Volunteer Vacation: The cultural shock, my sister experienced a shock in the Batey...

Now we realize that the experience of volunteering in such a poor neighborhood can be of a huge emotion, sometimes extremely  difficult to deal with… My sister’s heart beat faster, her face was full of expression and she could not find the words to express what she felt in the middle of the Batey and children and sick people…  She said, I will not be able to come back here...

My sister and family came for 2 weeks vacation last year and they stayed in an all inclusive luxurious resort.  They came for the sun, the ocean, the relaxation, no stress. They came to visit me at SunCampDR but we never went to the community center on her last vacation.

This year, my sister and her husband arrived at SunCampDR  and today was the first outing to the community center, in  Munoz Batey.  We went with many other volunteers.  My sister, Claire had a real shock, right away after the first outing which consisted of giving oatmeal, signing, and arts. Her husband chose not to come to Batey so soon after their arrival. Claire expressed that she can never go again to the Batey. It was really too much for her. She had never seen so much poverty and so many people in need. Tonight her and her husband went to bed early, completely exhausted with this day and the new experience…

This reaction of my sister was quite surprising to me, as I am used to see volunteers under a shock but they really get over it as they come for this purpose of doing a volunteer vacation and contribution. The ones who have a shock end up being the most dedicated ones. Of course, when someone is coming to do some volunteer work, they have something in their minds, they come prepared psychologically, emotionally , they want to help the people in need.

I remember it happened only once before, a teacher came to SunCampDR, on her first outing to the Batey she also had a tremendous shock and she never could go back again. She had the bad experience of seeing a local teacher using a branch to punish the students. This is also part of our mission to initiate local teachers to use other ways of discipline… using more positive reinforcement than violence.

A regular tourist, someone who is here on vacation, is not ready to face this sad reality. My sister may change her mind and come again one day to assist us if we need help; however she needs time and she is here for two months. Tomorrow, we have a dinner at SunCampDR to gather funds to pay for Francias’s caesarian. My sister met Francia yesterday at the Community Center. Something done at SunCampDR is easier for her at the moment. Francia will participate at the dinner with her 4 children. This is a humanitarian experience for all guests at SunCampDR.

Everyone knows that SunCampDR has a foundation and a dedication to help the local community. The dinner will be a good, happy gathering by the River with the opportunity to taste a typical Dominican meal, an Asopao… thick wet rice soup and meat. The meal will be prepared by a Dominican lady from the village. We all wish you were there with us by the River at SunCampDR, tomorrow!