2018 was the third consecutive year I have traveled to the La Romana Province in the Dominican Republic. The DRST (Dominican Republic Service team) is a group of Watkinson students, faculty and parents as well as students and faculty from University High school and doctors from UCONN. All participants are on a volunteer basis. Each year we depart in mid-November (the week of Thanksgiving) for seven days. We collect donated meds, shoes, toiletries and monetary donations and distribute them to Dominicans.
A large part of the DR trip is the local connection. We are not aiming to be an all-in-one-swoop donation group, but a sustainable and reliable source of aid for impoverished Dominican people and to work hand in hand with them. |
We work in three main locations: Joe Hartman School, Batey Papita and set up a traveling med clinic in the more urban areas. At these sites we:
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All construction is done with the help of local Dominican men who often wear flimsy flip flops when shoveling pounds of concrete and drink a plastic cup of water for their lunch break. Nonetheless, their work ethic exceeds that of the service team to better their community.
Two DRST travelers and one local man shoveling concrete for a cement floor of a classroom at Joe Hartman School
Despite the language barrier, I have formed relationships with so many of the Dominican kids and adults. One little girl, Joanni, was my first friend in the DR when I traveled as a freshman. I was worried that I would be useless on the construction site as I am not very strong and am not (in any way!) skilled with a pick axe. A woman approached me holding a beautiful little girl who had bare feet and beads in her hair. The woman placed her daughter on the ground, who looked at me shyly and then ran away. The woman motioned for me to follow her, and over the course of an hour she allowed me to slowly scooch closer to her as we sat in the dirt. I began to make a small tower out of the rocks on the ground, and soon a dozen little kids were surrounding me building towers as well.
Joanni from the batey La Papita
Being a part of the Dominican Republic Service Team has been a truly life changing experience for me. I have not only gained perspective and appreciation for all the advantages I am so fortunate to have, but caught a glimpse of a lifestyle free of materialism and technology that is far superior in values than ours. The Dominican people do not dwell on their situation, but celebrate the things they do have: family, community and culture. We could all benefit by taking a page from their book.
