“So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that... And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, ‘once more unto the breach dear friends.’ But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help.”

The above quote, taken from my favorite scene of the movie, Good Will Hunting, has a simple message. That message is that there is a fundamental difference between learning about something…talking about something, and actually experiencing something. Sure, I watched the news and saw that homelessness and poverty housing, amidst the housing crisis, were prominent issues in America. But, until I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and helped cleanout and build-up deserted houses, those problems weren’t real to me. Those problems weren’t real to me until I met the delighted neighbors or, especially, the elated family whose days of not being able to find affordable housing had ended. In other words, until I am able to truly experience something – feel the onset emotions and see something with my own eyes – I know I will never fully comprehend that thing. In order to understand the world around me and what real-world problems are, therefore, I must be able to experience.

I’ve never been outside of the United States or Canada. While some may argue that wealth inequity are huge problems in these countries, it can be taken for granted that those at the bottom end of wealth inequity in a developing country, like the Dominican Republic, are far worse off than those here. It can also be assumed that the education available in a developing country is obviously not what it is here. I’m telling you this, however, based on what I’ve read online. Consequently, when I was given the opportunity to take a trip to the Dominican Republic to truly experience these problems and do something about them, I knew I had to take it. I knew that by teaching English and building latrines the problems of limited educational resources and inadequate plumbing would become real to me and that I would have a chance to combat them. I also knew I had to take this opportunity to be exposed to a different culture and lifestyle. So here I am, waiting anxiously to do something more than learning or talking: I am waiting to experience.

-Tim Felong

Throughout high school, I have always had the yearning to embark on a community service trip. When this opportunity presented itself to me, I was at first hesitant to accept to traveling all the way to the Dominican Republic. However, I soon came to realize that every mile we travel, will make it that much more rewarding. The thought of helping build a community that is in the process of development, seemed greatly rewarding. It is one thing to contribute momentarily to a community in need, but this trip offers an opportunity to long lasting changes and improvements to the community. Such an opportunity, I could not pass up.

Realizing that we would make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community is a great incentive to go on such a trip. However, it is not that simple. Traveling over to a foreign country means that we will encounter not only a new way of life, but also the local hardships. There will likely be no running water, beds, or any other amenities that we consider necessities for any given home. Roughing it out will be a challenge, but the benefits that we could offer this community greatly outweigh whatever hardships we will have to adjust to.

After coming across this trip, making the decision to go seemed like an easy decision. However, the planning and preparations of this trip, will prove a difficult. We will have to undergo multiple vaccines, prepare the supplies for the trip, and purchase the plane tickets. This is one challenge we can not overcome by ourselves; this is why we are asking for your help. All contributions will be greatly appreciated by us, and the community we are serving. Without you, this would not be possible.

-Vincent Alleluia

Hi, my name is David Abplanalp and I'm a sophomore biomedical engineering major at the University of Rochester, and also a member of the Gamma Pi chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity. I'm very interested in going on this trip because I view it as an opportunity for me to help those less fortunate than myself, and to learn about the cultures and customs of the people in another country. We will be building outhouses and tutoring children in an effort to assist the people in this underdeveloped country lead successful and fulfilling lives. I hope you will assist me in reaching our monetary goal so that we are able to go on this mission.

Sincerely,

David E. Abplanalp

Thoughts from Jonathan Fricke

The service trip to the Dominican Republic is an amazing opportunity for brothers to travel to a developing community in order to make a sizable and meaningful contribution to others. Our plan is to build latrines for the community and to setup a tutoring program to teach English to the children in the village. These projects may not come across as "flashy," but they will have a significant impact on the community.

My decision to go on this trip was actually a rather easy decision for me. I have been to other countries in the caribbean, including Belize, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, but have not first-hand experienced the living conditions of the local people. Traveling has always been an interest of mine but I think that you cannot fully experience another country until you have seen all of it, both the parts meant for tourists and the parts almost entirely comprised of locals. I realized that I would miss out on spending time with friends and family from home, but the experiences I will have on this trip will be we priceless. The organization of events like this, to go out into the world and help others, makes me proud to be a Sig. I hope we can raise enough money to go on this trip!

-Jonathan Fricke

Why go to the Dominican Republic?

The Sigma Chi service trip to the Dominican Republic is great opportunity to make a difference in an underdeveloped country, and gain a new perspective on a region of the world we may not have thought twice about before. Our current plan is to work on a tutoring program for the 300 young students in the village of El’Elmo, and work to build more latrines. Though the project we are pursuing may not seem thrilling, in a village where the students can go to school only three hours a day, and do not have enough places to go to the bathroom, our work will make a significant difference.

Our first challenge is reaching our fundraising goal of $10,000 in order to pay for the costs of our project and our airfare. We are each committing around $350 of our personal funds, and are hoping that our friends, family, and alumni will step up and help us with the rest. Our next step will be buying our airfare, getting immunizations, and plunging into a culture none of us have experienced before.

My decision to go was not easily made; nerves about travelling to a new part of the world without running water and electricity, and giving up a lot of time with my friends and family over winter break are two of the biggest reasons I was hesitant. However, I recognize the importance of the work we are doing, and this is the type of work that we as Sigma Chi Brothers can be proud of. We hope that we get enough donations so we can go!

-Greg McKay

A Photo Collage of our Work

Thank you from Dan Docherty

"The Gamma Pi service trip to the Dominican Republic was truly eye opening for me. I learned a lot about myself, my brothers and the Dominican culture, lifestyle and country as a whole. During and after the trip, I evaluated and reevaluated my perspective on life and the world.

Although I had seen poverty in passing, I had never truly experienced it nor had I ever been immersed in it. By going to Don Juan, I was reminded to always keep those who are less fortunate in mind, and that a life of service is a life lived to its fullest. I was also reminded to always appreciate what I have. Although many of the people in the rural areas of the Dominican Republic have so little as far as financial wealth is concerned, their positive outlook and appreciation for what’s important in life, family and friends, simply beams. In short, experiencing this different perspective had an enormous effect on me.  

The trip inspired in me a love of public service and experiencing new cultures. It is for these reasons that I am currently planning on applying to work for the Peace Corps in South America upon graduating from the University of Rochester. Needless to say, the trip had a profound impact on my life and I hope it continues on in the future as a staple of Gamma Pi philanthropic endeavors."

Thank you from Siyani Fullerton

     As our time in the Dominican Republic has now come to and end and we return to

the states for the start of classes, I have been reflecting on everything that has happened

here and the impact it has had on my life and the lives of those who we have helped.

Coming back for the second time, it was amazing to find that the people I met last year

still vividly remembered who I was, as if I was just one of the people in town. Having

that type of connection to the people we were helping made me forget that I was even in

a foreign country, and the people were welcoming everywhere that we went. It was also

reminder of just how lucky were all are and the luxuries we have.

     The families we were building latrines for were the poorest of the poor in the

community, many who had 7-9 people living in a room equivalent in size to a standard

American living room in a middle class house. Keep in mind that for these families,

this was all they had in terms of living space, so having a building dedicated solely as

a bathroom is something of a luxury. The work was very taxing on us and there wasn’t

a day that went by when we weren’t sore and exhausted by lunchtime, only half way

through our day. Our temporary pain was worth the end result though.

     Now that you are able to see the end result of your contribution to this great

cause, we hope that you feel the same way that we do about what we have done for a

community where you are considered well off if you have running water. If more people

in the world were as generous and caring as you, imagine how much change we could

bring to the world and the people who struggle with basic necessities on a daily basis.

     Again, I would like to personally thank you for your contribution to our trip. You truly

have made an impact on so many people that will now have a better life just by having a

sanitary and stable place to use as a bathroom. The brothers of Sigma Chi and the people

of Don Juan are eternally grateful for your dedication to service.

Thank you from Michael Carson

My trip to the Dominican Republic brought me to a type of place I never thought I

would live. Between the lack of running water and the wandering livestock that would

regularly cross my path (not to mention the dreadful cry of a pig being slaughtered right

outside my window each morning) I felt like I was also living in another time, one to which

a kid like myself from the comfortable East Coast of the US was unaccustomed.

To live and work for a week in such an impoverished community definitely

broadened my own perspective and made me realize the things I take for granted. We were

digging outhouses for people in the poorest part of town, where homes had dirt floors and

where garbage littered the ground almost anywhere you walked. Yet, the people didn’t

seem unhappy, and we often interacted and fooled around with the kids our age and

younger, despite the language barrier.

In this way we were able to alleviate some of the culture shock by sharing the things

we had in common. For example, we had the strongest in our group engage in a push-up

contest with one of the Dominicans our age who seemed to be the strongest that we

encountered. This same kid had built a bench out of wood and a barbell out of metal and

cement, and we each took turns showing off our strength to a gathering crowd. It was also

fun going out each night and drinking (moderately, of course) with the locals. We even

made a few friends that hold a dear place in our hearts.

I am extremely grateful for the hospitality that our host family showed us. It makes it

easier living in a strange country when they show you such universal kindness and serve

you such delicious food. Furthermore, this experience would have been impossible without

the donations from our friends, family, and brothers. We are indebted to them for their

support, and we are thankful for the great experience they allowed us to have.

Thank you From Donato Borello

I can't imagine anyone not wanting to go on this trip. 

My favorite memory will probably be when I was swordfighting a kid in his backyard, using two sticks shaved clean with a machete. Another kid brings over a ball and mimes to us "baseball." A few minutes later the kids from the neighboring 3-4 houses were all running around setting up bases, homeplate was a piece of cardboard and third base was a crumpled water bottle. Boys and girls who ranged from around 6 to 13 took turns smacking a broken dented whiffle ball with a stick, and having a ton of fun doing it.

The work wasn't too bad, the first few days were the worst, we were digging the holes for the latrines. Two holes in particular gave us trouble, nicknamed "the quarry" because we were chipping away at rock for 4 feet of it, and "the claypit" which was slow hard work. The people of Don Juan would always help with the work, whether they were jumping in the pit to dig, or chopping open a coconut for us to drink from (the coffee was great too). The culture I experienced there was one of optimism in the face of poverty and daily disappointments. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from them!

-Donato

Thoughts from David Levy

Donors,

Because of your generous support, I was able to return to the Dominican Republic.  As in last year, it provided an invaluable life experience for me in understanding poverty, as well as reminding me of how blessed I am in the US.  For me, the best experiences were interacting with the local kids.  Many of them are abused, beat, neglected, or do not go to school.  They were thrilled to be around us, and showed us their enthusiasm by helping us with our work.  The kids worked as hard as us, and did so in ripped t-shirts and bare feet.

  Living without electricity, running water, or internet would seem like abhorrent conditions to us, though the Dominicans take it in stride.  They have TV's, and they know how Americans live.  Yet, they do not despair at their lamentable condition.  They are the hardest workers I have met, and are eager to prove their value.  Through no fault of their own, their government is corrupted and there are almost no jobs to be had in the town we stayed in.  This is obviously extremely depressing, and it leads many into the temptations of alcoholism.

   While building some latrines may seem like a small act, it provides the families a measure of hygiene, and means they no longer go squat in the woods.  Whether it will make a true difference, I do not know.  But I do know that they truly appreciate our hard work, which could only have been accomplished through your donations.  I do not plan to return again next  year, as I would like to allow younger members of the Fraternity to experience the developing world.  I hope you will continue to support our efforts in the Dominican.

Very Sincerely,

David Levy

Reflection from Aasheesh Paliwal

This winter my brothers and I embarked on a trip to the Dominican Republic to build Latrines for impoverished families in the small village of Don Juan.  To say that it was a life-changing endeavor for the families we helped would be a big understatement; to say that it was life-changing in another way for each one of us, and even bigger one.  Aside from the tangible personal satisfaction that each one of us garnered from physically building these latrines one shovel swing or mortar paste at a time, the experience of immersing ourselves into such a different culture and connecting with the people of that culture was what I found to be the most valuable and impactful encounter of all.

            Going straight from the privileged lives in which we live to a third world country where the stable consistencies of daily food and running water are question marks rather than givens for the average family was truly an eye-opening experience.  That fact that these people, who often belong to households that earn the equivalent of $2 per day, are so happy with what they have and so accepting of foreigners who are obviously immensely more privileged than they are, really gave me some perspective on what to be thankful for.  I learned through personal experience what is very easy to read in a book or preach to others: that the value found in aesthetic pleasures and luxuries cannot compare with that of strong family, friends, and appreciation for simply being alive everyday; the people of Don Juan showed me this firsthand, and its effect on me was profound.

            I can name a laundry list of “culture shock” experiences: taking bucket showers, witnessing a live cock fight, going to a Dominican discotech and laughably dancing the meringue, bachata, and reggaeton with the immensely more coordinated locals, and eating fresh, home-cooked fried plantains made by my host mother.  All of these experiences opened up my eyes to the cultural magnificence of Don Juan; its beauty is in its simplicity.  The residents of the village are so happy with so little, and seeing it firsthand really puts my life, spanning from my problems to my belongings to what truly makes me happy, in perspective.  All in all, this was an incredibly powerful trip from a personal standpoint, and I encourage all who can to join myself and my brothers on it again next year.

Reflection and Thank You from Peter Dierkes

My trip the Dominican was an experience on several levels. The abject, relative poverty is shocking.
Families live in small, poorly constructed shacks; often without running water, a stove, or any sort of
bathroom. Children run shoeless and unattended. Animals rummage among the strewn trash, looking
for food. The conditions for an American seem completely obscene and unthinkable.

However the people are happy. Children laugh, and entertain themselves in this simplest of ways. In
America a child requires the latest, most advanced electronic gaming systems to entertain themselves.
In the Dominican children use a cracked and worn plastic ball – bouncing it against a tree and
chasing it in pure joy. In American adults obsess about achieving their next goal on an endless list of
increasingly prestigious goals. In the Dominican, grown men sit on a log and play dominoes, enjoying
life and each other.

In the end, the most valuable lesson I learned was not an appreciation for what I own. Granted, I
do have a greater appreciation for my comparably vast possession, and my comparably wealthy and
privileged life. However the greatest lesson learned was an increased understanding that happiness has
little or nothing to do with possessions, and everything to do with your appreciation for what you truly
have – family, friends, and maybe even a cracked plastic ball and some dominoes.