We made it! After roughly 24 hours of travel on multiple planes, buses and feet, the 38 of us (28 kids and 10 adults) are alive, well and ready for a good night’s sleep in a real bed. Most of us will tell you that although beautiful, Terminal Four at the John F. Kennedy airport does not make the best hotel room. We managed to make the most of the situation with a couple of air mattresses and several rounds of the Sign Game. Most people were able to sleep a couple hours and almost everyone slept for most of the second flight.
We are now having our nightly meeting at the Hummingbird Hotel. We were picked up at the Santiago airport and fed right on the spot by the DREAM Project. We had some delicious homemade sandwiches with the most amazing fresh off the vine fruit. After lunch we went to a museum where we learned a bit about Dominican Republic history. It was boring. We were all dead tired and wanted nothing more to do than lie down on the floor and fall asleep amidst all of the artifacts. Once we had escaped vacation "school" we got in the vans and headed to the hotel.
But enough from me, let's hear from our guest bloggers. Tonight we only have two, McKenna Asay and Maddie Elder. It's not the most exciting day, so I won't make more people talk about mundane activities.
McKenna Asay
You never really understand how lucky you are until you are put in a circumstance where you see people with so much less than you have. That is one thing that I have learned from this trip so far. The people here have such a passion for life even though they don’t have near what we have in temporal things, this was shown in the way they cheered when the plane landed in their homeland and when they took the time to enjoy little things like watching “the Americanos” drive by in the buses. This showed me that even when you think that things are hard or you aren’t getting what you want that there is always something small to be happy about.
It was also just a shock to see what little the people here are able to live on and yet they are so happy to be in the situations they are in. It helped me to formulate a better attitude about the day despite all of the flying, driving, sitting, sweating, and sleeping in uncomfortable positions in uncomfortable places. It has also been cool to see how all of us, despite how different we all are, are able to mesh and form a group. I am super excited to see what the rest of the week has in store seeing as the trip has been incredible and all we have done is travel!
Maddie Elder
So far the trip has been amazing! Hot and humid but amazing! Today while we were riding the back roads to our hotel we saw so many Dominicans. They would sit outside there little shacks that they called homes while waving to us and blowing kisses. I was so amazed by how excited these people were to simply see us driving by. Although I knew that the people here may be struggling financially I didn’t realize the extent of their needs beyond money. Apparently the Dominican Republic has one of the worst education systems. It is apparent to me by the types of jobs that line the streets. Today opened my eyes even further to the extent that an education can have not only on an individual but also on a country. It’s amazing to me that teaching these simple guidelines (that seem so ordinary to me) could really save lives. I’ve always been grateful to live where I do, but today I have evidence why.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Humanitarian Expedition 2012 Video
In case you haven't seen this, here is the video from last year. I broke it into two segments to fit on Youtube (it is over a half hour after all...). Watch and get excited. This is happening in just a month.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Upcoming Meetings
We only have a couple of meetings left. All participants need to attend all remaining meetings. We only have a limited amount of time to prepare our lessons and prepare ourselves. If you cannot attend an upcoming meeting, you must let Tiffany know.
Our next planning meeting will be Thursday, May 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Northwest Plaza Classroom #6. At this time ALL paperwork should have already been turned in and the final $400 is due.
Make sure you complete all assignments for your teaching groups. I know all Dental group members have been assigned to come with one idea to teach dental hygiene (a game, a song, a demonstrations, etc.). If you have been assigned to do something in the other groups, please complete those assignments. We are just over a month away from our trip and time is limited to prepare.
Our packing meeting will take place Thursday, June 6 at 6 p.m. at Taunya Cook’s home (6824 W. 9600 N. in highland). EVERY explorer and EVERY leader needs to be at that meeting with an empty suitcase that can hold up to 50 lbs.
Our next planning meeting will be Thursday, May 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Northwest Plaza Classroom #6. At this time ALL paperwork should have already been turned in and the final $400 is due.
Make sure you complete all assignments for your teaching groups. I know all Dental group members have been assigned to come with one idea to teach dental hygiene (a game, a song, a demonstrations, etc.). If you have been assigned to do something in the other groups, please complete those assignments. We are just over a month away from our trip and time is limited to prepare.
Our packing meeting will take place Thursday, June 6 at 6 p.m. at Taunya Cook’s home (6824 W. 9600 N. in highland). EVERY explorer and EVERY leader needs to be at that meeting with an empty suitcase that can hold up to 50 lbs.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
We're Going to the Dominican Republic!
Dear Explorers and Parents,
In just over a month, we will be heading to the Dominican Republic. Here on our blog, you will find all the information you need to have a safe and enjoyable humanitarian experience. Please take the time to read this and all following posts. Also, look up some of our past posts and photos to get an idea of what kinds of projects and activities we will be doing in the DR.
While we continue preparing for our trip, we will update the blog with all the forms, paperwork and updates you need to be fully prepared for your trip. During our expedition, we will post at least once a day with photos, guest bloggers (each child will have a chance to share their thoughts) and video to keep parents informed with what is going on.
Let me know if you have any questions along the way,
Dane DeHart
Post 955 Communications Specialist
(and lifeguard)
Here's a photo of a Dominican beach. I know!
Dane DeHart
Post 955 Communications Specialist
(and lifeguard)
Here's a photo of a Dominican beach. I know!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
More photos from the week
The internet hasn't been working well the last few days. Here are photos from Wednesday. This is one hard working groups of kids!
 |
| Painting at the DREAM center. |
 |
| By the time we were done painting Friday afternoon, we had painted the entire DREAM center inside and out. |
 |
| Donations we packed out for DREAM and their summer camp programs all had to be inventoried. |
 |
| Courtney and company were meticulous about their painting responsibilities. The Bathrooms looked great girls! |
 |
| 15 push ups for every drop of paint spilled on the ground. |
 |
| Jon-linko (sp???) is over Sports for Life at DREAM. He was grateful for the much needed sports supplies. |
 |
| Much needed water break! Have we mentioned the humidity here?!? |
 |
| Post-painting/pre-lunch dance party with the locals. We Americans just don't know how to swing our hips! |
 |
| Repairing books in the library. |
Our flight leaves the Dominican at 2am. We'll be back in NYC by tomorrow morning at 8am!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Day Four
Internet has been a little shotty for the last little bit so we haven't been able to post anything. I hope we can get this post from yesterday night up and then get the one up from tonight.
We are right in the thick of our trip and we are working hard and having a lot of fun along the way. We've been in the sun playing with kids, we've been on the beach, we've eaten chicken and rice every day and we've feasted our eyes on the impossibly verdant beauty that is the Dominican Republic.
I could tell you everything we've done, but I would like you to hear what has been happening from your kids' point of you. Here you go:
Hey US it’s Kristen! Today was my favorite day so far, but then again, I say that about every day here! Earlier this morning we went to the DREAM center to help paint some of the classrooms and so that they would look really nice for the next group of kids coming in for the program! I’ve still got a little paint spackle on my arm, and probably still in my hair, but that’s okay! We got the rooms painted really quickly and everyone was really surprised by our speed and the amount of donation that we brought with us. I think someone said we had 40 suitcases or right around there and they all had about 50 pounds in them. You do the math! That’s a ton of stuff!
We got to go shopping in the city of Cabarete and we all got a crash course in bartering and trying to get the most bang for our pesos! I have to say, I think I’m pretty pro at bartering with the shop owners, it’s way cool to choose what you pay for something. We also went to go get ice cream at a place called Bon’s. It was delicious, we got a whole pint of delicious ice cream for way less than you can get in the states, especially if you’re partial to Ben and Jerry’s. So far, this week has been so much fun, I’ve been trying so many new things it’s crazy! I think my favorite new experience was drinking juice out of a coconut! How cool is that?! Well, I’m going to go get some rest so that I can be alive, awake, alert, and enthusiastic for tomorrow! Hasta luego!
Hola! Como esta? Me llamo Jordan, and that’s all the Spanish I know! It’s not much, but it’s enough to make friends down here. This trip has been the best. I’m so glad I came. So far, I have seen the ocean, kite surfers, a motorcycle accident, people living in shacks, several naked children, and the all around happiest people on the face of the planet. My eyes have been opened to a completely different world than the one we left behind. In the US, people spend time on Facebook, using cell phones, and watching TV, but here people spend their time playing music loud, dancing, and sitting on their porch waving as neighbors walk by. Today we painted classrooms in the DREAM location in Cabarete. It was a long, exhausting job, but I was so happy to see the final project. I think it was a great thing to help clean this school for the kids to enjoy and learn in.
Not everything down here is work though. I have partied more on the beach then I have ever done in my life. I came down here not knowing anyone, and now I’ve made a lot of friends. We all went shopping today, and I haggled for a better price on presents for my sisters. I hope they like them, cause I spend good pesos on them. I’m honestly a little sad that this trip is quickly coming to an end. I can only hope that the next few days measure up to the countless dance parties and night swimming we have done so far. I have loved this trip, and I know that the experiences I have had here will last a lifetime. Well, I better quit being philosophical about this trip and get some sleep so I can enjoy the rest of my trip! (P.S. I’m not sure if my family is reading this, but if you are, Happy (late) Birthday Lauren! Sorry it took me so long!)
Hi! Ho! The Dominican Republic is a whole new world! ☺ I can’t believe all that I’ve seen and done this week, and it’s only been 4 days. I love playing with the children! You could say that I’m the girl that that has everything. We walk a lot but I can go the distance but I’m always sweating. It feels like I’ve covered myself in baby oil and then jumped in water. It’s soft and yet uncomfortable. We are getting by just the bare necessities when it comes to personal items, but that’s just part of the adventure. The people here are just amazing. We can just feel the love… Especially tonight. The beach is beautiful, it’s a dream my heart has wished for! Today we painted for hours upon hours. We broke expectations of what was expected. I feel like I can paint with the colors of the wind. We are having a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time!
Though it’s only been three days it feels like we’ve been in the Dominican Republic so much longer and it has been amazing! Just walking through the town it is fun to see all the people here. They don’t have much but they are perfectly content with simple things like sitting out on their porches all day. My favorite part has been playing with the kids. Even though we don’t speak the language we can still play with them and just have fun together. Today we went to DREAM and painted the rooms upstairs. We have all become pretty pro at painting now, even if quite a bit of the paint ended up on us. After we were done we had fun learning some dances from the locals before going back to Mercedes for lunch. After going back to DREAM and painting some more we went around to some of the shops in town and worked on our negotiating skills. We ended the day with dinner back at the hotel and free time in which I learned a new card game! This has been such a spectacular week and I can’t wait for the rest of the things we are doing.
We are right in the thick of our trip and we are working hard and having a lot of fun along the way. We've been in the sun playing with kids, we've been on the beach, we've eaten chicken and rice every day and we've feasted our eyes on the impossibly verdant beauty that is the Dominican Republic.
I could tell you everything we've done, but I would like you to hear what has been happening from your kids' point of you. Here you go:
Hey US it’s Kristen! Today was my favorite day so far, but then again, I say that about every day here! Earlier this morning we went to the DREAM center to help paint some of the classrooms and so that they would look really nice for the next group of kids coming in for the program! I’ve still got a little paint spackle on my arm, and probably still in my hair, but that’s okay! We got the rooms painted really quickly and everyone was really surprised by our speed and the amount of donation that we brought with us. I think someone said we had 40 suitcases or right around there and they all had about 50 pounds in them. You do the math! That’s a ton of stuff!
We got to go shopping in the city of Cabarete and we all got a crash course in bartering and trying to get the most bang for our pesos! I have to say, I think I’m pretty pro at bartering with the shop owners, it’s way cool to choose what you pay for something. We also went to go get ice cream at a place called Bon’s. It was delicious, we got a whole pint of delicious ice cream for way less than you can get in the states, especially if you’re partial to Ben and Jerry’s. So far, this week has been so much fun, I’ve been trying so many new things it’s crazy! I think my favorite new experience was drinking juice out of a coconut! How cool is that?! Well, I’m going to go get some rest so that I can be alive, awake, alert, and enthusiastic for tomorrow! Hasta luego!
Hola! Como esta? Me llamo Jordan, and that’s all the Spanish I know! It’s not much, but it’s enough to make friends down here. This trip has been the best. I’m so glad I came. So far, I have seen the ocean, kite surfers, a motorcycle accident, people living in shacks, several naked children, and the all around happiest people on the face of the planet. My eyes have been opened to a completely different world than the one we left behind. In the US, people spend time on Facebook, using cell phones, and watching TV, but here people spend their time playing music loud, dancing, and sitting on their porch waving as neighbors walk by. Today we painted classrooms in the DREAM location in Cabarete. It was a long, exhausting job, but I was so happy to see the final project. I think it was a great thing to help clean this school for the kids to enjoy and learn in.
Not everything down here is work though. I have partied more on the beach then I have ever done in my life. I came down here not knowing anyone, and now I’ve made a lot of friends. We all went shopping today, and I haggled for a better price on presents for my sisters. I hope they like them, cause I spend good pesos on them. I’m honestly a little sad that this trip is quickly coming to an end. I can only hope that the next few days measure up to the countless dance parties and night swimming we have done so far. I have loved this trip, and I know that the experiences I have had here will last a lifetime. Well, I better quit being philosophical about this trip and get some sleep so I can enjoy the rest of my trip! (P.S. I’m not sure if my family is reading this, but if you are, Happy (late) Birthday Lauren! Sorry it took me so long!)
Hi! Ho! The Dominican Republic is a whole new world! ☺ I can’t believe all that I’ve seen and done this week, and it’s only been 4 days. I love playing with the children! You could say that I’m the girl that that has everything. We walk a lot but I can go the distance but I’m always sweating. It feels like I’ve covered myself in baby oil and then jumped in water. It’s soft and yet uncomfortable. We are getting by just the bare necessities when it comes to personal items, but that’s just part of the adventure. The people here are just amazing. We can just feel the love… Especially tonight. The beach is beautiful, it’s a dream my heart has wished for! Today we painted for hours upon hours. We broke expectations of what was expected. I feel like I can paint with the colors of the wind. We are having a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time!
Though it’s only been three days it feels like we’ve been in the Dominican Republic so much longer and it has been amazing! Just walking through the town it is fun to see all the people here. They don’t have much but they are perfectly content with simple things like sitting out on their porches all day. My favorite part has been playing with the kids. Even though we don’t speak the language we can still play with them and just have fun together. Today we went to DREAM and painted the rooms upstairs. We have all become pretty pro at painting now, even if quite a bit of the paint ended up on us. After we were done we had fun learning some dances from the locals before going back to Mercedes for lunch. After going back to DREAM and painting some more we went around to some of the shops in town and worked on our negotiating skills. We ended the day with dinner back at the hotel and free time in which I learned a new card game! This has been such a spectacular week and I can’t wait for the rest of the things we are doing.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)