Buffalo State IPDS Dominican Republic
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Kem

Student - Elementary Education & Reading

Sometimes less is more!

1/15/2014

1 Comment

 
So far being in the Dominican Republic has really helped to push me out of my comfort zone. I am typically a shy person but living in a house with 8 girls just has a way of making you feel comfortable. Feeling this sense of comfort has made me proud of who I am; so much so that, I am no longer afraid to speak the language of my culture. Spanish is such a beautiful language and until now I could not embrace the beauty that this language has to offer. 

The Spanish culture is so loving and I am ashamed that I did not claim this part of who I am sooner. The people are welcoming, kind, and friendly and even though they do not have a lot to give they will not think twice about sharing whatever they have. Through this experience I met a wonderful woman named Margery. Margery is the mother of four children and a grandmother to one, a little baby girl who is five months old. Margery invited us to her home with open arms and the only thing she wants is to make sure that we’re happy and that our bellies are satisfied once we leave her home. As we leave we exchange hugs and kisses on the cheek and Margery makes sure to ask “ Que quieres comer mañana?” (What do you want to eat tomorrow) and my response is always “Cual tu quieres” (whatever you want) but she insist on us making a decision so we will be pleased the next day. The amount of selflessness that these people have makes me look at myself and say how can I be more like this.  This experience made me think more about what I want to do as a future educator and how to use the knowledge I acquire through my educational opportunities to help people, and I love the idea of volunteering where people do not have access to the materials or resources that is available in the united states. Someday I would like to go to my country in Honduras and assist in someway to make the education there better; maybe by organizing a fundraiser to raise materials, or providing my physical labor. I have never really though about volunteer work until I applied for this opportunity but now that I have a taste of it and how it can make a huge change in someones life volunteer work is something that I would definitely like to keep doing. 










Picture
(Wilfrank, me, Kim, Margery, Christina)
1 Comment
Mary C. Cummings
1/20/2014 01:19:50 am

You have learned a great deal from this experience. The value you see in this experience and your desire to duplicate it within your own culture is amazing. Dr. Frank Labau ( I not sure I am spelling that correctly ) started a program in Africa about seventy years ago where he taught the power of one person teaching one more . "Each one teach one" That is what you are experiencing...that is powerful.

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