Friday, February 13, 2015

The Anticipation

         As the day of departure draws nearer, we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves and let you know what to expect. We are a group from the Castleton State College Rotaract Club who will be participating in a service trip to Honduras, with members of our Rotary International district. The name of the trip is Hands to Honduras. This trip is very exciting because it means that the Castleton Rotaract Club is about to embark on an international service trip for the first time ever. The club has been active since its charter in Fall 2013. Since then the group has nearly tripled in size and completed a variety of projects including: Stuff-A-Van (a food, clothing, and toy drive), a partnership with local elementary and high schools to raise money for Shriner’s Hospitals, and a Castleton event that featured local professionals speaking about how they balance careers and community involvement. Since partnering with Rotarians in our district, we developed the idea to participate in a service trip, an alternative winter break. Since Summer 2014 the idea has bloomed into what it is today. After an application process, ten members have opted to join the team. Under the guidance of Team Leader: Doug, Chaperone: Caren , District 7870 Amigos de Honduras Committee Chair: Chris , and Castleton Advisor: Chrispin, and with financial support from several local organizations, groups, and community members, the 2015 Rotaract Hands to Honduras Trip has become a reality.
The group members have actively ensured the success of every aspect of this trip from the start. The work club members have already done through, fundraising efforts, soliciting donations, public relations, team building, and self-reflection is remarkable and to be applauded. The team has been dedicated from the beginning to making this trip a success and are expressing their deepest desires to make a difference in the lives of many Honduran families. I am confident that the work my peers and I will accomplish while in Honduras will touch the hearts and lives of numerous Honduran families. This group of students truly is ready to embrace whatever they may experience. For some, it is their first international trip; the real-life cultural exploration will compliment and enhance the lessons they have learned in the classroom. For U.S. students traveling to a third-world country like Honduras, the recognition of how other people live can be mind-boggling and inspirational at the same time. Team members will come in contact with some of the poorest, yet some of the happiest children and families in the world. This experience will be accepted with open arms and will provide Rotaract students with the opportunity to explore and reflect upon what they see and do.
For many of the Castleton Rotaract students, the experience will be truly life changing. As college students, we often joke about the situational poverty that we experience and how that limits our lifestyle. For the students traveling to Honduras, they will gain a new appreciation for what they have and how truly fortunate they are. Additionally, those who go on this trip will experience a renewed dedication to service work and experience first hand how much of a difference they can have on individuals and how they can impact those around them. This is a deep exploration of personal agency and allows liberal arts college students to recognize and appreciate their ability to make both small and big changes in the world around them. The knowledge that an individual can have an impact on others is what causes leadership to emerge, encourages those involved to continue making a difference in others’ lives, and enhances their sense of personal agency, while broadening their world-view. Students will gain a recognition of their place in the world and an enhanced sense of empathy and compassion for others. These goals are ones that Castleton has for all of its students. The members of Rotaract are happy to be able to personally reach them as well as share their experiences with others. As a part of the trip experience, Rotaract team members will be responsible for blog posts and daily reflections, as well as putting together a presentation for the college community and several other community partners when we return. This is a fantastic way to ensure that this trip has numerous benefits for the participants, the Honduran families, as well as providing a learning experience for individuals who were unable to join us.
          This project is an opportunity for Rotaract members to learn about and understand social problems that exist in another country. It is also an opportunity for students to give selflessly of themselves in order to benefit some of the world's neediest families. Rotaract recognizes its mission to provide service for those in need, as well as help club members to become better, well-rounded individuals through personal advancement. 
         Members will be compiling pictures and ideas to share with you throughout our trip. Your tour guides for this week are: Maria, Neil, Danny, Charlie, Elise, Shania, Suzie, Emily, and Rosie. We look forward to sharing our experience with you. So sit back and enjoy the ride; we know we will!

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