What? So What? Now What?

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the community service event on Sunday due to previously arranged events. Instead, I will be writing about other community service opportunities that I've had. This past year I was the leader of an Alternative Spring Break trip. We went to Washington DC to learn about urban poverty and do our part to help out. Throughout the week we volunteered at local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and food delivery programs for those in need. There, I met several people involved in the program, including those on the receiving end as well as the extraordinary staff. In many cases, the staff were people who had once been served by the programs, trained to be chefs, and were given jobs in the kitchen. It was so inspiring to see the sense of community at these facilities and be included in that for a short while. I learned a lot about cutting and preparing food from the chefs. They were extremely fun to work with and great teachers.

In some ways, my experience was raw than I thought it would be. Many times, an organization that often takes on student volunteers creates cushy, pleasant jobs for them so that they learn, have fun, and feel safe. However, our primary work location was in the basement of an old decrepit building in the heart of the city. As soon as we arrived, we were herded into the kitchen where we locked our belongings in a metal cage and began working right alongside the staff. They really needed help. This was the real deal. In the end I really appreciated the atmosphere because I felt like I was truly making a difference.

From my reflections with group members, I really got to see several different perspectives on things. We all came from different backgrounds and had different lifestyles. Through these group talks I realized the importance of honest collaboration among peers. This is something that directly translates to life in research. I will always try to bounce ideas off of other people working in my lab/discipline and open myself to their ideas and opinions. This way I can produce a truly collaborative, well rounded body of work.