Final From the Ground Update

The From the Ground Up Winterim group sent us this final update about their last day in the Dominican Republic and their reflections on their time there:

Hello everyone!

It's hard to believe this trip is almost over! This will be our last update from the DR, as we are heading out early Thursday morning and heading back to the States. It's hard to imagine that we are coming back to snow after the wonderful sun and warmth we have been experiencing. If only we could take the weather back with us!

Our last day here was nothing short of amazing. The group woke up early to experience a spectacular sunrise together overlooking the ocean. We then headed out to La Laguna GriGri, where we took a boat through a mangrove estuary and saw not only the mangroves but some wildlife as well. We swam at two beautiful beaches, enjoyed a delicious lunch of fresh lobster, fish, chicken, rice, beans, and platanos, and enjoyed the warm weather as much as possible before heading back to the snow and ice that awaits us back home.

As we headed back to the Beach Comber, we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from LA alum Maritza Menjivar ('07), who is currently in the DR as well! She worked at LA in 2011-2012, so she knew many of the students, and they were excited to see her. She stayed with us for dinner, and then we had our final reflection together as a group. First, the students said a very heartfelt and thoughtful good-bye and thank-you (led by the seniors) to our guide, Luis, who has been with us the entire trip. Then, the students thought about their overall experience and journaled about their five biggest "take-away" moments from the trip, as well as how they would take what they learned from the trip and apply it to their lives back home. Their responses showed just how much they have truly grown during this trip, as well as how much their work in the community genuinely resonated with them. We will further discuss their plans for action on Friday when we have our last day on campus. As the students put it themselves, it is important we hold ourselves accountable to making a difference even after Winterim ends, and we very much plan to do just that.

To say it has been a pleasure being on this trip with this particular group of students would be a gross understatement. The bonding they have done, the work they have executed, the overall experience they have created for themselves, and the communities they have worked with is truly remarkable. It has been a Winterim that the students, as well as the leaders, will remember always.

Hasta manana,
Kacey and Rob