At the end of the Dominican Republic travel program, trip leaders asked students to reflect on the following prompt, “What would you tell a student who is coming on this trip to pack in their social/emotional suitcase?” Following are snippets from students responses.
On the trip you not only build a strong home, but also a strong bond with the community. Although the trip is short lived, the relationships you build between the workers, children, family, and other members of the community are as resilient as ever.
-Angel ’25
My advice to a person going on this trip is to be communicative and outgoing. As a more shy person myself, I thought at multiple times this trip pushed me outside my comfort zone. Making an effort to communicate with the workers on the site helped me build relationships with them, even though there was a language barrier. Putting yourself out here will serve you well, and just remember to have fun!
-Rhys ’25
The third and final idea that comes to mind, and likely the most important, is teamwork. Teamwork leads to the efficient creation of a home, connection within the group, and a better enjoyment of the trip. Effective teamwork not only helps with a smooth, quick building process, but it makes the trip seem more like an opportunity than a project.
-Luca ’26
I would say to also bring open-mindedness. There will be things that you don’t know or understand, but there is an amazing chance to learn right in front of you. Take risks, get out of your comfort zone, and appreciate other’s perspectives about the experience.
-Vic’Kaysha ’26
Having a team mentality is essential when participating in such an experience. On this trip, teamwork is crucial, as we learned that what affects one person can affect everyone. Supporting each other and working together at the work site and beyond left us all feeling great. This trip transformed our team into more than just a group of individuals – we became like a family. Stepping out of my comfort zone was a significant part of this journey; connecting with new people and learning from each other strengthened our team bonds.
-Tyler ’26
The second thing I recommend is to be prepared for the emotional aspects that come with these connections. Getting to know everyone’s story was such an interesting part of the trip and when the house was finished it was so heartwarming to see the family that I now knew so well smiling and happy. While it was definitely sad to have to leave after a week it was one of the best spent weeks of my life.
-Audrey ’26
First and foremost come with an open mind. While it may be frightening to not have your phone and be able to contact your parents in a country far from home, in order to get the most out of the experience, an open mind is needed.
-Lexie ’25
Finally, I would say to be prepared to be uncomfortable, both mentally and physically. There are a lot of long and dirty days as well as many hard lessons to learn. As much as you can try to be ready for discomfort. The most important attributes to recognize on this trip is open minded resilience, empathy, admiration, and discomfort. If you are prepared for these things before going on the trip you will have a great experience in the Dominican Republic.
-Jane ’26
I would also advise you to pause and take more silence at times to observe, rather than talking all the time. This especially applies to things like bus rides, work sites, etc. There is so much for us to learn from the Dominicans, and you can only do so if you bring the skill of stepping back. Overall, I would most helpfully advise you to cherish this trip, but also have a fun time and let loose a little bit.
– Zoe ’26
- Gratitude:
Gratitude is essentially being mindful and thankful for the things around you.
- This will come very important to your perspective towards the end of the trip as you begin to see the general themes of the trip come together.
- You should be grateful for everybody that has helped you with your experience. Give thanks to your parents, trip leaders, fellow students, local friends, the masons, and the people working the kitchen behind the scenes.
- This trip is all about forming connections with people. Gratitude is a very necessary step for preserving those relationships and seeing their worth.
- I think this is the most important thing to pack because it really gives you a sense for the mission of Cambiando Vidas.
-Patrick ’26
Something that I really didn’t expect was the relationships formed with the people at the worksite. In order to form those bonds, having an open-mind is essential. This trip consists of entering a foreign country with unknown people, so in order to make the most out of this experience you’ll need to step out of your comfort zone. This applies to those you meet at the worksite, and also to the people from Deerfield who you may not know very well. I hadn’t previously known some of the kids on the trip with me and after only one week I have become very close with all of them and I love them all. That is also why really embracing the un-plugged aspect of the trip is really helpful. It makes all the relationships formed very real.
-Maggie ’25
If I had to list two attributes that are integral to getting the most out of the DR house building trip, I would say that the full experience of the trip can only be acquired with a strong sense of humility and gratitude… My perspective completely changed the day I visited the headquarters of Cambiando Vidas when I got to meet a family whose house had been built by Cambiando Vidas. As I saw how grateful the family was for their home, I realized that our job wasn’t to build a house; we were there to build a home. On top of helping me understand the importance of our work at the site, humanity and gratitude were attributes that helped me through the harder parts of the trip. One of the most difficult parts of the trip was saying goodbye to the friends that we made along the way. But instead of feeling sadness for my departure, I took solace in the gratitude we all expressed for each other in our final celebration. The fact that we were able to create a home for the family that really needed it was more than enough of a thanks. Cambiado Vidas would be nothing without their unfathomably strong community filled with respect and gratitude for one another. As I reflect on this trip I find myself in awe of the hospitality of Jose Abreu and Cambiando Vidas and their willingness to help their fellow brethren in their time of need, and I can only hope to bring a fraction of that hospitality and humility back into the Deerfield Community.
-Bronson ’25
Come with an open mind because there will be many times where all you want to do is stick to what is tried and true. To get the most out of this trip it’s necessary to push yourself out of your comfort zone…If there is only one thing you bring, it should be a love for learning and a passion to help those who need it.
-Lila ’26
Come on this trip expecting to be uncomfortable and ready to embrace it…Another essential item is the ability to embrace frustrations and persevere through them…You need to really embrace this experience because what you put into this trip is what you get out of it…So come with curiosity and be comfortable being uncomfortable.
-Keira ’26
