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Category: Dominican Republic

I just came home from a LiveDifferent Build…now what?

I have now been on two trips with LiveDifferent (both of which were in the Dominican) and each time, the goodbyes only seem to get harder. With Live Different, you build so much more than a home for a family. You build relationships, with both your teammates and community members; you build self confidence, understanding that you are capable of creating change; you build hope, for a family that may have found it hard to hold onto; and you build dreams, as you reflect on the things you have the learned, the ways you have changed, and the goals you have for the future.
Returning home the first time was incredibly difficult for me. I came home to people who couldn’t comprehend the way I had been touched by such an experience, and an environment so clouded by things I no longer saw as important. So, the second time around, I vowed to find better ways to adjust, and refused to let the fire that LiveDifferent had lit inside of me to burn out. After mulling over my thoughts and piecing together every part of my experience, I came up with a list of things I thought were important to me; things I wanted to maintain long after my experience in the Dominican Republic. Hopefully, these things will also help many of you as you process what you’ve experienced, and the ways in which you can apply this knowledge in order to create change in your life back at home.
1. Surround yourself with people who share your passion for change.
I learned pretty quickly that when people with big hearts and similar passions surround you, you thrive continuously and endlessly. It is so refreshing having conversations with people like this because it provides a portal for you to share your knowledge, your values, your thoughts and concerns, with a level of understanding that others aren’t able to give you. My involvement with Live Different has allowed me to build lifelong friendships with people exactly like this.
2. Maintain a thirst for knowledge and remember that you never know everything.
I recently met a middle-aged gentleman at my university. We engaged in small talk and he asked what I was taking in school. Upon telling him I was an anthropology student, he suggested I look into “ethnobotany,” explaining to me that it was the study of how people of particular cultures interact with plants and biodiversity. How cool is that?! Had I not given this guy five minutes of my time to have a short conversation, I probably still wouldn’t know that field even existed. This reminded me that you can learn something from everyone – whether it be someone very close to you, or someone you meet once and never see again. Remember to take advantage of this. Engage in conversation, not because you feel like you should, but because you want to. Keep an open mind about all the things you can take out of a simple interaction with someone, and let this guide you in speaking with as many people as possible. Of course there will be times where you are not so interested in what someone’s saying, but there will be just as many times you find yourself saying, “Whoa! Who would have thought?” – so make sure you take that chance! To take this further, spend time researching what you’re interested in. This doesn’t have to mean spending your Friday night on Google skimming through articles, but it could very well mean spending your Friday night watching a documentary about something you’re passionate about. Take advantage of the easy ways to stimulate your brain and continue learning.
3. Set goals for yourself… and stick to them.
Make a list of things you’d like to accomplish, places you’d like to see, and people you’d like to make contact with. They can be short-term or long-term goals, and they can be as “far-fetched” as you’d like, but whatever they are, I think it’s important to have personal goals for the future. It’s a way to keep your mind and body busy and stimulated, and for you to feel a continued sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. Once you have a list, narrow it down to a couple things you’d like to devote yourself to in the now, and brainstorm ways in which you can reach those goals.
4. Don’t get overwhelmed.
When I was first in the Dominican, I was immensely overwhelmed by the magnitude of poverty and desperation that I saw. I couldn’t really comprehend the things I was seeing, smelling, and hearing, nor could I formulate any sort of understanding of how I could possibly change it. Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” As my time in the communities continued, this became all the more real to me, and I realized the importance of remembering we cannot change the world overnight. Rather than feeling hopeless about the number of people living in poverty, I think it’s important to focus on what you are doing and whom you are helping at one particular moment. If it wasn’t for you, the organization and community that you’re working with, and your amazing team members, one family’s life might not have been changed. Focus on the now, and take it day by day.
5. Keep a healthy balance.
I’ve talked a lot about ways to maintain your global citizenship after returning from a humanitarian trip, but it’s nevertheless important to keep a balanced lifestyle. There are times where it’s important to be kind to yourself and to do things simply because you will enjoy them. Go out for dinner with your friends, plan a spa weekend, or pick up tickets to see your favourite band. Make sure to stay involved in the activities that you love, whether it’s sports, art, music, fashion, movies, comic books, etc. Whatever it may be, it’s important to do things for yourself sometimes without feeling guilty.
6. Think of small ways to make a difference. 
Remember what I said above about not getting overwhelmed, and remembering that we can’t change the world overnight? Well, there are some things that you can change. Think of something small that you can take on, whether it’s volunteering in your local community, doing advocacy work for a cause you care about, or maybe even fundraising for LiveDifferent (or another charity that matters to you) so that they can continue to bring change to people who need it. Even something as simple as asking your parents or neighbours if there’s a way you can help them out will make a huge difference, and will show you how easy it is to bring change in small ways.
So far, these are the practices that have assisted me in ensuring that I don’t lose the momentum that being a part of a Build has brought to my life. These positive choices have helped me see that I can continue to make a difference, both in my own life, and in my community. I hope that others can benefit from these lessons, and find ways to put them to use so that we can all “LiveDifferent” as we continue to find ways to bring about positive change.
– Haley, LiveDifferent Volunteer

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: March 28th, 2016

Great Expectations

Expectation is a funny thing. It can move you to action anticipating one outcome, only to find that what you finally experience is something quite different. This was the case in my experience with the Live Different Build trip.
I didn’t expect hard labour. Wouldn’t they just put the unskilled gringos on shovel-washing duty or something trivial like that? Despite this, I wanted to experience the amazing feeling that would come from being a part of something that would impact a family’s life so significantly. I wasn’t quite accurate on either account.
Yes, there was some shovel-washing. But there was also shoveling, cement mixing, sifting mounds of sand, and applying cement to the house. It was real labour. Add high temperatures, children weaving about constantly, and the odd animal roaming underfoot, and the challenge grew. But that was the easy part.
Group of people smiling indoors.
Our “day-in-the-life” excursion gave us a chance to visit a family in their home, to help with some chores, and make a meal with them. Accompanied by LiveDifferent volunteer trainees Katie and Mark, my colleague June and I visited the home of Lulu. She lives with her husband, Ollie, and adorable three-year-old daughter in a small, two-room house. One room is used as a kitchen/living room/hair salon (Lulu is a hairdresser) and the other is a bedroom where the three of them sleep on a mattress held off the floor by cinder blocks. The walls are draped with sheets to cover the spaces between the wooden boards that act as walls.
The washroom, a small concrete structure outside of the house, consists of a shower and a hole in the floor which, we presumed, was the toilet (us Canadians were too shy and proper to ask). June and I were lucky. We visited a family that was doing relatively well. Some of our other colleagues had quite a different experience.
Seeing people live that way was hard, but it was surprisingly harder to see the love, warmth, and appreciation they had for each other – and for us! – despite their difficult lives. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves, and what they lacked in “stuff” they made up for tenfold in their relationships. Why was this hard to see? Because, suddenly, this trip didn’t make me feel like a good person at all. I complain about trivial things daily though I have everything I need and more, and I often catch myself valuing the wrong things. Many of their most basic needs go unmet, yet they would happily share all of what little they have. The secret to their joy is something we already know, that, as LiveDifferent so eloquently puts it, “life is about people, not stuff.”
Knowing something on an intellectual level can only take you so far. Experiencing the reality of it is quite a different thing. After I was through feeling like an arse, I started to feel amazing getting up each morning knowing that what I was about to do that day mattered to somebody else’s life. I feared this feeling might be short-lived. I might come back to Canada and fall into old patterns. It’s not a perfect path, but something has definitely shifted and I don’t imagine there’s any going back.
– Lucy – LiveDifferent Builds Volunteer, Spring 2016

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: March 17th, 2016

Without a Doubt

The family that our team is building for is made up of Florencia, and her two adult sons, Martin and Jose. During the trip, I found out that Martin had been born with a clubbed foot and has had to live with it his whole life due to very limited access to medical care. This struck close to home for me because my youngest sister was also born with two clubbed feet. Although we were able to get reconstructive surgery, I remember how expensive it was, even with all the healthcare we are fortunate enough to have in Canada. It was very difficult to afford, but possible. Florencia unfortunately could not begin to dream of affording such an operation for her son. I remember very well how hard it was on my family and how much my mother would lock herself away in her room to cry, then try to come out and pretend nothing was wrong. She didn’t want us to know her pain and this gives me all the respect in the world for Florencia.

To be able to bring up a son and raise him to be as kind of a man as he is, is nothing short of amazing. I know personally that even after surgery, my sister still cannot do many of the things that we all do without thinking twice; how embarrassed she gets when she says she has to stop because her ankle hurts her too bad. To see Martin work with us in his work boots like nothing was wrong makes me see him as almost super human. To see him work so hard with a smile on his face, while whistling, singing, and talking is so inspirational. I am beyond honoured and humbled to be a part of this LiveDifferent/Building Dreams trip.  

After talking to Florencia about my younger sister and how much I respected her and Martin, she stood up, wiped away her eyes, hugged me for an extended period of time and said to me, “you are my son now”. This above all was such a heartwarming and overwhelming feeling. She is such a kind and amazing woman, as is everyone I have had the privilege of encountering in this community. It amazes me how community orientated everyone is and how they will not even think twice about going out of their way to help their neighbour. Knowing people with such wonderful values and outlooks is a rare commodity where I live. It is very rare to even see a person help another without some way of benefiting or making a profit for him/herself. I see people stepping on other people to raise their position everyday. It is so disheartening how these people are often the ones that succeed in our individualistic world. I find it so refreshing to have an escape from that. Even though we are so wealthy and have so much, these people who some might consider to be unfortunate are the real wealthy ones. We live in such an organized society where we are trained to judge one another by our bank accounts and how much materialistic ‘stuff’ we have. I truly wish everyone back home could understand what these people know without a doubt – that some things are more important than money.

Zach – LiveDifferent Volunteer, Building Dreams Build Trip, 2015

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: August 26th, 2015

Simple Lessons

“My lady just asked me how I am!!”, shouted the girl I was carrying as I toured through the community for the first time. The children are the undeniable force of this community. Every morning our bus is followed by their chorused fanfare, their hands outreached like they are ready to catch us. At first I found this intense level of affection overwhelming. However, I could never have have been prepared for how deeply I have been affected by my experience in this place. 
 
Full disclosure, I have never found myself naturally at ease with children; maybe it’s a skill you develop over time, but I have a long way to go. Kids are so genuine, trusting, and unreserved, compared to adults. Add in a language barrier and I’m completely lost. Rosa, the girl who shouted with such glee that I spoke to her in broken Spanish, is about seven years old. She had her hair done in braids with bobble ties every day I saw her. Mostly she would say hello, hold my hand, and show me off to her friends. During the week we started affectionately calling this interaction ‘getting a shadow’. But make no mistake, the kids choose us, on what criteria I will probably never know.
 
 
I’ve always been wary of some of the more self-serving aspects of humanitarian work. University students doing voluntourism for the chance to boast on their resume, not to mention on their Facebook profile picture holding a child like Rosa, has to me, always felt fake.
 
I have several photos now like this now, and it reminds me that going on a trip like this is not about whatever agenda you may have had when you arrived. Perhaps I originally came on this trip for some of my own selfish reasons, but those all get thrown out the window once you grasp the reality of the how strong the people in these communities are, and how much they have to teach us even in the midst of their need. In this community the children live a very different life than what I experienced growing up. Like other young children around the age of seven, Rosa will be expected to help with many of the household chores. Depending on the circumstances she may have to miss days of school to take care of her younger siblings. In her free time you’ll find her with a crowd of others, tirelessly shovelling away with these gringos, building a new house for her neighbour. 
 
 
I was aware before my time in here in the Dominican Republic that’s it’s a common trend that children living in poverty are not children for very long. However, seeing what that looks like, and realizing that it’s everyday life for many of these children, that is an entirely different kind of knowledge. These kids flow through their lives facing struggles that even cause me, as an adult, to break down in tears. Yet they do so with such energy and unapologetic joy! These are some of the happiest children I’ve ever met!

This how I ended up sitting in the dirt of a construction zone getting my nails done by Rosa, while her friend braided my sweat soaked hair. I have given endless piggy back rides, and held every hand that was reached out to me. These are the simplest things to give, but to these kids it makes their day. But it’s the lessons they taught me about compassion, hard work, and most importantly how to have fun, that will stay in my heart forever. 

– Chloe, LiveDifferent Builds Volunteer, Boston Pizza Trip, 2015

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: August 12th, 2015

A Day to Remember

We had the great honour of meeting Florencia and Martin during our Day in the Life visit.  We were amazed by the hospitality shown to us with the limited material items they possessed.  We were seated in “pride of place” on a well-used couch that was the most comfortable piece of furniture in their home, and they wanted their guests to be seated there.  Sharon learned from Florencia how to sweep and wash floors the Dominican way with good old fashioned elbow grease and no Swiffer in sight! 

The work was made more difficult by the intense heat in such a small environment.  Florencia showed great pride in her clean floors.  Meanwhile, Linda spent time with Martin preparing a meal. The lack of clean water to properly wash and prepare the food and utensils left Linda wondering how the family stays healthy. A full meal was prepared in a very small space, and the few utensils that Florencia and Martin own are kept in a plastic peanut butter jar with a lid tightened to prevent insects from crawling on them. Martin proudly showed us a box he had made using scrap wood to store any food they may have to keep it safe from cockroaches and rats. A piece of denim material was used as a wiping cloth as well as a pot holder. We were taken aback by the amount of time and work required to do these simple tasks without all the gadgets we have to make our lives easier in Canada.

As we thanked the family and said goodbye, we hid our tears until we were out of sight so as not to offend.  We then broke down in tears of frustration, sadness, and even anger as to how in the year 2015 people can be living in such deplorable conditions. Isn’t it about time that we decrease the gap between those who have and those have not?  As we left the community, we were reminded as the LiveDifferent message states, “Life is about people, not stuff”. 

On the last day of the build, we were invited by Tara and Liam from LiveDifferent to share the amazing news with Florencia and Martin that they will have a new home built for them in a few short weeks.  Florencia looked up to the heavens and thanked God and us for this great gift.  Martin was moved to near tears and kept repeating “thank you, thank you, thank you”.  Both of us agree that this was such a defining moment for us that our future plan is to fundraise and build another home in Nuevo Renancer, hopefully with friends and family members.  This has truly been a life changing experience that now allows us to “LiveDifferent”!

LiveDifferent Volunteers, WestJet Christmas in July Build Trip, Dominican Republic, 2015

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 30th, 2015

Little Things

Sometimes you may see or hear things on the news about poverty, but you never really know what it’s like until you’ve witnessed it first hand and met some of the amazing people who are “living in poverty”. I met so many amazing, selfless people, who were so generous and giving when they had very little to give.
 
We met so many people who opened up to us, and let us into their worlds. I never felt out of place or judged, instead I felt welcomed and loved by the people who accepted me into their homes and into their hearts. We met so many different people with diverse stories; from losing loved ones, to losing their homes, and of course many happy stories as well. But what amazed me was that these beautiful people have gone through so much struggle, but they light up the world despite the difficult things that they have encountered. It is inspiring to see such courage, determination, and strength that is displayed everyday.
 
 
The individuals I met in the communities of Arroyo Seco and Nuevo Renacer had so much faith, and they show so much gratitude for everything that they have, and continue to give even though they have little. I know a lot of people, including myself, who take for granted that we have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and a comfy bed to sleep on. When we got the opportunity to provide an entire family with those things, there is truly no better feeling than being a part of making that possible. 
 
 
I could tell so many stories about my experience, both happy and somber, but I think that everyone should experience this amazing opportunity for themselves. I am so inspired thanks to the amazing residents of the Dominican Republic that I met, as well as the LiveDifferent  volunteers and staff, who are all very dear to my heart.

– Chaydin, LiveDifferent Volunteer, Summer Public Trip, Dominican Republic, 2015

 

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 24th, 2015

LiveDifferent Stories: Keke and Mina

Keke is 10, and his sister Mina is 7 years old. During the day, both children spend their days at home while their mother sells fruit and vegetables in the street nearby; however, Keke plays an especially large role in his sister’s life. Everyday, while his mother is out, Keke prepares meals for his little sister and himself. Today, Keke was cooking rice and beans in the stove-pot atop the makeshift cooker filled with charcoal that you can see to his right. 


Their mother’s job has taken them back and forth between Haiti regularly, but recently, the family has stayed put on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic and are in the process of gathering the appropriate documentation to register as citizens, in light of the highly publicized struggle between Haiti and the DR with residency and citizenship. Lack of documents presents many problems for natives of both countries, as they can face issues with employment, education, and access to health care, just to name a few issues. Keke and Mina represent a great number of undocumented Haitian and Dominican children who have been forced to grow up so quickly, but one day will hopefully have the citizenship papers that will give their families access to the resources that they need. 

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 16th, 2015

Little Things Matter

On a free afternoon, I took a walk down into the community with another volunteer and Ephny, our translator. We went to visit Cecelia’s house. Cecilia is the happiest 80(ish!) year old woman I have ever met! I looked around her home, trying to see what might have been the reason for her smiles and welcoming arms. Cecilia didn’t have a 42 inch plasma TV. She didn’t have a marble kitchen counter. Cecilia didn’t even have what we would have recognized as a kitchen. What she did have was a husband who was as smiley as she was, a fruit tree outside of her house, and a cat named Felix. Her happiness was found in the little things, in the little matters that many of us often take for granted.

She showed us her pride In brewing coffee with a small, handmade cloth bag that had coffee beans in it that she had picked, dried, and roasted, and later added boiled water to make a Dominican version of a double shot espresso.

She looked healthy and happy and that was enough for her to smile upon our arrival, and to welcome us into her little place that was full of all of the little things that mattered to her. 

Visiting Cecilia reminded me that it’s so important to take the time to look around you. To give love and hugs, and to radiate your energy into this world and start a change, because our wealth is in the things we give, not the things we have.

– Raghda, LiveDifferent Volunteer, Public Trip, Dominican Republic, Summer 2015

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 13th, 2015

Reaching New Destinations

Often times I think back to 2012 when I did my first LiveDifferent Build. It was the first time I was exposed to issues that were bigger than not having the newest iPhone or that all the salt and vinegar chips were gone. And at that time, as a 15 year old girl, I couldn’t comprehend what I saw. I couldn’t even begin to understand the struggles people in developing countries go through. Fast forward to today, four years later, and I have finally gotten to Dominican Republic and Haiti having been to Mexico multiple times. This trip has been very different for me. I was once again completely blown away by the poverty and issues that human beings just like myself must struggle with every single day. I started to look at things differently and I asked myself:

Do I believe that every human should have access to clean drinking water? 

Do I believe that no child should go to bed hungry?

Do I believe that every person should have the right to an education?

Do I think that a woman should be able to close her door at night and know that she and her family will be safe?

These are the things that we are working to change because it’s 2015 and yet SO many of these rights are not a reality for people.  

I think about the multiple times that I have just simply shaken my head because I didn’t have any words to describe what I saw. Children at the age of three carrying full buckets of water up steep and rocky slopes (not once did they laugh at me while I struggled with my half bucket, tripping and falling all over the place). The struggles of sick and malnourished children who do not have access to medical care. I have come to realize that no matter how many times I see people in these situations or witness the immense suffering some must go through, I will never be able to fully understand. 

As I walked through the community, I was inspired by just how happy people there are. They will be playing soccer, barefoot, with nothing more then an empty plastic bottle for a ball, yet they are having the time of their lives. True happiness doesn’t come in the packaging of a new iPhone 6. It doesn’t come from a high numbered paycheck or from the amount of friends you have on Facebook. Happiness comes from the act of kindness. When we give our time and effort to help others, the response is like nothing you could imagine. It is having the opportunity to be able to contribute my time to build not only a home for a very deserving family but also create a long lasting relationship with them.

My time in the Dominican Republic and Haiti has taught me the importance of education and it has allowed me to realize that I should not take clean water for granted. Someone said to me on the trip that poverty is the lack of opportunity and choices. This has stuck with me because in today’s world we are overwhelmed with the amount of choices we have. However, an important choice we must make is whether or not we are going to turn our heads on the world when they are in need or to step up and do something to take action.

Gina, LiveDifferent Volunteer, Alumni Build Trip 2015

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: June 14th, 2015

Bitter Sweet

Today we woke up as if it were a regular morning… we got to finally sleep in, enjoy a great breakfast and relax with our friends but today was one of the most memorable days of our lives. After a week of spending time with two amazing families from the beautiful village of Arroyo Seco and building with blood, sweat & tears, we got to do what we have been working so hard for. This has been our third LiveDifferent Build, but today was the day that two fantastic families would finally be living in a safe, sturdy and clean new home.

The ceremony for Dedication day approached more and more closely as the afternoon went on and the nerves and excitement started to kick in when we all hopped onto the bus one last time for a drive to our beloved village community. Today was one of the most emotional days because as Grade 12 students who will be graduating soon, it meant it was the last Gonzaga trip for us this year. We were honored and so thankful to be the two individuals to hand the keys over to each family. It may seem like a simple gesture, but for each of us it meant we handed both families a new future, a fresh start as well as a safe new home. 

Hugging and congratulating each one of them was the biggest example of raw love that someone could ever experience. The gratitude that you could feel from each family was radiated right back to each one of them. Over this past week, they have taught both of us the importance of love, hope, and family. Seeing both of our families open the door to their brand new homes was a sight that we know everyone will never forget. The excitement in all of their eyes to see a solid roof and concrete floor was something that gave us all a reality check of how much we all take for granted.

As the afternoon went on, it became harder and harder to say goodbye to the family we now call our own after 3 years. The whole community of Arroyo Seco holds a big piece of our hearts. Today was one of the toughest days for us to go through because we don’t know when we will be able to do another LiveDifferent Build but it was also one of the most memorable and meaningful days in our lives. We are so thankful to LiveDifferent, our high school Gonzaga and most importantly the village of Arroyo Seco for our experience.

-Sloan & Lisa, LiveDifferent Builds Volunteers, Gonzaga 2015

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: April 24th, 2015