Hello spring class!
For your first blog post, please reflect on your initial thoughts and/or concerns going into to the Alternative Breaks process. Since you all enrolled today, this post may be completed by 5:30 p.m. on 02/14/2013 for credit.
Please e-mail us albreaks@ku.edu if you have any questions!
Initially, I was very excited to participate in this volunteering opportunity. Being able to work in a clinical environment while learning about cerebral palsy is important for my goal to attend medical school. But even more, it’s an opportunity to broaden my horizons while helping those affected with the disease. I know almost nothing about cerebral palsy except that it’s a neurological disorder. I plan to do further research on the subject before leaving for Birmingham, but no amount of reading can compare to being exposed to it firsthand.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I was initially very excited, and I still am, but now I’m realizing the responsibility associated with Alternative Breaks. As one of the two drivers, I’ll be driving six other girls to Birmingham, which is an area I’m not at all familiar with. Then we will be thrust into a new environment where we’ll have to learn how to interact with cerebral palsy patients. We will all be representing Alternative Breaks and the University of Kansas so we must act professionally and responsibly the entire time. Obviously this includes no alcohol or drugs, but more importantly it means treating everyone with the utmost respect and genuinely wanting to learn and be a part of this experience.
So now, I’m faced with differing thoughts on this spring break. I can’t wait to leave, but I also realize the importance of the opportunity. This isn’t just a chance to go somewhere else for spring break and have fun. Yes, I expect that it will be a lot of fun, but many of us are taking this for class credit. We have certain assignments that have to be fulfilled but the main purpose of this service-learning class is to make a difference in someone else’s life and use that to learn more about the world outside of Lawrence. Every time I’ve traveled I’ve learned so much more than I ever could in a classroom and that’s what I expect to get out of this Alternative Spring Break.
Writing?! Kids?! Chicago?! The minute the Alternative Spring Break sites were posted I knew that 826 Chicago would be right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to an experience completely different than I had over my summer break to Charlotte, N.C. last summer. I’m excited to witness the changes in the group dynamic and in the service opportunity we are afforded. The city of Chicago has always enthralled me, and I can’t wait to go back with a group of women who share my passion for service.
I do have some concerns though. I’m fearful that our group will not mesh as well as my past break, and that my high expectations will not be fulfilled. After just coming from the Colors of KU diversity retreat, I am more aware of my privilege than ever and I have fears that our group, comprised of entirely white women may not be able to connect with the individuals we are trying to serve.
But I’m not concerned about respect. After only two class periods with the six other women who I will be working alongside, I cannot help but see that they are each genuine people, who, though different than myself in many ways, will each bring a unique perspective to the situation.
I’m excited to see where all of this preparation will lead us!
-Natalie Parker
My first thoughts about being accepted into the Alternative Breaks trip to Birmingham were excitement, because I've heard great things from friends about trips that they have been on. And then my next thought was about worrying that my group would get along with each other, because we are spending 14 hours in a car together to Birmingham, not to mention a week in living quarters that none of us will probably be used to.
ReplyDelete-Lauren Dowben
However, after meeting with the girls in my group twice I am confident that we will get along well and if any problems occur that we are all mature enough to handle them in a way that will not hurt anyone's feelings.
I'm also worried that I will forget that I’m not in Birmingham (my hometown) to have fun, but to help others. I have never been exposed to someone with cerebral palsy and the most I know about it is that it’s a neurological disease. I know that I will learn a lot more about cerebral palsy in the coming weeks and I know that it will be a rewarding experience to help others that can cause me to re-examine the way I live my life.
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ReplyDeleteFrom the beginning, I was so excited to help children at the Peter Paul Development Center in the historic state of Virginia. Back in November when I found out where I would be volunteering I thought it would just be a fun way to spend by spring break. Over the course of winter break it was easy to think that spring break was very far in the future, but this meeting made it real. These are the people I will be spending all day every day for the whole week. The first meeting immediately set the tone and reminded me that while I will have fun adventure, this will also improve both my life and the children at the Center. The TED Talks video reminded me that although I will only be volunteering for one week, I still have the chance to make a real and lasting difference in the community. My mind is now focused on imagining the all the good I can do rather and how it will have a positive effect on me.
ReplyDeleteI was nervous to meet my group. Hearing the stories from the Alternative Breaks staff all I could think was I hope my group gets along and we get to have intense music marathons on the long drive to Virginia. At first, everyone was a little shy but after a few minutes I was able to see why we were all placed in the Peter Paul Development Center group. We all listed children and education as our top priorities and I am no so excited to get to know everyone better. We are all different people with different majors who are from different parts of the country, but if we can all agree on these fundamental principles, then I am very optimistic that we can both make a difference and have a spring break to remember forever.
-Rebecca Howard
I was excited when I found an alternative break that seemed to fit perfectly with my major and planned career. I'm a psych major who is trying to be a psychologist eventually and working at a guidance center in a city like Detroit seemed like a perfect fit. I have been very interested in the treatment and counseling involved with mental illnesses as my focused interest in psychology. I'm excited to get hands-on experience and I plan on using this as a jump-off to start doing more volunteer work. I have not done volunteer work since my senior year of high school and feel like this is a good opportunity to start helping the community because I believe that individual progress can lead to a better society. This program seems like the perfect place to help myself,the people I am helping and the group I am with to improve. The videos we have watched so far in class have been inspiring and being with like-minded people makes for a really good environment.I was excited to meet my group and although we all seem to be quite different, everyone seems to be nice and positive people. I was kind of surprised that there was a variety of different majors within the group that spanned from psychology to engineering. Yet, I think everyone is determined to make the most of this experience. I have a good feeling that everything is going to work out and its going to be a good experience.
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to participate in Alternative Breaks again. I went on a trip last winter to Tennessee and worked with the Cumberland Trail conference. I had a wonderful experience and cannot wait to spend my spring break in Alabama for Teach for America. I have always enjoyed participating in AB whether it be a week long break or just a weekend break. Since I've participated before, I am not too concerned with a lot of things and know what to expect. I am excited to be taking the class because they always incorporate interesting articles that will help us think more critically about what mindset we should have on the trip. I think traveling to Alabama will be a lot of fun, and as always I just hope we don't get lost and can arrive safely. I am excited to have some group bonding time while we are there, and I hope everyone enjoys the trip as well. I chose to do TFA because I am considering applying for Teach for America this year and wanted to see what it was all about. I am excited to work with students and teachers and gain more understanding of how we can improve our education system in America.
ReplyDeleteBack in November when I found out I was accepted as a site leader for an Alternative Break I was so pumped! Alternative Breaks was something I had heard about almost non-stop from my roommate and other friends and now it was my turn to experience it?! In some ways I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. I had gotten pretty involved during my time at KU but with the exception of KU Ambassadors, my other activities were pretty much exclusive to the scholarship hall community. I was anxious to be part of something that would involve so many other students outside of my schol-hall bubble.
ReplyDeleteFor a long time I kept thinking how far away spring break was and now I can’t believe that is in just a few weeks! At the beginning of the Alternative Breaks process, I was fairly confident of my ability to do well, lead others, help, and be a positive influence. However, I was also nervous that I might mess it up somehow. But after having attended a few classes and had the opportunity to interact with my co site leader and the rest of my group, I am even more excited and anxious to spend more time with them! I am excited to continue to learn new things in class and hopefully apply these things to my trip and post-trip experiences.
My initial thoughts on doing alternative spring breaks are mostly open. I don’t really know what to expect. I am going to Chicago to tutor kids in creative writing. First off, I have never been a tutor. I love to write but I don’t know how I would translate that into helping a kid who is struggling with it. I am not an education major. I am a design student. The last time I worked with kids was when I was one. Plus ill be teaching them writing and I cant spell! All of that being said I am still really looking forward to it. I think the fact that I don’t have much past experience doing this makes it all the better. The reason I chose to do alternative breaks was to expand my world a little bit. If I wasn’t nervous or questioning then that would make me more concerned. Most of my questions are about the tutoring and the work we will be doing and not with the trip itself. I am really excited to get to go to Chicago. It is one of my favorite cities and we will be there for St. Patty’s day which makes it even better! Overall, my questioning has not outweighed my excitement. I’ll take that as a good sign.
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