I am going back to the Dominican. The reason is relatively simple. Living in the developed world makes me take my life for granted, and assume that the rest of humanity enjoys many of the luxuries that I do; food, water, a bed, etc. The reality is far different. Two billion people live below the UN standard of absolute poverty ($1/per day). I've studied in Europe, I've experience many different cultures - but poverty does the same things everywhere: crime, domestic violence, broken families, starvation, despair.
There is something visceral, some deep experience, that is gained from being transplanted from your comfort zone and dropped into an environment where everything is different. When I came back from the Dominican in the wake of the Haitian earthquake (something that's faded from the world), I felt like a different person. While I and my family regret that I have very limited time at home between coming back from Belgium, the Dominican, and going back to school, they understand that this is important to me. Digging outhouses might not seem like much, but it's far better than the alternative - digging a hole. Can you imagine doing that every day? I know I couldn't. If you haven't given any money towards this endeavor, please consider it.
Thank you.
-David Levy
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