Hope your spring semesters have all started off well! I recently got back from spending the month in the Dominican Republic, taking a course titled The Global Challenge of Health and the Future of Water, and I have been meaning to make some reflections.
A little about the trip:
1. This was the first time Macaulay offered the course and while we didn't receive much information beforehand, once we got to the country, everything was super structured and worked out wonderfully. I would absolutely recommend it if it is offered again next year.
2. We stayed in a hotel in Santiago, the second largest city in the Dominican Republic. I loved being there because it's not as touristy as Santo Domingo, but it still has a big-city feel, so you really get a chance to immerse yourself in the culture.
3. The class was focused on the social determinants of public health, particularly of waterborne diseases endemic to the Dominican Republic. During the week, we had class for three hours a day, and on weekends, we took visits to poor communities to study water availability and access.
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| View from the monument in Santiago |
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| Weekend at an all-inclusive resort in Sosua |
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| Some of the kids holding hands at a batey community we visited |
1. Macaulay is a small school and within our separate campuses, even smaller. Everyone I met on this trip is amazing and so much fun to be around and it really reminded me the importance of branching out and constantly meeting new people.
2. When we're in a new country, particularly on a study abroad trip, we are always studying local people, trying to affirm or challenge our perceptions of them. What we often forget is that they are also studying us, trying to do the same with their perceptions of Americans. In many ways, when abroad, we are ambassadors of our own country and that can be both scary and empowering. One of the most notable things about the Dominican Republic is how nice and hospitable everyone is. Our waiters and waitresses always called us mi amor or mi corazon. One time we were lost and a lady stepped out of her house to walk us 15 minutes to where we needed to go. I think the people are a lot more laid-back and happier as a result. So, I'm sure there are times we came off a bit rude and selfish and I regret I wasn't more conscious of my actions in those instances. But, we also took a visit to a water treatment facility in Santiago and after a talk with their director, he commented that he was surprised by how smart we were and told us we would grow to be great professionals with great discipline. It was really eye-opening to see how we could build rapport with people across borders just through conversation.
3. It's important to experience. In New York, many of us don't embrace this stop-and-talk-to-strangers culture even though everyone in the city is so interesting. What really made my time in the DR was striking up conversation with locals, even with broken Spanish. It made for some really meaningful late night beers. I hope to continue practicing that.
4. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and I was hoping this trip would help me decide, but, to be honest, it didn't. Being in Macaulay is really daunting at times because a majority of the people genuinely want to create a change in the world, in those exact terms. And the process to getting there is tricky. What this trip has shown me is to stop thinking in those terms. Often, changing the world becomes more concerned with creating a name for ourselves or striving for personal successes. It is not only a scary goal, but one that often gets lost along the way. Instead, we should all focus on changing the people we meet and letting them change us. It's much simpler to find ways to fulfill this and it's a lot more fulfilling, too.
I still have a lot to think about and hopefully this post has given you some to think about too.
Until next time,
Linda
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