1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed. 

For my Step project I choose to take and engineering service trip to Kpando, Ghana. There was a one semester course during the fall where we researched, designed, and prototypes our ideas and then took a 2 week trip over winter break to Ghana to work with local community members in explaining and getting feedback on our designs. 

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place. 

Before this trip, I had never been to Africa or a part of the world that was more under developed than what i was typically used to. I have seen some bad areas but I was never actually immersed in the community and spending a week there. I think I was able to gain a lot of respect for what these communities go through on a day to day basis but also I had a real pleasure in seeing just how much they enjoy their lives. In our community of Ghana is was a very low stress environment and everyone was very relaxed which could be why they do not have been new things or technologies. But it was also neat to see how they know what they have is enough and they just enjoy that rather than like here it seems everyone is pushing for what’s next and we all do live very high stress lives compared to them. It was also very opening to see that what we are trying to do is not change how they live or give them so drastic new technology but rather create something that is adaptable to their lives and community and hope that it can provide some improvement in their lives.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

Being in a place that I had never been before and seeing how different it was from what I was used to I had many interactions that caused for a transformation and chance to reflect. One interaction was trying to explain our design and prototype to someone who was not fluent in the language I spoke. Using a translator was something I had never done but was a unique experience because you have to explain things in a way that are much simpler and easier to understand. We spent hours trying to make sure idea was understood and that what we built could be replicated with their in country materials. This experience helped me realize to be patient and take time with people to make sure they understand what you want and also that you can understand their questions and needs as well.

Another experience I had was when we went out to the rural community for a day and saw an even more primitive way of living. Seeing how these families just lives in a mud hut and had to go to the bathroom in holes in the ground and had very unsanitary water was very humbling. It was also very respectful to see how they lived and that they were all very happy there and enjoyed their lives. Also when we were interviewing members of the community here and asking what they wanted for help their answers were very simple. What they needed would be very simple to install and provide a vast amount of help for them. It made me realize that it is not all about the biggest and best new thing but rather the little things that can provide so much help.

The last key aspect of my experience was just being able to observe this community for a week. Everyone was just very nice and relaxed and all seemed to enjoy the lifestyle they had. I remember buying a shirt and the man said it would be ready Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Unlike here everyone expect there to be an exact time for when something is done and it better not be late but there it was more like it will be done and to high quality and you receive it when you do. They are a very un-rushed community and that has its pros and cons but everyone always seemed willing to help others and they take each day by day and do the best that they can with what they’re given. 

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

I feel this is valuable for my life because I think it is very important to give your time to help others and also see places that you might think you would never see and learn from all of it. This was a great way for me to help use my engineering skills and knowledge in the real world along with working on communication in a place where my language is not the main language they speak. Professionally I feel this will be a great experience to talk about when applying for jobs and maybe can even help me to have a job that involves more traveling and seeing even more communities. Lastly, this trip was valuable because it will be something I remember for the rest of life and I can already say it’s easily at the top of my list for what I have done with my life so far and want to continue to do things that push the boundary for myself.

For my STEP project, I went on a service trip with Buck-I-Serv and worked with a nonprofit organization in Antigua, Guatemala called Constru Casa. We assisted with building a new, safe home for a family in Guatemala. The main tasks we did while building the house included digging the foundation, mixing cement, and moving cement blocks. We also were allowed two vacation days in which we hiked a volcano and visited Lake Atitlalan.

Traveling to a third world country for the first time has transformed my assumptions and view of the world. Before going on this service trip, I had not been exposed to a world where everyone cannot afford to have safe and secure living arrangements and not all children attend grade school, high school, and college. Traveling to Guatemala opened my eyes to that. There were families living in one room shacks with curtains as their door, five-year-old children coming up to sell us souvenirs on the streets, and one of the masons we worked with was thirteen years old. Growing up, I had always been told I was fortunate to live in a safe home and go to school, but I never really understood or believed it until I went on this service trip. The trip transformed my assumptions of how people in different parts of the world live. Not all people have the ability to afford a large home or attend school until they are 18, however all of the people I met were so kind and hard-working regardless of their situations. It was also transforming to experience and be immersed in the Guatemalan culture for a week and attempt to speak their native language.

Each of the people I met in Guatemala along with the other participants that attended the Buck-I-Serv trip all contributed to a transformational experience. One of the people I met in Guatemala that impacted me greatly was Elvera, our “house mom” for the week. She is a very positive, caring, strong, and passionate woman and challenged each of us to make a difference and have a positive, hardworking attitude for the work we were doing. Other people we met in Guatemala that led to a transformation included the masons we worked with and the family we were building the home for. Each of them was very hardworking and always had a smile on their face. Even though we spoke different languages, we still found ways to communicate and they taught me the importance of helping others, never giving up, and hard work.

Many of the interaction I had on this trip stood out to me, but one in particular that stood out the most to me was the interaction I had with six-year-old children who would come up to me in the streets trying to sell me souvenirs. Those children were selling items instead of going to school and receiving an education. I think that interaction is what stood out most to me because that is something you would never see in the United States. In the U.S., education is required for minors but in Guatemala it is not uncommon for children to be working instead of attending school because their family is unable to afford it. Interacting with the children selling things made me appreciative of my education growing up and sparked a greater passion for the need to help make it possible for all children to receive an education, whether it is by fundraising or volunteering.

The interactions, events, and people I have met through this trip have all impacted me and changed the way I view the world and my own upbringing. The experiences and relationships made on the trip affected the way I act. I want to carry on the hardworking, positive attitude that each person I interacted with in Guatemala had. I do not take for granted my education and I want to work towards giving all children an equal opportunity to attend school. The service trip with Buck-I-Serv has been such an unforgettable, transformational experience.

This transformation is valuable because the characteristics of being hardworking and positive are carrying out in the work that I am doing now during my co-op and as I continue into my future career. It is also valuable to me because I am very passionate about helping others and it has provided me the opportunity to help provide safe housing for a family. This will allow the family to be able to feel safe in their own home and live healthier lives. Because of this experience, my passion to help others has grown even more. I want to find opportunities to not only volunteer internationally, but also volunteer locally because I know there is food insecurity, unsafe housing, and many other things that are negatively affecting people all over.

My STEP Signature Project was a Buck-I-SERV trip to Ghana where we worked with the Akumanyi Foundation. Most of the trip was spent at the orphanage in Akokwa where we helped with daily chores such as cleaning, cooking, bathing. A lot of our time was also spent playing with the orphaned children. Additionally, we were able to visit some of the other sites that the Akumanyi Foundation is involved with such as the water/toilet project, the seamstress program, and the new school buildings right down the road from the orphanage.

During the trip, I came to realize that there are many things in my life that I take for granted. I am very privileged to attend university, own a car, and have a supportive and loving family. While I have always been thankful for these things, I never realized that running water, constant food sources, and readily available medical attention are things that I utilize every day without thinking twice. I watched as the kids shared all of their clothing while I have an entire closet to myself. These different privileges were really put into perspective when I realized that I was going to go home on December 23^rd and wake up to hundreds of dollars’ worth of Christmas gifts on the 25^th. While it will not help anyone for me to feel guilty about the things that I have, the way that my perspective has changed will allow me to reverse my habit of complaining and become more positive and thankful for the things that I do have.

My world view has also widened a lot after my trip to Ghana. I learned so much about Ghanaian culture through song, dance, and also just having conversations with the kids and adults at the orphanage. I have always been an independent person, but my time in Africa made me realize how important community is. Watching the kids help each other with chores, cooking, or even simple tasks like getting water was very different for me. Even the young kids eagerly helped out around the orphanage especially while we did chores. When I spoke to Mother Charity, I was amazed at how young the kids are when they start to help out with chores or taking care of one another. While America has a much more individualistic culture, I plan to remember and implement the joy in helping others and sense of community that I experienced while in Ghana.

One of my favorite experiences during the trip was talking to all of the girls that attended the seamstress program. Many of their stories were very impactful as many of them were becoming seamstresses because their family could not afford for them to continue schooling, something that I have always had access to. One girl in particular was hard of hearing and walked all the way from the town over each morning to learn from the master seamstress. We also learned about one girl’s family who could currently barely afford food for her each day. While the stories were incredibly sad, knowing that the Akumanyi Foundation started this program as a way for these young women to make a life for themselves gave me so much hope for them. When they graduate, they will open their own shop, support themselves, and continue teaching young girls to sew.

Another activity that we did at the orphanage a couple times during the week was carry water. There were buckets in the bathroom, volunteer house, and orphanage that all needed to be filled up with either filter water or river water. Having constant access to running water is something that I normally take for granted. Filling up my water bottle from one of the many water fountains in any given school building is something I do multiple times a day. Brushing my teeth and letting the water run is something I never thought twice about. However, in order to shower in Ghana we had to carry our water to the volunteer house. In order to flush the toilet, the river water had to be carried up the hill. I became so conscious of my water usage and so conscious of all of the water that I had been constantly wasting at home. We were lucky enough that the volunteer house is very close to the river and that we had an assembly line of volunteers that were all working together to get the water up the hill. The teamwork and community feeling is something that I will never forget. We met many villagers while carrying our own water as well. Many people walked all the way from town down to the river to obtain water by themselves. There was nobody to pass it off to or anyone to relieve them of the weight. They simply balanced the giant tubs of water on their heads and continued up the hill multiple times. This amazed me. We in America have multiple sources of water in every building, but they have to travel through town to obtain any at all. It made me feel thankful for the access that we do have and also thankful that the Akumanyi Foundation has provided the orphanage and Penim with water tanks for the community to have easier access and cleaner drinking water.

The trip to Cape Coast and the slave castle was also incredibly impactful. We learn about slavery from America’s perspective but I could never explain the impact of seeing where Africans were captured, chained, sold, and shipped away from their homes. It still gives me chills to talk about entering the horrendous conditions in the dungeons, cells, and seeing the Door of No Return. Learning more about the history of slave trade allowed me to think further about how it has caused the racial oppression in America today. While we were getting a tour, the guide set out a call to action. She said although we were not there to make a change back then, we are here to make a change and raise awareness now. This really made me realize how much more I can and should do to educate myself and work to fight oppression and slavery in today’s society.

Since leaving Ghana, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. I had a lot that I needed to process and after about a month of being home, I have realized what an impact my trip has made in my daily life and with my goals. While in Ghana, there was hardly a moment that we weren’t actively doing something unless we were winding down after each exhausting day. Even then, we were usually journaling, entertaining the kids, or laughing as a group. After returning home, I found myself bored on social media, watching TV, and participating in my usual time-wasting activities. I have now learned to utilize my time differently whether it be getting work done, spending quality time with friends and family, or using free time to reflect and journal. I always focused my career goals around helping others, and this trip has only enhanced my passion to pursue my current career path. Before attending medical school, I really hope to take a gap year to travel, learn about other cultures, and help out wherever and however I can. I am incredibly grateful for my experience in Ghana and all of the things I’ve discovered about myself and about the world

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During my Winter 2019 BUCK-I-SERV trip to Costa Rica, we stayed in a town called Brujo in order to complete our community service projects. Afterwards, we continued to travel around Costa Rica doing activities like white water rafting, hiking a mountain, repelling down a waterfall, and even surfing. The entire trip allowed us to be fully immersed in Costa Rica’s vibrant culture and build even stronger connections to fellow OSU students.

While staying on our homestays in Brujo, I gained a stronger appreciation for the power of communication and education. Though I took Spanish throughout high school and have had several opportunities to use my Spanish-speaking abilities in a real-life setting, I quickly realized how difficult communicating to my host family- who did not speak English- would be. Though initially intimidating, I was able to use resources and try to remember prior learning in order to develop a meaningful relationship with my host family. The mother taught me about several things around the house or in the community, and gave me the opportunity to learn how to make fresh juice and empanadas. Despite a language barrier, I was able to communicate. This relationship allowed me to better understand the power of being able to communicate, and the things the mother taught me brought a greater appreciation for Costa Rican traditions.

My time in Costa Rica truly taught me a lot about the power of human connections and being present. Throughout the 10-day trip, our group was rarely on our cell phones, and were truly able to get to know one another and make meaningful connections. Taking the time to engage with each other, without distractions from home or other aspects of daily life helped us all to grow close quickly. We got to try new things we could never have expected to do; this adventure and new experiences helped me to feel truly alive again. Being in such a beautifully vibrant country, surrounded by incredible people and constantly getting to try new things will be something I never forget.

Getting to form new, meaningful connections went beyond just our Ohio State group. The trip was fully immersive, meaning that we were constantly surrounded by Costa Rica’s amazing people- whether it be our tour guides, host families, or people we met along the way. While staying with our host families, I was able to utilize my prior Spanish learning to communicate with the family. Though at times it was a little stressful and I could not fully understand them (or vice a versa) it was fun and challenging to figure out different ways to communicate and understand one another, even if we could not use just verbal language. My host mother, specifically, communicated a lot through showing. Smiles, hand motions, and teaching new Spanish words helped me to quickly learn things in the Spanish language that I did not learn in the classroom. Most of the families from our homestays continued with us at certain points of the trip, and it was really fun to get to catch up with them and talk about different aspects of the trip we all had experienced so far.

I believe that being able to face new, sometimes challenging experiences with excitement, adventure, and open-mindedness is an invaluable skill. I plan to graduate from Ohio State and continue to Dental School. I understand that this will be a challenging and likely stressful path; however, having strong connections with people and being able to find adventure will help me through these challenges. Having a strong support system and being able to communicate with others often helps to ease stress and may even open the door to important opportunities while on my career path. No matter how well I do in school, my ability to interact with others is a skill that is extremely important in the dental field- especially if I want to establish my own family practice. The communication skills and better ability to lead in a group of people that I learned while in Costa Rica will prove to be very helpful in my future.

Similarly, the ability to enjoy new experiences and adventure will also help me in my future. Though Dentistry is typically an intense path that involves a lot of focus, I think that true success in the field relies in the ability to enjoy and work hard in the moment and face new challenges like they’re an adventure. The adventure that I was able to enjoy in Costa Rica- like white water rafting, repelling, hiking, or surfing- taught me that new experiences and challenges can oftentimes become sources of great joy. Despite being initially challenging, these activities allowed me to experience something new and brought me a lot of joy. I hope that facing challenges in my future with this same mindset will help me to succeed and bring me joy. Overall, Costa Rica taught me to see challenge as a way for growth; these experiences will help translate into my success through challenge for the rest of my life.

My STEP signature project was a Buck-I-SERV trip to Colonia, Uruguay. A main theme of the trip was agricultural sustainability, and the group worked directly alongside small-scale agricultural producers. Activities consisted of physically helping small farming families perform their day to day duties, repurposing pallets and other materials into useful structures, painting a local cook’s food truck, and learning about various social issues such as the impact of industrial agriculture on society.

This STEP signature project significantly changed my understanding of myself. The project helped me realize just how much I enjoy the connection with the people around me. I have always perceived myself as an introvert and justified this with the fact that I socially “recharge” by being alone and away from people. While I still believe that I am an introvert, I no longer see it as a personality defect that keeps me from being able to grow closer to people, but rather something that is unique to me and has its own strengths and weaknesses. The experiences I went through on this project have motivated me to embrace my personality’s strengths, exploit them, and use them in a way that can benefit those around me. In addition, the experiences and various epiphanies associated with them have challenged me to acknowledge and work on my weaknesses. Lastly, the experience increased my appreciation of the world around me and has made me realize the importance of sustainability.

Before the trip, I considered myself to be a person who simply didn’t enjoy the company of others and I went into this experience without any intention to build relationships with the other members. However, being thrown into an alien environment in which I had no choice but to become comfortable with those closest to me helped me realize how my view of introversion was actually promoting an unhealthy amount of pride and selfishness. During the trip, the Buck-I-SERV leaders led daily reflections. These reflections were extremely beneficial to the learning experience, as they connected what we learned that day to our own lives. On top of that, the reflections encouraged extremely intimate discussions amongst the members of the trip. These discussions made me realize how much I enjoy having intentional discussions with people, and they also revealed my tendency to be self-centered

In addition to the Buck-I-SERV led reflections, the interactions that I had with the locals were also beneficial to my transformational experience. Before the trip, I would have been able to describe myself as a humble and selfless person. But after spending a week in Uruguay, I started to realize how untrue my perception of myself was. After arriving in the country, I quickly began to notice how kind the locals were. It was obvious to them that we were foreigners, and that speaking Spanish was not our strongest skill. Nevertheless, every person who I attempted to have a conversation with patiently tried their best to understand what I was trying to say. At no point did anyone laugh or make a joke of the situation, and this was extremely eye-opening for me. Despite having considered myself a humble and selfless person, I could easily think of instances in which I jokingly made fun of someone’s accent or culture. Even though my intentions were always pure, and the person whom the joke was directed at was encouraging that type of humor, I still went out of my way to alienate someone by finding something about them that made them different. In Uruguay, the idea of discriminatory humor was almost non-existent, and the effects this had on day-to-day conversations were very evident. Every exchange of words I had with the locals was intentional, with them striving to learn more about me, and there was rarely ever any small talk. This made me think about the unintentional nature of most of my day-to-day conversations, and how most of my interactions with friends consisted of making pointless jokes and arguing about pointless things. Having been exposed to a culture that endorses constant intentionality and observing its positive effects on relationships has motivated me to change the way I interact with people daily.

Another experience that made this project transformation for me was something that took place on a night with a clear sky. Light pollution levels in Uruguay are drastically less than those in most of the United States, making stargazing an incredible thing to do there. One night during the trip was particularly clear, and the group decided to go look at the stars. Upon looking up, I was instantly entranced. The Milky Way, a massive belt consisting of hundreds of stars, spanned the entire night sky. Various galaxies, nebulas, and gas clouds could be seen clearly; the sky looked like a high-resolution image straight out of a science textbook. Immediately, I began feeling something that could be described as “having an existential crisis.” It was not a negative feeling. Instead, it made me feel more connected to the world around me; seeing how big the universe is made realize how important it is to make the most out of every day, every relationship, every discussion, etc. Looking at the seemingly infinite span of it also intensified my feelings towards sustainability, and the sand under my feet revealed itself as part of an ecosystem, which in turn was part of an even larger ecosystem- all of which I felt more connected to and responsible for.

This transformation relates to my professional goals in several ways. As a computer science engineer, it is imperative that I can work in a group with others. Understanding my strengths and weaknesses on a deeper level will help me be more of a benefit to a team, as I would be able to determine where I would be of most use. In addition, more intentionality in my conversations would positively affect my contributions to things such as meetings and brainstorming sessions, by improving the way I am able to articulate my own thoughts to others. Also, I desire to work at Bayer in the future, and the transformation of my view on sustainability will surely be helpful. Bayer is a German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company that recently bought Monsanto, a company known for its involvement with GMOs. I wish to work there alongside my father, who was originally employed by Monsanto. This project provided me with much-needed insight into the matter of GMOs and their impact on the world. Discussing this matter with small-scale agricultural producers was enlightening, as I was able to have more of a hands-on learning experience with the positives and negatives of GMOs and was able to develop more solid convictions on the matter. Assuming I am employed by Bayer, the experiences I had on this STEP project will influence my contributions to the company as a software engineer, the way I may lead as a project manager, and ultimately the way Bayer could affect the world.

My STEP signature project involved me going on a Buck-I-SERV trip to Akokwa, Ghana. Here, we worked alongside the Akumanyi Foundation and helped out with chores and other tasks in an orphanage, visited a seamstress program, observed the water, toilet and school projects, and took a day trip to historic slave castle to be humbled about racial oppression and inequality.

As a result of this trip, my worldview has widened. I was engaged in a village where the daily life of those around me were vastly different than my own. My privilege has allowed me to go to University with a car, I have a house over my head, I can afford to eat and buy nice things for myself, and I have two parents who love me very much who come to visit me often. However, I came to understand that the student life in central Ohio is not the only way of living. Across the world, I met children who have no family and share clothes with many other children. I met Ghanaian University students who study subjects similar to mine, yet they don’t live on campus or do their work online. I met people of different villages who farm the food that they bring back to their families, and don’t worry about gaining more personal possessions.

Being surrounded by the poverty the children faced daily but also their pure joy challenged the way I complain and approach discussions with negativity. As Christmas approached, I saw children who would get no gifts and had no family to spend the holidays with. I knew in a few days that I would be in my middle-class home with my supportive and loving family, receiving presents worth several hundred dollars. Yet, I find myself in a position where I can be continually complaining about present circumstances. I saw the pure happiness the children had, and my conversations with the older kids were optimistic as they expressed their hopes and dreams. I left Ghana remembering to be a more uplifting presence to others around me, and to consider the positives before I complain about the negatives.

We took a day trip to Cape Coast and visited a slave castle which has been turned into a museum. The things I witnessed challenged my views on history and the way I have viewed racial oppression. Witnessing the horrendous conditions of the castle made me think about where we are with racial oppression today in America and how African-Americans in our country have been and still are set up to just survive, but not thrive. I allowed myself to feel deeply at the sad truths of the past, and reflect on how this has set up America’s future. I left challenged with new knowledge and experiences, and questioned how I can actively participate in continuing learning and fighting oppression when I get home.

Another experience I had in Ghana was a discussion with locals about their needs and wants. One thing I appreciated about the Akumanyi foundation was its ability to ask and listen to needs, rather than assume what members of the villages needed. The foundation has an outstanding ability to travel and ask for needs. That is where the school, toilet, and water projects stem from– asking the members of the village to share their wants and needs and seeing what the Akumanyi foundation can do to help. This ability to listen is something I have become more aware of, and I have realized how damaging assumptions can be.

Leaving Ghana, I was left with several thoughts and experiences that I needed to process. Thankfully, after almost a month of being home I have been able to continually be impacted by the moments I have shared with the Ghanaians I met. I have been able to incorporate my experiences into the conversations I have had with friends and in my classes. I have been able to help educate others on historical slavery from an Eastern viewpoint and respectfully challenge previous ways of thinking. I have reflected on certain relationships I created and their ability to care for me as I navigated a foreign culture. I realized can care for friends in America in the same way, and in a similar vein I have been more aware of international students on campus. I have been able to ask better questions and gain a more understanding of their experience in America. Having these discussions has created an amazing opportunity for me to continue to learn about the world while staying in America. This experience has affected the way I view the world, and I am excited to see how future decisions are made with this widened world lens.

I was a part of a group along with eleven other Ohio State students and faculty that went on a weeklong service trip to Antigua, Guatemala. During this time, we worked with the local masons to construct a house for a family in need. We also had the opportunity to explore the city and the culture.

This trip was a life changing experience for me personally. For one, I realized that I am a lot stronger—physically and mentally—than I thought. Manual labor is something that I had little experience in before this trip. I also feel as if my world view has transformed. This was my first time traveling outside of the United States, so I experienced a bit of a culture shock as soon as I walked off the plane. Reflecting back, this trip enforced that I am choosing the right career path for myself.

Four days out of our week we worked with the local masons of the Constru Casa organization to assist in building a new home for a family in need. The first day was the most physically demanding. We had to use a pickaxe to take down a side of a hill in order to make room for the foundation. The whole seven hours we were there we were moving dirt and rocks. My back was aching towards the end of the workday, but my peers kept a good job of motivating me and keeping everyone in check. If someone was tired, another person would jump in and take over.

When I look at the progress that we made in the week I just can’t wrap my mind around it. When we got to the worksite bright and early on Monday, I was looking at a large empty space. At the end of the day Friday I was looking at a three room, one-bathroom cinderblock home. And to think that we did everything ourselves, to mixing cement with shovels and hammering holes into cinderblocks, was really rewarding. We didn’t necessarily do any of the technical work like laying the bricks or plumbing (that was the job of the professional masons), but I felt good about doing all of the busy work that would’ve just make the process longer if we weren’t there to help.

This was the first trip outside of the United States for me. I was a bit nervous about going to a foreign country, but on the other hand I was excited because I took Spanish throughout high school and my first year at Ohio State. In these courses I have learned not only the language, but also the culture. When I stepped off the plane in Guatemala City it was as if I was transported inside of my Spanish textbook. I was an incredible to use my knowledge of the language (even though it wasn’t perfect, everyone was very understanding) and was able to translate for some of the people on the trip that didn’t have a strong Spanish background.

The culture in Guatemala has it’s similarities and differences to the United States. The biggest shock to me was how many families were waiting at the airport in Guatemala City. There was minimal space to walk since there were so many families with balloons and flowers waiting to greet their loved ones as soon as they came off the plane. During my time there I noticed that everything is a celebration. At night fireworks would be set off and people would be cheering in the streets. Very different than what I’m used to. This made me think that I should celebrate the little things more in life. I tend to be too hard on myself at times, and this experience cleared my mind. I truly feel that the week I spent in Guatemala was what I needed mentally and I’m taking the ‘celebrate the little things’ mindset into my life more now that I’m back in Ohio.

This change was important for me at the stage of life I’m in. The trip couldn’t have come at a better time. After dealing with final exams in some of the most difficult courses I’ve taken here at Ohio State, this trip cleared my mind and made me realize what I should really be focusing on—celebrate the little victories along with the big ones. The people of the city were so gracious and welcoming to teach me about their culture. This trip taught me that I really enjoy learning about other cultures. I was fascinated by the way that some people live. It made me realize that I’m extremely fortunate to be able to go to school and receive an education.

To speak along the lines of my future professional plans, this trip reinforced that I truly enjoy helping people. This confirmed my aspirations of working in the medical field. Now that I know that I can take on traveling outside of the United States, I would jump on the idea to travel to third world countries to provide health care to different communities in need. I would be ecstatic to go through another experience like I did this past winter in Antigua, Guatemala.

My BUCK-I-SERV trip to New York City consisted of like-minded students serving at an organization called Womankind, which is dedicated on bringing refuge, recovery, support, and renewal to domestic violence survivors. We worked on painting and repairing the site’s infrastructure to make the place more inclusive and welcoming for the current residents living there.

I learned a few main things during my time on my service trip. I think the first was to how to actually paint walls. I have never actually painted walls and to learn this skill was amazing. I learned which materials we need and how to safely paint. I realized how much labor actually goes into this task. I think a lot of times people who have never done this task do not actually realize how extensive it really is.

I have to admit before I came onto this trip I was familiar with how domestic violence works, and the difficulties the women and men undergo to get out of violent situations and try to build their own independent lives. Furthermore, how economic strata might play an overwhelming role in this problem. Therefore the second thing, I learned was how much a space works into the recovery of domestic violence survivors. Since domestic shelter’s locations are anonymous, I don’t want give any distinctive details of the place I was working at thus I will not go into the specifics. The place we were working was actually one of the nicer ones but at the same time due to financial constraints it showed the damage in the infrastructure. It provided a glimpse into how a layout of a shelter can impact how little or big the residents interact with one another. It also provides how different the other shelters might run due to the layout and the organizational structure that is in place. Another thing to keep in mind is that there are shelters where both men and women live in the same space. All of these shelters try to build a sense of community for the people living there. While trying to build a sense of community, a common problem some of these shelters might run into is that while recovering a presence of a man might trigger some emotions for the women living there. At the same time, it is also problematic for the men because they need a sense of community too especially after living through their own traumatic experiences.

The third and final thing that I learned was how difficult it is for people of domestic violence to get their own housing. Even if they find a job, once the landlord realizes that they have something in their history that indicates of domestic violence they are less likely to give them the apartment to rent. Sometimes the landlord does not take the government initiatives that survivors use to pay for apartment graciously. Discrimination in this part is rampant and a lot of times survivors have to find another place because they don’t have the money or time for a lawsuit. Despite having anti-housing discrimination laws, it is time for people and government to think about domestic violence survivors and how finding housing could be improved for them. Mostly, they are ignored by the government and even by us.

One of the things that really struck me was that while painting, I was really focused on getting the job done in a manner that did not make too much mess and it really looked like the interior was in a better shape than before. While for me the domestic violence shelter was place where I was performing my service, but it was home for all the people living there. On one of the floors where I was working, a mom would drop her kids to school and pick them up. After school, she would make them a snack. They would go on their day like it was place they always lived there despite it being a temporary and confined space. Some of the things that mom did reminded me of my mom and me when I was around that age. The only difference was that they were in a domestic violence shelter and I was in my own home. It made me happy that painting the dirty walls would give that mom and her children a sense of living in a clean space and hopefully provide some normalcy of an actual house.

Another thing that really struck me was the courage that all the residents had. They obviously have been through a traumatic experience that no one wants or even thinks they would have to go through and despite it all they all made it out of their situations, and here they were trying to move on forward. It takes an insurmountable bravery to move on forward despite the trauma, financial problems, and other challenges that will come their way. Furthermore, all of the people there could be easily interchangeable with anyone on this planet. It could be you, a friend, a family member, and even your kids that could be in this position. While people think domestic violence is bad, they don’t really do anything to stop it or prevent it. I hope everyone takes a look at what they can do, even if it is a little, to prevent this abusive cycle of violence from taking place in the first place—whether it is culturally, or economically.

At the root of everything I want to do in my life, whether academically, professionally, or personally, is the idea of understanding people, and trying to build solutions. I want to be able to understand people, their experiences, and ideas. I know that I have a lot to be thankful for, and I hope to use my education to build a better world with my peers. The issue of domestic violence is close to my heart and while I know I cannot alone make a difference, I hope at the end of my career I made someone’s life a little better than before.

My BUCK-I-SERV trip to Ghana mainly consisted of working at a children’s orphanage. We played with the children, helped with meal times, and helped with tasks like getting water from the river. We also got to visit the clean water project, the seamstress program, and the school project that The Akumanyi Foundation was participating in.

I learned a few main things during my time on this service trip. I think the first was just an awareness of how much I have to be thankful for. I grew up in a nice home. I have a car. I have an opportunity to go to a university. I have a house here at school. I have the opportunity to go on trips like this. I have access to so many things. In a sense, I almost felt guilty. I was leaving this poverty-stricken area and returning to Christmas presents under the tree. This really challenged me to be grateful for everything I have. It also taught me that I should hold onto these things with open hands. I should be quick to give, knowing that someone else might need it more than I do. I should be conscious of the money I spend knowing that somewhere, someone could really use what I have.

At the same time, I was challenged in the ways I think about the world. While we have “more” in the U.S., I started to wonder if we really had it “better.” I look at the depression, anxiety, pressure to succeed, and the materialism in the United States and wonder if this is truly the better way. While the kids in Ghana didn’t have much, they had what they needed and were so thankful for all they had. I started to wonder if they knew something that we didn’t. I concluded that there was actually quite a bit that we could learn from them.

There were a couple main events/themes I picked up on that really opened my eyes. First off all, simply seeing the poverty that these children were living in was very difficult. The lack of medical care, food, school supplies, clothes, etc. was very challenging to witness. It made me realize that I have a lot to be thankful for, but I also have a lot that I do not need. I have a lot of opportunity to donate and help support these children, and this is something I should always be aware of.

On top of seeing all this, I had a very good conversation with a 17-year-old named Michael. Michael, being one of the older boys, really looked after the younger ones. He explained that it was difficult for him to witness the younger ones on the days where there was not much food. He said that he personally had a tough time when he went to school. It was very tough for him to see all the other students’ parents bring in their child’s lunch while he sat there with the equivalent of less than $4 to last him for a semester’s worth of lunch. It really made my heart ache thinking about how much I have and how little he had. Again, it taught me that I can use what I have to positively impact others, not just myself. I can make a difference in a lot of lives around me if I am willing to.

Finally, witnessing some of the behavior of the children really taught me a lesson. It was so cool watching how the older kids would help out the younger kids. This often looked like a 5-year-old helping a 3-year-old get water, or an 11-year-old helping a 4-year-old get dressed. It was so cool to see the way that these kids cared for and looked after one another. These kids were also so unselfish with all that they had. One kid named Joshua bought chewing gum with the little money he had, yet he wanted to split it with me. Other kids wanted to share some of the food they got from a special visitor with me. They truly wanted to share out of whatever they had to offer. This really made me reflect on life in the United States. These kids in Ghana care for one another better than it seems like we do in the United States. They are way more unselfish than we are in the United States. It really opened me up to how much beauty there is in their culture and their way of life. I definitely think that not only myself, but our whole country and culture could learn a lot from Ghanaian culture.

At the root of everything I want to do in my life, whether academically, personally, or professionally, is the idea of building relationships and loving people well. I want to be able to understand people, their experiences and ideas. I want to be able to care for people well. I want to show people that they are known, valued, and loved. This applies to my friends, family, and current classmates, as well as the future students I work with as I pursue a career that involves working with students. I think this transformation was significant for me to be able to do these things. First of all, the awareness of how much I have compared to a lot of people is an important realization. Not only must I be thankful for what I have, but I should also recognize the opportunity that I have to use my time, money, and resources to love and care for other people.

On the other hand, recognizing the beauty in others’ ways of life and the opportunity I have to learn from others will be very important. Seeing this over this trip will really help me value others’ cultures, experiences, and backgrounds a lot more now. Understanding that each culture is beautiful in its own ways and has lessons to be learned from will really help me love and care for those of a different culture or background than myself. I think this view of being able to learn from other cultures will really help me value others more whether it is those I am interacting with today, or the students I will interact with in the future.

For my STEP project I went on an engineering service-learning trip to Kpando Ghana. My project was year two out of a three year development project surrounding the development of the Kpando community. While in country, my group and I gathered information on rain water collection systems and installed a prototype filtration system to a rain water collection system. Our work will guide the students who take the class next fall, and will truly make the difference in the lives of the community.

During the trip to Ghana my view of the world, especially my view of Africa, was changed. Before the trip I didn’t realize how advanced places in Africa would be. I kind of fell into the trap that I feel the western world views Africa, as a place that is behind the curve, a palace that would still have leaf covered roofs. It was quite a surprise when the plane touched down in Ghana and the airport looked almost exactly like any airport you would walk into in the United States. It continued to surprise me as we drove through a modern city and went to a mall that would be just like any other mall in America. As we moved out from the city we did get to places that I had expected to see with less developed roads and buildings. It was just eye opening to realize that parts of Africa are almost as modern as American cities. Another way the trip changed my view on the world was the people of Ghana. All of the people we met and worked with were very welcoming and nice. It was amazing to see how people from different cultures and places can be so, similar in the fact they just want to be happy. Finally the trip opened my eyes to how different a culture can be and how our way, the “western way”, may not always be the best way. I realized this in just simple things like setting a time to meet, someone in order to discuss the project. The meeting would never start on time. The lifestyle was much more laid back and less stressed than here in America. I think that there is a lot of good about America, but if there is something that Africa does better is they don’t have the high stressed lifestyle that we have here. It was as if we were on a vacation even though it was a service trip as it was so low stress.

During the trip I met many amazing people who really changed my life. On of those people was named Edem. Edem was our in country host and is a leader in the community. Edem taught us all about the Ghanaian culture and helped us accomplish the projects we set out to do. He was an inspiring person as he runs an children’s home for kids with HIV or AID. It was amazing to meet him and just know that there are people in this world like him working to help others. While also on the trip my group and I actually got to visit the Children’s home. Visiting the Children’s home was another experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. As we got to install a gutter system, and do such as small thing for the children, but there appreciation was incredible. It was something that just made you want to help them more. Another transforming part of the trip was our trip to Cape Coast. During the trip to Cape Coast we visited a former slave castle. The tour we took of the castle was chilling. It really made me realize the horrors of the slave trade and how awful the slaves were treated. I think that it is something that everyone should experience as you can’t really put into words what it was like standing there in the dungeon in which the slave were kept. The whole trip to Cape coast really taught me to be happy with the freedom’s we have in America and understand the how awful humans can be to each other. The final thing that really made the trip such an amazing experience was the people I went on the trip with. I truly made friendships that I think will last a lifetime. It is really cool going to Ohio State and there are student’s here who are truly trying to change the world.

I would lastly like to thank STEP for allowing me to do this trip, as it is something I will keep with me for the rest of my life. The trip gave me a new perspective on life and gave me something to work toward in the future as an engineer. After going on the trip I would like to continue the work that we did in country and use my skills I learned in the class room for the betterment of the lives of others. I truly believe this project has had a positive impact on my life and I would not be the same without it. Thank you again STEP for giving me this amazing opportunity.