The following post features student writing.

The ambiance of the town was clearly evident, with streamers, balloons, and a sign reading “Bienvenidos” (or “Welcome”) signifying the party that was to come. We were all excited, a bit nervous, and confused all at once. After several lovely performances and speeches from the locals and our leaders, the true party began. There was enough food to satisfy Manhattan and more than enough awkward dancing. Despite an undeniable lack of fluent Spanish speaking, we learned quickly how to engage. However, it was a learning experience that opened all of our eyes to Spanish language and culture, albeit en experience that was akin to your first middle school dance. After the welcome party, our tired bodies finally gave out, diving headfirst into slumber.

The next day, it was time to work. After another breakfast of gallo pinto and an excellent fruity drink, we set up to work on the church. First, a taxing process involving smoothing the inside and the outside of the church, and then from there it was time to start using concrete. With every swipe of the tools, the mortar hardened between the slabs, and the church was one step closer to being complete. The outside repello came after some delicious chicken with rice and beans for lunch, and while not as physically taxing, it required a delicate touch that many of us were slow to learn. By the end of the day, however, we had it down to an art, an art that according to many of the locals was still not perfected. But we’ll get it!

And that leads me here to typing on this computer with Mother Nature alternating between sun and thunder overhead. But this trip isn’t about clinging on to the things we’re now without, the things we’ve temporarily lost; it’s about what we have to gain. And what we have to gain is a wealth of culture, language, and experience that none of us have had before. It’s about recognizing that even with fewer resources, everyone is the same, and we are all beings with emotion and moral compasses. Sometimes, I’d like us all to be that empathetic instead of staying ignorant in our privileged corners of the world.

Stay tuned for more,

Sean & Sam