Here at Siena, going on service trips is as popular as spending your spring break in Cancun. It’s in our Franciscan spirit to give back. The Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy (FCSA) sponsors service trips throughout the academic year to places such as Jamaica, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Philadelphia if you are looking to stay stateside. This past winter break, I had the opportunity to travel down to Philly with 5 other Saints and make use of my leisure time by giving back to others.
While each service trip is unique, there are some things you need to know beforehand regardless of time and location.
1. Keep An Open Mind
Like any new experience, a service trip will push your boundaries and challenge you to reach out to others as well as letting others reach you. You might be exposed to poverty and undeprivileged communities, feel a sense of accomplishment in what you are doing, and maybe meet some people just like you. Be open to everything, and don’t be quick to judge.
2. Dress Appropriately
When it comes to packing clothes, don’t over think things. While service trips are fun, they are a lot of work and things can get pretty nitty gritty. As a general rule, don’t bring anything you would be upset about getting dirty or damaged. Also make sure to pay attention to the typical weather around your service site. If you’re heading to the tropics, bring tons of athletic shorts and t-shirts, but you sure as hell better make sure you bring a winter coat and jeans if you’re Philly bound.
3. Board games and fun apps will be your leisure time saviors.
You will have downtime on your trip, and let’s just say we didn’t have a TV in Philadelphia. Part of the fun of a service trip is getting to bond with the group of Siena students you go with and there is no better way to do this then games. Some of our favorites included Clue! and Heads Up.
4. Be open to creating connections.
Smile at people. Listen to their stories. Learn their names. Show your interest by asking questions and making comments. Be sincere. As a visitor, everyone will be eager to get to know you, share their stories, and listen to yours. Before the week is up, people will be addressing you by name. Keep in mind that you will undoubtedly make an impact in people’s lives and that this impact can come from anything you do.
5. Allow time for reflection.
Depending on the trip, the best time for a little reflection is during dinner or before bed. Take some time out of the day to reflect on the events that stood out to you that day. Each night at dinner, we would share our “peaks” and “valleys” with one another; basically your high and low point of the day. Think about what you would be doing if you weren’t on the trip. Think about a person that made you smile that day. Most importantly, think about what lessons you will bring back home with you.
After experiencing one firsthand, I truly believe service trips can be an extremely impactful adventure for any student willing to participate. Service trips allow us to gain some perspective, encourage self-reflection and giving back, and additionally expose us to different paths post college. If any of the above resonated with you personally, a service trip is worth looking into.
Susana and other Saints who participated in the Philadelphia service trip
How will you spend your spring break?