*Note – This is a combined letter for the Global Health and Community Impact tracks for Session 2 (3/17 – 3/24)*

Hey Love Bugs,

I hope everyone is doing well and staying out of trouble. I wanted to send you an update from the DR. The bottle bathroom for Dona Chita is finished!! She and neighbors have easier access to a comfortable bathroom and a toilet with a septic tank. Remember all of the cuts you received from the chicken wire? Or trying to mix cement as fast as the local masons (quality over quantity)? All of your hard work and sweat has paid off. Thank you!

Javi, Mel, Patrick, Cameron and I miss you all. Chirag, Cameron and Patrick have yet to find someone else to talk about sports with ALL day. Nayana, no one else has brought a bag FULL of surprise snacks. Rufina, Alex misses her morning runs with you. Annie, I don’t think any one can retain information from my lectures like you. Brittney…Mom loves you!

You guys were an awesome GHI group. I hope you all are still growing and learning about yourself and the world around you. I hope you remember the fun times we had together, such as playing in the park after getting ice-cream, or the intense nightly card games. I also hope you remember the lessons you’ve learned, the amazing people you’ve met, and that feeling of empowerment that you left with. You have the power to take action and bring about change. Keep asking questions and digging deeper. Reach out if you need anything!

P.S. WHAT TIME IS IT?!?!?!?! (HAHA! I couldn’t help it)

Hope to see you soon,
Leslie

 

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Hello students!

It seems like it was just yesterday that we spent our amazing week together in the Dominican Republic for the Spring Break Community Impact adventure! We started things off with a tough two-hour hike up Mount Brison but it was all well worth it once we all reached the top. We were surrounded by the beautiful view and enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by Doña Maxima. We learned to walk in the shoes of the locals which inspired us to view things from a different perspective. This was the beginning of our life-changing experience in the DR!

I was so proud to see the hard work you all put in while helping build a safe home for Heriberto. We set up the wire on the wood framing, filled the walls with recycled plastic bottles, and also mixed cement for the first layer of the walls. We made new friends in the community including sweet little 7 year old Ashley who was always around helping us at the work site. Not only did we work towards making a life-changing impact in Heriberto’s life, but we contributed to making a positive impact to the environment as well through recycling. The community clean-up at the Cabarete Caves was also a huge help for the environment. Your passion and dedication was evident in all of the service activities you participated in. Way to go team!

Now, let’s not forget about our fun days to relax and enjoy the hot sun after a hard day’s work. We swam and sunbathed at some gorgeous beaches in addition to playing some competitive soccer matches on the shore. As a special treat, we enjoyed some delicious tropical drinks in pineapple and coconut cups. We will never forget our adventures off the zip-line at Dudu Lagoon as well as our friendly volleyball match where even a couple of locals joined for the game. To end our week off, we took a boat ride to go snorkeling in Sosua beach and later shopped for souvenirs for our family and friends.

Back at the lodge we got to enjoyed our pool parties and got to show off our awesome dance moves when we learned how to dance salsa, batchata and merengue. Our final goodbye dinner was not complete without celebrating Matt’s birthday and enjoying some delicious Dominican style cake!

The 7e staff misses all of you including Ernie, Oscar and Bert who send some wet kisses for all!

We send a big THANKS to all of you for committing to being agents of change. We hope you got the BEST out of your experience here in DR and hope to see all of you very soon for another great service-learning adventure.

 

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Ahhh Cuba, what fond memories we have of you. I remember when we were in Viñales and decided to take that “hike” – Madison laughing with frustration as she bush wacked shoulder-high grass; Adriana appearing out of some bushes covered in red mud up to her knees; and everyone scaling barbwire fences to avoid falling into deep, muddy puddles – only some of us were successful. Ali, who had borrowed my shoes, was not one of them, and she flooded her bathroom attempting to clean them up!

Soon after, we jumped on horses, and Quillan ‘jumped’ right off again after her horse tripped and fell. But she brushed herself off and powered through!

I remember Rian backflipping into that magical river in Las Terrazas, and Kellen working so hard at Muraleando in the midday heat without any complaints, and Lilly finally showing us her ostrich dance. I loved watching Jake help others with their camera settings – except for Shane, who hopes one day to work in manual mode, with the help of Noah’s undying love and support for him.

I can’t forget the blood – Jonah’s nose and Riley’s toe – though they perservered with being eerily Tom Cruise-like, and eating more than one fish eyeball, respectively. Nor can I forget the bug spray trap that Ike slipped on, and Amelia’s infectious laughter because of it. And Evie’s sass throughout the trip – warning other’s of their conduct violations – was always appreciated. And of course, our photo contest winner Ariana, proving that she can define a trip to Cuba in just one photo.

And I can’t fail to mention, of course, the activities of the final night that were so memorable…our many games of Mafia!

Thank you for all these memories and more, and we hope you return to Cuba to make new ones.

Miss you all!
Jenny and Jess

 

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Hola amigos!

I’m writing this letter from a frog-free room in Havana, overlooking the Malecón. Although I’m enjoying some downtime, I can’t help but miss our time together and our whirlwind trip around Cuba. Our mornings beating the breakfast crowd at Hotel Vedado, journeys on the homebus, amazing views in Vinales and beachtime at Cayo Levisa: what a memorable trip!

Thinking about our time together, there are many moments that stand out to me. I’ll never forget seeing Sam and Andrea salsa dancing on the last night. Watching Claire, Liam and Rafael play volleyball like beasts on the beach was a highlight. I recall Celie’s dark jokes and Soraya narrowly avoiding getting crushed by a dead palm branch at Cayo Levisa. Anna weeding ALL of Muraleando and Oliver’s stellar maraca playing continue to inspire me.

Every GLA group is so different, and each year I find myself saying things I’d never thought I’d have to say. I’ll always remember asking Daniel to please stop spanking Harry, and insisting that Gavin get his head out of the gutter. I remember reminding Milo to wear shoes when in restaurants and to remove the toothpicks from his beard.

Your group was unique. I rarely see a group that large bond the way you all did, evident in the weird humor you all shared (“same goes!”) and the even weirder pictures you’d airdrop each other. I was impressed by the deep friendships you all formed so quickly, and the respect and compassion you had for one another.

As you all continue your personal journeys, I wish for you flexibility to take things as they come (scary thunderstorms included), humor to overcome obstacles (acid bath), and curiosity that motivates you to keep exploring and learning.

“Chiki chiki, move,”

Amanda and Jenny

 

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To my dear 21/28 day Champions!

We did it! I really enjoyed our third week together as a smaller team. You were all such troopers when we switched home bases, went on multiple hikes, and managed tons of tiny humans at the English Camps. You all taught me so much and Chris taught us all about some of the worst ways to die. We are the pioneers of a new GLA program and your commitment to learning the French Language and growing in your capacity as leaders was inspiring. I know the days were humid and the work wasn’t easy but you dug in deep during week three.

Olivia gave us all insights about the homestay experience while Aylin kept us laughing with her hilarious word swaps “I have a conclusion!”. Pierce entertained Sergey with lots of Bo Burnham songs and Sergey taught some of you how to play the ukulele! Talyne was a constant source of positivity. Madison was the book plug and a source of wisdom. Sophie rallied after that rough bus ride and Sarah led the way on our hiking adventures.

You all contributed various strengths to the program and were willing to learn from those around you. I personally enjoyed watching you interact with local teens at the language exchange and loved cheering you on when the days were long. Never doubt that you made a difference in the lives of the children you worked with and the family you supported with your help at the garden. The impact of your service will be felt and appreciated for years to come.

I hope you look back on your time in Guadeloupe fondly and remember the lessons you learned. Keep challenging yourself to grow as leaders and as humans. After our discussion on race relations I have a renewed sense of hope for our future. Do your best to inspire those around you to see leadership opportunities, challenge the system, and make a difference in their communities.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead (cultural anthropologist)

I will never forget our time together.

-Amber

 

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