By Ashley Powers
The annual back to school fretfulness hangs in the air like a cloud before a tropical storm. August approaches—as do the groans of students who are enjoying their free time a little too much. School and its colleagues, studying, and deadlines will return shortly. Familiar faces that you have not seen since May will inevitably reappear to initiate small talk and complain about having to be back at school again. Acquaintances will ask about your summer and will inquire about your adventures. It is a cycle that I have endured and reciprocated many times. However, this is my senior year and I am coming back swinging with new stories, new perspectives, and new answers.
This summer I went to the Dominican Republic! As someone who has never been out of the country, this was truly an incredible experience. I stayed in Cabarete—a tourist town on the North coast of the island. I loved to wander the litter and art lined streets, just to absorb the new air. I ate some of the best food that I have ever had. The fresh-squeezed mango juice and cilantro-garlic Caribbean Swaifish were my favorites—and it was all locally grown or harvested. I relaxed on some of the most beautiful beaches where I sipped pineapple drinks, watched dozens of wind surfers, and tanned enough to match the soft brown sand. I experienced many exciting adventures from horseback riding in the lush, green mountaintops to snorkeling in the deep turquoise waters.
However, I did not go to this Caribbean island to kick back and sip piña coladas all day. Unlike other tourists, I went to the Dominican Republic to volunteer to help little girls in the poorer communities outside of Cabarete. Education in the Dominican Republic is not as subsidized as ours or other systems for that matter. They actually have one of the poorest educational systems in the Caribbean. Most students will not attend high school. Others will not even make it that far; some rural school systems stop at grade five. Moreover, as in most impoverished places, the situation hits the female side of the population a little harder. Girls are not expected to go farther than middle school. They are expected to start families, cook, clean, and stay at home for most of their lives. Not many opportunities are available to these young ladies due to poverty and lack of education.
However, the lack of resources in these communities does not equate to a lack of hope. I volunteered for the Mariposa Foundation—a wonderful foundation dedicated to ending generational poverty through female empowerment. The organization hopes to show young ladies that there is more to life than starting a family at 13 or 14. There really are opportunities for them out there—especially through education and empowerment. The Mariposa Foundation teaches these young girls both educational and real life skills such as English, mathematics, cycling, swimming, and other important things that we learn yet take for granted. The girls were awesome to work with; they had the most contagious smiles and the bubbliest energy. All ages wandered around grounds adorned with murals of powerful women and inspiring mantras: It was such a welcoming environment for them. To make it an even more welcoming place, all of the volunteers helped build a huge wall around the perimeter to keep them safe. This was just one of many projects that we completed to help the Mariposa Foundation. From teaching classes to building infrastructure, it was an extremely busy summer!
The early mornings and hot afternoons we spent working with the Dominican students truly paid off in the end. We tackled plenty of projects to help the foundation, but the part that meant the most to me was the work we did for the Maripositas. I made plenty of little friends that I will never forget. Their smiles and giggles are memories that I cherish. With the Dominican Republic on my mind, I could not return to this country the same. My service trip taught me the importance of my education and how amazing it feels to help others. I realized that I was truly blessed to live the life I live, and that I should be more willing to share my gifts with others. Even something as simple as one’s time might mean the world to someone who may need it. I saw lots of poverty and lots of destruction. However, I also saw lots of beauty and happiness. The poorest communities were the most friendly and welcoming. I returned to America with a brand new perspective on my life, and I hope the Mariposa girls have a different outlook on theirs, too.
Resources:
http://dominicandream.org/about/facts
Image: Indigenous Taino girls of the Caribbean by Stephan Herz via Wikimedia Commons
Ashley, although you are a young lady, you have the wisdom of an individual much older. How lucky you are to have experienced this wonderful opportunity in the Dominican Republic. Very beautiful article with many insights