Vic’Kaysha ’26, reflects of the meaning of community and the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and engaging with others.
As the final blogger, I feared I would have to make this the most meaningful or profound of all the posts. However, I realized throughout this trip that this experience is unique to everyone in a variety of ways. For me, I explored an island that represents a part of my identity and heritage. The concept I faced the most was the idea of community. At Deerfield, it is easy to get lost in the fast-paced, intense environment. Everyone and everything is rushed and there is never time to reflect. However, simply being on this trip has offered the opportunity for us students to get to know each other better without screens. With the phones away, I have gotten the chance to understand others on a personal level. Along with that, I have learned so much from the people on the worksite on what it means to be a team.
First, I was shy that my broken Spanish would not be sufficient enough and I wouldn’t be able to get through the days. Yet, when I realized that the masons understood me, the kids got along with me, and the family appreciated me around, something switched in my brain. I saw how the neighborhood gathered to help build the house and everyone gathered to share an amazing home-cooked meal. I noticed that it wasn’t about where I came from, what I spoke, or what I brought, but mainly what mattered was that I decided to join them that day. It was that I integrated myself into the food, the society, and the culture. They loved and respected me as if I had known them my whole life, even in this little amount of time. I could confidently say that I’ve unlocked a new perspective of my identity I once had never experienced. My key takeaway from this experience has been that within building a house, I have created a home with a community I can call family.
