Since I can remember, I have had the privilege to visit places and learn about new cultures… but as a tourist. Never have I gone as a volunteer and as cliché as it sounds, it changed my life. When I informed my parents I was going to the District of Columbia for Spring Break they automatically thought I was going to Georgetown to buy a whole new wardrobe or to relax and get some of that small town vibe. They were astonished when I said, “No that is not the plan.” I was going to the District of Columbia as a volunteer with Break A Difference. Nevertheless, they supported me with no questions asked.
One sentence. My back still hurts, crock pots make better food then some residence dining halls and my heart broke when I was leaving. When I signed up, I do not know why I didn’t think about this, but I thought I was staying in a hotel. I ended up staying in a Boys and Girls Club Classroom for a whole week.
Here are some things you should know about staying in a Boys and Girls Club:
1. Cots become your best friend
2. Cold showers are perfect examples of how to make new friends
3. I lied, sleeping bag on top of cots will become your best friend.
4. Setting up and cleaning up that cot will be like your new nemeses.
The food was pretty decent, something I have never tried- not a five-star restaurant but you can tell she cared about us that she tried the best she could and that is what made it good.
Because we stayed in a Boys and Girls Club, we got to interact with the kids after volunteering at different food shelters for those in need. And unfortunately, you get attached to some; you realize how unfair it is that some do not have the same opportunities as others.
You learn that the culture is different there and that sometimes school is not a priority and it broke my heart seeing that. It broke my heart knowing that I have thrown away perfectly good food just because I am no longer hungry yet there is someone out there that hasn’t eaten in days. It breaks my heart knowing that I could do more and yet sometimes all I do is complain to my parents about how hard life is as a college student. It breaks my heart knowing that a kid in District of Columbia who is smart will probably drop out if he follows the wrong crowd.