By Jacqueline Milowe
Going on the QU 301 trip to the Dominican Republic was an incredibly memorable experience that I will never forget. I love it when people ask me about the people I met so I can talk about all my little friends from Batey 50, Kilometer 9, and the Joe Hartman school. On Batey 50 I would take work breaks with little girls who just wanted to grab my hand and give my a tour of their home or play hair dresser. It didn’t matter how sweaty and dirty I was, they always welcomed me with open arms to the games they were playing and they were probably the most genuine people I’ve ever met.
Despite the fact that we brought toys to Kilometer 9, I found myself playing a pickup game of basketball with an old basketball and some of the guys of the Batey. I missed every shot I ever took, but that didn’t stop them from picking me to be on their team, or passing the ball to me time to time.
Lastly, a day I’ll never forget was when I took a Joe Hartman student to the water park. This girl had an absolute blast, the sheer happiness and joy in her eyes from getting a new bathing suit to when she passed out on my lap at the end of the day shown bright. Every time she went down the slides and saw me at the end of it cheering her on made me feel so great that just being her companion for the day could mean so much to her.
Throughout this entire trip I did my absolute best to help and make the people around me, especially the children feel happier than when I came. I feel like I accomplished this goal, but in return these warm and resilient people made me unforgettably and incredibly happy in return!
QU301 DR Fall 2015 