This year was my fourth year traveling with 4-H to the Dominican Republic. After every year I always tell myself that no other year will top this one, but I am always wrong. The trip gets better and better every time I go. This year we did not have as big as a group as past years, but I enjoy going with a small group. That way we get to know each other better, by the end of the week, we are like a family.
This year I tried a different type of fundraising, I sent out letters with pictures to the community to ask for donations. I figured I would get about half and then do some fundraisers to cover the rest, but I was wrong. Multiple businesses, churches, and individuals were inspired by my trip and decided to help me get there. I ended up getting one hundred percent of the funds needed for this trip. I couldn’t thank the community members of Bath County and surrounding areas enough for their generosity.
I love when we first arrive at the hotel; many of the Dominican teens are there to greet us. We renew multiple friendships, and make many more with them. Then after getting to know them, we start our Day Camp. This is the reason I support this trip so much; there is no better feeling than to see the reactions, emotions, and happiness of these children. I was disappointed not to see some of them from last year that I become so close with, but I am glad that many new campers came.
This year we ended up with 43 campers that showed up for the 4-H Day Camp. I know Carol and Christine have wanted to get other children from farther away and the ones that don’t get this kind of opportunity. Well Kayla, a member of the Peace Corps, made this happen by bringing in nineteen kids from a small village called Veron. I had a blast with all of the kids and made friendships that will last forever. It was definitely hard to say goodbye to them; trust me, if it was possible I would pack them all up in my suitcase and bring them home!
The service project this year was much more rewarding than past projects I have done on this trip. This year we got to refurbish old desks that were being donated to a school in Macao. I knew that what I was doing would be used every day by little children, unlike the last three years where we did landscaping things. Which of course it helps out tremendously, but now I know that my work is going to be put to a good use.
When we went to Macao and met the teacher at the school where the desks and some of the school supplies are going, I got inspired. We learned that this woman had a stable job working at a resort not far from Macao and while visiting the village she noticed that there was no form of education there. So she gave up her job at the resort, and put up a school with 2x4s, tin walls and a tin roof. Now she teaches a morning and afternoon class to all of the kids in the Village of Macao.
The rest of the day we delivered the last of our school supplies to Colegío Elizabeth, in the village of Veron. It feels so good to show up with boxes of supplies and watch all the kid’s faces light up with big smiles.
The trip to Higüey is the part of the trip I look forward to every time I go to the Dominican Republic. It is definitely the biggest eye-opening part of the trip. Yes, we all know what a third world country is, and what it looks like; but we base that all off of what we hear from others and what we see on TV. Here you actually get to see the big picture and get to walk right through it. This year most of us agreed that the farmer’s market smelled a lot worse. I noticed many of the teens saying, “how do they not die by eating all that food out in the open”, after seeing all the meat and fish hanging out in the hot sun, with flies all over it.
The last day we got to go snorkeling, which is always a blast. I get to see things I have never seen in person, such as a flounder, a school of barracuda, baby snappers, a coral reforestation project, and so many other exotic creatures that live down there.
That night we finished up with dinner at the Giudicelli’s house. They are an awesome family to host a party, where they fix us a traditional Dominican meal and teach us Dominican dances.
I would like to thank all who support me every year to go on this life-changing trip. My plan this year is to try to get more people from Bath County to go. I would also like to thank all the chaperones for going on this trip; you all did a great job in helping out during the course of the week. One of which was my teacher my junior year in high school and yearbook advisor, Justin Broughman. I was glad that he got to tag along and see what the trip was all about, after hearing me talk about it all year in school.
I also want to thank Virginia 4-H for all of your support you give towards this trip and a big thank you to Carol Nansel and Christine Hodges for hosting this adventure every year.
I plan to go next year; I already miss all my friends down there. Then hopefully the following years I plan on applying to be a chaperone to continue my services in the Dominican Republic.
Contributed by Chase Smith, Bath County
No comments:
Post a Comment