Share your experience on your trip to a developing country. Describe your feelings and memories from the Dominican Republic Exposure Experience. The people, the culture, the poverty, the lifestyle, the events.
You can read an example story by clicking here. Post yours by replying to this post, or try clicking here.
It's so important for others to learn about what you've experienced! There is no equal to actually going to one of these countries and meeting the people.
Thanks for sharing!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
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My name is Kristine and I recently in January of 2008 had the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic to live with the locals of a small village called Consuelo. While on the trip myself and fellow students had to cope with an intense case of culture shock along with lack of things such as electricity and running water. It at first was difficult to get used to but we quickly became accustomed to the simple lifestyle they live with everyday. The most amazing experience for me was visiting the children and families in the Bateyes. I went to Alejandro Bas and Las Pajas. Both were amazing, the people were so full of joy to see us and just spend time with us despite the language barrier. I hope that more students get the opportunity to go on one of these exposure/missionary trips to really understand poverty and see it first hand because it is not as easy to ignore once you have felt it and experienced it for yourself.
A video slideshow that I prepared is now posted on facebook in the ACCESS Charity group, i believe the link to that is on here somewhere if you'd like to check it out.
All the best!
This is Van and I too went on the Dominican Republic Exposure Trip in January 2008. Put simply, the trip was amazing and that's what I told everyone who couldn't understand. I can't put my experience into complicated words and long explanations, because the effect it had on me was too grand and too lifechanging.
A few weeks after the experience, I felt like there was something I had missed, something that would have inspired me to change how I went about life. Not until a month later, with the help of a priest, did I realize what I had missed. On this trip, amongst the imminent culture shock and energy of my new family, I forgot to include God in my experience. Now thinking back, I realize that He was in everyone there that I had met. He was in their smiles, their hugs, their excitement and tears. God was in their welcoming arms, and so was I. This realization changed the way I look at life. I realized how to be thankful, how to be happy with everything I have, and how to see God, faith and hope in everything around me. I may not be starting charities or raising money or encouraging everyone to change as I did, but the simple fact remains that the trip made a difference to me. And maybe someday soon I'll carry this experience out of myself and make a difference to others too.
The Ending May Just Happen To Be The Beginning
There are two types of people in our world. There are those who are blinded and occupied by a fast paced, money is the key to every and all happiness in life mentality, and spend their time concerned with what others in society think of the lifestyle they are living. These people do not take the time to appreciate or get the chance to experience all that life has to offer without the luxuries they have become accustomed too. Then, there are those who are happy beyond measure with what they have as long as they have their loved ones beside them. These people are hard working, strong and very inspiring. They spend their time working more than the usual employee would, but earn nothing compared to them, giving them more of a challenge to survive each and everyday. It is thought that with luxury comes eternal happiness, yet these people do not occupy themselves with any luxury items, and happen to live everyday to the fullest with smiles on their beautiful faces.
When we got to Consuelo; a little city in Dominican Republic, one of our main activities that we spent our time taking part in was visiting two different bateyes. Bateyes are very small villages that have been set up, consisting of anywhere from 100-800 people. In these bateyes, families of sugar cane cutters and sugar mill workers live. When I got off the bus at the first bateye, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I felt as if I had just walked into a World Vision Commercial, an atmosphere I thought I would never experience, ever. As we walked into the small dirty village, young children came running to us from every direction. They couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak Spanish, but we still got along and were able to communicate. As I stood in the middle of a field covered in pieces of metal, glass and rusted wire, all the fear I had coming on this trip rushed back into my mind. These children were singing and dancing in fields covered with rusted metal and glass, wearing torn and dirty cloths, and some weren’t even dressed. They had no shoes, and the ground which consisted of mud and dirt, along with the rusted metal and sharp broken glass, was steaming hot from the heat.
As I slowly walked through the field, taking in my surroundings one breath at a time, I noticed that three little girls were following closely behind me. I turned around, bent down and smiled at them. Instantaneously they came running to me, as if my smile was an invitation to them. I didn’t know what to do, but embrace them as they grabbed on to my hands and touched my face. They stood in front of me and stared at me not saying a single word. I observed their slim and boney figure, glancing at the cuts and bruises they had on their tiny arms and legs. As I looked at their battered and frail feet, it struck me that the youngest of the three didn’t have shoes on. For her this was normal and the heat didn’t bother her as much, but as I watched her move back and forth, not staying in one spot for too long, the pain she must have been feeling came and woke me. I felt as if her pain was my pain, and showed her that she could sit in my lap, or I didn’t mind picking her up. She came towards me, with her arms wide open, allowing me to pick her up without hesitation. The little girl was happy that I was carrying her and kept hugging me as we walked around the field.
They didn’t let go of me for the whole day, one held on to my hand, another gripped my shirt, and the youngest I carried. They showed me their home, and where they played. They also pointed out an older female, whom I assumed to be their mother or aunt.
When we got back to the field, everyone was playing hand games and we were taking turns teaching one another hand games in English and Spanish. As we sung the songs, they tried to copy in English, as they learned the songs, excitement filled their eyes and they went running to their friends to tell them what they had just learned. The children were so excited to learn something new. They were craving education, but had none. Everything I had believed in and all that I had planned for my life and future had begun to disappear. It didn’t seem important to me anymore. Before coming on this trip, I too was a ‘money is the answer to all happiness’ type of person. My goal in life was to become rich fast, but now, after meeting those three little girls, and seeing the smiles I had put on their faces, by teaching them a few little songs, everything has changed.
Going on this trip, I realized hope can be found and is possible anywhere. Reflecting on my week spent in Consuelo, I discovered that I wanted to make a change in the world and its future. Giving children who want an education would be my first step to the change I want to make. I learned that to be happy, you do not need the newest phone, or the latest iPod on the market. Appreciating what you have been blessed with and learning how to overcome obstacles within your life by working with your loved ones is what brings eternal happiness. If at the end of the day, you are happy, and have the feeling of security and belonging within your surroundings, you can be sure that you have been successful in the role you have played.
like krissy and van and raman, i too went to the dominican to live with a family who was anything but rich. Well, that's what you would see by looking at their house...but they were rich. They were rich with love, generosity, kindness, thankfulness. They gave me their wealth. How? I don't know, but I am glad they did.
I never understood why I was always taught to live simply. As a Christian, I was always told that " it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven"... "What?!" was my usual reaction. But now I understand. How can you fully enjoy life, real life when you are too busy with school to notice the moon at night or too busy working to buy your new tna pants to have a conversation with your lonely sister? I myself used to be quite the fashionista always following the trends in the world of high fashion....WHO CARES!?? Coming back from the Dominican I realized that money does not matter. Yes it buys us food, water, shelter, and clothing but that's enough. The necessities. I know that now and all I want in live is happiness...and I have that. I don't care about material things anymore. Now, I embrace simplicity and a humble lifestyle and I have never felt more full in my entire life. I found myself in the Dominican Republic. I found my purpose in life; to advocate for life.
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