Casey Molina is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Multimedia Journalism with a minor in International Relations. She is also a peer advisor at the Global Education Office. This past winter, Casey had the opportunity to lead a VT Engage service trip to the Dominican Republic. VT Engage is Virginia Tech's center for service learning, leadership education, and civic engagement. She kindly shared her experiences with us:
This past January, I went on the VT Engage service immersion trip to the Dominican Republic for the second time. My first time going to the Dominican Republic, and first time leaving the country by myself, was almost two years ago in 2017. After being asked to return on the trip as a student leader, I eagerly accepted. I wouldn’t trade either of my experiences for anything.
I initially found out about the opportunity through a simple email and I thought, “this program is perfect for me.” Two years later, not only am I incredibly happy that I took the leap of faith, but I’m amazed at how many doors it has opened up for me to continue traveling. I think a lot of students imagine themselves going abroad, searching for semester-long options that take them to far away places. And although those options are equally as amazing, a short-term service immersion is a learning experience all its own.
With a group of 13 students, I had the opportunity to work with Virginia Tech’s community partner, Community Service Alliance. We worked alongside the community to build hand-washing stations in schools and install water filters in the homes of community members. We were also able to take part in engagement activities that promoted healthy hand-washing practices and engaged students in conversations about the importance of honesty.
Throughout the week we got a much closer look at how Community Service Alliance conducts need assessments for the communities it administers aid to, all while exploring different elements of Dominican culture. We toured cacao farms and factories, learning about the production process of chocolate, and listened to presentations about the health care and education systems. We got to know members of the community through collaborative projects, and they shared with us the impact that Community Service Alliance has had on their lives.
My time in the Dominican Republic has inspired me to step outside of an ethnocentric viewpoint of the world and truly open my mind to the beauty of culture and cultural differences. I have learned so much about the diverse values that people around the world hold and have learned to seek out connections with others, rather than fixate on differences.
