During spring of 2016, I had the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic on a service trip. During every moment of that experience, I learned more about myself and the world around me than I thought possible. So as soon as I heard about buckiserv trips, I applied. I was selected as one of ten buckeyes who would all go to Dallas, Texas and work at North Texas Food Bank. Before departing, all participants met to discuss expectations, reminders, and to get pumped about the trips! Something that stood out in my mind was the voluntourism talk. Voluntourism – the idea of combining volunteering and tourism into one – is not inherently bad. It can become an issue when the focus is on creating an experience for the tourist instead of on aiding the community. Before going in, I mentally prepared to work alongside those in need. I would not walk in as some superior savior who had all the answers. I would be humble and I would serve.
Here we go – the 15-hour drive to Texas begins. But those hours pass quickly when you’re with people you enjoy. And the bonding time in that minivan is a time I’ll always treasure. After arriving all in one piece, we met our host family – an older couple, Mike and Pam. Both were sweethearts who took care of us like we were their children. Mike has been volunteering at North Texas Food Bank for nearly 20 years, so he attended with us during our service hours and showed us the ropes. He has a servant’s heart; he was so pleasant to be around and he’s someone I aspire to be like. We mainly worked to sort food items, but I also got to pack care boxes for the elderly. I was surprised by how many individuals were there just to give back; no one was forcing them to be there. I felt the energy and positivity in the air and it made me give even more of myself. When we weren’t at the foodbank, we served in a local food pantry. It was set up like a store, allowing people to walk around with a shopping cart and select their groceries. This preserved their dignity and made them feel like they weren’t just receiving a handout. I mainly assisted in the produce section and with bagging. I tried to make conversation with as many people as I could. I asked about their day, their families, their life. Most were so open and willing to share, and always with a smile despite their circumstances. At the end of the day, it’s about how much you have in your heart and not in your wallet. On our last day of service, there was a woman on a wheelchair with an overflow of groceries who clearly needed help. A trip leader and I offered to carry some bags and walk her to her apartment. The bags were heavy, it was hot, and I was tired. I didn’t have to volunteer to do that, but something in my heart nudged me. The lady endlessly thanked us and blessed us, and it just made my heart full. Cliché or not, giving feels so much better than getting. I’ll always have her face ingrained in my mind.
When we weren’t volunteering, we were spending time with each other. We made a late night run to an ice cream parlor. We went shopping at Wal-mart (and everyone knows that’s always an adventure). We went to museums, the observation deck, and the botanical gardens. We met up with OSU alumni. We went to Billy Bob’s Honky Tonk. We took goofy pictures. We rolled down hills and got grass stains. We smiled, and we laughed, and most importantly, ate a heck of a lot of BBQ. I’ll remember that week forever – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the people. I formed incredible relationships with everyone I came into contact with. I know I’m welcome at Mike and Pam’s house next time I’m in Texas. I know I can call up any of my team members for a good time or a life chat. I’ve been blessed by the entire experience and I guess I can say I like country music just a tad bit more.