“Money only buys the weak” – Genaro Rodriguez.
Today was Global Business Day, an eye-opening experience for my co-leader and I. We were privileged to hear two opposing sides about protecting the environment. We woke up to the chirping of birds and the beeping of our alarm. It was a beautiful morning, a little cold but nothing we couldn’t handle. We had to make sure everyone was on the bus at 8am, ready to head to Bonao, a copper mine. There we met and chatted with Johnathan Riuz, an environmental scientist. After visiting the copper mine, we met with protesters that were not in support of mining. We learned about how mining affects local communities in Dominican Republic and around the world in general. Protesters like Ruben Diario, Genaro, Mama Miranda and Santa Lucia have gone through a lot to protect what they believe in, and protecting the environment.
We were really surprised to hear about how the pollution from mining can affect people’s lungs, unborn babies, crops, river, etc. My co-leader and I were proud of the fact that we heard both sides of the story concerning mining and presented a gift to each speaker. The most inspiring person for us was Ruben Diario. He opened all of our minds and made us think about our lives’ purpose because we are the future generation and it is up to us to preserve Mother nature. Being leaders of the day was a huge responsibility for my co-leader and I. We had to get out of our comfort zones and practice our public speaking skills. As a leader, I, Jazmine, had to speak louder for my fellow peers to hear and be more confident in how I presented myself. I, Faith, learned that in order to be a leader, you have to be a role model, follow the rules, ask questions, make sure you’re prepared at all times and be assertive with the group even though they are my peers. Although it was a long day, we still had fun and were able to learn more about leadership and ourselves.