on our AB t-shirt. Neither of which I don't remember word for word but to paraphrase, all of our lives are intertwined and one is put here to help the other so that both can be liberated. That was probably a poor translation but something I really agree with. I think that we have to stay informed, concerned, and active citizens. And this process is one that never ends.
         Lastly we ended our day by making masks and pictures for the play that the students will be putting on on Thursday. This was by far the most exciting part of the day. We got to color with the students and rehearse the play which was narrated by one of our own. And some of us even got parts to play. I could tell all the kids were super excited and were having a lot of fun getting to be creative. Needless to say this play is going to be awesome (even though it's about five minutes long) and I'm so glad we could be apart of everything we do with this community. I will definitely be taking away more than I thought I would on this Alternative Breaks trip. I'm very glad I could be a part of it and get to know [DR]eam, Project Las Americas, and everyone on the [DR]eam Team. Until next time!

Day 3: Cleaning Trash and Creating Moments

Hi, Yari Jamali here, reporting for blogging duty. What is there to say about Day 3? Well...plenty, really. Today was our first day working in the Barrio Blanco, a rather poor neighborhood in Cabarete. This neighborhood, as with several others in the DR, suffers from a trash problem. It's not as if it's your average Friday morning in the US; you stumble around in your bathrobe for a cup of coffee and  begrudgingly scoot all of your trash out on the sidewalk while the garbagemen come and take it away for you. Good luck with that. In the DR, you are responsible for your own trash. No garbagemen are going to come to Barrio Blanco and whisk away your trash, sadly enough. Being that there was no real way to dispose of trash, or an ideal location to put trash, the community had no real choice but to make their ideal location...wherever. In the alleyways, behind their house, or, more often than not, just the plain ol' ground. This posed a problem not only for the fact that it was litter polluting the environment, but also that kids often run around barefoot in the streets, putting them at risk of stepping on a bottle cap, or, in some cases, something worse. As Seyi mentioned, unfortunately, there was a little girl who had apparently stepped on a nail while we were there. It was jarring, but in an odd sort of way, as it made me feel more motivated to help the neighborhood with their trash problem in order to prevent things like this from happening again. The [DR]EAM Team last year came up with a great idea to transport trash, by placing wheels on the bottom of trashcans to make them easy to transport to designated areas for garbage. We followed in their footsteps today by organizing a simple trash pickup, where we walked around the neighborhood picking up trash, and also painted some trashcans to make them look appealing to the eye. The key here was not necessarily our direct actions, but how we could create a potential lasting impact on the community. For example, some kids in the neighborhood noticed us picking up trash, and asked if they could help. Eventually, if this behavior to pick up trash spreads across the neighborhood to the point where it becomes a norm, that is when we know our actions have truly made a lasting impact. It's what we strive for.

Something else that left me with a smile on my face today was my experience working with preschool kids in a school built by the DREAM Project. Last semester, in my THET285 and LING200 classes (shameless plug; great classes, I recommend them), we focused at least a little time on the concept of non-verbal communication. While this happens almost constantly as we communicate with others, oftentimes without us even thinking about it, I did not think I would get to experience how much of an impact it makes in the communication process so soon after focusing on the concept. I was working with four year olds. What do I have to offer in terms of knowledge to four year olds living in the Dominican Republic? Little to nothing. Oh, I don't doubt my own intellectual capabilities, but learning Spanish for five years in school means next to nothing when you can only understand Spanish spoken very clearly, audibly and without stuttering, almost like a robot. In other words, unlike how any Spanish-speaker actually sounds. This is the part where non-verbal communication comes in to save the day. While I was saddened at the fact that I could not engage in intellectual, philosophical debates with four year olds, I have come to learn throughout my twenty years of life that I can make some pretty funny faces and sounds, if I do say so myself. I bridged the gap between the Dominican children and myself not through Spanish, but through the universal language of laughter. There's just something magical about relating to someone else with laughter. Perhaps it's the sensation of not only enjoying yourself, which is awesome in itself, but enjoying yourself with another person creates what we call a "moment" between individuals. So far on this trip, even though my allergies have been putting me down, I had plenty of "moments" with plenty of individuals.

Monday 16, 2015

Hello World, It is Oluwaseyi Ogundana here. This trip to the Dominican Republic has been emotional and a great learning experience. Coming here was a testimony on it's own, but I will leave that for another day. Today, March 16, 2015, was a humbling experience. I actually spent the first ten years of my life in a small town in Nigeria. The lifestyle here in the Dominican Republic reminds me so much of my early life. Memories that I have buried over the years. I find myself telling anyone who is willing to hear about how strikingly similar the environment in DR is close to that of my nation of birth. Volunteering with DREAM project today was a great experience. They have me thinking of possible solutions to the health problems here in the DR. Seeing the little girl cry out of pain from the nail really resonated with me. I don't think I can forget her screams and agony, I will take that memory with me back to the United States so I can think of a way to help supply communities with health products to handle situations like that of the girl. I am so scared that she will end of with an infection from that nail injury. I really want to believe otherwise, but in this part of the world this is the expected result.
Another memory from today, was learning about the family dynamic in this community. I saw a lot of present fathers. This really resonated with me because when there are no family complications, it is easier for community members to come together-they are probably living around family members. Fathers and Mothers played with the kids, I saw a grandmother drag her grandson back into the house  (My guess is maybe for lunch or to complete an assignment). This is the kind of community I was used to as a kid. One willing to help one another. The Dominican People are happy and loving. And I am glad that solutions can be created without the complications of family and community issues. I would really like to commend the work of DREAM. They are changing lives daily and I hope they are continued to be funded so they can do more. GO [DR]EAM team!

Day 3 - DREAM Project

So far I'm really enjoying this trip. It's opening my eyes and helping me gain perspective. Today we worked with the DREAM Project, which is my favorite so far. Although I really enjoyed both, today's project impacted me more. To be honest when we first started by picking up trash, I was upset because I didn't feel like I was really getting involved the way I wanted to. It wasn't until I saw young boys from Barrio Blanco pitching in with us to clean up. That just showed me they wanted to make a difference in their community too. It was great to see them willing to help us, even though we are strangers to them. It was then when I realized what and who I'm doing this for. It truly broke my heart to see the conditions they have no choice but to live in. Another favorite moment of today was when a five-year-old boy gave me a piece of his cookie. Here is this little boy, who has close to nothing, willing to share with a stranger. That moment put everything in perspective for me because that showed that even though someone may not have much, they can still show love to others. I loved working in Barrio Blanco and learning about this prideful community. I can't wait to continue our project with them for the rest of the week!

Day 2: More to Come

If I had written yesterday, I would have written about smells. About salt water and sea weed, fresh bread and platanos, sweat and smoke. But today was full of laughter, something that rings in the air like music here. In fact, it accompanies the never ending sound of music very well. I woke up to music, despite the radio in our guagua being off, our ride was filled with music. There is something truly beautiful about a place that has it's own, carefree, rhythm. A rhythm that feels like warm smile or welcoming hug. When we arrived at Project Las Americas' Complejo Cultural y Deportivo La Chocolatera, we arrived to girls playing drums and were greeted with a dance. From there the morning/afternoon was one long, happy dance.

I must have met twenty boys and girls with big smiles and some of the best dance moves I have ever seen. One thing that has stuck out to me since we arrived was how well a smile translates; a smile is a universal symbol of joy and there was no shortage of smiles today. Even in our most intense volleyball games, the arguing over a missed bump or a bad pass was almost instantly replaced with a hearty laugh and a gleaming smile. The language barrier, while always in the back of my mind, was never really a worry. Children communicate in a language so simple we almost forget what it is. Every child we passed today made a point to wave. How many strangers did you wave to today? A little girl grabbed my hand and hugged my waist before I even asked her name. Two little boys spotted the frisbees in my hands and immediately waved me over to play. These were some of the things that touched my heart the most today, these were the things that made my heart sing. Instant friends with nothing besides a few frisbees and a smile. I forgot that it could be that simple and in a place like DR, it is really just that simple. After our time with las hermanitas de Project Las Americas, we went on to visit a small migrant community framed by mountains. We were greeted with a song. Our task was to help move a single mother's belongs from one home to another, as that day (in about 15 minutes) hers was pushed/dragged/kicked to the ground. In emptying her two room home, made with tin roofing, tree branches, and banana leave, I found a monumental learning experience. We stood in a line and passed her pots, water jugs, baskets, clothing, and mattress to the house up the hill. In this moment I understood just how much I have. The stream of belongings was shorter than I expected; how much of what I have do I really need? And her home came down in minutes. Her face was full of hope that will probably last the year. Tonight, I am feeling very introspective and anxious with anticipation for tomorrow.

Day 2: Project Las Americas

Yay for Day 2!

 We woke up early after our 17 hour traveling day, ready to have some fun working with Project Las Americas. We got to spend the day with amazing, happy young girls who gladly welcomed us. I got to play soccer, play the drums, jump rope, be part of a sack race, and even got to play with water balloons with these girls. I also got to talk to many of these sweet 12-14 year olds and personally got to know them. I got my hair braided from this very kind 13 year old while I held the cutest 4 month old baby! (getting my hair done and cute babies, does it get any better?) I had such a great time with these girls. Yaritza, who likes to be called "Chiky", is a 13 year old girl who I met this morning. She was the happiest, most outgoing, 13 year old I have met. She told me to record her while she played the drums: 

After our great day spending time with these young girls, we got to travel to a rural neighborhood that is located off of a major highway. This community is a very small community and many of the homes here are in poor condition. Today we got to be part of the demolition of a home that was in very bad conditions, home to a very sweet lady. We got to work together to take out her few items she owns, then we got to watch the house get demolished:

From a intense soccer game to meeting the sweetest girls, today has been great fun.

Today was also an eyeopening day, walking through some of the homes in the rural community we visited today, really allowed me to appreciate what I have and motivated me help those in need whenever possible. Seeing these happy families and children who don't have much makes me realize just how one does not need much to be happy, one only needs the love of others and a positive outlook on life. 

-Iliana

Ps: I also got to watch a donkey run away from its owner today. 

  

Day 2: Project Las Americas

After a much needed good night's rest, we were ready to start our first day of service this morning!  We began by working with Project Las Americas and spending the morning and afternoon with some amazing, fun-loving, and always-smiling girls!  Project Las Americas gives the girls an opportunity and safe location to play all kinds of sports, learn how to play the drums and dance, and just have fun.  I started off playing soccer (hace calor!) and jumping rope with the girls.  They were so friendly, welcoming, and energetic- the language barrier did not stop me from making some new friends!  I was able to talk to one girl for a while and she told me that she wanted to be a doctor when she grows up, but she wasn't sure what type and went on to list 5 different possible careers.  Although I only know basic Spanish and she only knew basic English, we were able to communicate and understand each other (sometimes it took a few tries and the help of some friends though!) and talk about our favorite colors, where I'm from, how I like the DR, favorite sports, etc.  I went on to dance, have my hair braided in a crazy way, play with the water balloons, and and compete in sac races with the girls, which was harder than it looks but all so much fun!!  The whole day the girls were smiling and laughing, and it was really inspiring to see and hear how joyful and hopeful they were! It is so great that Project Las Americas exists for these girls to help them grow into beautiful women.  It also made me thankful for all of the opportunities that my parents have given me to learn and grow into who I am today! I can't wait for tomorrow to see what the DR holds next!!

Day 1: Home sweet home

So let me just start by saying that today was a really really realllllyyyyyy long day!!!!!!!!!!!!! It all began with everyone at my place at around 11pm. We decided that it would be best to have everyone in one space so that no one would miss the shuttle to the airport. We watched family feud and before we knew it, it was 3:15am and it was time to get on the shuttle. Once we arrived at the airport everything went smooth. Our flights we're fine, I got the window seat on the place to DR so I was extra happy! Once we arrived at the airport in Santo Domingo we tried to get a sim card for the phone  AB have us but apparently there's a new rule about not being able to register a phone without a Dominican ID, which though I am Dominican citizen I do not have. In the end, we figured it out and got on the van headed to our temporary home in DR! The drive was INTENSE! We knew it would be a 4-5 hour drive but it in reality it felt as if we had been driving for an entire 24 hours! Our driver is awesome though and the commute was simply long so there was nothing we could do to avoid it. We also stopped at a  restaurant and everyone loved the food which was great :) After traveling since 3:15am we FINALLY got home around 9:00pm! The villa is soo beautiful! (which will be talked about later because the villa deserves its own separate post lol) We met Bob from Las America's and he talked about all the awesome things the organization is about and briefed us on what we'll be doing tomorrow. All I can say is though today was such a tiring day, I can't wait to recharge and start our service tomorrow!
 Below are pictures I took through out the entire day!