Spring 2009

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Alternative Service Break (ASB) – Lessons Learned

In the fall of my sophomore year, I made a decision that, I didn’t know at the time, would change my life and love for service forever. I applied for an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip in the fall and was selected to be a member of the ASB-Gulf Coast team that would be working with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild homes in hurricane-devastated New Orleans. My purpose in applying was that I have always loved giving myself to others, and I was going through a time when I lost focus on school and who I was.

Upon arrival in New Orleans, we hopped into vans to drive to our living accommodations for the week, Camp Hope. As we traveled through the wards, we witnessed scenes that appeared as if the hurricane had just happened yesterday. Lawns were covered with FEMA trailers and strewn with debris. While there, we built and applied the finishing touches on a Habitat house and met the family who was going to live there. After returning from this trip, I felt I had learned more about myself than I had ever known before. Seeing the devastation in New Orleans reminded me to count my daily blessings, because in a short time, the comforts of a home, pictures, and those material things we all love can disappear, leaving you with only your faith and strength.

During my junior year, I applied for a second ASB trip and was selected for Habitat for Humanity experience in the Dominican Republic. Based on my previous ASB trip, I was expecting a similar atmosphere, but quickly learned differently While these trips had the same focus, the rewards I experienced were completely different. In the Dominican Republic, the work sites were dangerous. Instead of having a sturdy frame and vinyl siding, the Dominican houses were made of rebar and cinder blocks. They contained no flushing toilets and had only two bedrooms for families with as many as five children. While there, we worked side by side with Dominican workers and established relationships with the children who lived in the Habitat neighborhood. The beauty of the trip came one day when a woman cooked a meal for a few of us. Even though she had a hard time feeding her own family, she wanted to share a meal with us, because she was thankful for what we were doing. I was also amazed by the people in this neighborhood who loved one another and had an appreciation for the non-materialistic things in their lives. Even though we, in the United States, are blessed with large homes, expensive cars, and designer clothes, the people of the Dominican Republic are richer than we in so many ways.

Now it’s my senior year at NC State, and I have been chosen to be a co-leader for the 2009 ASB trip to Alaska, which will focus on youth education and environmental issues. I am extremely excited about this position. I want to be able to provide my team members with the same rich learning experiences my previous trips gave me. I am also thrilled to be leading a team that is passionate about ASB and serving others. While the process is lengthy and can sometimes be irritating (such as finding airplane tickets in today’s economy), I know I will not be disappointed by what I will learn and encounter with these students on our quest to Hoonah, Alaska. ASB is a never-ending relationship with the people you work with and the people you meet, which touches your life forever. Service is an extraordinary exchange in which the love and generosity of others help our communities and ourselves grow. I feel that ASB has a lasting impact on students’ lives and the communities they touch. is experience truly embodies Ghandi’s famous words, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

How to get involved!

The Alternative Service Break (ASB) trip program is a unique service-learning experience in which students engage in direct service to a community, while being immersed in the culture and customs of that community. Teams are led by student leaders and accompanied by faculty advisors. roughout the trip, team members participate in a variety of cultural, educational, recreational and reflective activities to enhance their service experience.

Information about the different trips and how to apply can be found at http://www.ncsu.edu/csleps/service/asb.htm

Encourage your student to come and find out more about this amazing opportunity.

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