Rutgers Alternative Winter Break West Virginia!

The time we spent in Kermit, West Virginia can be summed up by West Virginia's state motto "Wild and Wonderful." Our adventure really got started even before we got to "Big Laurel Learning Center," which is the site we volunteered with for our trip. We got off the highway and were almost immediately confused with where we were, so like all New Jersey natives we looked at our GPS and became alarmed when we noticed it had no signal. Next we looked at our cell phones which also had no service-- we knew we weren't in Jersey anymore. At this point we had no other option but to work as a team and find a way to Sister Kathy, who was our contact at "Big Laurel." So we drove around and eventually found our way to the meeting point where Sister Kathy was waiting to escort us up the mountain past the coal mines to "Big Laurel Learning Center." When we finally arrived we met the other two Sisters who work at "Big Laurel" whose names are Gretchen and Jeanne. The first thing I noticed after arriving was how beautiful, peaceful, and serene it was on the mountain. The next thing I noticed was how kind, intelligent, and warm the three Sisters were to us, they truly made our Appalachian experience something special. After we got settled Sister Kathy explained to us the chores and house rules such as burning garbage and toilet tissue. She then explained we must take short showers because they collect rain water for showers and if it doesn't rain then we wouldn't be able to shower at all, so we had to conserve as much as possible. Even we weren't used to these types of accommodations everyone adapted to them easily. We ended the night with a beautiful bon fire and a reflection on our 10 hour drive to West Virginia.

On our first morning we woke up to a delicious breakfast made up of pancakes and sausage. We needed a good breakfast because our agenda for the day was to chop and distribute wood. This would provide us with some authentic Appalachian chores. Many of the homes in this part of Appalachia are heated with fire wood including “Big Laurel Learning Center,” which makes this job very important especially because it was January. We got down and dirty using axes and log splitters to make fire wood. Then we divided it up between hard and soft wood, soft wood is used to start fires while hard wood
which is heavier is used to keep fires going and provides the most heat. We learned that starting fires is an art form not easily learned and often had to ask the sisters for some assistance. After cutting the fire wood and dividing it up we distributed it to some elderly people in the area who needed assistance. Than after a day of hard work we went to the home of Clearfield and Vern, neighbors of "Big Laurel", for an authentic and delicious Appalachian meal that consisted of pinto beans, macaroni and cheese, and a wonderful cobbler.  After we ate they shared some stories about growing up in Appalachian and described how difficult it was but also emphasized how much they loved their culture and how special Appalachia is to them. That night when we got back to “Big Laurel” Sister Gretchen also shared some stories with us. She mostly talked about “Big Laurel” and her experiences while teaching at and building the center. She told us how in the beginning she and Sister Kathleen would have to walk up the mountain from the main road which is about a twenty minute drive by car. Gretchen also shared with us the struggles “Big Laurel” faced while serving as a school for over a decade.  She spoke about these years with pride and joy. It was a pleasure to hear all her memories of “Big Laurel Learning Center.”

During the next couple of days we went to the local public elementary school where each of us was assigned a classroom to help out in. This was my favorite part of the trip because we were able to really get to know the kids in the classes we volunteered in. They were all very excited to have a visitor and had many questions about college and New Jersey for us. We quickly became the talk of the school and everyone knew our names. It was a true pleasure to get to know the children and help them with their school work, but I had the most fun during gym and recess when I got a chance to play some games with them. We also learned about some of the issues the school is facing for example over 65% of the kids depend on the school to provide meals. During our experience at the school we were able to see the differences and similarities between life in New Jersey and life in West Virginia. After the school day ended we then went to volunteer at an after school program nearby. Here we read, played games, and helped the children with their homework.

 After our last day at the school and after school program we were surprised with a treat from Sisters Kathy, and that treat was riding 4 wheelers at night all through the mountains!

On one of our last nights of the trip we traveled to Paintsville, Kentucky where we had an experience none of us will forget. We were given an exciting and memorable tour by a Kentucky women known as "Dr. Cook." She drove us all around the area showing us coal mines, line houses, and the home where country music legend Loretta Lynn grew up. After the tour we ate at a local restaurant where we had authentic Kentucky fried chicken. At the restaurant we were met by representatives of the town who gave us a warm welcoming and a brief history of Paintsville. After lunch we were aloud to visit The Sipp Theater, which is a landmark of the town. At The Sipp Theater we met the mayor of Paintsville who wanted to greet us. After visiting the theater we went to The Country Music Highway Museum where we danced the night away to local blue grass bands who played their hearts out. I even shared a dance with Sister Kathy!

On our last day at "Big Laurel Learning Center" we thanked the sisters for their warm hospitality and thanked eachother for a wonderful experience. When we left New Jersey at the begining of the week we barely knew eachother, but when we came back we came back as a family. We had a unique experience together full of surprises and great memories that we will never forget. To put it simply, it was "Wild and Wonderful."