Keira ’26 and Patrick ’26, reflect on the the groups final day at the worksite and are grateful for the experience and friendships made along the way.
Today was a big day. The fiesta was tonight. This morning, everyone scrambled to get the house cleaned up and painted. I felt such relief and satisfaction seeing all of our efforts finally come together to create one finished product. After another scenic truck ride through the backroads of El Hatico to drop off materials to reuse, the team and I stopped at a local pool to relax now that we were completely done with construction. One highlight of my week happened this afternoon at the hotel. After mentioning that I wanted to move around and maybe get a workout in, Zoe and Jane eagerly joined in too. Even though afterward we looked like we’d done a whole Ironman, we were so glad that we all worked out and most importantly, that we got through it together.
Tonight was probably the most fun I’d had in a very long time. Although the fiesta started with many sentimental speeches and traditions, like the handing off of the keys to the house to the new owners, the mood of the fiesta quickly escalated with many, including myself, dancing, singing, and talking. Throughout the fiesta, I could see Samil, the teenager living in the new house, looking at the kitchen and rooms with so much pride and joy. Seeing the smile of pure happiness on his face really made me rethink some of my own values. This night was so much fun because of just how energetic everyone was. Little kids were dancing everywhere and I’m going to miss talking to Melvin, Robis, and Samil. They’ve taught me so much this past week, including more Spanish, and I’m dreading saying goodbye.
-Keira ’26
Although the final farewell party might not seem to be the most important or influential, to me, it was the defining moment of my trip to the Dominican Republic. As the night raged on with boisterous and bassy music, I began to realize something truly beautiful about what we had built as a community. As everybody from the neighborhood and our group danced together, it crossed my mind that, brick by brick, we had not just built a home but also unlikely friendships, friendships that crossed language and cultural barriers, as well as the usual cliques of our school.
In this fast-paced, goal-oriented world, I feel we often forget to look around as we make progress in our own journeys. Sometimes it is only when we get to the top of the mountain, when we attain our goals, that we begin to look back at the trail we leave and the people that have helped us along the way. This is exactly what happened to me at the party. It was only as we celebrated the completion of the long-awaited house that I began to see and be thankful for the relationships that everybody had gradually formed at the job site.
I will really remember this experience, specifically the friendships that it pushed me to form along the way with the energetic locals, teachers, and my fellow students. Thank you all for making this trip so memorable.
-Patrick ’26
