KEIAYRRAH
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
KEIAYRRAH
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
0 Comments
I joined the class late and didn't know anyone in the class before hand. That semester I had a class with Sam and we barely spoke. My freshman year B'ili was an RA in my dorm but we never spoke. From being on this trip we have became so close we act like siblings. B'ili and I shared one room and Sam got the master room to himself, but we spent most of our time together down in the living room on the couches. After B'ili would cook, we'd all sit in the living area and watch a Netflix show. We were able to watch it using Sam's laptop and display cord. Sam and I were in charge of cleaning the kitchen and washing the dishes. Everyone had a job. Growing up it was only my brother and I; and I'm the oldest for the first time I was the ' younger sibling in this house'. It was fun getting on each others' nerves, the inside jokes and how much we shared with one another. When we had to food shop we thought about what each other would like to eat and put our money together to make it all possible. We were really giving with one another sharing off each others' plates, offering to share the last of juice, we were just a good fit. I'm glad to have been roomed with such caring and funny people. I live alone now and usually like it that way but B'ili and Sam made this experience worth while.
.I am so grateful for the group I came with! We did nothing but encourage and support each other especially for the zip-lining. For many of us this was our first time and sometimes we needed a boost of confidence from our peers. In one instance Olivia and I zip-lined together with one escort, her legs were wrapped around mine while we screamed on the first half of the line. I was nervous about the weight of Olivia, the escort and I all at once but it was really fun. We took many personality photos but this is the most appropriate one.
The activities you can do at the monkey jungle don't compare to the things the organization does for the people of the community. The monkeys and the zip-lining were amazing but the story behind Monkey Jungle touched my heart more . I spent some time speaking to one of the owners of Monkey Jungle and he gave me so much insight on what the non-for-profit does and how it started. This is Candy and Chuck the creators of Monkey Jungle they lost their lives trying to aid others. During a bad storm in Haiti, Chuck and Candy's plane was never recovered. Chuck, Candy, all the crew even the plane itself just vanished.
One thing that I can say about both my IPDS trips is that the people are more than friendly! In both Zambia and here in the Dominican Republic the residents are nothing but friendly and helpful. I'm from New York City where people are not too nice so it's a refreshing change of pace to be around people who are. It is a little challenging to communicate with some people because my Spanish speaking skills aren't the best but I feel this is just a great opportunity for me to work on it. What better way to learn a language than to be around native speakers? I learn more words and different ways to communicate each day that I am here. For the most part the words I use the most are Hola! Gracias and Adios!
In Zambia it was much easier to communicate because the majority of the people there spoke fluent English. Here in DR I'm being pushed more as a student but as an educator as well. Classrooms are so diverse now and many students speak more than one language, majority speak Spanish. It is always beneficial to learn another language and I hope to retain what I learn here. Taking Spanish in high school is nothing compared to the amount I need to know here. I am nervous to say things wrong but it's a learning experience and I'm ready for it. Although I am here to teach I am still the student learning as I go. We took our first tour of the Mariposa foundation and it was inspiring. The girls were not there when we went so we were able to get familiar with the place itself first. The foundation is beautiful and the people who work there are just as such. Each room of the foundation is named after an inspiring African American, Dominican, or Haitian woman. Quotes from these inspiring woman are seen above head on every beam as well as pictures of the women. The quotes and pictures included women like Michelle Obama, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, etc. It gives you a warm feeling to be surrounded by such positivity, especially the positive influence of exceptional women. I think my favorite thing in the foundation was the mirror with the quote above it that said " You are the world's most powerful force for change" in English and Spanish. The quote itself spoke to me in volumes.
The foundation provides so many services not only for the girls but for their families as well. I learned that the foundation looks for girls around the community from ages 8-10 to guide them until high school graduation and beyond. At the foundation the girls learn how to swim, how to keep up proper hygiene skills and to become a successful woman. Through the foundation the girls and their families have access to dentistry checkups and medical care as well. Emma, one of the workers at the foundation showed us a video about what happens to most girls once they hit 12 years old. The video made me feel sick inside. Although I know things like this can happen in the United States I was never exposed to these arranged child marriages up close. Billions of girls are married before the age of 18 and millions before the age of 15. Once a girl hits 12 in man cultures she is already a woman and is often married off to an older man and with in the next year is almost often pregnant. Watching the video made me feel like there was a pit in my stomach, this is the reality for many girls but the foundation's mission prevents this path from being a reality for many girls here in the Dominican. Setting forth the path for education as a priority to make change and to better lives for young girls is so important. Once you educate one girl it's an on going cycle because she will be more educated than her mother an so on. I love that there are programs like the Mariposa foundation that saves girls before they become just another statistiuc. A little over six months ago I was packing my bags to head to Zambia. Fast forward to now I am here packing for Dominican Republic. It was unreal when I got the Email from Tamara asking me did I want to join the DR trip a few weeks into the semester, I immediately said yes! Heading into this trip I am excited to compare it to my trip in Zambia. I can't wait to travel to this beautiful place to help these girls in the best way that I can. Just like in my trip to Zambia I hope to grow as an individual and educator as well as create awesome new memories. IPDS Dominican Republic I can't wait to see what you have in store for us !
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AuthorBorn in NYC. 20 years old. Education major. Aspiring teacher. Love to learn new things and meet new people. Ready to change the world one IPDS trip at a time :) ArchivesCategories |