Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hi guys!
It’s Ben! I hope you’re all doing well, and haven’t forgotten me or the team yet! My summer in the DR is wrapped up and now I have a chance to reflect on the great memories we built together.

We finally finished and painted the house in Las Canas (we went with a sky blue colour) and everyone is all moved in, the water tank in La Grua is now completed and the whole community now has water access!

Let me start by saying… OMG I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Haha! I think you were my favourite group of the summer (don’t tell the other groups), by far the most multinational group and always insisting on time to bond, you all showed so much initiative in planning that and making time for it.

I wanted to thank you for giving me an opportunity to finally use my diving skills for good – by rescuing a gopro from the bottom of Las Cuevas (stealing James’ Glory… Sorry James)

I hope to see you all again soon. You helped me to remember; that if we are going to make it in the future, the world does not need more successful people, we need more empathetic, supportive, and BEAUTIFUL people (you guys!).

Your Director and friend,

Benjamin O’Hanlon.

Dave and Ricardo ‘discussing’ the stock market was maybe the highlight of my life!

Summer Blog Posts

After arriving from Puerto Plata and Santiago airports, students had their first experience of Las Canas beach and settled into their home for the next 10 days Indalo lodge.

We then all shared a dinner and some of our expectations for our time together before going trough an orientation and cooling off in the pool before bed.

Late Arrival (Aubrey) Candidly snapped as she arrived in the middle of the night!

July 3

Today was the first day of service and we started working on the construction of a bottle house for a family of 9 in the community of Las Canas. All the students were super excited to help this family on their new home. We started working at 9:00 and the worked consisted of making cement, attaching bottles to the walls and cementing them. The group dynamic was great and everyone was ready to work with an awesome positive attitude.
For lunch we had pasta, chicken, vegetables and fruit cooked by the Dona. After finishing our work we went back to Home Base and to the beach.At the beach, we interacted with locals and one of them climbed up a tree and picked coconuts.
After dinner, we had an engaging lecture about Human Security with Giorgio and that sparked great thinking and consequential discussion.

Pedro
Hope
Noah

Day 3

Today we traveled to Las Cuevas, a local community that is home to a national monument where deforestation is actively occurring. In order to combat these environmental problems facing the community we split into three groups to complete the following tasks: leveling the ground in preparation for planting the mangrove trees, digging holes for the seedlings, and lastly planting the trees.

After a few hours of tedious work in the sun, the locals brought us to a secluded cave in the community. We tested our limits and broke through our comfort zones by jumping into the deep water below. Although some of us had a difficult time getting past the nerves, we literally jumped in feet first.

After cooling off in “La Cueva,” we rode the bus to “Playa Encuentro” for lunch and beach time. On the way there, we viewed aspects of the neighboring communities, which were full of color and vibrant culture. Upon arrival we ate lunch overlooking a beautiful ocean view. After the delicious lunch our mentors brought us to the *safe* part of the water to swim. After swimming, taking pictures and videos, and playing many fun beach games, we returned to our home base with big smiles.

This evening we spent time relaxing and bonding in the pool and at dinner. After dinner, Giorgio continued his presentation about Human Security, with an emphasis on environmental security and other aspects of the environment. Lastly we met with our mentor groups for the first time and reflected on the day, why we chose to come here, and the ideas presented to us tonight in the lecture.

Overall, the day was amazing and filled with service, excitement, and new experiences. We cannot wait for the rest of the trip!!

Anna Nickerson
Amelia Simonds
Grace Lee

July 5, 2016

Today, we returned to the bottle house. It was a hot, sunny day and we continued working on the cement and walls of the house. We had an even better attitude than the days before and we worked really hard to complete cementing all the walls. Everyone from the neighborhood and the family of nine, who we are making the house for, all came and helped finish the job. Once again, Dona cooked us a fantastic lunch of rice and pork, along with delicious fruit.
After a sweaty, dirty and fulfilled day of working, we all headed to the beach to cool off and enjoyed the relaxation of the ocean. After that, we enjoyed some cooking lessons and made plantains. This gave us a behind the scenes look at the meals we eat everyday.
To end off the AMAZING day, we learned about economic security and how the reality we face is worse then ever imaginable. The difference between what the world we think is and the ideal world is greater than what we thought. Overall, it was an intriguing and lesson-filled lecture that taught us a lot about our economy.

Can’t wait for the rest of the week!!

Delaney
Zach
Beth

July 6 – Day 5

Today we traveled to Sosua Beach, which was created by a massive hurricane in the year 2004 and is currently in the process of further growth. This was more of a reward day in the terms that we were able to enjoy the rich and warm Dominican culture first hand.

Our first group activity was beach volleyball where we were joined by some friendly locals, one being the tallest man we have seen in the DR yet (6’7). After which, we enjoyed a swim in the blue sea, then ate some pizza kindly brought to us by the mentors.

It was then time to board the ‘Viking 48’ to be taken further east to the snorkeling ground where we dun saw sum fishies. It was rather different from what any of us are either accustomed or what we were expecting; In the way that the water was much deeper and more abundant in wildlife than previously anticipated.

After a pretty decent shopping sesh we scampered back on to the bus and set off on our dozy ride home. Upon arrival we went about our own businesses until our reunion under the thatched open air structure of wisdom the mentors call ‘The Hut’. After a brief lecture and a 51 minute documentary on the relationship between the Haitian and Dominican cultures we all retire to our own bunks after a brilliantly relaxing yet exciting day.

James van Wyk
Urmila Budhrani Dadlani
Olivia Stites

July 7,  2016 – Day 6

On the sixth day of our adventure, we rose to a lovely Dominican sunrise and broke our fasts with a scrumptious meal prepared by the delightful senoritas in the kitchen. After breakfast, we departed on a bus excursion to the Batey of La Grua. The Batey is a community with mixed ethnic groups of both Haitians and Dominicans. The resident Haitians of the community are what are known as a stateless people, in that they have no citizenship in either country.

At La Grua, we were tasked with digging the trench that will in time come to house a large water tank for the entire community. We laboured enthusiastically creating a circular hole at the hilltop. After making significant progress, we had lunch at the community center. Afterwards, we did some detailing on our hole, and then proceeded to tour the Haitian part of the community. The Haitian portion was strongly affected by economic instability and an overall poor quality of life. Though hard to see, we learned from Liv more about the situation that had lead to these circumstances, all the while, playing with adorable children like Jobi.

We then loaded up the bus and departed for our home away from home. After another pilgrimage, we had some down time to hang around the compound. This was followed by dinner, and subsequently a speech on leadership, as well as a video about the influence of consumerism on Human Security. To wrap up the evening, we partook in a group bonding session. Laughs were had, tears were shed, all in all, a good day.

Signed the best leaders of the day as of yet,
Cooper Campbell
Navitha Gidoomal
Erin O’Reilly

Day 7

Today we woke up earlier than usual. This was to take on our long bus ride to hike Brison. Brison is a large mountain with a number of communities scattered up the trail. The mountain was home to a variety of vegetation, animals, and people. The hike would be approximately 3 miles, uphill most of the way.

After the 2 hour bus ride, we unpacked our equipment and set off up the hillside. On the way up, we made a number of stops to learn about the community and its reliance on agriculture. We were informed about “Viveros’ which are small gardens that grow a variety of different plants. We continued up the mountain, stopping at various locations to learn more about the community and the environment around us.The hike continued for 2 hours before we reached our destination, the house on the top of the hill.

After arriving at the top, we were treated to a local meal including rice, chicken, fresh fruit, and insanely hot peppers. A handful of students ate these peppers, only to find out that they were the hottest thing nearly anybody had eaten. After we finished eating, we enjoyed the absolutely stunning view from the top of the mountain. We took a group picture and then began our trek back down the hill.

The hike down was much easier as it was mostly downhill. Halfway down we stopped and planted passion fruit vine seedlings in the community and continued on our way. When we made it to the bottom we were treated to cold refreshments, and then loaded up the bus and began the drive back.

All in all, the trip was a great success. The students learned about the Dominican community and had an opportunity to experience the environmental struggles of the everyday Brison resident.

Tyler Bird
Aleasha Checo
Ellie Kovach

Day 8

Today we woke up to a delicious Dominican breakfast. We walked along the rode admiring the Dominican wildlife and prepared for our last day of service work. It was our final day working on the Bottle House at Las Canas. We connected with the children and the entire family for which we were building the house. As we built onto the Bottle House, we built onto our group relationship as well.

We fell into our usual routine of making concrete and building onto the interior of the house. The leaders of the day split everyone up into three groups and each group put their skills to work helping to construct the home. Although the work was difficult with the hot weather and the rain, the group remained positive and continued to work hard on the construction of the home throughout the day.

After many days working on the home we were finally able to place the final bottle in the bottle house and finish applying the concrete. Everyone was proud to see the work that we had accomplished during our time working at the home and we cannot wait to see the impact that it will have on the family.

Everyone was exhausted from working on the bottle house for most of the day, so we took a relaxing break at home base. Everyone was happy to reflect on all the service work that we have done over the course of the trip and we are proud of all that we have accomplished.

Melissa Duran
Jamie Insul
Ricardo Mestre

July 10, 2016

Today we traveled to Dudu Lagoon and Playa Preciosa. It was our last full day on the island and we can truly say we had a blast! At Dudu we had the chance to zip line and cliff jump into the lagoon, as well as visit a dry and wet cave. Other than that we played volleyball on the beach and enjoyed a great lunch at the restaurant.

After enjoying our time at Dudu Lagoon, we continued to Playa Preciosa. Playa me Preciosa is a gorgeous beach with turquoise waters. Everyone had a great time swimming at the beach and tackling the rough waves of the beach.

Following dinner, and a final walk along the beach, we danced the night away at Judy’s. Spanish dance music flowed from the speaks as we danced on the front patio with new Dominican friends. After the final song we enjoyed a bunk talent show under the stars.

It’s been a busy, inspiring, and educational 10 days, and we are sure that none of will ever forget it!

Tessa Seferina
Aubrey Howell
Sophia Mysak

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hi guys!
It’s Ben! I hope you’re all doing well, and haven’t forgotten me or the team yet! My summer in the DR is wrapped up and now I have a chance to reflect on the great memories we built together.

We finally finished and painted the house in Las Canas (we went with a sky blue colour) and everyone is moved in, the water tank in La Grua is now completed and the whole community now has water access.
You guys absolutely killed it mixing concrete in La Grua, that was my stand-out ‘best work day’ of the whole summer, do your muscles still hurt thinking back?

So many big personalities, so many great memories, so little sleep… See you next year?

Rise up lights forever,

Benjamin O’Hanlon.

Summer Blog Posts

7/15/2016

Today, students from near and far were brought together for a life changing experience. Upon departing from for home towns, we encountered a wide range of emotions throughout our travels. For many of us, we embarked on a solo mission to find a greater purpose. The numerous hours of preparation and anticipation that led up to this opportunity came to a close when we landed in the Dominican Republic. We were greeted by fresh faces upon our arrival. It was not long until we established new relationships with other students, mentors, and directors. Traveling through the local town, we discovered that we were about to submerge ourselves in a culture much different from our own. As motorcycles flew by and locals continued their daily grind we wove our way though the narrow, congested streets to finally make it to the home base.

(Late arrivals: Alanna S., Lucy T., Paige F., Robert (Logan) C., and Emma)

As we looked upon the shoreline decorated with palm trees, we made our way over to the crashing waves. The turquoise water refreshed our sweaty, smelly bodies that were covered from head to toe as a result of excruciating heat. We explored our huts and settled into our new space. We had some free time to start forming new friendships with the other students within our program. At 6:00, we gathered for a delicious home made meal. Next on the agenda was the orientation in which we formed our goals for the duration of the trip. We took a group photo and headed off to bed. We are looking forward for the adventures ahead.

Caitlin Carro & Bridget Ruskey

July 16, 2016

Hola fam, today was tubular. First, we ate breakfast #morninggainz. Next, we walked to a local community and assisted in building a house made out of plastic bottles. We broke into 5 groups, 3 mixed cement, 1 cut and put up the framing wire and 1 leveled the foundation of the house. To make concrete we mixed water, sand and cement together with shovels. We used the cement to coat over the water bottle structure and to surround the garden, Later, we assisted in placing the bottles in the wire and helped build a garden. Some benefits of using plastic bottles include helping reduce littering/pollution and serve as an insulation system. We also played with some local children and practiced our Spanish. Next, we headed back to home base for some free time. Some people hit up the beach and others chilled around home base. We had a lecture about human securities which was very informative and interesting. Finally, we ate dinner as a squad and headed to the beach for some stargazing. Overall today was a great first day of work and we made some great memories.
From the leaders of the day today,

Remi, Campbell, and Naomi

July 17, 2016

Fresh mango, sizzling bacon, and plantains straight from the trees. This is part of the traditional Dominican meal that was prepared for our breakfast today. Shortly after, we left for Las Cuevas. Jammin’ local tunes and making more friends, every minute was worth the drive. When we got there, we immediately got to work. Some were planting trees for reforestation, helping the environment and community, providing long term benefits. Throughout this experience, we had the opportunity to share special moments with the local kids in the surrounding river. Their smiling faces brightened our day. While some were doing that, others safely jumped from high heights into the refreshing, clear waters of a hidden cave.
Next, we visited a beautiful beach, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch from a cabana overlooking Rob surf. Lindsey swears she saw a turtle that swam up to her feet, and it was apparently this big “0”. We then came back to Home Base to either go to the beach where the waves were giant or swim in the pool in the relaxing atmosphere.
We met with our mentor groups to reflect on our days and adventures. After about an hour, we devoured Mexican Night. We all ate amazing forget that we will never forget like tacos and salsa. A lecture was last (but not least) on our schedule for the day. We learned techniques on business leadership skills that we will be able to use in the future.
As the day wound down, (2 hours and many laughs later) we constructed this blog which we hope you enjoy.

-Lindsey Bromm, Olivia Phillips, Alex Kamen, and Blake Sullivan

July 19, 2016

Today we went to La Grua and helped the Dominican and Haitian community construct a water tank. Our goal was to help the locals mix 25 bags of cement. Not only did we accomplish our goal, we exceeded it by another bag. Throughout our time working with the locals, we were able to experience a culture that differs vastly from our own, which opened our eyes to the struggles that individuals face throughout developing countries around the world. As a result, we gained a greater appreciation for the amenities we are fortunate to have, but often take advantage of.
Aside from spending our time mixing cement and interacting with Dominican locals, we had the opportunity to visit a batey–a settlement around a sugar mill. The water tank we created is essential to the community in a multitude of ways because the only source of water the locals had access to previously was a highly polluted river that resulted in diseases and infections due to waste runoff and bacteria from the major cities. Overall, today’s experience rewarded us with a more socially conscious outlook on the world, an increased awareness of its harsh realities, and a fulfilling ability to help others.

July 19, 2016

 

July 21, 2016
To start off the day, we had a breakfast consisting of toast, eggs, and bacon cooked by the Donas. Following this, we started the 25 minute walk over to Las Canas where we continued the bottle house for a family of nine. When we got there, we split into four groups and started the difficult tasks presented to us. We mixed cement, continued to bottle the house, and cut wire to but the bottles in. We use bottles on the house for insulation, and it is a great form of recycling being that there are many bottles laying on the street of the Dominican Republic. It was an extremely hot and humid day outside, and we were very lucky when it began to rain down on us during work. At around 2, we started the walk back to the lodge. We walked along the beach and got to enjoy the views on the way home. Once we returned, a group headed to the beach, and some stayed back to shower because we were full of cement and mud from the work site. We ended the day with a delicious meal cooked by the Donas, and a lecture on leadership and goals by Cameron.

Allie C.
Julie K.
Evan T.
Hannah
Kendra

July 23rd

Today was a very eventful day! It was the most challenging part of the trip for many of us, as we hiked 6 miles up and down the Brison area. The hike began when we toured a small village within the mountain. We learned about their environmental security, in that they produce most of their own food every day and do not rely on others. Every step up the mountain, the scenery was continually more breathtaking. Although many of us were “dying” we came to the realization that many people have to do this every day, including: many children on their way to school and pregnant women. When we finally reached the top of the mountain, we were greeted by Dona Maxima and a delicious lunch. This consisted of rice(as always), beans, veggies, fruits, and a very nice surprise-ice cream from a very kind Haitian man! Hiking was a great way to spend one of our last days together and we’re looking forward to tomorrow. We know you’re all wondering- mom I’m okay!

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hi girls!
It’s Ben! I hope you’re all doing well, and haven’t forgotten me or the team yet! My summer in the DR is wrapped up and now I have a chance to reflect on the great memories we built together.

I wanted to thank you all for giving us the best possible start to the summer that we could have hoped for, you really set a high benchmark for us and started us off in the right direction!

I still remember the first night out on the beach under the stars with the guitar, with such a small group and so supportive was really beautiful (Anelly later told me she was so emotional that she had cried!)

We finally finished and painted both houses in Las Canas (we went with a sky blue colour for both) and everyone is all moved in.

I hope to see you all again soon. Make your life matter. Make me remember you when I read about you changing the world for the better, I’ll be waiting and doing my best until then.
Your Director and friend,

Benjamin O’Hanlon.

P.S. Do you miss the rice and beans yet!? (How about the fruit?)

Summer Blog Posts

June 6, 2016

All safely arrived!

Today is the first day of our Beachside Service Adventure in the Dominican Republic. After multiple connecting flights, eight of us met at the Puerto Plata airport and rode a bus to the GLA home base. The bus ride allowed us to see many sights in the Dominican Republic such as shops, houses, and of course, the incredible beaches. We all discussed our excitement about the upcoming events on our trip. When we arrived at the home base, we met the girl who flew in to the Santiago airport and chose our rooms to stay in.

As quickly as we could, we made the short walk to the beach with our GLA staff members and swam in the ocean and one of the pools on the home base. It was a great way to start the trip! We had time to explore the home base and meet the GLA staff who are all very nice and supportive. We had a delicious dinner of rice, beans, chicken, fresh fruit, vegetables, and juice. After dinner, we got together to get to know each other, learn what the schedule will look like each day, and discuss ways to make sure we make the most of this experience. We all look forward to the days to come!

– Emily Schulz

June 7. 2016

Hello! Today was our second day here in the DR, but our first full day of activities. We started the day off with a delicious breakfast and then walked to the nearby community of Las Canas where we mixed cement to use as the floors in a house that future groups will work on. We worked very hard and were able to go above our goal and lay the flooring for not one but two rooms. While we were in Las Canas we attempted to speak Spanish to the locals and played games with the children in our breaks.

The second half of the day we went to the beach and then back to the Home Base where we had a dance lesson with the help of the locals we met earlier in the day to learn Bachata, Merengue, and Salsa. Everyone had a great time and worked up an appetite for the dinner that was shortly following. Tonight was our first night of a series of speeches on human security and what roles we can play in it. We discussed this topic further in our mentor group and got to know each other much better by learning about our different backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Overall it was a very successful day of working hard and learning new material that will impact us in life. We cannot wait for tomorrow and the rest of the trip to come!

-Ava Mouton-Johnston

June 9, 2016

Before: The empty wooden frame awaits bottles to make it a “bottle house.”

After: Bottles now fill the frame of the house under construction.

Five of us began the day bright and early at 7 on the beach with a run. We jogged for about a mile and a half before arriving to the lagoon. We decided to explore further as we watched the sun rise and felt our feet sinking deeper into the sand. When we returned, we enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes, for which everyone was very grateful! We then headed towards our construction site for the day. Upon our arrival, only an empty wooden frame had been built. We worked all day on digging a hole in the back for latrines, evening out the dirt for the floor of the future house, and filling the walls with plastic bottles. This system of ‘bottle house building’ removes waste from the environment, offers a cheaper solution for wall construction, and provides insulation for the family members that are to live in the house. When we returned home, we unanimously decided to go to the beach. The day had been productive and fun but also long, hot, and humid. After our time in the waves we returned to the shore and two of our local friends climbed up a 20 meter tree to access fresh coconuts. The experience was terrifying and seemingly dangerous but the coconuts were worth it! We wrapped up the day with a walk on the beach and some campfire songs accompanied only by the sounds of the waves and the strumming guitar.

-Oceane Mauffrey

June 10, 2016

Today we took a trip to Dudu, a blue lagoon with a zip line, jumping cliff, and really cool caves that you could swim in. We had lunch at Dudu which consisted of fried chicken, rice, and pasta. After lunch we adventured around for a little while then headed to Playa Preciosa. It was a beautiful beach, and we just chilled there for a couple hours. After the beach we headed back to Home Base, but on the way back we stopped and got some ice cream which was so good, especially because it was so hot. Once we got back we showered then headed to dinner. After dinner we went to our mentor talks and our leadership lesson.

-Kate Martin

June 11, 2016

Today we experienced one of the toughest days of the program, physically and mentally. After an hour+ bus ride we finally arrived in La Grua, an impoverished community that houses Dominicans and Haitians. Due to the lack of drinking water available in the area, GLA has decided to create a water tank for them. We all pitched in and helped dig a hole for the water tank on an elevated area near the community. About midway through the day we traveled into the bateys of La Grua that house a multitude of Haitian families and learned about the harsh realities the Haitians face in their everyday life. We all participated in a discussion about the conditions we saw and worked some more on the water tank hole. Once we arrived back at the Home Base we engaged in more discussions about philosophy, the value of human life, and how we can make a difference once we arrive back home. It was certainly an eye-opening and challenging day.

-Kaitlyn Papa

Visiting the Haitian batey in La Grua, DR

Service in the La Grua, DR, community.

June 12, 2016

The long walk up Mount Brison

Now we can all say “I hiked Brison!”

Today we woke up early for a two hour drive through the mountains. We hiked up Mount Brison all morning. It was very scenic but also very hot, which made the three miles to the top quite difficult. However, as we began to get irritable and tired, we all remembered that the students that live in the rural villages on the mountains have to hike that same trail every single day. We were very motivated and inspired by the things that these people have to do to get an education and live. We ate lunch at the top and spoke with the people in the town. The woman who cooked us lunch said she has to walk up the mountain every single day, and that was incredible for us to hear. Along the hike, we learned a lot about the ways of life of the people on the mountain when it comes to farming, school, and their future with the impacts of climate change on the country.

When we returned to the Home Base, we were all very tired and much more appreciative of how easy we have it at home getting bus rides to school. We went to the beach for a while during our free time to hang out with our local friends and swim in the ocean. After dinner, we watched a documentary on the the Hatian and Dominican people. The video explained their history, differences, and how that is impacting their lives today. We were able to understand more about the situation in La Grua that we saw yesterday. After that, we discussed leadership and how to develop a vision, whether that be for your sports team, volunteer group, etc. We discussed how to get your point across well, you must know why you are doing what you are doing, what success looks like, and how you must act to ensure success.

-Emily Schulz

June 13, 2016

Today we went to Cabarete for a reforestation project. Instead of our usual driver, Freddie, we had to use another driver today. In Cabarete, we planted mangrove trees because it is good for the environment. We were all extremely tired today even though the work we were doing was much easier than the projects we had to complete the other days. This was probably from the long hike to Brison from yesterday. After planting the mangrove trees, we were shown a cave where we could swim in. The water in the cave was really cold and it woke us up right away after we dove into it.

After lunch, we left and went to another community to visit projects that had already been completed. We visited some beehives that had been created previously. They were extremely interesting because when they were open, we could see all the honeycombs, and someone from the community was able to grab us a piece of honeycomb so we were able to eat the honey straight from it. The honey was delicious. Later, we had another cultural activity where we learned how to make bracelets from recycled plastics. The plastic was twisted and stretched into something like a string and we were able to tie and make it into bracelets. Even though we were all extremely tired, it was an interesting day.

-Clara Hu

Planting mangrove trees

Honey harvested locally in Cano Dulce, DR, by a beekeeper supported by GLA’s local partner projects.

June 14, 2016

Today was the last “full day” for us. We started the day off with a yummy breakfast and then got in the van and headed out to Playa Alicia, a beautiful beach with crystal clear waters and a mellow current. We stayed here, relaxing in the water and laying in the sun till lunch time when Cameron treated us to delicious burritos. Soon after we hopped on a boat and were surrounded by crystal clear water. We jumped into the water and began the best part of the day, snorkeling! We swam through fishes and experienced the ocean from a brand new perspective! It was awesome.

After snorkeling we came back to Home Base and immediately hopped over to the beach to say goodbye to our local friends. We returned to Home Base and enjoyed our last dinner together full of giggles and food. After dinner we got a presentation about how we can take our experiences with GLA back home. We also did an exercise called “appreciation circle”. It was a beautiful exercise where we anonymously showed appreciation to each other. It even brought some tears to our eyes. Finally we ended our last day together celebrating our experience with a bonfire where we roasted  marshmallows and enjoyed each other’s company for one of the last times. As sad as we are to say goodbye to our new friends we are almost equally as excited to go home and enjoy our family.

-Alena Abad

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hi guys!
It’s Ben! I hope you’re all doing well, and haven’t forgotten me or the team yet! My summer in the DR is wrapped up and now I have a chance to reflect on the great memories we built together.

We finally finished and painted the house in Las Canas (we went with a sky blue colour) and everyone is all moved in, the water tank in La Grua is now completed and the whole community now has water access!

When I saw the water tank completed in La Grua, I thought back to the early days of digging that hole in the gruelling heat (that was the hardest part of the whole project), you guys really kept my spirits up through it all. We had some ups and downs, as you do in life but we had laughs to the very end and didn’t lose sight of the big picture of why we were there – to help others and learn about the world.

I hope to see you all again soon. Make your life matter. Make me remember you when I read about you changing the world for the better. I hope I’ve helped to bring you a little closer to becoming an expert global citizen.

Your Director and friend,

Benjamin O’Hanlon.

P.S. Do you miss the rice and beans yet!?

Summer Blog Posts

6/19/2016

Today we arrived at Puerto Plata International Airport, warmly welcomed by live music and good weather. By 5 o’clock we were all on the bus heading to homebase and the white sandy beaches.
After we settled in we all had a dinner filled with exotic fruits with chicken. By now everyone was talking to everyone and getting to know each other. We are all excited for this adventure!

-Jackie and Miles

*Missing from photo Jackie Houston, Lila Lanier [resting at base], Zoe Kane, Georgia Baker [late arrival], Mary Macko, Schyler Temperado, Kathryn Simmon, Sarah Jacobson, Skye Guindon [late arrival]

6/20/2016

Today marks Day 2 of our adventure in the Dominican Republic. We all woke up ready to get started with our service project. After approximately a mile of walking we made it to our destination. The project we are working on is for a family of nine who need a home with better sleeping arrangements and roofing. Some of the jobs we did were insulating and plastering walls with plastic bottles and concrete, digging a hole for septic purposes as well as leveling the floor.

After we finished working at the site for the day we walked home, taking a route along the beach. When we got back to the lodge everyone rushed to put on swimsuits so we could all get in the water before dance class. Some of the locals came to teach us a few common Dominican dances and everyone had a good time.
After dance class we ate dinner and then celebrated Emily’s birthday with cake and a song. When the cake eating was completed we had group reflection time where we discussed the importance of the 7 elements and why we came on this trip.

-BoAnn, AJ

6/21/2016

As we embarked on our second day at the bottle house, we found ourselves making loads of progress specifically with wiring and bottling. As we continued our work, we realized how tedious the process can be. With sore backs and hands, we made cement to finish up some of the walls. During our work we experienced rainfall, cooling us off in the midst of the humidity, and enjoyed home-cooked food from the hospitable locals. After accomplishing a good amount of work in a short amount of time, we got to leave early. Without a cultural activity today, we had the opportunity to bond with new friends on the beach and relax in our cabins after a hard work day. Everyone cheered for Taco Tuesday and loved the tacos made by the lovely doñas.

Shortly after, we had our daily lecture led by mentor Rick, who gave an inspirational speech on justice. We ended the night with our mentor reflections where we deepened our thoughts on justice and privilege.

-Lily, Bree, Grace Motta, Cami.

June 22, 2016

June 22nd, our fourth day. Today was our last day working on the Las Canas bottle house. While working today, it decided to pour and everyone huddled inside the house, except for those few brave soles who continued to mix cement. Soon after the rain stopped we got back to work and continued towards our goal of covering the second wall of the house with cement. At the end of the day, stepping back, we realized how much we had achieved. Over the first three days we were able to cover the first GLA group’s wall with cement, bottle and cement our own wall, and make friends with both locals and GLA participants. After returning from the bottle house most of us, the GLA students, headed to the beach, where the water was blue and the sun was shining. We are looking forward to the next few days and hoping they will be as fulfilling as the ones before.

June 23, 2016

Today our GLA group went to Dudu lagoon and Playa Preciosa for a day of fun and recreation. This is our 5th day on the 10 day beach side service adventure, but our first adventure day. We began the day traveling to Dudu where we were able to zip line into a lagoon, cliff jump, and explore underwater caves. After all our fun activities we enjoyed a delicious lunch consisting of fried chicken, rice, beans, and salad. After lunch we had a leisurely game of volleyball in a sand court.

 

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hi!

I hope that everything is going well, and that the memories of our summer adventures still linger, even in your busy life schedules.

Every trip I have taken to China has been different and amazing in it’s own way, but this summer’s experience was crazy and hilarious because of all of you. Spending the summer in Kunming, Shaxi, and Beijing, every day was different. Whether we were walking to the kindergarten, playing games with kids, or working with mud bricks to help restore the local temple, it was amazing to watch all of you experience China and our service projects with such grace, determination and humor.

The three weeks we spent together went by so fast!

I hope you are all doing well, and if I haven’t heard from you in a while, feel free to reach out.

Best,

Sarah

Summer Blog Posts

Day 1

After a few long travel days, our entire team of China students have finally arrived safe and sound! Most of the crew arrived late this afternoon and our final arrival landed later this evening (yay, Davis!). With a window of time to rinse off the travel weary, we were off to wander through one of the universities on our way to dumpling dinner. But not before our first lesson in Chinese culture… one of the more important for the trip…”How to use a squat toilet!” 🙂

Our first group photo (Davis not pictured)

Davis, who arrived later that night  – safe and sound!

Everyone had a chance to learn the fine technique of properly squatting (for when the opportunity arises to use such facilities in the future). Needless to say, we all had a good laugh but everyone seems to be feeling a bit more prepared for the trip. The next adventure of the evening was our first meal together in China, DUMPLING DINNER!

A few newbies to the art of using chopsticks had a chance to master their new skill, while others managed to consume more dumplings than ever thought imaginable. Early to bed for our first night, in anticipation of venturing to the Stone Forest tomorrow!

More to come soon… Stay tuned!

6/18/2016

Yesterday was our first official day all together as a team and we had an absolute blast! We started the day with a bit of fun orientation activities and a cultural lecture by our local staff, then made our way to the Stone Forest! Along the way, we stopped for our first Chinese sit down meal and it was quite the experience with over 10 different dishes to try).

Amazingly, every single student actually went for it and ATE A BUG or A WORM! Don’t worry, these fine delicacies were well prepared and very much dead. It was great to see so many adventurers in the group, we know this is definitely going to be a fun group slightsmile emoticon.

The hike around Stone Forest was stunning and we all enjoyed the sunshine (which can be elusive during monsoon season here in China). Today, we set out on our long bus journey to our home base in Shaxi. Our access to internet will be more limited once we are in the village, but we will be posting blogs written by the group in a few days to come. Off we go!

PS. We all wish all of you dads out there a HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!

-Jennifer

6/21/2016

by Wiley Eaton, Terence Foster, Davis Vergnolle

I. We arrived in Kunming, and got settled in our hotel and had our first meal of dumplings. We got adjusted to the culture by learning how to boil water and use the squat toilets.

II. We all got to know each other and became more comfortable in China.

We headed to the stone forest where we explored the scenic rock formations and the stories behind them.

III. We woke up early, got on a bus for our eight-hour drive to Shaxi. We arrived that evening and were introduced to our home base and some of the locals.

IV. Our first day of community service began with a home cooked breakfast and coffee.  We soon headed to our service site where we cleared the area we would be working in for the next couple of weeks. That afternoon we had our first mandarin language class. Later that evening, we took a tour of Shaxi and headed to bed after a long day of work.

V. That morning we headed out to start our next day of community service, making adobe bricks to restore a local temple. After lunch, we visited a local middle school, where the principle gave us an in-depth tour. We then played basketball and soccer with the students. On our way back to the home base, we all tried out the local bubble tea.

A personal view…

After many awesome experiences we have found a few that we would like to share with you. First of all the food is fantastic. Our first meal was freshly steamed dumplings at a local restaurant in Kunming, which set the tone for our future meals. So far we have not been disappointed by a single meal. We have eaten everything from wasps to bamboo fungus soup. Despite the discomforts of some we all stepped out of our comfort zone and tried something new! We especially liked the duck, the Chinese-style pancakes, and the bubble tea. We look forward to trying more authentic Chinese food.

We also have been getting used to some parts of Chinese culture we did not expect. Shortly after arriving, we learned how to properly use a squat toilet; we are getting used to it after lots of practice. Another hurdle we have faced is having to prepare all the water we drink by boiling it before drinking it. We are also all getting used to drinking warm water with no ice. So far our trip has been everything we have wanted and more, we can’t wait to continue our journey in China!

New Photos – 6/21/2016

June 23, 2016

The last few days in China have been extremely busy with mornings of Adobe brick building and afternoons full of cultural experiences. The bricks we have made consist of mud, straw, and water. We scoop the mud into a bucket that then is transported into molds to form the bricks. As of right now we have made over 200 bricks, which will be used in the local community center that is being constructed. The thought that these bricks will help the local community have a building to remember their history is an amazing felling to everyone. By the time we finished one session of building bricks we were completely covered in mud. We caught a few extra stares on the way home, because of the mud cakes on our clothes. We also had an opportunity to visit a local middle school in Sha Xi. The time that we have had with the 7th, 8th, and 9th graders was full of new experiences and many surprises.

We started our experience with a tour of the school, which was given by the principal. He told us about the schools history, and how the students and staff helped in the construction of a pond and a garden. The garden had 56 trees, which represented the 56 ethnic groups of China living in harmony in this garden. We played basketball with some of the freshman boys, soccer with some of the girls, and a jump rope like game with some of the other girls. Some of us think that this jump rope game should be brought back to where we live because it was a lot of fun. In the rope game and in basketball the students of the school pretty much beat us in every aspect. The teachers of the 9th graders were kind enough to let their students skip some of their classes so that they could continue to play with us. This was very kind of the teacher because they knew that this would be a very good experience for everyone involved. The school was especially different because they had their own pond for fishing. The pond intercepts the flow from a local river, so they have plenty of fish. The kids and the staff fish during their free time and if the fish is big enough they prepare it for the students and staff to eat. They have a canoe that they use to get across the pond. We all saw people rowing across and thought it was interesting because it’s not something you would normally see where we come from. We also thought it was funny because they could also just walk around the whole of the pond. So far, we are all doing well and enjoying our time in China.

Kaci, Vonnie, Cat

June 24

“Some lies are kind,” that’s what Uncle Lu said after our forty minute hike turned into one and a half hours. Our goal for that afternoon was to help remove all the weeds from a family’s corn and bean crops. Since most of us grew up in cities, this was our first experience farming. After a quick lesson on identifying weeds versus crops and how to use the scythe with out cutting our fingers off, we finally begun to clear the rows. Leaf hats were given to us to shield our faces from the sun. It was interesting to hear other farmers sing songs dating back to the Cultural Revolution despite their distaste for Mao Zedong.

After accidentally pulling out three sunflowers (good job team), we headed to the families house and enjoyed the Eight Bowl Meal, a dinner that is only consumed for special events. Yoga, Tai Chi, thumb wrestling, and floating arms were just a few of the activities we partook in with the family. We said “再见” (goodbye) then began our walk home. On the way we stopped at an old temple, and tried out Chinese park exercise machines. The entire day was a great and insightful experience that taught us what it was like to live in a rural community.

Because of our full week of community service, on “Friday Fun Day” we took a rest in the morning and had a scavenger hunt instead. Friday is Market Day in ShaXi, and the scavenger hunt gave us the opportunity to test out our Mandarin skills when bargaining with the locals. In addition to bargaining, we also had to translate the instructions on our list from Mandarin to English; some of the directions included taking a picture with a group of locals, obtaining the most amounts of fruit for the least amount of money, and taking a “birdy on the perch” picture on one of ShaXi’s famous bridges. The activity prompted us to work as a group and learn and use each other’s strengths and weaknesses in language as well as practicing leadership skills. The winners of our scavenger hunt were the “White Tigers” — their prize is Boba Tea.

ShaXi is great and we’ve been learning a lot about Chinese culture and language. J

– Alessandra, Julia, and Fei

June 27, 2016

One of the benefits of having Uncle Lu as our host are his connections. He arranged to have a local artisan come and show us his craft. The man, who we called Ouyang Laoshi, pulled out giant pieces of red paper, folded and cut, and handed out pieces. He was teaching us how to do the ancient Chinese practice of decorative paper cutting. Although our double luck characters weren’t nearly as good as Ouyang Laoshi’s, they came out decent for having been made with childproof scissors. Ouyang laoshi begun this practice almost forty years ago; his lifetime of practice showed when he created a paper cutout of four butterflies with a flower in the middle. It was a nice departing activity before we left for the weekend. Ahh, the bus, it was too long since we sat in those seats, rocking side-to-side traversing a mountainous road. So that’s what we did, travelling to a small village called Stone Dragon for the weekend. Stone Dragon, a rural village beside a reservoir (that is said to contain the namesake mythical animal) was breathtaking and full of fun surprises. On the way to the mountain we were followed by a group of cute little boys that found great joy in throwing firecrackers at us (laws regarding firecrackers in China are very different). Once we arrived at the start of the trail, we embarked on the hour hike through the mountains. While hiking, we passed the time by telling each other impossible riddles that kept us stumped. We soon arrived at 石宝山 (stone treasure mountain), an seemingly endless vertical climb of a temple that was built into the mountainside. As soon as we walked through one segment of it, we walked through another, and another, and another before reaching the coveted view of the golden Buddha and another towering statue. The religion practiced at the temple is a blend of Buddhism and the local religious practices of the village. Fortunately for us, the stone dragon village had much more to offer. Aliu, our host for the night and guide to the town, explained the village’s history of the traditional dances; little did we know that we would be engaging in those dances later that night. There was a fire; there were spectators, and a single speaker, which played traditional Bai music hooked up to a phone. We gathered in a circle, joined by some of the woman of the village, and began to dance. It was a little difficult at first but the group soon got the hang of it. We then watched a group of about five fifty through eighty-year old women perform a traditional dance using a baton with bells on the end. After an exciting day we headed back to our rooms, exhausted. It wouldn’t be a proper trip to Stone Dragon without some relaxing morning-time mushroom picking. So after two hours we walked back with bags barely filled with shrooms that we would later find out were, for the most part, inedible. We were however able to enjoy the fruits of our labors, at a restaurant that cooked the remaining mushrooms for us. You know you’re at a good “cook it yourself” restaurant in China when you are sitting half-a-foot off the ground and half blinded by smoke from the grill – the grilled fish was delicious. We washed our hands, said goodbye to Stone Dragon, and stepped back into the bus headed back to Shaxi.

-Brandon, Christian, Morgan

July 2

We started our last week in Shaxi with new experiences full of fun and adventure. On Tuesday afternoon we learned a tradition shi long dance with Aliu. She taught us four sequences of the traditional dance and in the end we put it all together to music. The dance moves were difficult and challenging, but we tried our best and had a blast. We danced in the square and about half way through a shop owner gave us some freshly picked plums. The dance represented farming and how they had to work hard in order to eat. Throughout the dance there were multiple people who joined in, but there were also groups of spectators who took pictures and videos of us. Overall the dance was fun and a great experience. It taught us a lot about a Chinese culture. Aliu taught us that in shi longs culture a tradition is that, once you learn how to walk you learn how to dance, and once you learn how to talk you learn how to sing.

On Thursday our afternoon activity was silk flower making. We basically made flowers out of dyed pantyhose, wire, and washy tape. This was a challenge for a number of us, but in the end we all created beautiful flowers. We learned how to make a stargazer lily. After we finished our lilies the teacher showed us how to make a rose. If all of us tried to make a rose it would have taken hours, but she made one in 15 minutes. The lily we made represents 100 years of marriage. She gave extra supplies to people who wanted to practice and said practice makes perfect.

– Cat Vonnie Kaci

July 6

Ni hao friends and family!

We have had a very busy past few days with limited access to a strong wifi signal, but I look forward to sharing photos as soon as I am able. I wanted to let you know that all is well here in China as we prepare for our final day in Beijing. Today…we get to climb the GREAT WALL! And…it is Christian’s birthday 🙂

Our departure from Shaxi a few days ago was complete with an incredible concert by local musicians and live dancing from our beloved dance teacher Aliu. We then traveled to Dali for an amazing tie-dye afternoon and over night wander through the town. Our final leg of the trip was back to Kunming where we celebrated an early July 4th with an american dinner (surprise to the students, quite a few milk shakes and happy faces)! Yesterday was our journey all around Beijing, a long day of exploring and walking the Forbidden City and a special hot pot dinner.

More soon…we are about to start our last day together. Going to miss everyone SO much, what an incredible journey we have all had together! Everyone seems both excited to go home and sad to say farewell to one another. Many friendships have been formed complete with massive giggle fests and fun times. China will not be the same without this crew!

Jennifer Palmer