Over spring break, I had the incredible opportunity of going to the Dominican Republic to participate in a cultural immersion service trip. I have had the pleasure of traveling to various countries prior, but in our case, several other students had never left the country before and only two spoke Spanish fluently. We spent a week immersed in an unfamiliar culture that spoke an unfamiliar language and ate various foods that we have never tried before. Although we were experiencing a lot of things for the first time, we never hesitated to try something new or immerse ourselves further into the culture. We always strived to learn as much as possible in order to gain a better understanding of the culture we would be living a part of for whole week. Throughout the week, we had the opportunity of working with local farmers and groups of women to build on various agricultural projects, played volleyball and basketball with local youth groups, delivered food bags to different homes, and visit a senior home to dance and make crafts with the elderly. Each day came with something new to learn and experience. Below I have listed just some of the few things I gained from this trip that left me truly changed.
1. Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is scary enough when it may simply be getting up in front of the class to do a presentation or joining a new club where you don’t know anyone. Let alone, this can be even scarier when you immerse yourself into a culture that you may only know about because of media and TV.
Keep in mind that you are not alone. That is the beauty of going on such a trip with a group of friends or people you know from school because they may be in the same boat as well. You all get to gain these new experiences together and be there for each other if it ever gets tough.
While we were in the Dominican Republic, I truly did not know what to expect living immersed in a culture so unfamiliar to me, but I had an amazing group of students and community members who welcomed me with open arms and were always there for me. This allowed me to try various delicious Dominican foods, learn traditional dance, and talk to local youth even though I just started learning Spanish. Everyday came with a new challenge and even though they may have been both physically and emotionally draining, it shows you how you can do almost anything with the right mindset. I was inspired to not hold back and dig into my discomforts because you never know what the outcome may be. I soon realized although it may take some adjusting at first, I had nothing to be afraid of.
2. A New Perspective
The one thing that always excites me when I get to travel to a new place is the lessons and experiences I get to take back home with me. When immersing yourself into a new culture, it is important to go into it with an open mind and open heart because there is always room for you to learn something new. That is what I loved so much about this trip. Everyday came with interacting with a new group of people or working together with a different community. I was able to listen to various stories of people who have grown up and lived in poverty and experienced several droughts throughout their lifetimes. It was incredible to see how they were able to work with such deserted land to still grow food and develop their own methods for sustainable living. I got to see how happy these people were despite their living conditions. They had a purpose to wake up everyday and do what was needed for the wellbeing of themselves and their neighbors. Seeing this really opened up my eyes to realize how little you actually need to be happy. The people of El Cercado found happiness in each others company, not from a cell phone or having a multitude of possessions.
3. Giving Back
Many of us have been blessed with very fortunate and healthy lives, but too often do we tend to take for granted what we have. We do not realize what a big impact it would have on our lives if we did not have access to warm or clean water, or a grocery store on every corner. Therefore, my trip to the D.R. was a truly humbling experience and made me realize how lucky I truly am. I was honestly able to see the world in a new light that I have never experienced before. We are all aware of the existence of poverty worldwide and even right in our own communities, but rarely do we get to see what devastating effects it can have first hand. No one should have to live day to day wondering where their next meal will be coming from or if they will be able to provide for their families. At times it was really difficult to face these conditions upfront, but I took this as motivation to want to do even more to help. It was inspiring to see the work our group was doing in El Cercado was truly leaving a positive impact on the people there. We did not go on this trip thinking we were the heroes who were going to help these people, instead, we immersed ourselves into this community to collaborate and learn from each other.
To participate in a service trip has been something I have wanted to do since a very young age. I did not know what would come out of it, but I would have never expected it to have such an immense impact on myself as it did. It was a bittersweet goodbye leaving the people of El Cercado, but I got to leave with memories and an experience that I will hold close to me forever. Going on a service trip is something I would highly recommend for anyone to do at least once in their lifetimes. Even though it may be a step out of your comfort zone, you will not know how much you may truly enjoy it until you take that leap of faith and try it for yourself. In the end, you will realize, it is all worth it.