Learning Outcomes:
Identifies own strengths and areas for personal growth
Demonstrates engagement with issues of global significance
Demonstrates meaningful engagement with and contribution to communities outside of UWC-USA.
There is not much that I could reflect on this ExEd. I’ve been wanting to join this ExEd because of Tara. Tara Trudell is one of the first people I met I campus. She is a wonderful mom, teacher, friend, artist, RT, and woman. I love her the first time I talk to her because she is my RT. I feel a genuine hug from her and I want to join the ExEd she’s leading and get to know her better. But sadly, there is a problem between her and the school that makes this ExEd is not really productive. If I’m not mistaken, they only have 2/3 trips and I can only join 1 trip for this semester. So, I don’t get the vibe of this ExEd because it’s such a short trip. But, I will spend a longer time with Tara for Project Week and I am super thrilled about that!
The only thing I remember from my first and last trip with Buenos Para Todos is that we went on this very sacred ceremony that not everyone could experience. The way I saw it, this ceremony is a ceremony to bring back ourselves to mother nature. Pray to the mother of earth and reflect on what we’ve been doing this whole time in our lives. It’s an interesting yet weird experience. They said it’s not about religion, it’s about healing and clean ourselves from bad influence and just recognizing our nature that all the stuff we’re enjoying right now is from our ancestors. But I feel this is kinda related to religion because we put our belief and faith in that ceremony.
I am trying to be super open-minded for this trip even though I had an internal conflict inside. I want to learn more and try to understand their perspective and just see a new side of the world, but at the same time, I can’t ignore that I do have belief in my religion. I want to feel the experience to the fullest but again, I can’t do that because I have a barrier that I can’t, and I don’t want to break. If it’s about religion, I won’t compromise. And the challenge is that I had to tell the faculty member about that. It’s hard because I don’t want to ruin the ceremony and make all the people on my trip feel uncomfortable, but I know I have to do it. Before I even try to talk to them, I’m grateful that they open a space where if people find this ceremony uncomfortable they can step out anytime during the ceremony. So, I did join the ceremony, but I step back in the middle of it.
It was an intense experience for me. I have BPT as my trips for project week so I will have more time to engage and learn other stuff in BPT. I might not be coming back to this ExEd next semester, it was a lovely experience. Thank you, Tara! Adios~
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