Please reflect on Dr. Shane Lopez's talk last night and how you would apply what you learned on your Alternative Break trip.
Blog posts must be 200-400 words, proofread, and void of common grammatical errors.
Your blog posts are due before the start of class next week.
Please email albreaks@ku.edu if you have any questions!
Hope, as described by Dr. Lopez, is the belief that the future will be better than one’s current standing. For me, coming from a close family and group of friends, hope was something that always came as a second nature. For us, the common hope was that if one works hard today and makes little sacrifices then the future will be better and will add color to the image of our future selves. It was interesting to learn that there are people in the world whose hope is so diminished that their life seems to be a never ending downwards spiral to the unmentionable conclusion. To aid these people, Dr. Lopez suggested that we be hopeful in our own lives and spread that along so that others can follow suit and eventually have a society full of hopeful individuals. For my alternative break in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the hope that we plan on spreading is hope in nature and a hope that people can make a difference in the environment where they live. Some might say that providing hope in wildlife preservation is not as important as hope in changing one’s life for the better, but I disagree. Different types of hope cannot be measured against one another because each one will have a varying effect on every person. A better comparison would be that hope, no matter what it is specifically, enables you to strive towards make the necessary improvements to make that hopeful thought a reality and to inverse that downwards spiral so that you can augment your life and achieve something that may have otherwise been seen as impossible.
ReplyDeleteDr. Lopez defines hope in two parts—the perception that the future is brighter and the belief that you have a part in making it so. I think the harder of the two is the first part because I feel that if you believe the future in general will be better then it will motivate you to pursue your goals. However, if you think the world will only get worse, then it is hard to believe that you can make a difference. In today’s world with the media focusing on every tragedy in order to generate stories I think it can be hard for some to recognize the world is constantly becoming a better a place to be. Yet if you look beyond the headlines, you can actually see the world has become more peaceful and people are living longer and better lives. If we look at the world and only see suffering, then we won’t be able to make a difference because we won’t believe we can. If, however, we see goodness around us, then even in environments of suffering, we can make a difference, which is the point of Newark Mayor Booker’s video. The outlook we embrace while on our trips will profoundly affect our ability to help others. If we are hopeful, we can share our hope with others and help to make improvements in the community. If, on the other hand, we feel that a situation is beyond help then we won’t truly try to serve the community since we don’t believe it will make a difference.
ReplyDelete(Susie McClannahan)
DeleteDr. Lopez defined hope as believing the future will be better than the present and that we have some role in making it so. I connected with the second part of this definition because I believe that although we may not control everything that happens in life, we do control how we perceive it. It is sometimes easier to take play the victim to life instead of actively changing our conditions. Sometimes, it is also necessary for us to inspire others to change their perspective to a more hopeful outlook.
ReplyDeleteMore than anything, Dr. Lopez’s talk reminded me that I have a responsibility to myself as well as those around me to exude hope. It is easy to forget how much exists that we can be hopeful for and appreciate in our world. The simple act of reminding ourselves of our hopes and dreams can improve school performance as well as work productivity. As Dr. Lopez mentioned, hope is contagious and can spread exponentially if implemented. This is especially important on our Alternative Break because we will be helping those who may have lost hope.
While spreading hope, Dr. Lopez mentioned that it is especially important to give those that we help a choice as well as to connect with what they care about. I think this will be especially applicable at the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency. At Café 458, we will be giving those less fortunate a choice of what they would like to eat as well as talking with them to find out what they truly care about. If we smile and truly appreciate the growing opportunity that we have been given through this service opportunity, I believe a wave hope will follow. If we enjoy the present moment to its fullest, we can hope and actively create and overwhelmingly positive future.
In Dr. Shane Lopez’s talk last night, he made several interesting points that I hope to apply to my own alternative break trip. Dr. Lopez explained how every person has essentially the same desires in life—a happy family and a good job. I found this point very interesting because, in contrast with last week’s class where we emphasized the variances of privilege amongst people, it drew attention to the fact that despite these differences, we all pretty much have the same desires. Though my alternative break trips may force me outside of my comfort zone, and being surrounded by people whom I share very little commonalities can be intimidating, I will take comfort in knowing that we all want the same things in life. Knowing this, I think I will also be able to better relate to the students and teachers that I work with during my trip. Another interesting point that Dr. Lopez raised was the fact that our trips are only temporary and we must be cognizant and respectful of the fact that the people we help during our trip will still encounter the same obstacles we tried to help them overcome. It is for this reason that instilling hope is so important. The hope that we share with others is what will truly make a lasting impact on others. With this in mind, I will make an effort to be positive and hopeful with each person I encounter, offering the mindset that things can and will get better.
ReplyDeleteDr. Lopez brought forth some interesting concepts in regards to hope and the spread of hope from one individual to another. Dr. Lopez formulated the idea that service work is not only about the acts one does but also about the interactions and connections one makes with the people involved. Dr. Lopez illustrated the relation between people as he described that the most desired dreams were those for a good job and a happy family. In essence, while others may be situated halfway across the world, they may be similar in their dreams. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the contributor to recognize these aspirations and cater to them accordingly. As a service individual, it’s not so much about initiating pre-conceived notions of happiness and stability but instead about accepting and distinguishing the differences between others. By identifying and accepting these differences, one can work to teach the people they are striving to help in order to make a greater global outcome in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of significant contribution was highlighted when Dr. Lopez illustrated the point that a greater lasting impact is made when an individual is taught how to maintain and maximize the usage of their aid instead of simply receiving the aid. Dr. Lopez expressed that the individuals given the cow, taught how to take care of the cow, and taught to utilize the cow’s resources were better off in the long-run than those simply given the cow and given no instruction at all. In a broader sense, this idea of education and cooperation can be applied to specific Alternative Breaks. Understanding an individual’s needs and concerns become essential when students are immersed in populations and situations they are not accustomed to. Making a true and beneficial impact is only accomplished through the mutual cooperation and support of the various groups involved. In a specific sense, Dr. Shane Lopez’s lecture showed me that hope and general attentiveness can make a dramatic difference in the real world. By displaying hope, an individual has a greater chance of inspiring others to share in this same kind of optimism. Hope is specific for each person who possesses it, but it is also central in the dedication, commitment, and success of specific programs. By going into my Alternative Break with an open mind and a sense of optimism, I can have the greatest impact.
Dr. Lopez defines hope as believing that the future will be better than the present and that you are a part of this change. Before his presentation, I had never given this topic much thought. To me, I thought a person either had hope or didn’t, it wasn’t something that could be spread or make a profound change in one’s life. For many, the common hope is to get a job that doesn’t feel like work and have a family that loves unconditionally. But Dr. Lopez points out that for those people who are surrounded by negativity, their hope quickly diminishes and their lives seem to be a downward spiral with no end in sight. He goes on to explain that the only way to give these people back hope is to spread the hope we hold inside.
ReplyDeleteFor my alternative break I am going to Teach for America in Chicago. I believe that students, especially children are the most influential and it is most important to give these students hope for a better future. For many, they may be the first in their families to graduate high school and never had anyone before them attend college. Therefore their hope for a brighter future regarding education may not be so bright; the examples around them may only include crime and poverty. I believe that my group is full of hope because many of us see people accomplishing their dreams every day, therefore we have the perfect opportunity to change these children’s downwards spirals of hope to upward spirals.
When I head up to Chicago for my break there is one thing from Dr. Lopez I will keep in mind. He showed a video of the Newark Mayor explaining that if we look at the world and only see suffering, then we won’t be able to make a difference because we believe that there is nothing that can be done. However, if we see goodness around us, even if there is suffering, then and only then can we make a difference. Once I heard this I realized this is exactly what I want to strive to do on my break.
Dr. Lopez’s talk centered around the idea of hope and how the presence or absence of hope can influence people’s outlooks on life. He emphasized that hope can affect many facets of a person’s life, including academic success and work performance. I thought the penguin example he used was very relevant to the Alternative Breaks’ mission. By starting with our small groups of seven and traveling to all parts of the United States, we are given the chance to instill hope in those we meet, and subsequently those we meet at our sites may spread that hope to others in their lives. Just as the penguins followed each other, we have the opportunity to start a chain reaction of inspiring hope through our Breaks. Dr. Lopez also discussed the importance of considering the methods with which we are providing our service and providing that hope. I really enjoyed his example of the two poor communities that both received an animal like a goat or a cow and how the outcomes of each situation were vastly different. One village was taught how to take care of the animal, create surplus, and profit from it, while the other village was not taught these things so they killed the animal to use it for food. He brought up the notion that we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact at our sites and that we should not limit ourselves in thinking that we can only help when we are physically there. Equally important is what we leave behind at our sites.
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ReplyDeleteAccording to Dr. Shane Lopez, hope is a contagion. It can be spread like a ripple of water. However, we cannot just give people hope by showing up and talking about it and give it to them. We have to spread it by leading with it, teaching it to people, and networking it to others. It is similar to an ancient Chinese proverb: “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach him how to fish and he will eat for the rest of his days.” We need to empower these people with a choice about what they want to do with their future and then, the how-to’s to get there. For my break with Habitat for Humanity, I will need to personally stay positive since these people have almost lost everything. I will have to show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I will have to show them that the future will be better than the present and I am here to create that future and make it possible. Then, hopefully, they will be able to see that future as well and spread it among their peers, like that ripple of water.
ReplyDeleteDr. Shane Lopez's talk centered around the fact that hope can change lives and spread like a rippling effect. He defined hope as believing that the future will be better than the present and that we can take a part in making it so. He showed many examples of how having hope plays a difference in how we perform in school and in the workplace and that it affects overall happiness in general. He told us about how hope is like a rippling effect. If a person has hope they are often very successful and happy with their lives, but if they do not have hope they slowly go in a downward spiral. So, once we instill hope by doing or saying one little thing for one person, they may be motivated to instill hope in another person and then another. Before we know it we have impacted tens to hundreds of lives of which we had no direct correlation with in the beginning. For my alternative break, I will be going to Arizona for Humane Borders. On this trip I believe I will be able to instill hope when I come into contact with the immigrants. These immigrants are being hopeful by just coming to America for a better future, but with our help they may be able to realize it is really possible to succeed and have a better life in America. I will not only implement the hope rippling effect during my alternative break, I will attempt to implement it in my everyday life with my peers and family to allow them to see that they have a brighter future than what they perceive.
ReplyDeleteDr. Shane Lopez was a very kind and sincere individual. I had the privilege to sit next to him before he talked and I had a nice conversation with him about Alternative Breaks and the work that we would be doing on our break. I had no idea what he was going to talk about, when I found out his topic was about hope I was instantly intrigued. I have never heard someone speak about hope the way that Dr. Lopez did. His work and his ideas are truly unique and quite optimistic. The past couple of classes we have been focusing on social issues, specifically privilege. I know my group has discussed it quite a bit, and we have really been looking at the privileges we do have. We have also been discussing how we need to be actively aware of the privilege we have, especially going to the site we are going to. Dr. Lopez’s talk brought up a very positive and optimistic approach about spreading hope. I think that it can be quite heavy talking about privilege but after Dr. Lopez’s he really lightened the air and I know that my group was more excited and enjoyed the idea of spreading hope and really looking forward to the trip in a very optimistic way. I know that for me as well the idea of spreading hope, and really going to do the work, whatever it may be, and just thinking about hope, it really excites me for my winter break. That’s what I feel overall Dr. Lopez brought to Alternative Breaks, he made us all a little more hopeful and made us want to spread it. I think that we all want to spread the hope to our sites and really get out into the world and do good, positive work, whatever it may be.
ReplyDeleteDr. Shane Lopez’s speech for me was actually very personally necessary, I currently I have been struggling with what to with rest of my life or what to do after graduation and just feel as though I’m drowning, but Dr. Lopez’s speech made me want to be a penguin that spreads hope. He’s explanation for the upward and downward spiral is so true. When I am hopeful and I feel as though I am going to do well and I am learning a lot from my classes and professors than I become more hopeful for the rest of the week. Unlike if I get lazy and decide ya know I already know this stuff I don’t need to read or go to class everyday I become less excited for the week, and I fall behind and feel lethargic. The simple ideas of spreading hope and that alone can lift sprits and help people achieve their dreams is an amazing concept.
ReplyDeleteAlso the futures project has been something I have been looking into since Dr. Lopez gave his speech because being a dream director and helping children figure out what they what to do for the rest of their lives is an amazing rewarding job that would be blessing and I couldn’t imagine having a more rewarding job than that!!!!
Melissa Mock!
Last week in class, we were all very blessed in that we had such an amazing speaker in Dr. Shane Lopez. Dr. Shane Lopez’s talk was very inspiring and in many ways very applicable to our upcoming sites for Alternative Breaks. Dr. Lopez discussed the idea of hope, which is a very powerful and meaningful idea. Dr. Lopez explained the study on foreign aid, and that merely giving a deprived country aid will not necessarily suffice and sustain, but rather showing and teaching those people how to correctly utilize that aid is the best way in making sure those people will succeed. Dr. Lopez continued with his talk describing to us the fact that underprivileged individuals do not need us to tell them their problems and how to fix them, they clearly already know those things. What those individuals want, and what many foreign aid organizations fail to accomplish is simply asking them what they want. Dr. Lopez explained that many of those third world countries and even many of the sites we will visit for Alternative Breaks here in the United States, lack one important idea, and that idea is hope. Hope, as Dr. Lopez described, is the idea that an individual believes that the future will be better and brighter than what that individual’s current situation is today. My group is traveling to Denver, Colorado to assist with, and hopefully educate children who come from low income families. The idea of hope is one that many of these children have most likely never experienced before. Throughout their entire lives, most of these children have probably never seen or experienced anything but hardship, which makes hope a virtually nonexistent and perhaps even impossible idea for them to grasp onto. After listening and learning from Dr. Lopez however, it will make it easier for us as a group to better help these children. Dr. Lopez made it clear that the goal should not be to tell these children what to do, or to tell them they should or have to be hopeful, but rather our goal as a group should be to listen and learn from these children. To ask them what they want to do, and to hopefully gain their respect and trust by getting to know and understand them better.
ReplyDeleteDrew Schaefer
Dr. Lopez started out his presentation by asking the class what they dream of the most in regards to their future. The first two people he called on said that they desire a happy family and a good job. I was completely surprised when Dr. Lopez said that those were the top two desires among most Americans in the United States. I was surprised because literally the first two people said exactly what Dr. Lopez said are the top two desires. Also, I never personally thought about my top two desires. I know that I have plenty of desires for my future but it’s crazy to think that most people dream of those two. It made me think about how much a good job and a happy family means to people in the United States. It also made me think about what causes unhappiness as well. If someone seems like an unhappy person I can safely assume that they are having either money issues and/or family issues without asking. As Dr. Lopez’s lecture proceeded he started to talk about hope. Dr. Lopez said if you hope and believe that you will have a brighter future than you will. However, we can’t just hope that it will be better and brighter we have to put some work into it as well. This made me think about the people who are unhappy with their jobs and/or their family. I feel like if some of those people heard Dr. Lopez talk about hope they would have a very good chance for a brighter future. Overall, After Dr. Lopez’s talk I learned that if you have hope and you try to make things better you will truly have a better and brighter future.
ReplyDelete-Charlie Bakula