2020 Meadow School Puerto Rico Service Adventure
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Written by Program Leader Rachel Ozer-Bearson
Final Day
It’s the last day of our trip! Students spent yesterday learning to salsa at EMBAE Dance Academy, before hanging out in the water at beautiful Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla. After driving back to San Juan, we enjoyed a final dinner all together and ended the day with a ceremony to thank students for their service work in Bucarabones.
This morning, we went to Old San Juan, where a local architect and historian led us on a tour of the area. We learned about the history of San Juan, the oldest city under the American flag.
Our students are flying off now. The goodbyes were tough and we’ll miss them! It was a wonderful week and we know they’ll take a piece of Puerto Rico back to Las Vegas with them!
Gardening in Cambu has to be the highlight of my volunteering
Written by Sophia López
Gardening in Cambu has to be the highlight of my volunteering. This experience was incredible for two reasons.
One, I got to clean up the community and make it more usable: the work I did had a direct impact on the agriculture of the camp and the beauty of the gardens. And second, my work helped me individually. If we’re being honest, I’ve never weeded before. And this skill is probably one of the most essential and basic ones. Gardening on day 2 of the trip truly was fun, enriching, and impactful.
The students are feeling really good about themselves
Written by Albert Ronquillo (Group Organizer, Dean of Students at The Meadows School)
Day three of service has come to an end and from what I can tell, the students are feeling really good about themselves. In three days, the students painted 4 houses, cleaned a garden, built some shelving, painted a mural, and built three rainwater filtration systems. I am extremely proud of our student’s accomplishments, but more importantly, the satisfaction of having helped the community members of Bucarabones will be an unforgettable memory for the students, advisors, and myself.
Our students were exposed to an entirely different culture and thrived in it. Some of the students completed tasks that they had never even attempted. I am not sure if the kids truly understand how much growth they have shown during this trip.
I would like to thank the members of CAMBU that worked so well with all of our students, the chefs that prepared authentic Puerto Rican meals for us, and especially the Walking Tree staff that took extremely good care of us.
I am proud to be a member of The Meadows community.
Locals are true spirts
Written by Michael Rosenblum
3190 miles afar comes truth. Locals are true spirts of joy while being isolated by deceiving grins, aimed at social status instead of self satisfaction. Our common folk withdraws personal savings to purchase unnecessary items which are used to impress unliked people. How have we lost the true meaning of joy?
Why do we not have the same sense of joy as those who live here? Puerto Rican’s statistically have fewer material spoils then generic American citizen. They do however pause to smile, something the average American have forgotten in our clouded minds.
Our group was assigned to help paint a house. While painting walls of the house I couldn’t help but jump when my friend swiped my leg with a slippery paint brush. I turned around to not find my Chinese friend but instead found the little boy, we were helping, laugh while running away.
Although I don’t know a word of Spanish and he only knew a bit of English, we both smiled and laughed together while attempting to paint each others legs. His smile showed a face without any worries about a future homework assignment, stress of social relationships, or boredom from an potential task.
Little did I know how much I had to learn from Puerto Rico; and that I would be helped as much as I would help others.
Puerto Rico have been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life
Volunteering for Walking Tree in Puerto Rico have been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. It introduced me to a world of fascinating culture, and changed my perspective on life. Amongst exploring the river that’s by our cabins to meeting new people, the experience that ultimately impacted me the most would have to be painting a house in the community. Knowing that you’re positively changing and improving a family’s home through such a simple gesture as painting is a wonderful feeling.
When we first got to the house, the welcome that we received from the family was astonishing. They met us with opened arms and kisses on the cheek, the traditional greeting in Puerto Rico. The family’s energy was extremely optimistic and cheerful, despite of the circumstances that they may have been going through.
While we were painting, the two family kids were interacting and communicating with me despite of the language barrier. At one point, a Google translator was even pulled out, and we successfully held an engaging conversation through laughs and giggles. At the end of the day, the group of volunteers and I gave them our phone numbers, and we have remained in contact ever since. I am so grateful to have met them, and be inspired by their attitudes through this unique experience.
My overall trip in Puerto Rico have also resulted in me growing a lot closer to the students in my grade. From playing hide and seek in the jungle to playing frisbee in the pouring rain, I have made unforgettable memories that I will cherish and take home with me.
Furthermore, not only have I created closer bonds with my peers, volunteering in Puerto Rico have also made me understand the different situations that families go through that I do not witness in my hometown. It has made me aware of my own privileges, and be more thankful for the things that I unintentionally take for granted in my daily life.
I would not have traded this trip for the world, and I am incredibly thankful to my school, The Meadows School, and Walking Tree for being able to organize and give me the opportunity to experience this trip.
Service Work in Bucarabones
We’ve been in Puerto Rico for a couple days painting a house, and it’s been one of the most interesting and greatest experience of my life. I didn’t expect it to change my view on life so much. It makes me realize how different my life is than those living here, and how much more I have to appreciate.
The family from the house that we painted was kind and extremely welcoming, and understanding of the difference between us and them.
One of the best experiences of this trip so far has been talking with the children from the house, Xiomy and Isaac. Even though my Spanish is sub-par and extremely far from fluent, Xiomy helped me out and talked to me, helping me learn and practice my Spanish. Isaac was more of a crazy kid who was fun to be around and play with.
I’m going to remember both of them for as long as I can, as they have been such an inspiration to me to stay positive.
When we’re not working, we’re enjoying the nature and walking around, playing games and bonding with each other.
We had walked and swam in the river near our cabins, played frisbee in the pouring rain, burned in the humid heat, and enjoyed every second of it.
Exploring and doing service work in Puerto Rico has been one of the best times of my life, and I know that my outlook on mostly everything will be much different once I return home to Las Vegas.
Today was our first day of service work!
Written by Rachel Ozer-Bearson
Today was our first day of service work!
We arrived at CAMBU (Centro de Apoyo Mutuo Bucarabones Unido) in the community of Bucarabones in the morning. CAMBU’s mission, as we learned in their presentation the day before, is to support the educational, recreational, and cultural development of Bucarabones and neighboring villages through a variety of workshops and projects.
After breakfast, we divided into five groups, four of which worked on painting community member’s home and one of which worked on construction projects for the center itself.
We spent the morning working, all came together again for lunch, and then worked for a few more hours in the afternoon.
After finishing service work for the day, we went back to the cabins and students had time to swim in the river and hang out before dinner.
It was a full, fun first day of service work and we’re looking forward to several more!
Lots of Spanish and meats.
Written by Elizabeth Becker
Paddle boarding was really easy because there was no current and a lot of people said they saw manatees but I think they were capping cause I didn’t see any.
We all switched around on the paddle boards and jumped on each other so if there were any they were probably scared away because we’re idiots. The water was really salty.
Lots of Spanish and meats. Pretty cool
I want to do it again!!!
Written by Hailey Shin
For the first time, I did paddleboarding. As a not very athletic person, I was quite scared to paddle board. However, it’s so easy and so much fun!! I thought it was easier than riding a bicycle. I noticed that steering was so easy, but when I did fall into the water (sometimes for fun and from trying to push people in), the water was so salty!
My friends and I tried to push each other into the water and even raced each other to the shore. Other than raising my sodium levels by 200%, paddleboarding is something that I would like to do more often. I want to do it again!!!
Today we woke up early, ate breakfast, and started the day paddle boarding
Written by Kristine Ndubisi
Day 1
Today we woke up early, ate breakfast, and started the day paddle boarding on the Laguna de Condado in San Juan, before heading to Las Marias. Tonight we’ll spend the night in the cabins and tomorrow we’ll start our service project. Here are some student reflections on the morning!
When we arrived at our hostel after the flight, it was very colorful, and there were lots of bunk beds, so no one had trouble finding a place to sleep. All of us had some pizza at dinner and went to our rooms. As we were going to sleep, some of us noticed music coming from outside, so we were able to listen to some Puerto Rican tunes. Paddle boarding in Condado Lagoon was very fun.
It was my first time paddle boarding, but it was quick to learn. We went out into the lagoon on boards and kayaks, and everyone had a great time swimming and rowing. I almost fell in a couple of times, but it was an amazing experience.