Sarah Rubinrott- Class of 2019
It has been about one month since we have returned home from the Alternative Spring Break Trip in Houston. It was my first-time visiting Texas, and I was able to get a feel for the culture and heart of Houston. Even though we only volunteered for a week, our group got a great amount of work done on one house that had been underwater after Harvey flooded the reservoirs. The defining moment of the trip was when the owner of the house came through on our last work day and commented, “It’s starting to look like a house again!”. This was a great closing moment for the entire group!
I have brought back many great memories, new friends, and a new outlook on how we should be concerned with global warming. Unfortunately, Houston will flood again and the work we did may only last a year or so. Here, in Narraganset RI, we also have problems with beach erosion, rising tides, and road way flooding. It’s an issue that effects more than just the south and states who are vulnerable to hurricanes. It is our job to care for our planet and this trip really helped me put it into perspective.
While we were in Houston we visited the Rodeo, walked around down-town, and had some really good food. Even though we did have long work days, we were still able to get out and enjoy what Houston has to offer. It was not the Texas I was imagining at all!
I plan on doing more disaster relief trips in the future that are for more immediate problems. I am a people person so working on houses isn’t as rewarding as helping someone first hand. I think it would be very rewarding to volunteer as a disaster relief nurse after I get my degree and license!
I have brought back many great memories, new friends, and a new outlook on how we should be concerned with global warming. Unfortunately, Houston will flood again and the work we did may only last a year or so. Here, in Narraganset RI, we also have problems with beach erosion, rising tides, and road way flooding. It’s an issue that effects more than just the south and states who are vulnerable to hurricanes. It is our job to care for our planet and this trip really helped me put it into perspective.
While we were in Houston we visited the Rodeo, walked around down-town, and had some really good food. Even though we did have long work days, we were still able to get out and enjoy what Houston has to offer. It was not the Texas I was imagining at all!
I plan on doing more disaster relief trips in the future that are for more immediate problems. I am a people person so working on houses isn’t as rewarding as helping someone first hand. I think it would be very rewarding to volunteer as a disaster relief nurse after I get my degree and license!
Emily Goldberg- Class of 2020
Going on the alternative spring break in Houston, Texas, I didn’t know what to expect. Having never gone on a service trip before, I was nervous that I didn’t have enough past experience in building houses to succeed in this mission. The first day we were taught how to cut the walls evenly in order to put up drywall for the next day. It was difficult at first, considering I’ve never used these tools in my life, but towards the end of the day I didn’t want to stop until the job was complete. Day two was when we had the tough job of putting up drywall. Power tools and exacto knives were only a few of the tools we used to do this. Before completing this trip, I had no idea how to use these tools and would never think that I as a business major would learn how.
The culture of Houston, the work we put in and the people we met, made this trip an amazing experience that I would never forget. I was shocked by how much I accomplished during the week. I didn’t realize the impact we had made on this family’s house until we saw before and after pictures and especially when the owner of the house came home and said, “wow, it’s starting to look like a house again.” I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to go on this trip and would never trade it for anything.
The culture of Houston, the work we put in and the people we met, made this trip an amazing experience that I would never forget. I was shocked by how much I accomplished during the week. I didn’t realize the impact we had made on this family’s house until we saw before and after pictures and especially when the owner of the house came home and said, “wow, it’s starting to look like a house again.” I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to go on this trip and would never trade it for anything.
Erica Ryan- Class of 2020
About a month ago I packed my bags, got on a plane, and made my way to Houston, Texas for an alternative spring break. I won’t lie and say that I was 100% excited to be using my time off from school to work as a volunteer building houses. I had gone home to New Jersey the day before and all I wanted was to stay in my nice comfy bed for the week, but the trip was set and there was a part of me looking forward to going to the south and doing “the ultimate DIY”.
Looking back I am so glad that I didn’t let my bed hold me back from going on the trip. Every aspect of the week was amazing. Despite bruises and dusty pants, I had a blast putting up drywall. I got pretty handy with the power tools, the highlight of my work day. When the week was over, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we were overcome with a sense of pride and accomplishment. On day one it was as if I had X-ray vision because you couldn’t see the bottom half of any of the walls, by the way 95% of all the walls were finished. And once the work day was over the fun continued. Whether it was playing board games in the kitchen after lights out or going to the biggest rodeo in the country, it was a trip filled with laughs and good times.
By the end of the week, there was a lot more reflection on the impact we had made and what more we could do. On Friday night we went to Temple for Shabbat, and it was like nothing I had ever experienced. Growing up in a conservative-reform synagogue I had never gone to a service where the rabbi was playing guitar and the cantor was playing the drums. Somehow it was the most beautiful service I had ever been to.
Although it was a short seven days it will be a trip I remember for the rest of my life.
Looking back I am so glad that I didn’t let my bed hold me back from going on the trip. Every aspect of the week was amazing. Despite bruises and dusty pants, I had a blast putting up drywall. I got pretty handy with the power tools, the highlight of my work day. When the week was over, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we were overcome with a sense of pride and accomplishment. On day one it was as if I had X-ray vision because you couldn’t see the bottom half of any of the walls, by the way 95% of all the walls were finished. And once the work day was over the fun continued. Whether it was playing board games in the kitchen after lights out or going to the biggest rodeo in the country, it was a trip filled with laughs and good times.
By the end of the week, there was a lot more reflection on the impact we had made and what more we could do. On Friday night we went to Temple for Shabbat, and it was like nothing I had ever experienced. Growing up in a conservative-reform synagogue I had never gone to a service where the rabbi was playing guitar and the cantor was playing the drums. Somehow it was the most beautiful service I had ever been to.
Although it was a short seven days it will be a trip I remember for the rest of my life.
Emily Leddington- Class of 2020
As a sophomore in college I’m extremely busy and sometimes forget to stop and take a look at the world around me. Going to a new place, meeting new people and experiencing something is exactly what I needed. Going into Texas I didn’t necessarily know what to expect, but I was open to everything that I could gain from the experience. Little did I know that seven days later I would become a different person. I learned that sometimes we don’t anticipate what will happen in the world, but through hard work, community and love anything can be possible. Yes, we were “building a house”, but we were also helping rebuild one of the strongest communities I’ve ever been a part of. The beauty of Houston is its sense of bravery and determination. We always see on the news when destruction occurs but then we get back to our daily lives and forget about all the damage that is leftover. This trip showed me that 6 months or even 6 years later there is always help that will be needed. I was given the opportunity to aid a community with a group of people that now today have a special place in my heart. Not only, did we spend 6 days building but we were also able to spend time in Houston. The culture and overall friendly attitude of the city of Houston is so inspiring. They have been through so much and still stand tall and proud every day. Being able to witness this through the restaurants, live music, the rodeo and the beautiful scenery I was able to understand why there's so much positivity in Houston.
Yet, there were moments that stood out on this whole trip. We would wake up at 7 am and go to work every day. We put up drywall and cut out outlet strips and at times it was very tedious. But throughout it all, I knew we were working towards something great. It was the last day on the site of the house, and we were finally able to meet the homeowner. She walked into the house and said to all of us, “it’s really starting to look like a home again”. Instantly in that moment, all the hard work had paid off and I knew I was meant to be here. I learned then that whether someone’s involvement is big or small we are a part of the greater good and anything can help. Overall, the seven days that I spent in Houston, Texas was extremely rewarding and eye-opening. I met some fantastic people, who share my religion and also my passion to help others. I was able to test my physical limits by challenging myself with a tasks I had never done before. I was able to see and be a part of a different sense of culture. And, in all I can honestly say that I came back from the trip a whole new person.
Yet, there were moments that stood out on this whole trip. We would wake up at 7 am and go to work every day. We put up drywall and cut out outlet strips and at times it was very tedious. But throughout it all, I knew we were working towards something great. It was the last day on the site of the house, and we were finally able to meet the homeowner. She walked into the house and said to all of us, “it’s really starting to look like a home again”. Instantly in that moment, all the hard work had paid off and I knew I was meant to be here. I learned then that whether someone’s involvement is big or small we are a part of the greater good and anything can help. Overall, the seven days that I spent in Houston, Texas was extremely rewarding and eye-opening. I met some fantastic people, who share my religion and also my passion to help others. I was able to test my physical limits by challenging myself with a tasks I had never done before. I was able to see and be a part of a different sense of culture. And, in all I can honestly say that I came back from the trip a whole new person.