WEBVTT - This file was automatically generated by VIMEO 0 00:00:02.745 --> 00:00:05.365 As a Dominican student, I had the wonderful opportunity 1 00:00:05.425 --> 00:00:08.045 to visit West Virginia for a community service trip 2 00:00:08.215 --> 00:00:10.925 where we visited Bethlehem Farm for a week, 3 00:00:11.175 --> 00:00:14.325 where we worked hands-on in the community doing farm work, 4 00:00:14.725 --> 00:00:15.685 construction, and practicing 5 00:00:15.685 --> 00:00:16.845 and learning about sustainability. 6 00:00:17.285 --> 00:00:20.085 I would definitely recommend this trip to any other students 7 00:00:20.145 --> 00:00:22.725 or anyone who is interested in disconnecting 8 00:00:22.825 --> 00:00:24.765 and getting a very new experience. 9 00:00:25.195 --> 00:00:28.005 When will you ever be able to go into a log cabin 10 00:00:28.425 --> 00:00:29.965 and build with your hands 11 00:00:30.025 --> 00:00:31.685 and say hi to donkeys and chickens? 12 00:00:32.245 --> 00:00:34.605 I think it provides a very new experience from somebody 13 00:00:34.605 --> 00:00:37.205 who has spent their entire life in a city, someone 14 00:00:37.205 --> 00:00:40.205 who spent their entire life, um, pretty much attached 15 00:00:40.305 --> 00:00:41.565 to their devices. 16 00:00:42.105 --> 00:00:44.565 But coming here to Bethlehem Farm has really taught me 17 00:00:44.565 --> 00:00:47.685 to be reliant on myself and reliant on the community 18 00:00:47.745 --> 00:00:48.845 and the earth itself. 19 00:00:49.075 --> 00:00:51.565 This is an experience where you truly feel like you're, 20 00:00:51.565 --> 00:00:53.285 you're doing something, you are part of something, 21 00:00:53.865 --> 00:00:55.805 how it feels to be at each site. 22 00:00:56.275 --> 00:00:59.605 It's like you come in, you see how it is, 23 00:00:59.745 --> 00:01:01.565 and then you do your work, you do your part. 24 00:01:01.905 --> 00:01:03.845 You see at the end of it, when you're about to leave, 25 00:01:03.845 --> 00:01:05.725 you see how much, how far you've gone, 26 00:01:06.385 --> 00:01:08.245 and I feel like it's really rewarding. 27 00:01:08.745 --> 00:01:11.445 It feels like we're supporting the community even though 28 00:01:11.445 --> 00:01:13.685 we're not a part of it, but as we support it, 29 00:01:13.685 --> 00:01:15.045 we slowly become a part of it. 30 00:01:15.345 --> 00:01:17.445 We literally got welcomed with a hug, like as soon 31 00:01:17.445 --> 00:01:18.725 as we stepped outta the van, they were like, 32 00:01:18.725 --> 00:01:20.165 welcome home, and gave us a big hug. 33 00:01:20.475 --> 00:01:21.885 Like it wasn't just when we got here. 34 00:01:21.885 --> 00:01:24.285 It was, it's been that energy throughout the entire trip 35 00:01:24.305 --> 00:01:26.645 so far where we're learning about like their ways of living, 36 00:01:27.015 --> 00:01:28.405 which is more sustainable, 37 00:01:28.825 --> 00:01:30.765 and then also learning about the different projects 38 00:01:30.765 --> 00:01:32.845 that they carry out to help the good 39 00:01:32.845 --> 00:01:34.125 communities, because that's what they do. 40 00:01:34.645 --> 00:01:36.645 A couple of the different projects have been, you know, 41 00:01:36.845 --> 00:01:38.765 rebuilding a porch for a local home 42 00:01:39.265 --> 00:01:40.885 or building a wheelchair ramp 43 00:01:40.985 --> 00:01:42.605 and a porch for a local organization. 44 00:01:42.895 --> 00:01:44.245 We're doing roofing on another house. 45 00:01:44.395 --> 00:01:46.565 It's vital that you like actually immerse yourself in 46 00:01:46.565 --> 00:01:47.605 opportunities to do service, 47 00:01:47.605 --> 00:01:49.765 because that's how, that's one of the only ways you can 48 00:01:50.875 --> 00:01:54.365 know, like, or like fully understand what it includes 49 00:01:54.365 --> 00:01:55.365 or like what it involves. 50 00:01:55.665 --> 00:01:57.725 It helps you discover more about like what you like to do 51 00:01:57.725 --> 00:01:59.285 for others, not just for yourself. 52 00:02:00.035 --> 00:02:02.485 Like for me, for social work, it's a field of service. 53 00:02:02.545 --> 00:02:03.725 You know, you're serving other people, 54 00:02:04.265 --> 00:02:06.685 so immersing yourself in the experience of providing service 55 00:02:06.685 --> 00:02:09.405 for others can help you get a better idea of what 56 00:02:10.235 --> 00:02:12.445 your calling is like, your vocation is, 57 00:02:12.505 --> 00:02:14.405 and what you want to, how you want 58 00:02:14.405 --> 00:02:15.525 to go about fulfilling that. 59 00:02:16.045 --> 00:02:19.285 A big part of social justice is accompanying people rather 60 00:02:19.285 --> 00:02:20.325 than going to community 61 00:02:20.325 --> 00:02:21.845 and being like, I'm gonna solve this. 62 00:02:21.875 --> 00:02:23.925 Like, so I feel like these trips are a great opportunity 63 00:02:23.985 --> 00:02:25.205 to see that in action. 64 00:02:25.225 --> 00:02:28.605 The idea of accompaniment rather than leading community 65 00:02:28.605 --> 00:02:30.405 members, that's a part of social justice 66 00:02:30.405 --> 00:02:32.405 that you can only understand by going 67 00:02:32.405 --> 00:02:33.765 through those experiences.