Spring Break is over. It’s time to go back to school and sigh longingly whenever you remember the relaxing days of tanning and nights of partying.
I mean, who wants to lift a finger to do any work whatsoever during those 10 days of break after midterms have just ended and you’re considering dropping out for good if you have to answer one more question with the choice “all of the above” included; because let’s be real, professors only do that to be mean. At least, that’s exactly what I was thinking when my friends were jetting off to their various vacation spots and it finally dawned on me that I had committed to doing manual labor for seven hours every day.
I know what you’re thinking: Why would anyone agree to that? Well, after hearing about my experience with Students Helping Honduras (SHH), you might reconsider that question.
My roommate Lauren and I joined the UNC chapter of SHH on a whim at Fall Fest this year. Little did we know that it would lead us to actually making the trip to Villa Soleada near El Progreso, Honduras.
The first Saturday of break, after a long day of travel during which we had to miss the absolute beatdown of Dook that our Tar Heel boys pulled off, we arrived in San Pedro Sula and were driven to Villa Soleada by local members of SHH. As my Spanish-speaking talent reaches its limits after “hola” and “gracias,” I was glad Lauren and her Spanish-fluency were there to help me communicate.
After a 45-minute car ride from the airport, we arrived at the volunteer home in the village where we would be staying. We both could tell it was unlike anywhere either of us had ever been.
Because it was dark when we got there, we weren’t really able to get a feel for where we were until the next morning. After an early wake-up call, some of us were put to work building a school for the village children and some building a security fence around Villa Soleada. Throughout the day, we were exposed to more and more aspects of the village.
Whether it was through helping to prepare a traditional Honduran lunch with a local family or playing soccer with the kids, we were able to get to know many of the people who lived in the village and hear their stories. Many of these stories included life events that none of us could possibly imagine living through. However, even though many of these people had experienced horrible things, they all seemed incredibly happy just to be living in Villa Soleada, a village that SHH built.
As the week progressed, everyone thought less and less about the manual labor, and more and more about the fact that we were helping to make a difference in the lives of the Villa Soleada residents. We made fast friendships with all the kids, who were always eager to help us with our work, and many of the local men who were part of the construction crew. By the end of the week, I think we all felt like we were a part of the Villa Soleada community.
My Spring Break in Honduras was the trip of a lifetime for many reasons. For a week I experienced firsthand what it was like to live in a place like Villa Soleada and it was definitely a week I will always remember.
So even though we all know that a Spring Break beach trip can be the time of a lifetime, if for some reason you’re ready for a change of pace next year, I highly recommend signing up with SHH. You won’t regret it!
For more information on Students Helping Honduras, go to http://ceciskids.org/index.