After two weeks of blogs, we’ve finally come to a close with our final day. Departure day started with an early wake-up (and for some Glimpsers, even earlier because they wanted to catch the sunrise together), packing, breakfast, and big love to Hotel Dilenia. The bus ride to Santiago felt relatively short, and then we were able to eat a sandwich and juice for lunch that Dilenia packed for us before checking in at the airport, getting their much-awaited phones back, and saying emotional goodbyes to our one and only Barbie Ru and Jay-Z (Ruth and JC). The flight was quick and, to our pleasant surprise, we arrived early to Newark. On our landing, we were greeted by firefighters spraying water as a celebration for our pilot; he was retiring after 37 years of service. Then after some delays, we finally landed in SFO, said our bittersweet goodbyes, and parted ways for the time being. It’s now 3 am PST (6 am in the DR 💀) and students are finally with their families.
It feels surreal to be back home. It feels strange not to be meeting at the patio of Hotel Dilenia for meals or not to be heading to our nightly meeting. But I – like the rest of our students – am so excited to see my loved ones, to eat my favorite comfort foods, to share stories and souvenirs with my friends, and to hibernate in my own bed without fear of getting mosquito bites (my total count was 12 bites). But the trip’s conclusion is also incredibly bittersweet. Many of us shed tears as we said ta-ta-for-now to each other, which is a huge testament to the closeness and sincerity of the friendships that were made on the trip. Glimpsers, Ruth, JC, Dilenia, Rudy, and more – I miss you all so much already! I will dearly miss all of the learning, adventures, and bonds we formed from the 14 days in the DR. I strongly believe that home is not a place but instead a feeling, and I’m glad to say that so many Glimpsers found pieces of home and comfort with each other and the DR community these past two weeks.
I have been thinking about one of our recent quotes of the day by the late Anthony Bourdain, which says “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” I love being a GGL because each trip DOES change me. The trip has definitely left physical marks on my body (bruises, mosquito bites, and a case of “liquid” (IYKYK)), but more importantly, the experiences I had with the Glimpsers left core memories that pushed me to be a better self. Traveling takes me out of my Bay Area bubble to gain more compassion. Not only do I grow as a leader, but I learn further about what humanity is – connecting with others and building trust & relationships, coming together as a community, and experiencing both the joys and sadness of life. What’s even more powerful is that our students – these young adults – now also have these Global Glimpse experiences that continue to shape who they are and how they see the world. It gives me great hope that these thoughtful, worldly young adults are our future.
As I return home, I recognize the privilege I have to be able to have drinkable tap water, running hot water, and electricity at my fingertips. That I’m able to wash my huge load of laundry with a washing machine and have clothes to spare. That I’m able to walk to a grocery store that has a huge variety of fresh and processed foods, and that throwing away leftovers used to be “no big deal.” That even with a teacher’s salary, I have a stable job where I am not being exploited or discriminated against based on the color of my skin or because my parents immigrated from a different country. That I get to go home to a house in the Bay Area from an international vacation, while way too much of the world continues to live in poverty. These trips remind me to express gratitude in all aspects of my life, and with the privilege I’m afforded comes the responsibility to use that privilege to give back and make the world better for all humanity.
My hope for our Glimpsers is that they take their experiences and grow from what they’ve learned – to be more compassionate, courageous, and committed to the communities they belong to. Glimpsers: remember that you made those Start, Stop, and Continue pledges for yourself. I’m not going to lie – it will be easy to fall back into your same routine pre-trip unless you intentionally put in the work and effort to make those changes. I hope you know that wherever you are physically, you have the support and encouragement from me, Katy, Ruth, and JC to make those goals a reality. Thank you for letting us be a small part of your life-long journey of growing. ❤️ Go get some rest, enjoy the pictures and memories from the trip, and then get to work to make changes in your own community. 💪
