This spring break, I was decided to donate my time and talent to Habitat for Humanity in Taos, New Mexico. Taos is most known for its ski resort, which is the main source of the town’s economy. Tourism drives the prices of the homes to an average of $300,000 each, even though the average salary of the people who live in Taos is $17,000 which creates a need for affordable housing.
This is where Habitat for Humanity comes in! They use volunteers to build every part of the home, with the exception of electricity and plumbing. I had various jobs throughout the week, which included tiling a bathroom, sanding drywall and constructing a cover for a crawl space. My favorite part about the process was using construction tools. The assistant construction supervisor would give me a quick lesson on how to use a circular saw, or metal grinder, or staple hammer, and I was very good at catching onto new skills quickly. I surprised myself with how many new construction techniques I learned. I also learned to ALWAYS check your measurements twice!
Because there were only two construction supervisors for 30 volunteers, I had to be self sufficient in finding work to do and being a leader for those who were unsure of how to make the most of their time. This meant making measurements while waiting to learn how to use a tool, getting the supplies needed for the next task, and cleaning up the area from a previous project. This experience brought out the natural leader in me. Even if there are designated leaders on a trip, there are always opportunities to lead.
On Tuesday, we had the partner family lunch, where the woman who was going to live in the home we were constructing came and made us lunch and spoke about how her experience with Habitat for Humanity has impacted her life. She will now be able to afford to buy a home in the town she wants to settle down in. Hearing her story made me feel even more empowered. At the beginning of the week I felt like I wasn’t making that big of a contribution to Habitat for Humanity, but she reminded me that every bit of work I did was a step closer to a family with their own home in a city they loved. I wasn’t going to finish a house in 4 days, but what I could do is finish a project, which is one less project that has to be done until she has her forever home.
I would like to thank the University Honors and Scholars program for funding this trip with the Honors and Scholars Enrichment Grant. And also thank you to Habitat for Humanity: Taos for letting us be a part of the impactful work that you do.