The Start of Something New

Tuesday: A Day of Learning and Cultural Immersion

Tuesday morning was amazing, as we began the day with an Orientation on "Culture," "Community of Care," and "Bystander Intervention Training." Students had the opportunity to engage with case scenarios, sharing their own experiences to foster an empathetic environment. At the end of the session, each student wrote a personal commitment to help create the safest environment possible. Afterward, we took the students to their houses, but not before enjoying some delicious mangoes.

Back at the Centro Cultural Dominico Americano, the students were buzzing with excitement to start their Spanish classes. They learned pronouns, how to introduce themselves, and the months of the year through a fun activity where they organized themselves in a line based on their birth months. They also learned various greetings, farewells, and lots of new vocabulary.

After a light snack, we headed to the "Centro León."

The Centro León is a museum and cultural center designed for creativity, research, engagement, and enjoyment by all audiences, both Dominican and foreign. This cultural institution was inaugurated on the occasion of the centenary of the founding of La Aurora, the first company of the León family. The creation of this project consolidates the trajectory and support for art and culture that the León family has been developing since the Eduardo León Jimenes Foundation. It houses 40 collections on visual arts, archaeology, ethnography, Dominican folklore, Dominican popular culture, Dominican photography, bibliography, cartography, documentary, and multimedia.

At the museum, students explored beautiful Dominican pieces of art, tools used by the Taínos, and some exquisite jewelry, allowing them to immerse themselves in the heritage of the ancestors. The visit culminated with a conference discussing the origins of Dominican heritage, including its food, dances, and much more.

On the bus ride back, we had the chance to debrief the experience. Hearing how much the students learned and seeing how their perspectives had changed was just awesome.

Wednesday: Finding A Diamond in the Rough

When you typically vacation in another country they highlight all the beauty and hide the reality of the places. The same goes for Dominican Republic. However, today the Public Health CIEE group was able to explore the wonders of Dominican's and see a vulnerable population and grow to understand their story by being exposed to the locals' living and working environment. As they sat in an escuela, funded by donations and the local community members that grew up in the same conditions. Our students watched a brief video explaining that children from the area was forced to work in the local landfill to be able to pay for their basic needs. They would gather plastic or anything of value to sell to be able to meet their needs.

Giving a tour through the landfill was interesting and brought up a lot of emotions from the students. They seemed to feel compassionate, grateful, and empathetic towards the local people experiencing such conditions and hardships. Before we went on the hike up the mountain to contribute to the garden that is being established, by planting dragonfruit trees. Three students saw children of the local community and gave them their own snacks that was just given to them. It was a beautiful observation to see children from all over America desire to contribute to a community they know lacks and want to automatically give back to those around the area before they saw the severity of the conditions with their own two eyes.

Although there is hardship, there is also beauty at the top of the mountain. With the establishing of a community garden, with an amazing view of the island. Seeing local livestock, the people still being nice in spite of circumstances, children with hope in their eyes, and for our students a new formed understanding and humility. A new passion for the occupational field they would like to enter into. A new understanding on how poverty can impact the well being of humans living in such conditions and how alleviating the problem can better prevent medical conditions amongst groups of people and developing an understanding that it is all connected and that is what public health is about; connecting the conditions of an environment and how it can impact the medical, mental, and overall well being of individuals.

Thursday: A Memorable Day with Cometas de Esperanza

Today was an exciting and memorable day as it marked the first time the students met and spent quality time with the kids from Cometas de Esperanza. Initially, there was some nervousness, but as time passed, everyone began to bond.

We kicked off by introducing ourselves and then sat in a circle, ready to dive into the day's activities. The focus was on physical activity and its importance, coupled with the significance of a balanced diet. We discussed various foods that contribute to better health, emphasizing proteins like meat and eggs, along with salads and fruits. The key takeaway was the importance of balance in our diets, last but not least we danced a lot!!!

In the afternoon, the students headed to Centro Cultral Dominico Americano (CCDA) for Spanish classes. The session was engaging and provided a great opportunity to improve their language skills. After class, they had 30 minutes to work on the intercultural journals, reflecting on our experiences and learnings.

The day continued with dance classes where students learned peer-to-peer. We explored a bit of Dominican dance history and practiced merengue and bachata. It was an incredible experience to not only learn these dances but also to enjoy them with our peers, making the whole experience even more exciting.

Overall, it was a fantastic and memorable day, filled with learning, cultural exchange, and fun.

Friday: A Dynamic Friday Morning with Cometas de Esperanza

Friday morning, we set out to Cometas de Esperanza for another service day. The excitement was palpable as we began with games and dancing. The students and kids enthusiastically jumped and danced to the two choreographies we learned the day before, setting a joyful tone for the day.

Following the lively start, we shifted gears to focus on mental health. We discussed its importance, emphasizing that it’s okay not to always feel okay. We talked about the significance of acknowledging our emotions and giving ourselves permission to experience them fully.

To make this more interactive, we provided each student with paper, pencils, and colored pencils. We then divided them into three groups, each assigned a specific emotion:

1. Happiness
2. Sadness
3. Anger

Each student had to draw something that evoked their assigned emotion. This activity was incredibly revealing, allowing the students to identify what triggers their feelings and discuss strategies for seeking help when needed.

After the mental health session, we transitioned to playing sports like volleyball and football. The students had a blast, and their enthusiasm made it hard to leave.

In the afternoon, the students participated in a topic workshop and enjoyed some structured free time, giving them the chance to explore new places and have fun.

The day was filled with laughter, learning, and bonding, leaving everyone eager for the next memorable day together :)