Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Teammm!

Cavo’s house is built, local children are playing on the playground in the Las Canas school, and the children of Los Brazos are living healthy lifestyles. These things only happened because of you and the work that you did during your time here in the Dominican Republic.

It’s totally amazing for me to think back to those dreadfully hot days in early July when we were starting these projects. Not only were you all catalysts for change in the communities, but you also left a lasting impact here. Every time I walk past the blue colmado before the street, the Donya tells me that ‘she has fresh empanadas for the group of ladies and one gentleman.” Jenny, the director at the Las Canas school, keeps asking me to “make the caterpillar longer, or make another one because there is not enough space for all of the children to play on it at once.”

I challenge you to take these experiences to heart. Know that you, indeed, made a change in the world and that this can continue. Use what you have learned about responsible, sustainable aid to fuel your passion and fight injustice and lapses in human security. As my loudest group, your voices can be heard. “Chicas, never be afraid” to ask the controversial questions and find the root of the problem. Remember, no more bandaids! And, above all continue to be exceptional global citizens. Understand the vitality and ubiquity of health as a global issue and how interconnected the solutions are

It would be out of character for me not to insert some sort of sappy 90s TV reference, so, in the words of Miss Frizzle from the magic school bus, “Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!”

Wishing you all the best,

The GLA & 7E Team

Summer Blog Posts

6/18/2016

My GLA experience started today in Miami when I met ten friendly faces at the gate. That was followed by an easy flight, a quick run through customs, and an interesting drive to the lodge. As soon as I dropped off my stuff in my room, not only did I realize that it is even hotter and more humid than Texas, my home, but also that the Dominican Republic is a more beautiful country than I imagined.

After taking a tour around the compound and meeting the three dogs, Bert, Ernie, and Oscar- so cleverly named- the group decided to take an excursion down to the beach. Although the surf was a little rough and somewhat forceful, the beach was nonetheless gorgeous.

After the beach, dinner was served and it was more delicious than I was expecting. Dinner was succeeded by a quick run through of the rules and itinerary which was followed by a nice cold shower with a quite challenging shower head.

Hopefully, I will get a good night’s rest and be ready for tomorrow’s activities.

-Meghan

6/19/2016

Today was amazing. We saw many families dispersed throughout a community. The community did not have the same conditions as we do back home. They struggled to do something that we in the United States take for granted. They went through their daily lives, and we took it as a tour through a well air-conditioned museum behind that boring tour guide. But really we were here—in real life—no computer screen in between us. And our guides were not boring.  Since this was so real we were able to see the things that actually goes on in developing countries. This was extremely important to see because trying to become a doctor with no actual field work is something out of a fairy tale. It just makes more sense to connect with the world around you and to give back.

-Will

I volunteered to be the student leader the previous night. Everybody ate a delicious breakfast together, we had the options of toast, cheese, scrambled eggs with veggies, and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was nothing like the one we have in America. This one is beyond words; it is so sweet and tasty. After breakfast, we walked to the community. As we were walking, we interacted with the locals and greeted them as we walked by. We also had discussions where we got to know each other people. As soon as we reached the community, everybody was so interactive and welcoming. Meg and Rakesh gave us guide lines and a guide to the language, Spanish. We took a survey about the health conditions of the houses, especially for the water that they use. In the end, we asked them what they could like to see change within the community and if they are willing to help. This was an amazing opportunity because it gave us a chance to interact with the locals. It is one thing to hear about the problems but it is another to see it in person. Having the opportunity to see what the locals deal with, and it does vary- some have it good and some have it very bad. The thing that really opened my eyes was how appreciative they are…some have so little yet their hearts are so big and while I was interacting with them, I really saw the kindness in their eyes. They were so happy to have me there and I was so happy to be there. No matter what sacrifice I have to make for this, it will be worth it because the locals are SO grateful. It is day two and I have already had my mind opened to a new mindset. I can’t wait to see what this program continues to teach me and the others! We’re all so determined and ambitious about all the experiences we will have.

-Moram Adam

6/21/2016

Wake up at 6:30. Breakfast at 7:00. Leave at 7:30!!! 3 miles up the mountain, 3 miles down, hot weather, sweat, we know what you’re thinking J, but we actually had fun! Of course today was a workout, but our directors, Rakesh and Meg, along with David, the local director, posed engaging questions and motivated us to keep moving. They asked what and who made all the ridges on the mountains? “Animals”. Were we having a tough time? Yes – Remember people walk up and down this mountain every day in order to go to school, get water, and trade; and of course the continuous ”DRINK WATER!” We also frequently and simultaneously screamed “MOTO!” to warn each other about an oncoming motorcycle or vehicle.

We had the chance to visit people’s homes and see how they cook their food, were offered passion fruit which we very much enjoyed eating, and had the experience of eating local food for lunch, prepared for us by the community, once we reached Brison, the near the top of the mountain. We planted cacao and passion fruit seeds for the community to use in the future. All in all an incredible experience with beautiful views (shout-out to my Papa)! Your children are thinking of you, and even if they weren’t able to contact you, they wish you a wonderful FATHERS’ DAY!!! To all the families, we seem to all be enjoying this trip a lot; I know I certainly am, although the mosquitoes are eating away at me…

Lots of love,

Sophie

6/21/2016

On our fourth official day as members of the GHI program, we started our first formal service project. We began working on a house for a member of the community, utilizing recycled bottles instead of cinderblocks. We weren’t alone in our service, however, as members of the community, including those who will live in the house, helped us. Many helpers were children, and though the little hands could not stack many bottles inside the walls, their bright smiles certainly kept morale up.

Our service today felt meaningful and reminded me, personally, of everything that encouraged me to take this trip. We experienced the culture of the Dominican while making our own mark in the community. If nothing else, we made some kids laugh with our broken Spanish. Through the hammers and the 2 by 4’s, we all learned what it means to help something much bigger than yourself.

My personal highlights of the day:

· Playing slaps with Dominican kids

·Turning a lesson about water scarcity into a theoretical challenge to smuggle water for dying people

· Learning how to handle all kinds of spiders

·When washing our water bottles turned into an all-out laugh fiesta

-Carly Lindsay, proud LOD

As foreigners in the Dominican Republic, we are unfamiliar with the traditions and culture that is custom to this country. Fortunately, today was filled with exposure to examples of the way of life here. On our first stop, we encountered an empanada-making woman who gave us a step by step look on how to make the delicious treat. From the basic ingredients to the finished product, we were all enthralled by each step and the ease in which she made the food. (Trying it was another high of the day!).

After this, we met fishermen and were taught how they fish using various tools, such as handmade nets or harpoons. We got to watch one of the men weave his net, using tools made out of old plastic chairs.

The difference in culture and the experiences we got to see allowed all us to look at the Dominican with new eyes – not of those of foreigners, but of the people themselves. We all look forward to many more great chances to learn about this culture!

-Sophie Park, another proud LOD

June 23, 2016

I had a wonderful day today and it reminded me of the beautiful beaches at home. The crystal, blue waves were exactly like the ones my dad shreds on every weekend and select weekdays. We all really enjoyed the snorkeling and beach time outside of a deluxe resort with delicious, Dominican pizza. The cheese pizza was my favorite- no surprise there. We began the day visiting a crowded maternity hospital that reconfirmed my decision to pursue the medical field. The health conditions were horrendous, but the experience was unparalleled to any medical encounter in my life. The snorkeling and beach time were amazing, but the maternity hospital made my visit, thus far, priceless. Hi, mom, dad, Bugsy, and etc. I miss you all a lot and I really appreciate my bed and shower at home. I’m alive and I didn’t jump off of any cliffs….yet. I’m just kidding, don’t kill me, mom.

-Kristina Kealoha

We started today with a hearty breakfast complete with pineapple, per usual,  before taking a morning walk through the community to what will soon be Cavo’s house. After four long hours of hammering, cementing, and cutting mesh wire, we successfully finished 40% of the house. Although we were new to mixing and applying the cement, the local children’s eagerness to help out and teach us got us through the hot morning, as well as a great playlist. Then, several trips to the interesting bathroom later, it was lunch time. The local family prepared potatoes, carrots, the usual assortment of fruit, pork, tuna, and pasta salad. In an attempt to motivate us, our mentor Rakesh told us that if we met his stretch goal, he would shave his beard. With this incentive, we got straight to work.  Two hours later we had finished using up all of the plastic bottles for the wall insulation, completing our goal. On our way back to home base, we stopped at the pastor’s house, the only church in the community, that also happened to be a coconut shredding business. He showed us his techniques and daughter’s delicious coconut cookies.  Following the yummy treats, we returned home and took a long dip in the pool.  From the pool, we moved to the beach for a change of scenery and found some of the locals that we had been working with that day at the house. After drying off, we ate dinner and listened to two sessions of leadership training. We ended  off the night gazing at the starry night which is somewhat of a rarity to some of us back in the States and was greatly appreciated by all.

Devon Granberry and Cari Quintana

June 29, 2016 – Day 12

Today started with a relaxing bus ride to the school health fair in a local community 25 minutes away. There we taught third to fifth graders how to brush their teeth and wash their hands. We also took the kids pulses before and after playing games, such as jump rope and volleyball, and measured their height and weight. After the fair we got a rewarding trip to get ice cream and milkshakes. We returned home, went for a stroll on the beach, and had a lecture about ways to solve a problem in the DR by fundraising at home or school. After a tasty dinner of “fish and chips”, we played an interesting game. We were blind folded in the dark and then guided to an unknown location where a maze was present. We then tried to solve the maze with an option to ask for help if we were stuck. The purpose of the game was to ask for help because the maze was impossible to solve. The take back from this game was to understand where on the personality spectrum you are: a person that asks for help quickly or are more independent and stubborn.

Danielle Leyva

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Alpha Squad,

Cavo’s house is built, local children are playing on the playground at the school, and the children of Islabon are living healthy lifestyles. These things only happened because of you and the work that you did during your time here in the Dominican Republic.

It’s totally amazing for me to think back to those dreadfully hot days in July and August when we were starting these projects. Not only were you all catalysts for change in the communities, but you also left a lasting impact here. Every time I walk past the blue colmado before the street, the Donya tells me that ‘she has fresh empanadas for the group of students.”  The director at the Islabon school, keeps asking me to “bring the students back to build because they were so dedicated, even in the rain.”

I challenge you to take these experiences to heart. Know that you, indeed, made a change in the world and that this can continue. Use what you have learned about responsible, sustainable aid to fuel your passion and fight injustice and lapses in human security. Without a doubt my most entertaining group, use this power of performance to your advantage. Remember, no more bandaids! And, above all continue to be exceptional global citizens. Understand the vitality and ubiquity of health as a global issue and how interconnected the solutions are.

It would be out of character for me not to insert some sort of sappy 90s TV reference, so, in the words of Miss Frizzle from the magic school bus, “Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!”

Wishing you all the best,

The GLA & 7E Team

Summer Blog Posts

July 21, 2016

Greetings curious readers!
Today we got our first impressions of the members of our group and the Dominican Republic. I was lucky enough to meet a large part of group back at the States in the Miami Airport. We formed a large circle at the gate and played a few rounds of the name game and learned some interesting facts about others. After a short flight and a brief journey through customs we were greeted by our extraordinarily enthusiastic director leader, Meg. Meg knows a lot about ants! We were able to gain exposure to the DR on our drive over to the home base; my first thoughts were a lot of people are outside, the fruit in the stands on the side of th road look scrumptious, and there was more English on the buildings that I expected. At the home base we were greeted by other GLA students and the very adorable dogs. We took a short walk to the beach and took in the warm salty water, soft sand, and tall mountains in the background, all the while learning more about each other.

We are currently all moved into our rooms and excited for the comfort of our mosquito nets (which will hopefully also keep out spiders!!!). Tomorrow we will be meeting the locals and practicing our Spanish!

July 22

After a goodnight’s rest under our luxurious mosquito nets, a small group of us rose with the sun for a quick run on the beach.  The gorgeous sunrise made the sweat and humidity a little less painful.

After breakfast we talked about the importance of immersing ourselves into the Dominican culture so we can better understand the service we are doing in Las Canas.

Our day outside the home base started with a walk to the community, where we then split off into two groups. One of the groups received a guided tour of Las Canas from the 7E director of health programs, Amelia, as well as our international director, Meg. On the tour we were able to see past projects of GLA and 7e, specifically of the houses being built off of plastic bottle, stucco, and cement. We were able to take a tour of the house that we will be working on tomorrow. While in the house we had the opportunity to meet a very lively and adorable puppy, Tank (don’t worry parents, we did not pet the very cute stray dog ;D).

While one group went on the tour, the second group went to community homes to survey residents about their living conditions within their home and greater community. We learned the majority of families in Las Canas do not have access to plumbing, jobs, and indoor restrooms. We also learned that the quality of the floor affects the health of the families. For example, dirt floors cannot be cleaned and will therefore spread more diseases: whereas cement floors can be cleaned and do not absorb bacteria as easily.

During our free time, everyone swam in the ocean to enjoy the cool, refreshing water after a long morning of walking. After our swim we learned practical Spanish so that we could communicate with the locals we will be working with and the very adorable children we met today.

We ended the day with a lecture that exposed many of us to the large health problems in the Dominican Republic and also the globe.

Tomorrow, we will begin our service building Cavo’s home. We cannot wait to get started and see Tank again J

July 24, 2016

Today, we continued to work on Cavo’s house. We were able to (almost) finish putting up the bottles and chicken wire. Meanwhile, others were mixing cement for the rough coat for the walls. The best real estate for work was the ceiling beams out in the open air out back. Cementing the walls was a long and tedious task, with the often occurrence of having to replace entire spans of wall. I personally could not get the cementing technique down pat (badum tss). After we made some good progress on all of our tasks, it was already time for lunch. The Donya next door treated us to some rice and chicken stew, fruit, and vegetable medley. For a brief time after lunch, we were allowed to have some fun with some local children, and played with the dogs and cat. Soon after we got back to work, we had a “fun” encounter. While Anna was reaching into the bag to grab some more plastic bottles for the wall, she was greeted by a large wolf spider, carrying its eggs on its body. I finally got the chance to climb up on the ladder and take a break on the ceiling beams. 2:30 was slowly encroaching upon us, and in a hurry we mixed up a batch of cement. It turned out way bigger than expected, forcing us to cement yet another wall. Before we knew it, it was time to go. We still had another one of Peter’s cultural surprises. We visited a couple who made coconut cookies from scratch, with the help of their daughter living in Santiago. We were then shown to the house of a woman who was nice enough to let us try Chulos, and arapitas. Once again, we had to start the long walk home, and say goodbye to the community. Once we returned, we went to the beach again, and came back to an amazing taco dinner, which I’m pretty sure I gained some weight from. Later, we watched a movie explaining the historic tensions between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which brought light to an issue we previously hadn’t understood.

July 25, 2016
We got off to an early start this morning and left the home base at 7:30. We were able to see a lot of different places in the Dominican on our drive over to La Grua.

I think I speak for the group when I say that going into La Grua was life changing. La Grua is a Batey, which is a community that is split (literally down the middle) between Dominican’s and Haitian’s. The Haitian’s of the Batey came to the Dominican to find work in the sugar industry, which quickly went into decline after hitting it’s peak. The current Haitian generation was born in the Batey, but are not considered Dominican. They no longer have a home in Haiti and are not welcome in the Dominican.

The division between the Dominicans and Haitians in the Batey can be seen, felt, and heard. The division can be seen by the style of homes between the Dominican side and the Haitian side. The Dominicans have homes made out of concrete, while the Haitians have shacks created out of tin. The division can be felt by the change of energy of the Haitian children emit as they attempted to cross over to the Dominican side with our group. It can be heard by the hesitation that the children have when we ask what language they speak; they are unwilling to admit they speak Creole because it is frowned upon. (Side Note: The children of the Haitian side of the Batey speak French, Spanish, and Creole!)

Seeing the division and living quality of the Haitians in the Batey created a lot of introspective thought amongst our group about our quality of life, how illegal immigrants are treated in the United States, and our ability to advocate for change in the United States.

After we left the Batey, we ventured to 27 waterfalls. While the climb up the waterfalls was not as enjoyable as the ride down, I think we all bonded over encouraging each other to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and get the most out of our experience.

Tomorrow is back to Cavo’s house!

July 26

Today was the last day of working at Cavo’s house, which concluded the wall construction.  We bottled all of the walls at the house, and then cemented them, with the ceremonial last bottle being placed by yours truly, me.  When we arrived, we got straight to work, but there was a lazy attitude lingering, with everyone feeling tired for the first couple hours of the day.  Nonetheless, we were able to efficiently get work done.  After the first few hours, the Dona next door treated us to a nice hot meal, which was made even better by the fact that it was raining heavily outside.

Soon after a hearty, meal, we were back inside the house, cementing and bottling away, while the rain pounded away.  Sadly, some of us had to mix cement outside, and got soaking wet in the process.  After Another few hours of monotonous work, I placed my last bottle and finished off the day.

We then walked across the street for the last of Peter’s cultural surprises.  A local Dona gave us all a tamarind popsicle to try.  Sadly, electricity is unavailable from 8 am to 5 pm every Tuesday, so we couldn’t see her make the popsicles (due to the fact that a blender was needed).  After we waited for the rain to stop, we started back home.  We finished off the day as per the norm, ending with me writing this blog.  Goodnight.

July 26, 2016
Today was the last day of working at Cavo’s house, which concluded the wall construction. We bottled all of the walls at the house, and then cemented them, with the ceremonial last bottle being placed by yours truly, me. When we arrived, we got straight to work, but there was a lazy attitude lingering, with everyone feeling tired for the first couple hours of the day. Nonetheless, we were able to efficiently get work done. After the first few hours, the Dona next door treated us to a nice hot meal, which was made even better by the fact that it was raining heavily outside.

Soon after a hearty, meal, we were back inside the house, cementing and bottling away, while the rain pounded away. Sadly, some of us had to mix cement outside, and got soaking wet in the process. After Another few hours of monotonous work, I placed my last bottle and finished off the day.

We then walked across the street for the last of Peter’s cultural surprises. A local Dona gave us all a tamarind popsicle to try. Sadly, electricity is unavailable from 8 am to 5 pm every Tuesday, so we couldn’t see her make the popsicles (due to the fact that a blender was needed). After we waited for the rain to stop, we started back home. We finished off the day as per the norm, ending with me writing this blog. Goodnight.

7/27

We hit the road early this morning to drive to one our biggest challenges of the trip: Brison. The hike is 3.1 each way and is divided into two parts by a stop at a Donya’s home who sells food and jewelry. The first part of the hike was mainly flat without any severe inclines and we had the honor of being guided by Dave, the director of 7E. Dave made the hike enjoyable with his witty descriptions of stops and quirks of the local culture.

Halfway up the mountain we met my new role model, Nelki. Nelki is thirteen years old and grow produce for the whole mountain. Aside from her agricultural career she cooks for her family and helps her mother take care of her siblings. In addition to all of this she also makes the trek up the mountain everyday to attend school. Learning about Nelki helped me to refocus the important aspects of my life.

The second half of the hike was a little more grueling. We got through it with team work, perspective, seeing Nelki hike effortlessly up the mountain, and a ton of breaks. The climb was worth the views and the lunch prepared for us by the local Donya. We were also treated to chocolate and cake batter flavored popsicles.

After lunch and a lot of photos we descended Brison and headed back to home base. At home base we began brainstorming for our projects. My mentor group’s project is about mental health and gun control, and sparked a lot of stimulating conversation. I am excited to see where we take this project!

Tomorrow is snorkeling:-)

7/28/2016

Today was a good break from the normal work days we have. After breakfast, we took a bus to Playa Alicia, where we relaxed on the beach until noon. The water was super calm, and so clear that we didn’t even need goggles to see fish in the water. We were treated to pizza at noon, which was very, very good #4slices. We then got back on the bus, and headed to Sosua, where we boarded a large boat.

While on the beach at Sosua, we were able to see a fisherman’s catch: a 4 foot long black marlin. We took the boat to a nearby snorkling spot, where we dropped the anchor for an hour. We jumped off of the boat, swam around it, and snorkeled, which proved to be lots of fun, even with my phobia of deep ocean water. Our one hour passed quickly, and we had to go back to shore.

When we got off the boat, we were able to go shopping. I personally was happy to get my hands on a conch shell (which I bargained down to 5 dollars), as I went stir crazy looking for a conch shell on a recent vacation. We perused the stores, everyone getting something suiting (in their bathing suits) their interests. After half an hour, we mad dashed to the bus, and headed home. The day went out as per norm, with fried rice dinner, ending with me writing this blog post. *drops mic* (Daniel wrote this)

July 29, 2016

This morning we set out on a mission to complete the construction on our playgrounds. Our morning got off to a rocky start after we began work only to find that we did not have all of the materials needed to complete our tasks. We did as the Dominicans do and rolled with the punches. We had to move our construction site to a different location at the preschool, but we were grateful that we still had an area to work with.  A few hours after we arrived on the scene, Cam brought more materials for us to work with. We set to work building what we could with the materials we had access to. Stories from our bus driver Freddy, a delicious lunch from a local Dona, and ice cream made our tribulations minuscule.

Building playgrounds in the Dominican Republic relates to global health when looking at the number one cause of death here: deaths related to obesity. Providing a space for kids to get outside and exercise instills healthy habits and activity in children that they can carry into their adult lives.

Today we also worked on our projects with our mentor groups and took part in an activity that helped us understand more about the effects of aid and how the quality of the seven elements effects the quality of life in a country.

Tomorrow it’s back to the playground!

July 30, 2016

Today was very satisfying and productive, as another day at the playground. We had our normal morning routine, then got back on the bus to travel to the preschool we are building a playground at. When we arrived, it was only a matter of taking out all of our supplies, and we got back to work. It wasn’t long that the groups started finishing their playground structures, with the “Dominican Ninja Warrior” group finishing first, the rope wall group next, and my group, a triangle of tires cemented into the earth, last. After a bit, everyone had paint all over their appendages, decorating all of the playground structures. After we were done painting and decorating, we all took a break for lunch. Lunch consisted of a rather appetizin’ spaghetti dish, which we all ate quickly. Then, we all packed our supplies up, and had a little fun on our structures. We soon boarded the bus, and went off to the ice cream store. I had two ice cream cones, and had a little trouble getting my change from the parlor lady. After, we left and laughed at Ana for passing out the entire time at ice cream, we left for home. We had our free time, took our showers, and ate dinner. From there we learned about globalization by breaking out of our comfort ­zones and acting out the major factors influencing the spread of infectious disease through global travel as a result of globalization. Now I’m writing this blog post. Goodnight.

July 31, 2016

Today was our first day of the Health Fair. One half of our group played with the kids, while the other half ran the stations. The stations took the children’s height and weight, taught them how to brush their teeth, and taught them how to properly wash their hands. We taught the kids the importance of washing their hands. We simplified bacteria to little monsters that would make them sick, so that they would better understand why they need to wash their hands.

The weather today was a little rough, but we did not let it rain on our Health Fair parade.

After service, we returned to the home base and finalized our presentations for our project. We will be presenting tomorrow!

For our evening lecture we took part in an interactive discussion that changed our perspectives on the importance of water to the seven elements of human security.

August 1 , 2016

Today was an interesting day, with its ups and its downs. After an early breakfast, we boarded the bus to go back to the health fair. We energetically set up the stations and tent, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. After only 8 children came during 2 and a half hours, we decided to head to Cavo’s house to check on group B. This was stalled due to the fact that it rained heavily for an hour (due to tropical storm Earl), which the latter half of was spent eating food. Shortly after the rain stopped, we got on the bus to head back to Cavo’s. We had to walk past the flooded swampy dirt (then mud) road to get to the work site. Then, mother nature decided to rain heavily on us again. This further swapified the area, and soaked me, as I left my rain coat at the lodge. After the walk back up the ankle deep mud road, things got a bit better. Cavo thanked GLA by giving us all free coconuts, and we all thanked him back. I then was happy to see Tomo, a maestro who laid the foundations of Cavo’s (and also looks like an unshaven version of my arabic teacher), who offered to buy me soda. We talked for a little bit, and I was happy to hear that he had some English skills. After even more rain, we rode a bus back to the lodge. It poured, as you can guess again. This allowed us to add finishing touches to our Capstone projects, which we presented to the entire GHI program as our evening’s activity. I am writing this blog right now and am very sleepy.

– Daniel (ps. i miss/love u mommy)

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Teammm!

Cavo’s house is built, local children are playing on the playground in the Los Brazos school, and the children of Batey La Union are living healthy lifestyles. These things only happened because of you and the work that you did during your time here in the Dominican Republic.

It’s totally amazing for me to think back to those dreadfully hot days in July and August when we were starting these projects. Not only were you all catalysts for change in the communities, but you also left a lasting impact here. Every time I walk past the blue colmado before the street, the Donya tells me that ‘she has fresh empanadas for the group of ladies.”  The director at the Los Brazos school, keeps asking me to bring you all back because you “were faster than anybody else could be.”

I challenge you to take these experiences to heart. Know that you, indeed, made a change in the world and that this can continue. Use what you have learned about responsible, sustainable aid to fuel your passion and fight injustice and lapses in human security. Without a doubt my most entertaining group, use this power of performance to your advantage. Remember, no more bandaids! And, above all continue to be exceptional global citizens. Understand the vitality and ubiquity of health as a global issue and how interconnected the solutions are.

It would be out of character for me not to insert some sort of sappy 90s TV reference, so, in the words of Miss Frizzle from the magic school bus, “Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!”

Wishing you all the best,

The GLA & 7E Team

Summer Blog Posts

July 20, 2016

We arrived at Puerto Plata Airport and after a fairly seamless transition through customs and immigration, we met our GLA mentors. After a humbling 40 minute drive to Las Canas, we arrived at the homebase. We met many of our fellow travelers at the base and then after a late lunch headed out to see the beach. The evening closed with a great dinner and conversing with the rest of the volunteers. In the end, adjusting to the humidity and new climate (including the numerous species of wildlife) is worth it to know that we are embarking here on a great journey, even if only for two weeks, to promote global health and aid the neighboring communities.

July 22, 2016

Today we all conquered Brison!! We started the day with a yummy breakfast at 7 and made our way to Brison around 9. Along the way up the mountain, we stopped to visit a local school and a house. We learned how the culture impacts global health issues in the area. When we made it to the top, a local woman cooked a delicious lunch of pork, rice and corn. We made our way back down and appreciated the air conditioned bus at the bottom. Despite the intense heat and steep incline, we learned a lot and appreciated views the Domincan has to offer. When we got back to the lodge, we went to the beach and had a lecture on global health today and tomorrow and another one on leadership. Overall, we had a tough but rewarding day and are excited for the coming days!

Kaitlin & Lasya

July 24

This morning we had a quick breakfast and head off to the school where we started to build playgrounds for the kids. We struggled as we learned how to properly use a saw and pickaxe, but we taught by the local kids. After a few hours we were very tired and sweaty. Soon it was time for lunch, where we practiced our Spanish with the kids and played games. We played jump rope with the younger kids and enjoyed a competitive game of basketball with the older kids. After the long day we came to the lodge and quickly changed to go to the beach. Soon it was time for dinner, we were all very excited to get tacos. After an informative lecture and video, we all prepared for bed.

Sincerely,

Lumay Gomez and Maggie Gilbertson

July 25

We started the day with a later (7:30 AM) breakfast before heading to the Islabon community to finish our playground. All groups worked very hard nailing, painting, and cementing to create colorful and sustainable play structures for the kids there. After successfully completing all 3 play structures, we were happy to see that the local children loved them, and we all played together after eating lunch at our work site.

All of Group B was happily surprised with a trip to a local ice cream store on the way back to home base­- the ice cream tasted especially good after a morning of hard work. The group then traveled to the beach before we were abruptly rained on and had to return back to our rooms and the pool. After a delicious pasta and chicken dinner, we had an interesting and interactive lecture on water allocation and filtration. The group then split up into research groups to begin our capstone projects on various global health issues. Overall, it was a very productive day and we’re all looking forward to visiting the Haitian batey and waterfalls tomorrow!

-Sophia and Aileen

July 26

We started the day in La Grua, a Haitian community. We got a close look at the poverty that the families experience daily. Children were running all round, drinking and bathing in the local stream littered by garbage and filled with bacteria. We got a tour of multiple houses and got to see the water filters we learned about yesterday during lectures being used in real life. We bonded with the children and then said our goodbyes.

We then went off to the local community center built by past GLA students to eat lunch. We ate our delicious tacos and were on our way to 27 Charcos.

We started our journey by climbing up the waterfalls. Sliding down waterfalls into pristine blue water was a beautiful experience (except for when the chubby local man dropped me. Yup that’s me mom –  Clara.) We were all a bit nervous jumping off the high heights of the last waterfall but everyone did jump and were glad they did. We found an ice cream shop and then started on our way home.

Proud LOD’s

-Kat and Clara

July 27, 2016
The early risers started the day with a sunrise walk along the beach.Then we met up for breakfast and departed for the health fair in a Haitian community. The health fair included teaching the younger generation about how to properly brush their teeth and wash their hands. We also recorded the height and weight of the kids while Dr.Kerole took the blood pressures of the adults. The kids were extremely excited about getting their own toothbrush and toothpaste, so much so that it was kind of chaotic. All in all, it was a successful day. Returning from a delicious lunch, we had free time to soak up the sun at the beach. Following fee time, Candi gave us a taste of Dominican dancing. Some, of course, danced better than others. Later, we had a giant game of Mafia in the gazebo before the mentors surprised us by jumping in the pool-FULLY CLOTHED! After dinner we enjoyed a documentary concerning obesity in developing countries and how it will impact the future. Looking forward to a long, long, night of sleep!
XOXO
Olivia and Julia

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Alpha Squad,

Cavo’s house is built, local children are playing on the playground in the Los Brazos school, and the children of Batey La Union are living healthy lifestyles. These things only happened because of you and the work that you did during your time here in the Dominican Republic.

It’s totally amazing for me to think back to those dreadfully hot days in July when we were starting these projects. Not only were you all catalysts for change in the communities, but you also left a lasting impact here. Every time I walk past the blue colmado before the street, the Donya tells me that ‘she has fresh empanadas for the group of ladies.”  The director at the Los Brazos school, keeps asking me to “bring the girls back to paint because they were faster than anybody else could be.”

I challenge you to take these experiences to heart. Know that you, indeed, made a change in the world and that this can continue. Use what you have learned about responsible, sustainable aid to fuel your passion and fight injustice and lapses in human security. Without a doubt my most entertaining group, use this power of performance to your advantage. Remember, no more bandaids! And, above all continue to be exceptional global citizens. Understand the vitality and ubiquity of health as a global issue and how interconnected the solutions are.

It would be out of character for me not to insert some sort of sappy 90s TV reference, so, in the words of Miss Frizzle from the magic school bus, “Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!”

Wishing you all the best,

The GLA & 7E Team

Summer Blog Posts

July 5 – Day one is complete!

After a long day of traveling, we have all arrived at the home base safely. From the airport, we took a beautiful drive to the home base. Our bus was jam packed with all our GLA students. We spent time poolside getting to know each other before dinner. We had a wonderful meal prepared by our lovely chefs of rice, beans, chicken and lots of fruits and vegetables. We are all having a good time getting to know each other and are excited for tomorrow’s activities!

Kourtney and Donna

July 7, 2016

Today we started building Cavo’s house. The house that we are working on is made of bottles and we are assisted by community members of all ages. We made a lot of progress on the main house in the morning. After, we had a lunch of Chicken, Rice and corn, broccoli, fried plantains, and other fruits. After lunch, we made a lot of progress with the kitchen and got to spend time with many of the children of the community. Later in the afternoon, we had a ‘culture surprise’ that consisted of watching a local make queso empanadas and speak to local fisherman about their contribution to the community. During our free time, a large group of us headed across the street to the beach and spent time in the waves before we showered and got ready for dinner. For dinner we had a delicious array of Caribbean food such as fish and rice and beans. After dinner, our group participated in a water activity that showed how different communities need to ration water in certain ways which was very eye opening. Finally, we had a leadership lecture that covered how to communicate our goals with the people around us. Overall, today was a very productive day and has insured that we will all sleep well tonight!

Aurora, Valentina, and Nancy

July 8th, 2016

Today was a blast! We experienced an adventure at La Playa Alicia and snorkeling at a beautiful reef. After seeing the variety of exquisite fish, we explored the festive shops. Us alpha girls bargained real well. We enjoyed Dominican pizza for lunch as we relaxed under the breezy palms. Fue MUY deliciouso! The water was crystal clear and a perfect temperature. Later we had a little bit of free time, which we used to swim in the pool and share our life stories with each other which included why we choose this trip and what we want to expect in the future. Dinner was another version of our American food with a Dominican Republic twist. Our post dinner lecture was of a documentary of how to assist those who need help on how to become a sustainable community without outside help. Hasta LaVista!!!!
Embrace the adventure!
– Jesse Damm, Charlotte Dudley, Jaeden Cowell

July 9, 2016

Cavo’s house.
Today was a long one, but our new puppy friend Tank and the homemade lunch helped replenish our spirits. Between mixing concrete, water and sand, nailing bolts into mesh fencing with rocks, and stuffing bottles into walls, we managed to learn the merengue (in the rain) from the local children in the neighborhood as well as fall in love with the local animals. Throughout the day, three girls ended up “wives” of a young boy named Julio and Hallie face planted into the mud. Lunch consisted of chicken, rice and beans, a meal we have yet to tire of. Several times many of us had to use the restroom, but this meant we had to use the local restroom. It was made of a concrete floor with fabricated walls consisting of scrap metal and old blankets. We squatted over a concrete hole in the floor. This was very different to the toilets we are accustomed to in the United States.
Proceeding our tough morning, we walked to another part of Las Canas for our cultural activity. We visited the wife and family of the only pastor in town, where she taught us how she makes coconut cookies, and runs the family business. We then proceeded to a local bakery where we ate Dominican style mozzarella sticks. It’s been lit home skillets.
Squad out.

Lindsi Peters, Theresa Landi, Hallie Dezio

July 10, 2016
Today was our last day working at Cavo’s house. We finished cementing the entire kitchen, bottling the rest of the house, and began digging the hole for the latrine. As a gesture of his appreciation, Cavo brought us fresh coconuts to drink from. Our cultural surprise of the day was a demonstration by a local doña on how to make fresh Dominican popsicles. The popsicles were made from water, sugar, and whatever fruit is in season, which was tamarind for us. We headed back to the home base for free time and research time for our capstone projects. The free time was well spent at the beach, pool, and catching some zzz’s. Tonight, we had a goal setting discussion with Cam and an insightful video about the day in and day out of “normal life” and choosing to have a positive mindset. The video was a commencement speech by David Foster Wallace called “This Is Water” and prepared us well for our hiking adventure tomorrow morning!

Brenna Daugherty, Maddie Paas, Shelby Wiggs

July 11, 2016
Today we conquered Mt. Brison! All together we hiked 6.4 miles with a beautiful view the whole way up. Although it was hot, everybody managed to keep a positive attitude. Once we reached the top, we saw a magnificent view and were greeted by the locals with lunch and ice cream. On the way down there were quite a few spills (Nancy, Kourtney, Grace) but all is well and we were able to refresh ourselves with a nice cold Coca-Cola. All the girls are starting to miss their families but overall we’re loving the time we have together!
Emma Helsing, Sadie Schmitz, Taylor Webber

July 13, 2016

Today we had to wake up with a determined attitude to be able to finish building our playground structures. Breakfast was a hearty meal of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and the assortment of fresh fruit. After we finished our meal, we left our home base for Los Brazos so that we could complete our playgrounds. The school that we were working with started from 1st to 5th grade.  When we got there, we all headed straight to work as we knew this would be our last day finishing up what we had started the previous day. We each had to give 110% effort and help one another to finish the job. We were successful with our goal and all of the kids seemed to be really enjoying their new playgrounds. The hard part was saying goodbye to all of the kids whom we all just recently became friends with. After we got back to the home base, we had to meet with our mentor groups and then we had some free time. While some girls lounged around the pool, many of the others went to the local beach. After that we had a Spanish lesson with one of our mentors, Anelly, who taught us health terms that we would be using for our upcoming days at the health fair.

Everyone was excited for dinner, which consisted of french fries, fried chicken, vegetables, fruit, and limeade. The last activity of the night was learning about globalization where groups of four/five people created skits that acted out one factor of globalization such as climate change, urbanization, food-borne illnesses, etc. We were all exhausted by the end of it and were all excited for the adventure of tomorrow where we will be heading to a Haitian Batey and the 27 waterfalls.

-Megan Evans and Sami Kubota

July 14, 2016

This morning we had early breakfast, which consisted of cereal and fruit. At 8am we all got on the bus for a two hour ride to La Grua, a Haitian Batey. In case that two hour bus ride sounds boring, we spiced it up with a flat fire. When we got there we bonded with the kids and went on a community tour.  We learned about H2O filters. Then we had lunch, with some crazy rain!!!!!!!!!!!!! After that we really switched gears and drove fifteen minutes to 27 Charcos. At 27 Charcos we first climbed up the waterfalls and then descended by sliding and jumping down them. At the end we had an opportunity to by ice cream and souvenirs. When we got back we had dinner and discussed our plans fortomorrow.

With LOVE,

Brenna Daugherty

Jaeden Cowell

Carson Vore

7/15

We began the first day of our health fair!  When we arrived to the Haitian batey (batey La Union), many smiling faces welcomed us. After we unloaded the truck for our supplies, we put together four stations that include hand washing, dental hygiene, height and weight, and pulse. Many girls formed bonds with the children that will stay in their memories forever. We went on a small tour of the community with Dr. K where he showed us the living conditions of the Haitian and Dominican people. We had lunch in the church up the road where we had BLT’s.  On the way back to the lodge, Meg allowed us to stop for some helado.  Free time consumed of going to the beach, pool, and journaling. There was a question and answer session with Amelia for those students who wanted to know more about the Peace Corps and Doctors without Borders.  After dinner, we all went into our capstone projects and finished our presentations for tomorrow.

Deuces see y’all in 3 days

Hallie Dezio, Maddie Paas, Valentina Palmini

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Teammm!

Cavo’s house is built, local children are playing on the playground in the Los Brazos school, and the children of Batey La Union are living healthy lifestyles. These things only happened because of you and the work that you did during your time here in the Dominican Republic.

It’s totally amazing for me to think back to those dreadfully hot days in July when we were starting these projects. Not only were you all catalysts for change in the communities, but you also left a lasting impact here. Every time I walk past the blue colmado before the street, the Donya tells me that ‘she has fresh empanadas for the group of ladies.”  The director at the Los Brazos school, keeps asking me to bring you all back because you “were faster than anybody else could be.”

I challenge you to take these experiences to heart. Know that you, indeed, made a change in the world and that this can continue. Use what you have learned about responsible, sustainable aid to fuel your passion and fight injustice and lapses in human security. Without a doubt my most entertaining group, use this power of performance to your advantage. Remember, no more bandaids! And, above all continue to be exceptional global citizens. Understand the vitality and ubiquity of health as a global issue and how interconnected the solutions are.

It would be out of character for me not to insert some sort of sappy 90s TV reference, so, in the words of Miss Frizzle from the magic school bus, “Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!”

Wishing you all the best,

The GLA & 7E Team

Summer Blog Posts

July 5

The horrid experience that is JFK was made much better by friendly faces in blue GLA shirts. We met in the airport and all got a nutritious breakfast of coffee to start our travels. The flight was easy and surprisingly short, but we were not expecting the heat and humidity of the Dominican Republic. Nonetheless, we marveled at the beauty of the country on the bus to the lodge. After a tour of the home base, we immediately got swimsuits on and headed to the beach. The beach was beautiful, the sand was soft, and the water was clear, although the waves were a little choppy. The next group of kids arrived when we got back, and we met our new roommates. Both groups A and B mingled by the pool while we waited for dinner. Dinner was a delicious meal of rice, beans, and chicken, accompanied by lots of fresh fruit. After dinner, we reviewed the rules and code of conduct, and got an overview of what the next thirteen days would entail.

-Ali and Kirsten

July 6

We started this morning bright and early with a fresh and yummy breakfast. Then, Group B headed into Las Canas where half the group was lead on a tour throughout the community. We got an in depth look of the community elementary school and got to explore a partially built house that will be the model for the house our group will begin building in the coming days. After our tour, we met back up with the other half of Group B who spent the first half of the morning doing a community diagnostic. We switched activities and went to new houses to really get in touch with what the community members recognized as their biggest needs. At about noon, we all headed back to Home Base where we enjoyed lunch. After lunch we compiled all the data that we collected during the community diagnostic and decided that one of the biggest needs in this community was for more recreation opportunities for kids. Based on this consensus, we will spend a few days creating playground equipment for the children of the community. During our free time we got to spend some time on the beach. The ocean was super refreshing and much needed after a morning of walking around Las Canas. After our time at the beach we had an interactive and practical Spanish lesson from Candy and Anali so that we can better communicate with locals when we encounter them. We finished the day with an introduction to the capstone project that we will spend time working on and researching for the rest of the term. The group is excited for an exciting hike tomorrow!

Hasta luego!

July 8

As an adventure day, we began with an early morning to which we have more or less adapted. With our “5 minutes early” mentality, we were able to take advantage of every opportunity that the beaches and waters of Sosua handed us. We took the first shift relaxing and playing on the resort, Playa Alicia. Lunch was a deviation from the norm where we mixed up our diet with the more familiar food of pizza. For the second half of the day, some snorkeled for the first time with the help of the more experienced members of the group. We packed onto a motorboat to reach our treat of going on a yacht for the day. Students leapt from the edges of the yacht and sufficiently wore ourselves out. We then embarked on the unfamiliar experience of bargaining. Most students struck deals on the souvenirs that will serve as a constant reminder of our adventures in the Dominican Republic. We ended the night with the eye-opening documentary, Poverty Inc. Many were fascinated by the truths presented by those who have seen the effects of charities and NGOs. The documentary prompted further discussion on the issues that were covered and the work we are doing. With a newly gained perspective, we are now ready to begin our first project.

Payton and Reagan

July 9

Today was our first official work day of the program! We split our large group into three smaller groups and each designed their own playground attraction. We traveled to Los Brazos Public School to begin the construction. Everybody put in 110% and kept the morale high all day long. One group designed a tire platform ramp, one group designed a rope wall and the last group put their heads together and designed a tire climbing mountain looking like a pyramid. This was all completed using sustainable, recyclable materials found in the surrounding communities. Since this was a herculean task, we will return tomorrow to put the finishing touches on the pieces. From there we returned to Home Base and traveled to the beach to get some much needed rest and relaxation. The relaxation turned in to a cultural dance party. Afterword’s, we had a Spanish lesson where we learned local foods and construction vocabulary to be effective communicators with the local builders. Dinner was delicious consisting of a wide variety of taco toppings. Dinner was soon followed by a lecture about the status of Global Health currently and the future of Global Health. The lecture was very inspiring and illustrated that culture can be both an advantage and a hindrance. All in all, today was great! We are really looking forward to tomorrow and seeing all of our hard work pay off in the completion of the playground.

In excitement,

Emma Smith and Aleecia Dodd

July 10

Today, we completed our playgrounds for Los Brazos. Throughout the process, the local children helped with the construction. During break-times, the children and students played games, such as volleyball, soccer, and Dominican games. We got to practice our Spanish when having conversations with all the local kids. The children greeted us with great enthusiasm and interest. A colorful fort and a rope climbing structure were created for the preschool and kindergarteners. The older elementary school kids had a large tire and rope climbing wall. They enjoyed our work and went on the finished projects. Back at the lodge, we had lectures on the global burden of disease and SMART goals, as well as a Spanish lesson on health vocabulary to help us in our health fair work tomorrow. Everyone learned a lot about Dominican customs, Spanish, and wellness concerns within the community.

Ian and Lisa

July 11, 2016

Today we went to the Health Fair, where we taught children of all ages how to properly wash their hands and brush their teeth. We also took their pulse before and after exercising, which allowed us to see how much their heart rates goes up with exercise. Throughout all of the Health Fair, students were rotated into a work office with Dr. Kerole to take the height, weight, and age of the children as a way to get an average and compare it to the U.S. standard heights, weights, and ages of children. When we were finished we continued to interact with the children until it was time to leave. Later in day, we learned how to properly take blood pressure. Then, we continued with a water activity comparing developed communities with undeveloped communities. Depending on how developed each place was, the amount and how clean the water was changed. Then we had to decide if the water would go to industries, humans, or agriculture. We got dismissed early and can not wait to help the older kids tomorrow.

Eva and Lucy

Dr. Kerole, Medical Director with GLA students 

7/12

Today was an interesting day to learn about global health through clinical medicine. Dr. Kerole was a great help in the second day of our health fair. We worked alongside older children and young teenagers, teaching them the benefits of brushing their teeth, washing their hands, and exercising.

The community of Playa Las Canas is a perfect learning environment. Many adults came to us about hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes; children came to the health fair often dehydrated and generally unhealthy. After the conclusion of the health fair, we enjoyed some staff verses students basketball and soccer game. Post-game we lunched on chicken stew, pineapple, and mango. We headed back to the Indalo Lodge to watch a film on the racist, Dominican society inspired by Trujillo persecuting Haitians. We are headed to bed, ready to experience the Haitian Bateys tomorrow.

-Henry & Zafir

July 13

Today we experienced the polar opposite sides of life in the Dominican Republic. We started off the day with a hearty meal of eggs and pancakes. Then, we hopped on a bus to see a local Haitian batey (a mostly impoverished community) called La Grua. Upon arrival, we noticed how different the living conditions were in comparison to the other less impoverished communities we have explored. Despite the children’s lack of clothing, shoes, and water, they greeted us with warm smiles. We were given a tour of the batey, played with the local children, and met the only college graduate from the community.  We were taken aback by the sheer lack of resources available to the people living in the batey. We departed La Grua to enter an eco-tourist park in which all proceeds are donated back to the surrounding communities. While it was challenging to transition from witnessing the effects of extreme poverty to enjoying the tourist attractions of the beautiful island, we could not help but smile as we climbed, slid, jumped, and swam to seven uniquely gorgeous waterfalls. Tomorrow, we begin our three day project of working on a local man’s house as we build structurally sound walls, well ventilated kitchens, and functioning restrooms.

We are off to reapply bug spray and tuck ourselves into mosquito nets.
Until tomorrow,
Lauren and Emma

July 14, 2016

Hi Parents! Today we started work on Cavo’s house, a structure assembled completely by GLA students over a course of 9 workdays total and 3 different programs. Our job consisted of filling walls with plastic bottles collected off the streets, securing them with chicken wire and finishing them off with cement. Blood, sweat and tears went into our work today. It started with the tears- there was a miscommunication between students and mentors and everyone ended up being woken up 30 minutes early (the horror). Unlucky we, as student leaders, were the ones that had to get everyone out of bed at 6:30 only to tell them 5 minutes later they could actually sleep until 7. We pleaded that they don’t shoot the messengers. The cause for sweat is obvious- it’s hot here! Finally the blood- as we learned the hard way, chicken wire is aggressive (sorry Mom if I come home with any new scars). Luckily all 24 of us are safe and sound and happy that we were able to make such an impactful difference in someone’s life. Thanks for sending us down here! Love, your kids <3 (specifically your leaders of the day Ellie and Kat)

7/16

Today was our second day working at Cavo’s house. Despite the extreme humidity and heat, we persevered and were able to make significant progress on the house. With only one day left to work on the house, we are confident that we will reach our goals. After a delicious lunch and a brief work period, we embarked on our second cultural surprise. Today, our cultural surprise consisted of visiting a local coconut cookie “factory” and also visiting a local arepita chef. While at first there was some disappointment as we could not eat the cookies right away, they were definitely worth the wait and many students will be bringing some home! We ended the day working on our capstone projects that we will be presenting tomorrow night and a lecture on hunger and malnutrition in developing nations. All in all we all had a great day working on Cavo’s house and learning more about the local culture here in Las Canas! – Margot (surprisingly still alive) and Elizabeth

After an early morning wakeup call, we ate a great breakfast full of eggs, cereal, fruit and a few pieces of toast. Today being our last work day, we traveled to Cavo’s house for the last time. We worked hard to finish bottling and cementing the upper parts of the roof. With limited resources and two ladders, we worked extra hard to meet our goal and get as much work done as we could. After working hard, we took a break for lunch were we had both meat and vegetarian options in rice, multiple vegetables and lots of fruit! After lunch we continued on in our work and completed our goal. The house looks great and we can’t wait for the day Cavo and his grandson, Johnthan, are able to move in. Go Group B! At the end of our work, Cavo delivered our last cultural surprise. He and the fellow workers gave us each a fresh coconut that we all drank and ate from. What a treat!  We made our last journey home and enjoyed a little free time before dinner. Dinner consisted of fried chicken and yummy pasta! After we enjoyed dinner we finished up our CAP projects. Then proceeded to join both Group A and Group B and share our projects. We enjoyed each project and are excited to finish our adventure with zip lining!

Sincerely Sequoia and Taylor