NC State University

A brutal pre-dawn start to spring break traveling probably isn’t anyone’s idea of a good morning. Nonetheless, more than 45 NC State students convened at Tally Student Center this morning (early morning…like 4 a.m. morning) a little frantic, a lot excited and seemingly full of energy.

At least at first.

Then there was the security check, the boarding, the two-hour flight to Miami and then the layover. As the students de-planed the first leg of their Alternative Service Break, most conversations involved the phrase “power-nap” or lamentations about a total lack of sleep. It wasn’t long before adrenaline energy waned and students realized just how tiring no sleep or a few hours of sleep feels a few hours later. In Miami, most students settled in to a comfortable wait at their next gate of departure. Some slept, some read, and some studied (ok, one person studied). Others ate breakfast. Early reports indicate that the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich “might not have been a good idea.”

Now, about 30 minutes before their plane leaves for Santiago in the Dominican Republic, most students are hitting the restrooms one last time, filling up water bottles and packing up mp3 players before the next two-hour flight. Then, it’ll be time for work.

Presumably, the 19 suitcases filled with $133,000 worth of medical supplies that will be transported to the Dominican Republic with the students are now making their way to the belly of the plane. The supplies will first go to Hogar la Esperanza de un Nino (an orphanage in Monti Cristi that’s part of Orphanage Outreach, a non-profit out of Arizona), and later to a local clinic, where a group of Flying Doctors will use the supplies to support a medical clinic. In the coming week, NC State’s pre-health team will work with the same local doctor (Dr. Garcia) to provide health education to the community.

In addition to the countless other NC State groups spending spring break doing more than just partying, CSLEPS alone is sending more than 250 students and faculty heading to 14 locations for Alternative Spring Break. Stay tuned.