Maggie Tydings ’20 and Jeffrey So ’19 describe an “action-packed” day of hard work followed by a relaxing afternoon of sun, water and a delicious local dinner.
An action-packed day here on day three in the Dominican Republic. The day started off at the work site where we raised the house to roof level which involved a lot of heavy lifting with mezcla and concreto at every turn. Because of the hard work of not only ourselves but the entire community, we finished ahead of schedule and were able to begin work on the floors.
Each day we have focused on a different level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Today’s focus was on safety needs. During our reflection discussion before dinner, we conversed about the differences in our awareness of safety. The main focus of the discussion was based on how we view our safety in the Dominican Republic versus how we view our safety at home and at Deerfield. Every team member had a unique perspective on the safety at home, at Deerfield, and traveling abroad.
We also discussed the safety and security of the house we are building. Being as this is Cambiando Vidas’ 87th house, Jose has done a great job creating the most secure structure possible. One of the jobs on the site today was filling the hollow concrete blocks with rocks to ensure protection against earthquakes and hurricanes. Overall, we as a group feel as though we have fulfilled Maslow’s second tier of needs during our stay.
After a morning of work, we headed to the river where we relaxed in the sun and enjoyed the juicy mangoes and the current of the water. Dinner included a variety of fried starches such as French fries, plantains and sweet potatoes. We enjoyed ice cream and softball before heading back to the hotel. When we returned, Jose shared the story of Cambiando Vidas and how it came to be. His story was heartwarming and uplifting, a true testament to the importance of service and community. Another great day in the DR!
