Spring Break 2018 in Honduras

This past spring break I completed a service-learning trip to Honduras through the College of Engineering. While in Honduras the class was completing four different projects that would help to improve the state of Montana de Luz, an orphanage that cares for children impacted by HIV/AIDS. For my specific project my team and I made agricultural upgrades to the hillside which the orphanage was built on. Since the foundation is a non-profit, we wanted to find ways that we would be able to help save the orphanage money and establish a plan that would be sustainable.

The hillside was an expanse area of land that was quite steep and erosion was a major issue during the rainy season. The agricultural team from 2017 had to began to build up walls, made from rocks, that followed the contour of the hillside. When the hillside would begin to erode the soil washed down the hillside would ideally begin the build up behind the wall and form into a terrace for farming. Our first goal for the trip was to create more walls and repair any weak areas in preexisting walls. We put in a wall that expanded the length of the hillside and two half walls where the land was steep. The next goal was to begin fixing the soil quality on the hillside so that gardening would be possible in the future. Before going to Honduras, we reached out to the staff at Montana de Luz as well as an Ohio State faculty member that had spent a year in Honduras to conduct research on native trees that would be able to help us achieve our goal. One of the trees we came across was the Madreado tree or as they call “the mother tree.” The tree is native to Honduras, has an extensive root system that would be able to further prevent erosion, and the tree can fix the nitrogen in the soil. We planned to plant these trees behind the contour walls to act as a living fence and provide shade for crops in the future. The trees are absolutely amazing because you are able to cut a branch off a living Madreado tree and plant it in the ground and then it will grow into a tree. I was quite skeptical when I was handed 50 branches and told to plant them in the ground, but the people in Honduras swear that it works. So we planted 50 Madreado and then the staff wanted us to plant 50 Chia trees in the same manner. Then we wanted to further correct the soil on the hillside so my team and I planted around 200 bean seeds in planters. When they were grown they could be transplanted to the hillside and the bean plant would put nitrogen into the soil. At the end we had created a full contour wall, two half contour walls, and planted 100 “magical stick trees” (what I like to call them) and 200 bean plants. We were also able to complete an educational project with the children at Montana de Luz. We created three different erosion scenarios: one of just soil, one with soil and leaves, and one with vegetation. Then we poured water over each and collected the water to show that vegetation helps reduce erosion and that is part of our goal for our project. Finally we sat down with the staff to ask what they wanted to do on the hillside in the future and we were able to draw up plans for future teams to put in place.

Coming into Ohio State I had no desire to study abroad but STEP made me reconsider that decision. Classes were becoming a bit of a lull for me and I wanted to apply what I knew to help people that needed it. So I thought what better time than the present to go travel and contribute to a greater cause. So I started searching around to find a study abroad in the College of Engineering and I came along the one over spring break to Honduras. I have never traveled internationally, except Canada but I don’t count that. I made the decision that I was going to apply to the study abroad and see what comes of it. When I saw I was accepted to the study abroad I was excited and slight bit nervous. I had never seen a developing country first hand, only things that I had read or seen on the news. Our resident director had students from previous years come in to talk to us about their experience in Honduras. They all shared a common theme that is was a life changing experience, and they couldn’t have been more right.

When we got to Honduras it was hot which was amazing because Ohio weather is the worst sometimes. We loaded onto a large bus and we drove on streets that aren’t maintained by police aka there is no speed limits or traffic lights, so that was pretty sketchy. Then when we finally arrived at the orphanage we got a warm welcome from the children and staff. Then we were shown where we were going to be staying and I was weary of it at first. The volunteer house’s windows and doors were open to any and all creepy crawly thing that lived in Honduras and we had to sleep in mosquito nets. We could not drink any of the water from the faucet or get water in our mouth from the shower. We were told to tap our shoes out in the morning because of scorpions. I was convinced that I wouldn’t be able to make it through the week living like this.

However, by the end of the week I was functioning like a normal person (and the bugs no longer bothered me). It was humbling being able to see how these people in Honduras live with so little but they are the kindest people I have ever met. It put into perspective what is truly important in life. Here in the United States we complain if our wifi drops out or is too slow. The Hondurans live with the bare essentials: food, water that isn’t always clean, and some form of a shelter. The people rely on their faith, family, and friends; and this was just amazing to me. It made me realize how caught up I was in my own life and not really considering what was important. Now being back, when I get upset about something minuscule I like to reflect and put things into perspective for myself.

Another big thing for me was not being sucked into my phone the whole week. My phone basically served as a clock the whole week and that’s all. It was definitely an adjustment since I was used to having it 24/7 and being consumed by social media sites. I know I am definitely guilty of having my face stuck to my screen most of the time. When I was forced to put my phone down it opened my eyes to a few things. One of the main things is I was able to interact with people around me and getting to know them at a more personal level, instead of having my phone as a constant distraction. But it forced me to consider how many relationships and conversations I have missed because I had my face in my phone. In Honduras I was able to experience everything and talk to everyone I met in Honduras as well as the people I had traveled with.

I noticed that throughout the trip I was constantly frustrated with not being able to communicate a lot with the children and staff there because of the language barrier. The last time I spoke a lick of Spanish was three years ago, so I only knew basic vocabulary and sayings. I was able to sort of communicate with them through gestures and the slim bank of words I knew. I tried all week to pick up more Spanish from people in my group who were minoring in Spanish and from my resident director and teaching assistant. I wanted to just know Spanish and it made me mad, but when I communicated with staff at Montana de Luz they were extremely patient with me when I tried to show or explain something to them. The language barrier made me more patient towards myself and towards the people there. I wanted to be fluent but I know I couldn’t do that in a week. I took the time to ask for the translation of what I wanted to say and slowing down to understand what the staff and children were trying to communicate back to me.

The trip to Honduras was an incredible experience and I am so glad I was able travel to another country to help complete projects that will positively impact the staff and children at Montana de Luz. Thanks to the funding from STEP and a scholarship from the College of Engineering going on the trip was possible. I love sharing my pictures and stories from my trip with people back home and at Ohio State. It’s crazy to look back and think I had no desire to travel abroad. Using my knowledge and two hands I was able to create an impact. I’m so grateful this trip has brought me amazing friends and experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world.