Day 17 already? I can’t believe this trip is almost over. As I look out into the horizon and see mountains and not buildings I’m starting to realize that I am not ready to leave. This experience is still a bit surreal and as I write this blog post its very hard for me to put my experience into words but I will try. When I first came on this trip I expected this trip to be a big eye opener and for my appreciation for little things that I take for granted to grow. As it turns out this trip met and surpassed my expectations. Every new activity we participated in every day allowed me to broaden my perspective in ways that I had not thought about before. For example when we had the opportunity to work as a local it was mind blowing to find out how many people did not like what they were doing but worked hard and with pride to provide for their families.
As the days progressed I found myself talking less and observing more. I started observing peoples faces and what they were doing and how it made them feel. It was pretty interesting actually, how the people that had the least seemed to be the happiest compared to in America, where people who have so much to happy about carry the saddest faces. I wish that these people had the opportunity that I had so far so that they could start looking at their cups half filled. The expressions on the faces of the people here held a strong heartbreaking story behind them; and if I could put all of their stories together into a book I think that it would change the perspectives of so many lives.
As much as I miss my family back in New York if I had the opportunity to stay here one more week I would gladly take it just because I feel that there is so much more that I want to experience. Just this one trip changed the plan I set out for my future. At first I was timid to travel to another country but now, I want to travel the world! Also, I still want to be an English teacher but now I am interested and would love to teach in a country where education is a struggle to provide as well as to find. I found that here in the Dominican Republic education is not forced upon these children so to see them show up to my class because they want to learn is simply amazing.
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Great Job Carina , very descriptive , good luck in your future as a English teacher .