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.