Hola chicos y chicas!

I hope all is well with you back home and that you have readjusted smoothly after the two amazing weeks we shared here in Dominican Republic.

For most of you this was your first time traveling abroad by yourselves and I hope you are satisfied with the choice of place you made. It’s my desire that this island (which I love so dearly for being my birthplace) has showed you many lessons, including a little glimpse of what you’re potentiality is and the impact you can make one day in the world.

In the short time you were here you were able to share with communities that are extremely appreciative of the work you put into the projects that seek to make their livelihood less insecure. From contributing to the building of a clinic in the Haitian-Dominican Center of San Rafael, to painting the Clinic Los Patos, to restoring water wells in Cachote, to building a lab for the Clinic of Cachón, all of you have contributed to something bigger than yourselves and for that THANK YOU!

 It is so easy during high school to be individualistic and only think of our own so-called “problems” (which we renamed situations) but YOU are all different… You care for others and want to see society make steps in the right direction, especially in terms of our global health, which encompasses everything from food, to shelter, to access to medicine and good quality medical attention. I’m very keen to see how you will all take part of this change that will take place in the future.

Amongst the memories we share I’ll always remember how competitive you all were playing capture the flag at Cachote, how hilarious the love you had for José was (he still asks about you), how much fun we had during our leadership activity with the obstacle course, the hard work you put into perfecting your cementing skills, your incredibly original rap styles (“4 bars and pass”) and of course, Bahía de las Águilas.

I can confidently reassert now what I told you after your Capstone presentations: I love how kind you were to each other and the way you challenged one another with questions, without any malice. Please keep that up. Keep looking out for people around you and getting better at knowing yourselves before making the rest of the world a less insecure place.

With all the love I have for you,

-Giselle (:

 

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Hi Baby Cocos,

What a wonderful time we spent together! I’m so grateful to have met each and everyone of you. Each of you is really one of a kind; so authentic and vibrant. As a team everyone added their own spice to the mix and made the two weeks we spent together a truly unique experience that I’ll never forget. During our time together at worksites, with communities, and on adventures we became really close and I’m confident that this Global Health Initiative program will become a support network for the future.

I will always cherish the deep thoughts you shared and your curiosity to understand more. You were all asking constant questions and took discussions a step further. I was definitely impressed by the level of commitment you showed around the subjects of health, social justice, environment and community work. Keep that going please, I’m excited to see you all taking on successful projects down the line. I’ll be here for any advice, encouragement, or just to lend an ear.

Thank you for always keeping the energy level so high. We always had an amazing time during bus rides to worksites (how many times did we listen to “Despacito”?) and dancing next to the pool goes down in history as one of my favorite moments. Thank you for being so open to share your different cultures and caring for one another. I watched with admiration as you all had each other’s back when needed.

Let’s try and keep in our minds the amazing people we met; like Eddie in the kitchen or Don Fran in Cachote. Also, let’s every once in a while go back to think about meditation at Cachote, the scavenger hunt at the border market, getting really excited about the baby cocos, the children we played with, the unforgettable talent show and of course, the relationships you built with mentors (Erin and Gabrielle) and between yourselves. I hope that this summer of 2017 in Dominican Republic has given you some positive hints to guide you in the life that as young adults you are starting now 🙂

With a bunch of love,

Momma Coco 

 

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Hey there!

I hope you have all adjusted smoothly to your life back home after your two week Dominican experience. Gabrielle, Erin and I miss you all very much and talk about you often. We wonder what has changed in your lives and what other adventures you might be getting yourselves into.

I just want to say that your energy was contagious! Everyone in Hotel El Quemaito remembers Group A as the group that carried the party with them. I love how you enjoyed every second of your experience, took it all in and had fun the whole time. That’s really what it is all about: learning and having fun in the process. From the moment you came down the bus dancing and singing “La Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee to Luke’s and Phinea’s last minute jokes at the airport, we were all laughing and smiling non-stop. I want to thank all that positivity that even during hard times (power outage the first day, sickness, exhaustion and heat) you brought out.

Very soon in the program I realized that you all have nurturing and caring souls with you as I watched you play baseball and duck, duck, goose with the kids at Cachón. Please keep growing that concern for others’ well-being and your love for community work. I was witness to the tears shed during Sarah’s Social Justice lecture and your conversations about the world’s inequities and the role you’ll play to change them. I see a leader in each one of you, some very quiet and observant whilst others more outspoken and extroverted. It’s beautiful to see such a wide array of colors and personalities!

I also admire your hard work in teams and individually, from mixing cement to doing research for Capstone projects. Under the sun and very strenuous circumstances, you gave your all and excelled at it.

I hope that you will continue to pursue your interest in Global Health and that your time in DR will stay with you as you embark on your next academic year and beyond. I can’t wait to hear from you.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

With love,

Your director Giselle 🙂

 

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And a hush goes over the crowd…

Now that you’re all back at home in your various hometowns in the States (and Austria!), we wanted to remember all of the times we shared in the Dominican Republic in the summer of ‘17.

Y’all came together as a group so quickly, immediately having incredibly deep conversations — and snuggling — on the bus down to Barahona. Your excitement to meet one another and start your adventure together was a great beginning to our trip.

During our time in Barahona, y’all worked so hard at our various worksites. You powered through mixing batch after batch of cement, applying the empañeta to the walls, painting on shoulders in a river and working with the group favorite: oil-based paint. And who could forget how much everyone (especially the girls) enjoyed watching Jose Luis (also known as Pepper) and Billy while they worked?

Helio became Jose Luis’ right-hand man with applying the smooth cement, Sophie and Cate were the smoothers/spongers and Ashley was the queen of the oil paint. Julia, Kiana and Garren were always on ladders (or crates) painting, while Sandra and Andrew shoveled cement and cleaned the floor. Adri and Stephen could always be found cleaning all the tools at the end of day.

While we made a tangible contribution to the Cocos de Abajo community by completing the new schoolroom, you also made amazing connections to the community members. We learned to dance bachata in the school; Dommie, Eliana and Martin got to practice in front of everyone, while we found out later that Bess was hiding her dembow skills. (Speaking of dembow, remember when Luke finally found out the name of the “bom bom bom” song?) Jojo made best friends with all the kids in the community, Zoe hustled people playing dominoes and Chazen loved the bags of water and shared them with everyone. You’ll certainly be remembered in that community for years to come.

Everyone got to experience the tiny community of Cachote, on top of a mountain in a cloud forest. You helped build a brand new water tank and repaired others during the day and talked around the campfire at night. We learned a lot about everyone and had a chance to try “campfire cake”, which got mixed reviews. Yael and Billie loved the cake and made friends with a man who was entertained by them eating it with their fingers. Carrie and Ena made friends with the community children, catching fireflies and playing hand games. Carrie even earned herself a nickname: Chinola.

We also got to visit Bahía de las Águilas, ride on a boat and snorkel in crystal clear water. We buried our community friend, Francisco, in the sand and played water games with him and Joel.

Our Dominican Republic adventure was one of impact and fun, of learning and silliness. We made an incredible, sustainable impact on the communities we worked in and you made amazing friendships along the way.

Everyone say “wow” on three,

-Madison and the Barahona crew

 

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Dear GLA Students,

Reflecting over our time together in this tropical paradise that is the Dominican Republic, I feel proud of each and every one of you and your accomplishments on this trip. You challenged yourselves and pushed your boundaries, made connections with each other and with the communities here in Barahona, and learned about important aspects of sustainability and human security here and at home in the United States. As an educator, I am always amazed by the academic and personal growth students achieve through international education experiences, and my only wish is that you keep exploring, questioning, and learning about global issues and social and economic inequalities. You are now truly global citizens!

As a community of learners, we supported each other in learning about the Seven Elements of human security and applied it to our sustainable service projects. I remember our analysis of the Seven Elements among our own communities, Cocos de Abajo, and el Cachote, deepening our understanding of development work and our conception of poverty dynamics. We had an excellent overnight trip to el Cachote, where we conquered a mountain hike and bonded around the fireplace.

We started a sustainable, bottle-building project at a community school, and we were exceptionally proud of the quality of our craftsmanship and attention to detail. I remember fondly our pool hangouts, singing on the bus, and our last day at Bahía de las Aguilas. My favorite memory was the ride on the safari truck up the mountain to el Cachote, passing incredible views and arriving in one of the world’s last remaining cloud forests. We excelled in our capstone projects as well, proposing innovative and creative ideas to community development problems. It was truly an unforgettable experience!

As you read this letter, I hope that you’ve transitioned successfully back into your daily routines in the United States, but not without analyzing the impact of our actions back home on the environment and on the global economy. Never forget what you saw and learned here in Barahona, and never, ever stop learning. We are global citizens now, and it is our duty to promote awareness of global issues and build consciousness about injustices, at home or abroad!! We wish you the best of luck, wherever life may take you, and hope that you remember with fondness and fire your time here in Barahona, Dominican Republic!

Sincerely,

Amelia (with Ben, Sarah, Madison, and Heather)

 

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