Time Capsule Letter

“Yo yo yo” (“yo what’s up?”),

Hi Carmen, Clare, Eli, Emma, Genny, Izzy, Juan, Kylee, Lilly, Marcello, Marcus, Merrick, Milan, Sophia (Greco), Sophie, Subha, Varadha, and Yoav (alphabetical order, first name),

Thank you for sharing this 21 day journey in the DR with us. Many memories still live in my mind very vividly: bus rides with Señor Jaime, walking to the chocolate factory, sweating in Caño Dulce with Mongo, eating at Jonny’s house, the eye-opening trip to Dajabon… As you read this, you are most likely back in school. However, please know that we think about you: the impact you had on us, the joint-learning we experienced together, and the fun we had.

Knowing that you left the DR understanding that we came here to learn by experiencing many issues means the world to us. That was the point, and it warms our hearts/gives us hope to know that you did so with such humility, maturity, and respect. We trust that this experience will inform your commitment to be “people of service” in your communities for the rest of your lives. At the same time, you should know that the work you did was and will continue to be impactful. Without the 7e/GLA partnership, it is very unlikely that Mongo would have the house that he now has. Thus, without your desire to learn, to be a part of the solution, that would not have been possible.

In addition to the learning and impact, let’s remember the fun times we shared. Personally, one of my favorite fun moments was running around on the beach in the dark playing cops and robbers as others did yoga & star gazed. Thank you for bringing out my inner little Ricky. What about “shhh/boom/yaaa” or Merrick’s whale impersonation? Those laughs were awesome, thank you for creating those moments with us.

We worked hard, and because we did so as a team, we succeeded. Things were far from perfect, we had many unexpected moments (car stuck in the sand, road to chocolate factory closed, etc.) and because your PMA was strong, everything worked out. I encourage to continue focusing on solutions, as things won’t always work out as planned. It is up to us to decide: what do we do? I invite you to “make the best of what you have with what you’ve got.” Every moment matters, and we get to decide what we focus on. As I reflect on all groups that I’ve worked with, I can’t remember a strong group PMA. Awesome work team.

Remember the Group’s OMG (“One Meaningful Goal”)? You committed yourselves to staying connected and expanding your roles as global citizens. It would be awesome to know how that’s going. What changes have you made?

Thank you for the great memories that we made together.

With Love,

Anna Sombrio

Ric Barron

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Tuesday July 9, 2019

Hello families! All students have arrived safely, and everyone is getting settled and getting to know one another here at our beautiful home base lodge! We did orientation and got to greet Juan who arrived a bit later.

All in all it was an awesome first day here in the beautiful Dominican Republic, and we can’t wait for the next 3 weeks!

Stay tuned for more blog posts about our adventures!

(Juan is not pictured due to late arrival).

-GLA Staff

Thursday July 11, 2019

Yesterday we went to a local community, Cane Dulce and worked on building a bottle house. Some groups mixed concrete, some nailed the wire to the walls and filled them with bottles, and others applied concrete to the walls. We got to interact with the locals and even met the guy who is going to live in the house we were building!

Today we went to a chocolate factory where a Peace Corps Volunteer is actively working. The factory was run by local women and they showed us the chocolate making process. While walking to the factory, we got to see some beautiful scenery and the local people. Also, every authentic meal we have had so far is delicious!

Saturday July 13, 2019

Today we went back to the bottle house today and worked for another 3-4 hours on it. One of the locals also took us on a tour of his bee farm which makes AWESOME honey that we have the opportunity to buy. Later, we went to the beach and first played charades as an icebreaker and then did a trivia game with DR facts. Also, we got to help some locals move their car that was stuck in the sand and it was super cool to see all of the team work with our group and other people who came to assist.

-Juan and Sophie

Monday July 15 through Wednesday July 17, 2019

Santo Domingo Excursion

On Monday, the group packed our bags and left on a 4-5 hr bus ride to the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo. We arrived safely at our hostel after a couple short stops for lunch and snacks. The group highly enjoyed the air conditioned rooms and warm showers. When we arrived in Santo Domingo, we visited the historical sites and old town. The group shopped in the colonial zone and ate some delicious pizza for our first meal in the city. The city was full of life, and it was awesome.

Tuesday we visited a US Aid organization that aimed to assist moms of age 11-24 continue schooling. Students took care of children (newborn-4yrs), playgrounds and helped warehouse staff. Afterwords, we stopped for sandwiches and delicious smoothies. From there, we went to the National Park, Tres Ojos. There, we observed the underground lakes and caves. We then returned to the hostel, walked to a traditional dinner, and reflected on our first week.

Today we began our adventure home and readied ourselves for the long bus ride back. On our way home, we stopped at Wine to Water. This is an organization that creates and delivers water filters to communities in need. The students helped make the filters and place them in the kiln. Wine to Water also provided lunch for the group; including rice, beans, veggies and chicken. After buying stickers, hats and shirts, we continued our journey home. We will soon be arriving back at the lodge with lots of souvenirs and great memories of the capital.

Friday July 19, 2019

This morning we had a strong start. One of the leaders of the day gave a little speech encouraging camaraderie. After breakfast we took a two hour bus ride to 27 charcos and people made the time productive by sleeping, reading, or by making friendship bracelets. When we got to 27 charcos, we hiked for about thirty minutes before hitting the first water fall.

In total we jumped or slid off of 5 different waterfalls, varying in height anywhere from 7 to 40 feet high. One had a separate pool area you could swim over to (like a jacuzzi but ICE cold). We were all helping each other climb up into the pool before we slid back down and continued our journey downriver. The very last waterfall was both a slide and a cliff, and it also had a ladder so you could climb back up to go multiple times.

After hiking back to the gear area, we changed, got back into the bus, and were then on our way to lunch. Lunch was great (it even rained!) but after we got back on the bus it wouldn’t start so we had to get out and help push. When it started, almost everyone fell asleep before we got to a more touristy area where we broke off into groups. Some went to a supermarket to get snacks, while others went to a cafe to get smoothies, crepes, and/or brownies. The group that went to the cafe also ended up stopping in at a few shops causing them to be just a little bit late back to the bus.

After arriving back to home base we had some free time until dinner. In our evening activity we continued discussing the positive and negative impacts of voluntourism. We also spilt into groups to create policies on different issues including handouts, religion, opposing beliefs, healthcare, and environmental protection. At the end each group presented their policy along with what they would do in a situation they were given. Overall, the day was so much fun and we also got to learn a little at the end of the day.

Monday July 22, 2019

On Monday we woke up early, and got on the bus at 6 am to drive to Dajabón (locates on the border with Haiti). On the way there we stopped at a Haitian batey. It is a settlement that was originally created for immigrant Haitians who moved to the Dominican Republic to work on sugar cane farms, but after the collapse of the industry, most rely on temporary construction work for their livelihoods. After a long bus ride we arrived in Dajabón.

We visited the Dajabón border market, the biggest market in the Western Hemisphere. It was extremely chaotic, everyone was constantly moving. We got to see the exchange of goods between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and also how people from the two neighboring countries interact with each other. We walked around food and clothing stands.

We learned that a lot of the clothing that was being sold by Haitians was aid received from other countries. Exhausted from the heat and the chaos of the market, we returned to the bus. The journey back was much longer than the one there because of all the checkpoints (where soldiers would sometimes ask people for documentation), but we made it back to the lodge safe and sound.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Last night we spent our evening at the beach playing games. We also had free time where we first continued one of the games, and then broke off into groups to either do yoga or play cops and robbers. Today, we had a late start with breakfast at 9! We spent the morning at the lodge working on our capstones.

For these projects, we split into partners to create a culminating presentation encompassing everything we’ve learned on the trip. We all have different projects, with topics ranging from spreading political awareness to educating young women. We worked on our projects until lunch, and then we left to visit a peace core volunteer based here in the DR. The area Evette (the volunteer) is based in is the area where the Mirabal sisters lived (in case you’ve read In the Time of the Butterflies).

She led us around her community and we stopped in people’s houses to talk to them and ask questions. We also went to see one of the volunteer’s projects which was a women’s group that works as a savings bank for its members, as well as making and selling cleaning solution to the community.

-by Lily and Sophia

Monday July 29, 2019

Hi,

It’s us. What’s up fam? We are coming back! On our way to airport with a positive mental attitude and a heavy/happy collective heart.

With love,

The Collective

Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe it has already been so long since our GHI, Dominican Republic trip ended! I can still remember the delicious Sancocho, the juicy pineapples and the sweet juices that our amazing chefs prepared for us.

Often times, it seems like yesterday that we were swimming in the lodge pool, meeting a lot of people in the brigades, mixing cement, and digging and digging for the families in las Canas and the water tank in Cano Dulce. You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in the Dominican Republic we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

You all worked really hard at the service site, in las Canas and in Cano Dulce, so much sweat and laughter during those long days but the impact you made is what you should be proud of. We achieved a lot! Your commitment and hard work left an impact in the humble people of Las Canas. I am sure those kids will remember the new english words you taught them, and the families that we constructed the bathroom for, they will always think of you as hard workers.

Another thing I can’t forget is how much fun we had together here! We experienced the beauty of the Dominican Republic snorkeling in crystal clear waters in Sosua, swimming in ancient Cenotes at Dudu Lagoon and getting an exfoliating bath in Rio Yasica.

Our evenings were full of activities, do you remember the leadership activity every day?. We also get to know each other in our nightly mentor groups,

Remember our OMG -One Meaningful Goal-?
“Become global citizens by recruiting friends and peers to participate in service projects and/or trips”

A few memorable moments from this session:

– All the birthdays and cake we had from day one till the last day (and Louben’s birthday every day!)
– The bonfire at the beach on our last day
– Hearing from Loubens and Junior about their personal stories on the Divided Island activity.
– Spending time in the hammocks (until they broke) every afternoon.

And so much more… We hope that the memories we shared stayed and continue to impact you as if was the first day!

Many hugs,
Brayan, Naomi, Olivia, Joselin, Carlos, Loubens & Junior

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Monday July 29, 2019

Buenas noches from the land of palm trees!! This is the mentors for the GHI group!

All the kids made it safe and sound to our beautiful lodge in Las Canas, a little community in the north shore of the island of Hispaniola.

We visited the local beach, played some icebreakers and had the chance to swim in the pool right before dinner.. We enjoyed, as Marc Anthony would say, un arroz con habichuelas and after introductions and orientation the kids are happily sleeping now.

From now on, the Leaders of the Day a.k.a your daughters and sons will be in charge of writing the blog every night.

We are very excited for our very first service day tomorrow!!

Wednesday July 31, 2019

¡Hola familias! This is our Day 3 Blog:

Today groups 1 and 2 headed to a local community to help with a medical clinic for the locals. Groups 3 and 4 worked with 7 elements on making a bathroom for a family in Las Canas. Although it was hot out, the GLA students were excited for their first opportunity to help out on their first GLA service activity.

Also, both groups interacted with the local communities on a very personal level. The students in the clinic helped with registration and some even scribed for the local doctor, they translated words from Spanish to English. Especially Ashley in group 1 translated for a community leader at the brigades to relay his message of thanks to the GLA and 7 Elements volunteers. Additionally, the students in Las Canas worked on building a bathroom for a family, played with local children, and visited the beach.

All together, it was a great start to the two weeks and today’s leaders (Diana, Grace, and Jenna) tried their best to lead an activity with the game Mafia. Many students spent time in the pool and bonded through friendship bracelets. Overall, it was a solid start to the week and a fun way for students to interact, integrate, and spend quality time both together and with local members of the Dominican community.

– by Diana, Grace, and Jenna

Thursday August 1, 2019

Today groups 1 and 2 went to Las Canas to continue building the bathrooms and digging a hole for the septic tank. During breaks the students loved playing soccer with the local children. It was really hot out but everyone was able to persevere and we’re really proud of all the good work we got done.

Groups 3 and 4 went on the medical brigrade and found the work so fulfilling and eye opening. We had so much fun with all of the little kids who were running around with the biggest smiles on their faces, and loved serving the community together. Being primarily Haitian, the community spoke Creole and Spanish. For lunch, the groups took shifts eating burritos After finishing at the medical brigade, we toured the local town before heading back to the home base.

Friday August 2, 2019

¡Hola!

Today we went on a 30 minute boat ride on the river to the beach. The scenery was amazing with many animals like cows and many palm trees. We also saw residences along the river enjoying their day.

After the boat ride, we arrived on the beach and and the weather was beautiful and sunny. The water was warm and clear with clay to exfoliate our skin. We spent some free time there and walked to a nearby restaurant as a group.

We were served rice and beans, chicken and pasta which the restaurant served us and had a choice of tropical pina coladas or coconut water to purchase, which made the experience more unique.

After the restaurant we had more free time on the beach and then took the boat ride back.

We got the chance to stop at a supermarket on the way back to home base to purchase snacks and drinks etc.

At 7pm, we walked to the beach and saw the sunset together while taking photos. We ended a day with a lecture on Infectious disease

Leaders of the day:
Marlen, Kyra and Chris

Saturday August 3, 2019

Today, mentor groups one and three took a van to one of the local communities and set up a medical brigade. The students went to their designated stations, such as registration, vitals, interview, pharmacy, etc. and were able to assist in the process of getting the individuals in the community to see the doctor. Once the patients had seen the doctor they made their way to the pharmacy located inside a school house. At the pharmacy the students put the prescribed medication in a paper bag and a GLA mentor acted as a translator and described the directions for each medication. Each student left the medical brigade knowing that they had done something simple, yet significant, and were able to impact individuals in a positive way.

-Rebecca Matos

Our lecture activity today was the divided island movie. The movie explained the division between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The racism and hatred between the two connected countries which create different socioeconomic issues are laid out. Our local directors, Junior, Lubenz, and Walner all explained their personal journeys and stories as they are all of Haitian descent. It was a very eye opening experience which gives students insight into the dynamics of developing countries.

– Rahul

Today we worked on two bathrooms. In one village we dug a hole that will in the end be 6 feet deep. In the other village we cemented a bathroom that we worked on earlier in the week. During our breaks we were able to play soccer with the kids. The day was overall really fun and epic.

– Kaya

Sunday August 4, 2019

Hello!!

Today, groups 1 and 3 went to the community to finish the bathroom and continue the septic tank projects and groups 2 and 4 participated on other brigade in a local community.

We were able to finish cementing the bathroom walls, and got a chance to play with some of the local kids on break. We got so much done today despite the heat and are really proud of how we finished the bathroom. We also reached 4 and half feet in the septic tank hole, meaning we only have to dig another 1 and half feet.

As leaders of the day, we decided that today everyone would turn in their phones from 4-8:30 in order to connect more with each other and our surroundings and be more mindful. Although many people were hesitant at the beginning, in the end we believe that almost everyone enjoyed being unplugged for a few hours.

We also learned a lot today, as the lecture was on common health dilemmas. We were all pushed to step into uncomfortable and complicated medical situations, and had to consider different sustainable and ethical solutions. This was very eye opening and educational and we enjoyed it very much.

another day another brigade
saving the world day by day
working away without pay
another day another brigade

It was also Sophia and Anya’s birthday so we celebrated them today

-Bella, Ally, and Zac

Monday August 5, 2019

¡Hola familias!

Today we woke up super early and had breakfast to start the day with lots of energy!

We drove for 10 min to the Caño Dulce community and worked on the water tank that will provide running water for 90 families in the area. The community got named after the little creek that crosses it but due to the severe drought it is now dry. This increased the risk of living and sanitation in the community.

Our goal was to build a tank and dig trenches for the distribution of water. The tank is located on top of a hill, so gravity will allow the water to easily be piped back down to the community.

We started our work with a community assessment, visiting finished projects and we were introduced to some of the locals that were beneficiaries from the bathroom bottle programs earlier this summer. We rotated in many stations such as carrying cement to the top, mixing cement and helping the mason, digging the trench, and a looooooong human chain to pass along buckets and tools.

After we got all the cement to the top of the hill we had to send up cinder blocks. During the assembly line we all drank lots of water and energy packets. The kids were so nice and helped us clean the shovels afterwards. When we got home we had pool time and after we had an activity of meditation on the beach!!

Tonight we went into our mentor groups and some of the groups went to the beach and saw a shooting star!! Tomorrow there is a run at 7:30 that anyone can go to and Carlos will be leading the run on the beach!!

– by Eva, Ziyan, and Mallory

Tuesday August 6, 2019

Hi everyone!

Today we went to Dudú Lagoon, which is a super clear lagoon here in the DR! We jumped into the lagoon and played beach volleyball. The water was super clear and refreshing! We also ate lunch at a restaurant at the lagoon.

After lunch we went to Playa Preciosa, which is a picture-perfect beach. There were cool vendors where we bought jewelry and got our hair braided (almost everyone got a braid)! We hung out at the beach and had a friend ceremony for Olivia and Bryan (two counselors). For the rest of the time at the beach, we enjoy jumping over waves, taking pictures, and having fun in the sun. Luckily, it didn’t start raining until we got back to the lodge.

After dinner we participated in a capstone lecture. Meaning, we were put into groups where we chose one of five topics regarding health concerns in the Dominican Republic. Some examples are respiratory illness and traffic concerns. Each group then created a poster and presentation about their topic. This included why it was sustainable, a plan of action, and how it would work. The groups competed to win a million dollar grant. The winners were “Dominican Initiative for Mother Protection” and “Pulmones of the DR.”

Sincerely,
Sophia, Destiny, and Sarah

Wednesday August 7, 2019

¡Que lo que!

The GLA students spent today finishing up the water tank in the Caño Dulce community. Despite the hot weather and sun, we were incredibly resilient and did a great job helping the community gain access to clean water. After work on the water tank, Johnny, a community leader, gave us a tour of his bee garden. He showed us how to harvest honey which was really cool.

Then the group went to get ice cream from a shop in the community. That the ice cream was delicious!. After a long day in the village we came back to the lodge, some sooner than others due to heat related issues, and enjoyed a much needed break to socialize and sleep.

Once we finished dinner we did a group activity on the beach and saw a beautiful sunset. We ended our day with a dance party filled with the Dominican bachata, merengue and other modern songs. Overall a great day 10 and we can’t wait to experience our last few days of the trip!

– by Meaghan, Helen, and Elizabeth

Thursday August 8, 2019

Good night!

Mentor groups 2&3 went to work on the septic tank/bathroom today. Half of us sanded down the soft concrete with rocks, making it so there were no bumps or rough spots. Then we painted the sanded concrete walls of the bathroom blue. We started making concrete to lay on the floor of the bathroom. As this was happening the other half of the group worked at the septic tank. At the septic tank, we finished digging the hole until it was deep enough for the mason to start with cinder blocks. Then carried cinder blocks and mixed concrete to hold together the blocks.

Today groups 1 and 4 had “vitamin distribution” for our service. It was pretty much the same as the brigade days, since we had the same jobs. We saw and treated 50 patients including young mothers, babies, toddlers, a blind man, etc. We work in different stations, including vitals, interview, pharmacy, doctor, and registration.

Today the positions were as follows:

Vitals
BP: Sophia
HR: Charlotte
Runners: Eva, Sarah
Notes: Helena
Height and weight: Anya and Rebecca
Pharmacy: Zac, Jenna, Kyler
Doctor: McKenzie, Marlen
Registration: Leo, Meaghan, Helen
Interview: Rahul, Bella, Diana

Overall, it was a very successful and fun day with the vitamin distribution group. We worked through language barriers with a mixture of French, Spanish, and Creole speakers. The vitals team struggled with two small kids that were adamant about not having their heart rate tested.

We tried many different ways to distract them with drawings, pens, and other miscellaneous things but our attempts were fruitless. It was a frustrating yet comedic experience. The group became familiar with the local dogs, one of whom we nicknamed “Chaco.” After we were all done with our stations we waited for the doctor to finish up with the patients.

In the meantime, we enjoyed a few games together, playing on the swings, and socializing with the local children. We were very impressed with one boy who surprised us with fluent English, although he failed to tell Leo this before registration. Poor Leo struggled the whole time to converse in Spanish, completely oblivious to the fact the boy could speak perfect English.

Then, when we got back to the lodge we had pool time from 4-5, then we had free time until dinner. We had amazing tacos. Then, we had free time until our lecture about entrepreneurship and did an activity on the projects around the world and we had to decide if they would work or would not work based on the information provided.

At the end of the night, in our free time, the group shared a strange but wonderful moment, when we were all on the ground laughing together.

-by Dani, Charlotte and Maddie

Friday August 9, 2019

Hola!!!

Tiday groups 1 and 4 went to the community of Caño Dulce and worked on finishing the bottle house, this wasn’t our project but we had already finished the septic tank and the bathroom. The bathroom was built for a family who did not have a restroom in their home. The septic tank was built so that the houses surrounding could have a safe way to keep their waste without it running into their drinking water, potentially causing diarrheal infections. these two groups painted two rooms of the almost finished bottle house bright blue!

Because it was our last day coming into these communities, it was really fulfilling to know what we did had helped so many people, but it was also sad to know we were done visiting and bonding with the people we have met along the way. finally! Junior and the mason at the bottle house had a rap battle! it was intense, junior called the mason a old lady and the mason called junior a worm. Overall it was a great day!!!

Also, groups 2 and 3 went to the clinic for the last time. We were able to help 49 people in the community of Cuesta Barrosa, it was really meaningful to help almost 50 people and to know that we had done this so many times before as well. Overall, it was a really great learning experience to treat patients in a clinic like setting, and to experience helping others even with a language barrier.

-Leo, Ashley, and Ellie

Saturday August 10, 2019

Today, with our exciting adventure coming to an end, we went on our final excursion. We started off the day with breakfast, then hopped on the bus and headed to Sosua beach. When we got to the beach we went on some smaller boats that took us to a yacht. We boarded the yacht, and went to a coral reef farther out in the ocean. We then took turns jumping off the boat into the ocean and swam off with our mentors to see the beautiful coral reefs.

Afterwards, we were treated to pizza for lunch along with piña coladas, frozen lemonade and strawberry daiquiris! We also spent some time on the beach and shopped around the town. When we came back to the base, we had dinner and walked to the beach afterward to be treated with a bonfire and marshmallows as our last hurrah!

Overall, we all had an amazing time on this trip and made some great friendships that will last a lifetime!

Also, Happy Birthday to Maddie Murphy, and Happy Birthday to Zac Braddy on the 11th!

-Maddie Murphy, Abby Tammaro, and Helena Hanna

Time Capsule Letter

¡Hola GLA Global Citizens!

I’m sure you all miss falling asleep to the sounds of nature (or pounding Reggaeton music til 3 in the morning), or waking up to sounds of cows mooing and hens cock-a-doodle-do-ing. Or waking up to the sweet melody of your top bunk roomie’s alarm clock going off for 10 minutes straight. How about our delicious breakfast of eggs, pancakes, cereal and toast every morning? Or the smell of bug spray and sunscreen blowing into our cabins by a rare but much needed breeze?

Ohh, I know we all miss when the water pressure would go weak mid-shower because everyone else is also showering off the cement from their legs. Then, there is always the good old shower companion that startles you when you catch a glimpse of the lizard or frog on the wall! Ahh, yes… the many nights spent trapping giant spiders in a plate and a bowl. Oh the joys of cabin life! But it’s these little quirks that allowed us all to bond so quickly in just 14 days!

When we weren’t running around screaming our heads off from harmless bugs, we were swimming in the refreshing pool, cooling off from a hard days work at service. Or sitting in the back pavilion chatting away with all of our new friends after a trip to the gift shop for snacks. We ate the best rice, beans, and fruit in the world, roasted marshmallows by the bonfire while stargazing, and built sandcastles with the softest sand! Instead of being on our phones, we played UNO and capture the flag, and danced bachata and merengué.

We went to so many beautiful beaches, swam in crystal clear ocean water, lagoons and caves! We haggled prices with local vendors and got our hair braided— shout out to all the boys! We embarked on a catamaran boat ride to our beautiful snorkeling destination and saw vibrant colored fish swimming below us. And don’t forget the memorable boat ride in Río de Yásica, where we took mud bathes and painted Brayan with black sand. We experienced the most beautiful sunsets which painted the sky pink, orange, and purple, before learning about global issues like voluteerism ethics or global infectious diseases.

Like many who visit the Dominican Republic, we enjoyed delicious beverages while relaxing in the sun, with our toes in the sand. But our experience was much more than that, our experience will live on in our hearts, our experience was unique and empowering. We sweat like we’ve never sweat before carrying buckets of water and cement up the hill on water tank days. We interviewed hundreds of local Dominicans about their aches and pains and were able to give them medical treatment they might not have received had we not traveled to that remote community. We traveled here to learn about WHO the Domincan Republic is.

We witnessed a different way of living as local families in rural and small communities welcomed us into their homes and shared their stories with us. We saw the struggles and strides that people in the DR face daily. We get to leave the DR with so much more then a sun tan. Our local Director, Loubens, shared with us the difficulties that Haitian people in the Dominican Republic face everyday. Johnny, the bee-keeper, informed us that he became a honey-maker because that was what he knew how to do and also, that there wasn’t much work elsewhere (and that bee stings are his medicine!). Nicolesa expressed her gratitude to us and explained how having a bathroom would change her and her family’s life.

Our hearts and minds feel full and inspired to continue to learn about global issues and take action. We learned about how we allow inequality into our everyday lives and how people from all over the world are given different opportunities based on the color of their skin or the place in which they were born.

We learnt how to become Global Citizens of the world and how to contribute to global issues. Remember your goal of informing others of global issues and participating in service to your community on a local level.

We hope you all feel empowered to make changes in these systems. Although you are home now, surrounded by all of your comforts, we hope you continue to travel and gain a worldly view. Continue to educate and inspire those around you. We hope you always carry an open mind and an open heart.

Thank you for making this experience everything that it was! You have inspired and taught us along the way and we hope that you continue to BE THE CHANGE that you want to see in this world!

I love my team!! GHI, GHI!!

Your Team,

Olivia, Naomi, Brayan, Andréa, MG, Loubens, Halle

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Saturday July 13, 2019

Hola from the Dominican Republic!

All 31 of our Global Health Initiatve students have made it safe and sound to our beautiful beachside homebase! Students were greeted by our in country team and tons of fresh fruit upon arrival!

After settling in and exploring our new home away from home, we had a traditional Dominican style dinner called, “la bandera,” which includes rice, beans, chicken and veggies!

As our first night comes to a close we are all falling asleep to the sounds of giggles between newly made friends, the distant crash of waves hitting the shore and the woosh of a fan cooling down our cabins.

We can’t wait for all the fun that will follow in the upcoming days together and are excited by the anticipated impact that we will have on the public health of the community that we have joined for the next two weeks.

Check back soon to learn more about our first day of service and our first full day in paradise!

Happy travels!

Mary Gannon
GLA Program Mentor

Sunday July 14, 2019

Today we visited the village of Caña Dulce. We split up into groups to utilize our time to get the most done and to learn how to properly organize everything. The different groups were an assembly line up carrying up supplies like buckets of water, rocks, and sand. Another group was creating concrete to help the local people cement the cinderblocks for the towns water tower.

The third group was digging a trench for the water tower to flow. The last group was digging a latrine for a family to have plumbing. We all got a chance to work in each group and all got a chance to start making some connections with some of the locals on the community. Today we all gained teamwork skills and a lot of knowledge about the importance of hygiene and cleanliness, highlighting water access and bathroom sanitation. After a lot of sweat and hard work we were able to come back to home base and cool off in the pool.

Hi Mom,Dad, and Carla! BLEHHHHHH!!!! -Tina

Hi Mom, Dad, Julian, and Rosie!!!! I LOVE U -Camilla

Leaders of the day: Christina and Camilla

Monday July 15, 2019

Clinic Visit and Training

Today we woke up and had yet another delicious breakfast. We then took a 20ish minute drive to “Janet’s” super market. There kids were able to re-stalk on snacks and treats or whatever else they needed. Janet’s had a bag check so we didn’t bring our bags in. The store was very big and had a lot of American products in it. We the proceeded to the clinic after our shopping was done.

When we got back to home base we got changed and hung out wherever we wanted to. We then did training for the brigade. We learned how to take vitals, such as temperature, weight, and height all in Spanish. Then after dinner we learned about different types of human security and went to bed.

-Tara Cumiskey & Ana Sofia Harrison

Tuesday July 16, 2019

Today after a great breakfast we split into two groups to do two community service activities.

One group of 16 GLA students walked to a house at Las Canas to build a bathroom and a latrine. We got a quick demonstration about how we were going to build the bathroom and the advantages of using plastic bottles in the walls. These advantages included adding insulation so that the inside would be warmer when it was cold out and cold when it was warm out. It also uses a resource that is plentiful since the local tap water is not drinkable and they must use the plastic bottles.

We used sweet wire to help the plastic bottles in place and used chicken wire in either side to close in the bottles making sure to not let any bubbles in. Meanwhile, while half were working on the bathroom, the other half worked to dig out a 6x7ft hole in order to serve as a latrine for the family’s bathroom that was being constructed. The group going there tomorrow will finish putting the bottles in the wall and start putting rough concrete on the walls.

On the other hand the second group worked at a clinic in the town Reunion. We split up into four groups, three kids working at registration, three at the interviews, five doing vitals, one scribing for the doctor and three working in the pharmacy. Everyone worked very hard and for a long time to achieve getting through a total of 43 patients, all leaving with the medicine they needed! After a long, hot day at the clinic everyone rested on the long bus ride home to come back to the hotel and enjoy pool time with the other group and a great dinner.

Sincerely,

Your leaders of the day, liv, Jonas and Kenyon

We’re having a great time here the DR, miss you Dad, Mom, Toby and Emma! -Jonas

Hi mom, dad and Jimmossss. Love you and miss you – liv

Hi mom and dad! – Kenyon

Wednesday July 17, 2019

Today, many of the boys and Hillary dug out more of the drainage pit. Unfortunately, a large rainfall washed in what seemed to be countless gallons of water. To add to the issues the dirt piles blocked runoff water from draining away. While Hillary worked on removing the water from the pit, the boys dug a canal around the house to drain the water out of the construction area. Eventually, everything was running smoothly and a lot of progress was made.

Meanwhile, a big group of us worked on the insulated bathroom walls. Plastic bottles were arranged in between chicken wire (maya) and sweet wire (alambrae). We used nails called grampas and pulled the chicken wire tightly over the bottles and hammered it in place. Once the skeleton of each wall was finished, we started cementing the inside and outside of the bathroom. Between the mud from the rain and the cement, we all got very dirty. We worked for about 4 hours and had some well deserved free time afterwards.

The other half of the group went to work in the clinic. We split up into different stations so the day would run smoothly. These stations were registration, taking vitals, clinical interviews with patients, shadowing the doctor, and working in the pharmacy. As the day slowed down, some of us went to play basketball. Some local kids ended up joining the fun and demonstrated their skills as they showed us up!!!

Hi! Mom, Dad, Chiara, Stella, and Rachel! Miss you!

-Caden

Hi Mom, Dad, Gypsy, and Dolly. Miss you guys !

-Shirley

Hi! Mom, Dad, Spencer, Buffy, Gamo, and Pop! I love and miss you all so much!

-harper

Thursday July 18, 2019

Hi!!!

This morning, we started the day with a yoga session. We performed sun salutations and did a calming meditation. Then we had breakfast and left home base at 10 for our excursion. We drove to the rio Yaisica and took a beautiful boat ride down the river. We arrived later at the beach where the fresh and salt water mixed. It was gorgeous, on one side of the beach we could see the ocean and the other side was the river where we swam. We swam for two hours, some people tanned while other played games in the water. The girls also had a little photoshoot while the boys explored the land. For lunch, we walked down the beach to the restaurant. If we wanted we could order piña coladas and eat from the buffet!

Hi mom, dad, and carter! I love you! -Nicole

Friday July 19, 2019

Today we were woken up by rain however by breakfast time it had stopped. For breakfast we had bread, oatmeal, fruit, frosted flakes, granola and hot chocolate. My group and group 4 went to the bathroom site. We got a lot done, only 3 more panels to cement and the 6 foot hole for sewage was finished and Hilary, Tina, Catherine and Angle, along with later John, Gabe and few of the local kids had to clear a path from the giant pile of mud. For lunch we had chicken, rice, beans, fruit and salad.

After lunch a few of the students got to hangout with a few of the local kids, and got some photos with them (of course with their parents permission). The local kids are not only very smart with some speaking more than one language, but are very strong. After a beautiful walk back on the beach to home base, we had free time before dinner (no pool today 🙁 ). For dinner we had mac and cheese, potatoes, chicken, vegetables, fruits and pineapple juice. Then we got to watch the sunset from the beach, which was beautiful. Everyone got tons of photos of the amazing landscape.

After the beach walk, we had a lecture about infectious diseases and did a cool activity showing how infectious diseases spread. We are officially halfway through the program, which is insane but time flies when your having fun. I miss Canada my friends and family, as well as hockey, but if they are reading this, just know I have bought some pretty unique things to bring home for y’all. Peace out.

Saturday July 20, 2019

After a delicious breakfast made up of cereal, toast, hot chocolate and more we split into two groups to complete community work. During our visit to the house in Las Canas, we continued to work on the bathroom and the latrine. We split up into groups in which half of us were mixing smooth cement using sifted sand, water, and concrete mix. While one group focused on making the cement, the other group spent the day plastering the cement on the walls of the bathroom.

While groups one and three worked at the medical brigade our group divided into different stations. The patients first went to registration, where we would take their name, date of birth, age, and gender. Next the patients went through an interview process where we identified their medical history with questions about diabetes, hypertension, allergies, medication and reason for their visit.

After the interview patients were guided to the vital station. When vitals were taken, the patients would see the doctor The doctor would examine, create a diagnosis and prescribe medication. Lastly, the patient would receive medication at the pharmacy. The entire process is free! We ended up helping a total of 44 patients today.

Hi Mom, Dad, Maana, Maalav, and Avant and everone else!! I love and miss you guys so much! -Shayna

Hi Mom, Dad, Fallon, Melody, Samantha, and everyone else! I love and miss you all! -Angel

Hey Mom, Dad, Logan, and Margie!! Love and miss you!! See ya soon! -Libby

July 21, 2019

The day started out quite normal. Breakfast, normally served at 8, was at 9, meaning the volunteers had a little more sleep. After finishing breakfast we were told that there would be a surprise waiting for us after the project.

Around 10, we went again to the water tank (the first time being exactly one week ago). We did a lot of the same as the first time; building up the water tank on top of the hill for the community.

Volunteers dug trenches, passed materials for cement up the hill, and then mixed the ingredients for concrete. The sun and wasps (which attacked the trench diggers most often) somewhat hindered us. In spite of that, we managed to make more concrete for the masons and expanded a bit more of the trench for today.

As we finished around 2:10, we didn’t go directly to home base but instead to the local beekeeper, Johnny. Johnny’s beehives were a little walk from the village. He had perhaps thousands of busy worker bees in each of his hive boxes which could make a gallon of money depending on the season. Later, we ate some crackers with the honey made from there.

Finally, as we rode back, we discovered the true nature of the surprise- ice cream! A dozen flavors were available: Vanilla to chocolate chip and rum raisin. It took a while for all the orders to be placed, but in the end, it was worth it.

Tomorrow, we go swimming.

Love you mama and papa!

-Gabe

Monday July 22, 2019

Today, we had an adventurous excursion. In the morning, we woke up, ate a delicious breakfast, and left for our adventure, the lagoon. At the lagoon, there were many interesting things to do. Many people chose to go to one side of the lagoon, where we would jump off a platform into the water. Other activities were volleyball and a deep lagoon. Also, there were interesting caves that we could explore.

Later in the day, after a tasty lunch, we went to Playa Preciosa, an interesting and beautiful place. We swam in the water and bought goods from local vendors. Many people bought things from bracelets to necklaces to wooden turtles. We then returned to the lodge and watched the sunset from the beach. Overall, we had an exciting day.

I love and miss you mama, papa, vasya, and tima. -Julian

Leaders of the day: Julian and Alexa

Time Capsule

What an amazing two weeks we had together in the DR! Some of you are probably heading back to school (or even college!) at this point and I want to take a minute to reflect on our time together.

Y’all came from all over the country with a common goal to help people. Thank you for your work in helping bridge the gap in public health and medicine by working so hard in the pop-up clinics, the bottle house bathroom and, who could forget, the water tank! I’m not sure any of us could make it through those tiring days without singing along to everyone’s music or working to solve all of those riddles. It was such a pleasure to witness the team bonding occur throughout our service and in so many ways.

Not only did we work hard, but we played hard too! Spending our excursions on the water at Rio de Yasica, Dudu Lagoon, Playa Preciosa, and GriGri Lagoon was such a refreshing way to catch some rays and relax as a group.

Perhaps what I appreciated most about this group was your willingness to bring forward issues you cared about. This helped shape a culture of honesty and openness where we could dive into meaningful and productive dialogue about a myriad of topics, including the elements of human security.

As you all have settled back into your lives back at home, I am curious as to how this experience has effected you and how it is manifesting in your own life and community. I am looking forward to hearing about other projects you all take on in the pursuit of making a sustainable impact. Thank you again for investing yourself in this way and I hope to see you on a future GLA experience! 🙂

Sincerely,

Andréa (Mentor) and the GHI Team

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Thursday June 27, 2019

Hello to all families and friends of the students on the second session of GLA Global Health Initiative in the Dominican Republic!

Everyone arrived safely today and finally saw where they will be staying for the next two weeks! Before dinner all the students performed swim tests in the pool and checked in with their mentors. At dinner we had a delicious, traditional Dominican meal of rice, beans, chicken, salad, fresh tamarind juice, and some broccoli and potatoes, as well!

Later, we moved into student orientation and discussed the code of conduct together, which was followed by short activities in mentor groups before we all went to bed. No problem with lights out tonight as everyone was very jet lagged! Looking forward to the clinic tour and the training for medical brigade tomorrow!

Friday June 28, 2019

Our first day in the Dominican Republic was filled with lots of new beginnings and getting to know each other. Today, we went to the medical clinic to learn more about the medical field in the DR and to meet the doctor (Dr. Fermin) working at the clinic in Sabaneta, a town nearby our Home Base. We asked him questions concerning his career path, both in the past and for the future.

We also visited the supermarket to exchange money and purchase snacks. After returning back to Home Base, we learned about our jobs at the medical brigades and brushed up on our Spanish. We also visited the beach and ended our day with a lecture about the seven elements of human security. Highlights from today included meeting Dr. Fermin, who we found to be an inspiring individual, and learning about ethical photography practices.

We also met a cute dog on the beach! For lunch, we enjoyed rice with vegetables, pork in tomato sauce, salad, broccoli, and sweet plantains, and for dinner, we had fried fish, pasta in tomato sauce, savory plantains, local fruit, salad, and broccoli. We had a fantastic first day, and are looking forward to many more!

– by Emory, Annika, and Whitney

Saturday June 29, 2019

Hola padres!

Today we split into two different groups. One went to Caño Dulce, where we started building another water bottle bathroom and two latrines for local families who didn’t have an adequate way to dispose of their waste. We were invited for lunch to Johnny’s, one of our community allies and later got to try his homemade honey. The group worked very hard through the heat and made a lot of progress on the bathrooms. For example, some of us started digging a hole that will eventually reach 7ft deep.

The other half of the group went to another local community called Canta la Rana (The frog sings) to support in the medical care for the people there. The medical brigade served around 60 patients and we helped the doctor out by taking vitals of the patients and distributing medicine to them.

After a full day of service, many enjoyed cooling off in the pool. Our nightly lecture included a video and a conversation with a local 7 elements director, Walner, about the relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

We are excited for our second day of service tomorrow when the groups will switch.

Aspen, Julia & Megan

Sunday June 30, 2019

Hi everyone! Today Groups 1 and 2 visited Caño Dulce for the community service projects to build a septic tank and help build the walls to the bathroom. We did this in order to preserve health sanitation and hygiene for the Caño Dulce community. In Caño Dulce, we met a local mason who helped with the construction of a septic tank. There were three groups of students in which they mixed cement for the base, installed plastic water installation for the bathroom, and the last group broke ground for the septic tank. Groups 3 and 4 visited Callejón de la Loma for the medical Brigade.

There 5 stations including registration, interviewing, vitals, doctor assistance and pharmacy. Over 45 patients who were dealing with various medical issues were tended and prescribed medicine. After our long day of service, we headed back to the home base where we went to the beach, pool, and relaxed at the lodge. After dinner, we had public health discussions about HIV and AIDS. We are excited tomorrow for our lagoon excursion!

Adios!!

-Aylin, Maggie, and Daley

Monday July 1, 2019

Buenos días! Today, we embarked on our first excursion! Our day began with a breakfast of pancakes, oatmeal, eggs, toast, and tropical fruit. After, we took a 20 minute bus ride to the riverside of Rio de Yásica. A 30 minute boat ride brought us to a stunning beach where the river meets the ocean. We swam around with some of the locals and enjoyed the sun.

For lunch we ate chicken and pasta at a restaurant by the beach. As a treat, some of us ordered Piña Coladas. Following another hour at the beach, we headed to the supermarket where many of us stocked up on snacks and other essentials for the week. We wrapped up the day with some activities back at home base!

-by Melissa, Sammy, and Emily

Tuesday July 2, 2019

Hola familias bonitas!!

It’s Maggie’s birthday today!!!!

Today marks day six of our service here in the Dominican. Like the other service days, we split into two groups heading to either Caño Dulce or the medical brigade. We have made good progress on our projects as we filled one of the bathroom floors with dirt and cement and continued creating insulation with plastic water bottles in a different bathroom. Those at Caño Dulce played basketball and hung out with the local kids to finish off their hard work.

Those at medical brigade set up in a small community church where they saw new locals in need of their help. They took vitals and prescribed medicine. Mary held a beautiful baby and Daley played the church piano! It was really exciting interacting with a whole different community.

After dinner we split up into groups and came up with solutions for different health dilemma situations. We presented our plans in the form of skits and videos, and discussed their pros and cons. To finish off everyone’s day, we had an amazing dinner and celebrated Maggie’s 15th birthday with a big cake.

-by Sam, Sophie, and Ruby

Wednesday July 3, 2019

¡Hola!

Today was another day full of wonderful experiences. Half of the group set up a medical brigade in Islabon and the other half continued service in Caño Dulce.

The group at Caño Dulce began by finishing insulating the walls with bottles and placing the cement on top. At the medical brigade we helped 52 patients and played with multiple energetic children!

Later in the evening after enjoying a pool day, we ate a dinner of rice, chicken, guandules, avocado, mac&cheese pineapple, and tamarin juice. We then walked to the beach to watch a beautiful sunset and finished the day with a lecture on infectious diseases.

-by Victoria, Esteban, and Akilah

Thursday July 4, 2019

¡Hola!

Today was another great day in Las Canas. We started our day off with an amazing and delicious breakfast made by our wonderful cooks. We had french toast, eggs, fruit, oatmeal, cereal, and some banana smoothie.

After breakfast we all got ready to head out to the community and start our first day working on the water tank. We all split up and got straight to work! Some of us were making concrete while others were part of a chain bringing buckets of sand, water, and rocks all the way up to the top of a hill.

Since we worked so hard we also got a chance to interact with locals and listen to music. We later had lunch all together and enjoyed having fun conversations. After lunch we continued working on the water tank. The weather today was really hot but at the end it started to rain a little. We even got to go to Bón for some delicious Dominican Ice Cream. We got to relax at the lodge and had an informational lecture on mental health.

Overall, we had an amazing day and even though we are super tired we still had a lot of fun and made even more memories! We are also so excited for our excursion tomorrow!!!

Dallana , Daniel , Michael

Saturday July 6, 2019

Hi family!

We started this fantastic morning with a scrumptious breakfast which consisted of pancakes along with Johnny’s honey. If you are unaware, Johnny is a local from Caño Dulce who produces unprocessed honey. Groups 2 and 3 went to Caño Dulce and spent their day concreting the bathroom walls and digging the hole about 3 feet down. José Manual is a 15 year old local who often spends his summer days helping GLA students get their job done. We had an opportunity to chat with kids living in the community.

Groups 1 and 4 spent their day at the brigade where they aided 60 people within the Río San Juan community. We practiced our Spanish while getting to know many of the patients. After finishing a little early, we enjoyed friendly games of hangman and tic tac toe with a few of the families and their children.

After coming back from today’s adventures we enjoyed a nice swim until we noticed a frog which was taken out of the pool by Olivia. We then showered and had a yummy dinner which consisted of a Dominican dish called Sancocho (chicken, yuca, carrots, spices, pumpkin). We celebrated an important milestone for Annika as she turned 17( WHOOT WHOOT) with cake and balloons!!!!!! We all then finished preparing our capstone presentations which are due tomorrow. Lastly we watched an optional movie and ended the night with our mentor groups.

-by Supriya, Gwen, and Olivia

Sunday July 7, 2019

Hello!

Today, was our last day at both the bathroom service and medical brigade. We started our day off with breakfast and then later the medical brigade team left the base at 9:00am and the service team left at 9:30am. Today in the medical brigade we helped out a community by giving them the chance to consult with a doctor and also get any medication that they would need.

In service we spilt into 3 groups. We had a cement group, a group working on the walls of the bathroom, and finally a group that was digging the hole for the latrine. The group working on the latrine managed to dig another couple of feet, almost close to completing the project. The cement mixing group had a great time sifting the sand to create the mixture and interacting with locals. Those who worked on the walls helped the masons to complete the smooth outer layer of the bathroom walls.

In the medical brigade we split into 5 groups: registration, interview, vitals, doctor, and pharmacy. We had the opportunity to interact with the local community members; additionally, we are grateful for the chance to get a first hand medical experience. An event that made our day was an older man even bought the group 2 liters of Coke as a thank you.

Thanks, we miss everyone at home!

Jade, Tattiana, and Ashley

Monday July 8, 2019

¡Hola!

After breakfast, we departed to Caño Dulce for our last day of service! Everyone worked together on the water tank. We strengthened our work ethic from the last service day and improved our communication skills by setting up a rotation system. One group was working with cement at the top of the hill, another was digging the trench, painting the bottle bathroom, and forming an assembly line. We are all very proud of the hard work we put in to help this community. Although we didn’t complete it by the end of our trip, we were able to assist the other workers in making a latrine and the water tank so the community could have access to cleaner water.

By the time we reached the lodge, everyone was very tired! Some enjoyed the pool and others took showers as soon as possible. Then, we all came to the tables for dinner. For dinner, we had lasagna, plantains, salad, broccoli, fruit, and pineapple juice. After dinner, we all came together to discuss how we felt about the day and express any feelings we had. Victoria and Emily did a great job facilitating the conversation! Before we ended the night, we met with our mentor groups.

It was a busy and hard day, but it was very rewarding and we are all very proud of the service we were able to provide!

¡Adios!

Mary Cost, Yusuf Samimi, Maya Yacob

Time Capsule Letter

Hello GHI Session 1 Students!!!

What an amazing and transformative experience we’ve all had! From the service days (lugging sand up that hill and digging that hole!) to jumping off the boat into that crystal clear water at Gri Gri Lagoon, we certainly had an exciting and holistic adventure together. Since many of you are starting school (or college!) at this time, here are a few highlights from the trip to help you reflect on the summer and the growth you have been through.

In our mentor groups and debriefs I remember hearing over and over how the water tank day was the most fulfilling service day for a lot of you. It was a team decision to work together in the “conveyor belt” configuration and despite the incredible heat and hard work, I was so impressed with how high the spirits were as y’all sang through the task in unison.

You deserve to be reminded how much your teamwork made a real difference in this community. Because of your hard work and commitment, this community is closer to having running water and proper bathrooms. That’s a big step toward improving public health and preventing serious health problems.

Who could forget all the fun we had too! Remember the frigid, clear water at Dudu Lagoon where we jumped off the rock and swam in the cave? And how about the afternoon spent playing in the ocean at Playa Preciosa and drinking out of pineapples? I remember waking up on the last morning to the sound of everyone singing “Dancing Queen” before breakfast.

Y’all were such a tight group and I was so impressed with how you looked out for one another and formed such close bonds with each other. It has been my honor, and that of the rest of the staff, to have witnessed each and every one of you shine in your own leadership style and grow in such profound ways.

Thank you for bringing your full selves and for sharing and expressing that with each other and with the community of Las Canas. Your impact has been felt and is so appreciated. We are all so excited for the world to benefit from each of you in your own communities and we hope to see you again on a future GLA experience!

Much love,

Andréa (Mentor) and the rest of the GHI Team

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Tuesday June 11, 2019

So happy to have the GHI team here and ready to rock these next two weeks! Excited for Rachel to join the team tomorrow and to get to visit the clinic. Swim tests, health checks, orientation, and mentor groups were a great way to get prepared for the program and we are all looking forward to catching some zzzs after a long day of travel. Buenas noches!

– GHI Staff Team

Wednesday June 12, 2019

Today, we got started on our first service day of the trip! First, we visited a very rural, small, local clinic that serves more than 500 families in the community. We met with the head doctor and learned about all the various services they offer — all for free — from general practice to women’s reproductive health to bacterial illness to mental health services. Here we gained a new perspective on what it is like to gain care from facilities similar to this one in the Dominican Republic.

The doctor we shadowed took time out of her day to answer our medical questions. She also discussed the connection between public health and sanitation and clinical health. After asking the doctor all our questions, we debriefed in our mentor groups to discuss differences and similarities between the healthcare system here in the Dominican Republic and in the United States. We also kicked off a discussion of public health vs. medicine and how healthy habits can help prevent the need for medical treatment.

Through our questions and conversations, we also learned that many of the local diseases come from crowded living situations. This is related to religious beliefs that frown upon contraceptives, believing that they will promote sexual activities. But in reality, this just leads to the increased likelihood of having larger families, but fewer means to support them.

Another thing we noticed was, one of the biggest difference between the United States’ healthcare and the Dominican Republic’s healthcare is the role religion takes in healthcare systems in terms of contraception and free healthcare. Although contraceptives are not promoted, free healthcare in thee rural areas we visited was. These changes, in turn, created a completely different environment.

This gave us a new perspective on how to not only improve healthcare in the local Dominican Republic communities, but how we could also improve healthcare and access in our own communities back home in the United States. All in all, the wisdom we’ve gained from our experiences will help us moving forward as future healthcare professionals and policy makers.

After the clinic visit, we visited another local community where we picked up trash and plastic waste from the beach in order to better protect the water. We talked about how long plastic takes to degrade and how microplastics can get into water supplies and affect people’s health through the water they use.

After lunch, our Local Director Solanyi taught us how to take vital signs and we were prepped for our upcoming medical brigades and service projects. It was a great first day of service!

Thursday June 13, 2019

Hi Family and Friends,

We’re here to update you guys on what our day consisted of in the Dominican Republic. Today we spilt into groups. Half of us went to a small community called, El Bronx Chiquito and the other half went to, Caño Dulce. In El Bronx Chiquito we helped implement a free and public medical brigade; in El Caño Dulce we started constructing a sustainable bathroom with water bottles for insulation between the walls for families in need within the community.

In the medical brigade we had different stations. We started with the registration, followed by interviews and vitals and then the patients would consult with the doctors. The patients would then go to our pharmacy, where students would help provide them with the medication they needed. In total we had 44 patients today. It was truly amazing to see the impact we were making on this community.

In Caño Dulce, we split up into two different groups, one which helped dig a latrine for waste from the bathroom to empty into, and the other which helped construct the frame of the bathroom out of plastic bottles. In the community, we met many of the local families, children, and dogs, all which were very hospitable. One particular family even welcomed us into their home to eat lunch. The latrine required intense manual labor and consisted of perpetual use of pickaxes and shovels to dig a hole of roughly 7-8 feet. For the frame work, students used hammers and nails to secure the plastic bottles with chicken wire to create a stable foundation before enclosing the bottles in cement to provide insulation for the family.

To conclude, we had a long day filled with lots of service work and rewarding feelings of fulfillment. We were able to further bond with each other, our mentors, and the local communities. We are excited to get some rest tonight and reenergize for another busy day of work tomorrow!

Your leaders of the day,
Emily Peirson, Lili Valle, Alessandro Iaia

Friday June 14, 2019

Today was an eventful day, for all groups. Every group brought love to each community in different ways. Groups three and four experienced an open door in the medical field. Groups one and two realized how hard work impacts the community. In conclusion everyone had a fantastic experience today.

Watching groups three and four walk into the community, El Bronx Chiquito, their faces lit up with joy! They worked in many different medical areas to help this local community be able to thrive. Watching everyone help at the clinic was so amazing to see how fast they learn. At the end day everyone still had a smile on their face. Overall, I truly believe that everyone feels that they made a difference in the short three hours they were there.

At Caño Dulce everyone had a great time playing with the kids while the others worked on the latrine and water bottle bathroom. Johnny opened his home to us in order for us to enjoy our lunch. He even let us taste his honey that he had harvested. The latrine is now five and a half feet deep because of all commitment to digging and pick axing. In conclusion this group worked for the local communities future.

Therefore, the day brought happiness and love throughout the Dominican Republic. Everyone helped the community in one way or another. We hope that tomorrow will be as fulfilling as today.

-Caroline and Baylor

Saturday June 15, 2019

After providing service at a clinic and construction project yesterday, it was time for a well deserved day off today at Rio Yasica! The day started off with a voluntary yoga session in the morning and after eating breakfast, we headed off to the river.

When we got there, we observed reptiles that are taken to a local animal shelter when they are injured. The locals also offered us a chance to try some of the native fruits and see the plants they originate from. Then we went on the a voyage in which we took 2 boats down the river towards the mouth of the ocean, which we learned was an estuary.

Once the peaceful boat ride came to an end, we visited the ocean and had an hour and a half swimming in the water. We then ate a wonderful lunch, prepared by the locals and continued to enjoy the water.

After a good afternoon of sun and lots of fun, we headed back in the boat. As we made our way home, we got to enjoy the beautiful scenery and nature of the area. Once we arrived at the lodge, we played cards, exchanged stories and bonded as a group. We then proceeded to eat dinner and finished the night off with an interesting lecture about the history of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, taught by two of our local employees at 7e.

They shared their personal stories of heartbreak and triumph, navigating the complex political situation impacting their residency and citizenship as Haitians, despite being born in the Dominican Republic. Their experience helped us reflect on our perspectives of how nations treat one another.

We are excited to continue our work tomorrow after a wonderful day off and the groups will split into clinic and construction sites!

-Maria Isabela & Bella

Sunday June 16, 2019

Greetings from Las Canas! Today is June 16th, and we had a great day. We woke up to a bright, sunny day, morning meditation led by some of our peers, and a yummy breakfast with pancakes, and it only went uphill from there!

We started a new rotation of Medical Brigade work and visits to the Caña Dulce bathroom site. In the Medical Brigade, we went to a new clinic site. It was a busy day, with tons of patients, but we all gained valuable medical experience. We met many members of a local community and had a ton of laughs.

At Caña dulce we made significant progress in the bottle bathroom. We kept digging the Latrobe and are so close to finishing digging! One community member named johnny also let us try his honey produced on his own honey farm. It was delicious!

After this, we had free time and hung out at the pool and beach. All in all, it was a great day and we can’t wait for another one tomorrow!!

Adios!
-Brooke Smith, Lexi, and Delaney

Monday June 17, 2019

Today we continued some of the projects we have been working on previously. Half of us went to the medical brigade and the other half continued constructing the bathroom in the village.

Starting off with the medical brigade, we assisted the mixed community of Dominicans and Haitians. A different occasion occurred in which a patient was immediately assisted by the doctor due to major medical complications. The other group continued digging the hole in the village house. A lot of progress was made as the hole is nearly 6 ft deep with the goal of 7. We started to lay cement on the bottles to create installation and lots of progress had also been made at this sight.

In conclusion, at the end of the day we all gathered to discuss community agreements as there were some complications. We reassessed community agreements due to personal conflicts. Overall, we made progress on both service projects and the relationships between everyone in the camp.

-Kai, Rachel, Addie

Tuesday June 18, 2019

Today we had our first service day at the Cano Dulce water tank! We knew how hard the work and labor was going to be, but the group was excited, none the less. When we arrived, we learned that we would be filling buckets with rocks and sand and then carrying the buckets up a steep hill to the location of the water tank.

Everyone decided as a group to create an assembly line to facilitate the movement of the buckets up the hill. After a few hours of work we returned to the Lodge to eat lunch and have a break. We went back to the service site, excited to continue the day’s job.

After finishing for the day, the group returned once again to the lodge, proud of our work and cooperation. After dinner, we listened to a TED Talk about mental health for our nightly lecture. In the video (“Why I Taught My Grandma to Treat Depression”) we learned about why it’s important to provide access to mental health care, as well as effectively think outside of the box to solve problems.

Following a productive day the group wrapped up with mentor groups, and went to bed excited for tomorrow’s excursion to the lagoon and beach!

From,
Blair, Daniela, and Madeline

Wednesday June 19, 2019

Today we had a great day. We went to DuDu Lagoon which was super pretty… we got to walk in caves and swim in the lagoon water. Then we ate lunch and went to Playa Preciosa. We spent the day swimming in the ocean, drinking Piña Colladas (virgin of course!) and buying from merchants. Our entire group bonded like never before and new friendships flourished. From being buried in sand to playing in the water to jumping into a cave pool, we found ourselves laughing with people we had never spoken to.

Thursday June 20, 2019

Hey friends and families!

Today we spilt up into groups again, and half of us went to Caño Dulce and the other half did vitamin distribution.

At Caño Dulce, we continued to work on deepening the hole, and cementing the wall for the families house. At the vitamin distribution, students helped about 40 patients with their medical needs by taking height and weight, and making sure the process ran smoothly.

Also at Caño Dulce, we got honey from a local bee farmer, and enjoyed it following our hard work. Then following the vitamin distribution, students were able to cool off at the pool.

Tomorrow, we will be splitting up into groups and going to Caño Dulce and the vitamin distribution, and then presenting our Capstone projects that we have been working on for a couple days.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Priscilla Velez, Crystal Xia, Noah Archuleta

Friday June 21, 2018

Today mentor groups 1&4 had the medical brigade. We served 50 patients which is the most patients we’ve ever served at a medical brigade. This brigade was held outside the gates of our lodge to serve the community of Las Canas.

While the brigade was in effect, mentor groups 2&3 were in the community of Caño Dulce to finish building the water bottle bathroom and latrine. We put a rough coat of cement on the bathroom and finally finished digging the 7 foot hole for the latrine. We then started to put cement on the latrine so waste doesn’t leak out. We are excited to see what the next GHI group does based on the foundation we built.

Tonight we presented our capstone projects which we have been working on for many days. We were tasked with coming up with an organization that solves one of the many problems in the Dominican Republic. Some of these issues included road side injuries, upper respiratory infections, air pollution, and water sanitation. We were excited to learn about our peers solutions for these large scale problems.

Libby, Vivienne, & Ling