Name: Tara Curry
Year: Junior
Major: Biology in the Physician Assistant dual degree program Â
Hometown: Meriden, CTÂ Â
Tara Curry is a junior at Seton Hall and she is truly an inspiration. Tara went to Haiti last December for the first time with DOVE (Seton Hall’s main group for community service and outreach), and will be returning again this December. In May Tara traveling to Honduras with Seton Hall Global Medical Brigades on a medical mission trip. In the past she has volunteered in the Emergency Department at my local hospital, at a therapeutic horseback riding facility, and a nursing home. She also loves running and is a huge baseball fan!
HC (Her Campus): Give us a little summary about the DOVE mission trips and what you accomplish while you’re there.
TC (Tara Curry): The DOVE mission trips are rooted in the Division of Volunteer Efforts mission to affirm and restore the dignity of all persons, which is achieved by building communities and relationships. Each year DOVE offers trips to the impoverished countries of Haiti and El Salvador, at both sites the volunteers visit orphanages as well as hospice care centers. While at these sites the volunteers can be in solidarity with the children and elderly living in these impoverished conditions and form relationships through activities such as crafts, games, singing, and dancing. The trip to Haiti allowed me to experience the unity of humanity, in the sense that language and cultural barriers were broken with something as simple as a smile or dancing. The children in Haiti love when Seton Hall comes to visit, the trip is always in January so our visit is essentially their Christmas. The look of excitement on the children’s faces upon our arrival is strikingly similar to a child’s face on Christmas morning. The only difference is that these kids are excited by our presence not by the presents under the Christmas tree, which is a huge cultural difference between Haiti and America. These kids truly value human connection and meeting new friends from the states, and they are not caught up in the material desire which characterizes Christmas in the states. Â
One of my favorite things that we accomplish on these trips to Haiti specifically is our visit to the girl’s orphanage which is about a mile away from the boy’s orphanage. I’ll never forget when we first arrived at the boys orphanage, a little boy Oday came up to me grabbed my hand and said “you are my new best friend”, of course I accepted! Visiting the girl’s orphanage for the first time was very different. The girls are much shyer and took some time to warm up to us, the girls were very self-conscious and when you asked what they wanted to be when they grew up they didn’t really have a response, whereas the boys would tell me that they wanted to be doctors, lawyers, or engineers! We planned self-esteem building activities for the girls that included fashion shows and making crafts that had affirming words like kind, smart, and beautiful in Creole. After these activities and singing some BeyoncĂ© and Justin Bieber with the girls there was a noticeable difference, they were much more receptive to us and really came out of their shell, it was really a beautiful thing to see and experience. Â
HC: Do you still keep in contact with the people you met on the trip?
TC:  Yes, some of the older boys have a Facebook and I can communicate with the friends I made in Haiti through that! The boys have to go to an internet cafĂ© in town to use Facebook, it’s not as easy as it is for us to just pull out our smart phones and type a message. Â
HC: Why do you think it’s so important to help others?
TC: I believe that we are blessed with the time, resources, and characteristics to be in communion with all humanity, and there is no better way to demonstrate community than helping others in need. Â
HC: What is your favorite part about the Holidays?
TC: My favorite part about the Holiday season is definitely the ugly sweaters (my mom just bought me a light up reindeer sweater with bells on it, it’s literally the greatest thing ever made). I also really enjoy seeing the Christmas Spectacular show with the Rockettes every year with my family! Â
HC: What was the best Christmas present you’ve ever gotten?
TC: The best Christmas present I have ever gotten was probably my spring break trip last year to England and Ireland to visit family!
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HC: Do you have any advice for our readers on how to ace their finals?
TC: Don’t underestimate the power of black coffee. Remembering that these next few weeks may be rough but in no time you will be sipping hot coco with your family, enjoying the Holidays. Also, it helps to write out a list of easy studying tasks to get done, that when you can feel great crossing things off your to-do list!
HC: Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer or The Grinch Who Stole Christmas?
TC: Definitely Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Â
HC: Egg nog or hot cocoa?
TC: Hot cocoa.
HC: Favorite holiday nail color?
TC Dark maroon.