Mind on Matter: Kimberton, PA

Nature true beauty is definitely felt at Camphill!

DAY 1: As Friday morning arrived, I was filled with excitement as well as slightly anxious for our adventure that had yet to begin to Camphill Village.  I hopped onto the LX to College Ave, and met up with my group members. Running on a lack of sleep and walking into my site leaders greeting me with a smile assured me that our 2-hour drive to PA wasn’t going to feel like 2 hours at all.  Our Livingston dining hall dinner had proved to be a success as everyone bonded and connected, and I knew that I was on a trip with people who I would stay in touch with after our trip was over.  Once our staff leader arrived, it was around 3pm and we loaded the car. All situated and comfortable, we got our very own personal DJ to create a playlist that we could jam out to, and the car ride was set to go.  Time flew by as we played the traditional car games: The Alphabet Game and (insert). It was definitely a great of adding laughter into the air. An adventure is never complete without detours and surprise U-turns, but eventually we made it to our first stop, Dallas Diner. 

After filling our food desires, we hit the road again and reached Camphill Village. We were greeted by one of the volunteer residents who would be our leader for the weekend.  Feeling a bit anxious and nervous not knowing what to expect took a quick tour. Our initial interaction with those with developmental disabilities occurred that evening.  Although it was quick occurrence, it definitely raised some questions and intrigued our minds about our upcoming experience. We headed down to Larskburg, which would be our home for the weekend. As we entered Larskburg, the smell of Chamomile, lavender, lemon took over our senses and made us eager to be staying there. The little house provided a homely feel and our encounter with the volunteers there so far was very welcoming. 

During our first reflection, we discussed our feelings regarding Camphill so far, expectations we have from each other, objectives we would like to learn, and how we can make our trip a success.  Being part of a team meant we would be open-minded, respectful, have the ability to listen, and work together in giving back to Camphill. To add to our night, we played a few rounds of charades, and I’d have to say I got the hard one: Roar by Katy Perry. We ended our nights with our thoughts and headed off to bed to be awake and ready to work at 7am! 

 

One of our members working hard!

DAY 2: Our day started bright and early, as we bundled up in layers of clothing and headed out to Serena house to have breakfast. The food was delicious as it was all organic and grown on the farm. Once our stomachs were content, we headed over to the vineyard with shovels and gloves to give the vineyard a makeover.  Our morning went by pulling out weeds and prepping the vineyard. The weather turned out to be beautiful and our group bonded over sharing random experiences and splitting the tasks.   A little before noon, we took a quick tea break. While we sipped on our freshly brewed lemon herb tea, we listened to our leader give us a background on Camphill. One of the intriguing aspects about Camphill was that each resident with a disability was treated as any normal person; there was no reason for labeling individuals with disabilities and treating them with extra care for say. Most of the volunteers are unaware of the disabilities that their resident has.

Couldn't seem to get enough of these baby calfs!

I found this to be very interesting as it provides a sense of community with each person living there and remove any stereotypes that may exist. Camphill shares so much unity and utter respect for all its residents and volunteers that ever as guests we felt we were part of their family.  We also were very surprised at the fact that there is no lock policy, event at night at Camphill. Residents and volunteers are free to roam around at whatever timing they please. It was very shocking to hear that because in our society, we can’t trust our surroundings and its people so easily so we keep ourselves protected by locking our doors. Our tea break provided us a better understanding of Camphill as a whole and we headed back to finish our work at the vineyards. Along the way we were greeted by our very own cows, some of which loved our attention! After our las The lunch was truly scrumptious with endless servings of veggies and salads. One of the surprising things that we noticed was that the residents living here didn’t seem to acknowledge or react to the fact that we were inside their homes. Rather, they just went about their daily routine.

After lunch, we were given a tour of the village. On our adventure, we visited the farm, weaverly place, and the craft shop. I’d have to say that the handmade clothing was astonishing. The talent was really inspiring to see.  We then headed towards the forest where our next project was to be started.  We worked on putting up a deer fence so the forest and its natural plants could be preserved. This was the first time I got to use a saw for real so it was definitely an experience! Time flew by and it was time for dinner. We had an scrumptious dinner with a hearty soup which we were very thankful for! At the end of dinner, one of the residents dedicated a poem towards our members. We felt really honored and delighted to be serving such people who are so humble and really make us feel at home. Our night ended with us reflecting on what we had observed, experienced, and learned throughout our stay at Camphill.  I truly felt that it was an unforgettable experience because it made you realize how much our society puts a label on people with mental disabilities. It opened our eyes to look at the things with not just one direction, but multiple perspectives so that you can gain a strong understanding.  Camphill gave us so many ideologies to think about and a way of living life through its every moment, that we are tempted to go back and give back in many more ways! Simplicity, serenity, and spirited encompassed the atmosphere created at Camphill Village, and through our journey we experienced and felt each of these emotions.

We Thank You Camphill for a wonderful experience! 

Food, Service, NOLA

Our last full day in New Orleans we all decided that we wanted to make the most of it. We went out to breakfast and afterwards went down to the lower ninth ward – where Hurricane Katrina hit the worst. We drove and walked around for a while looking around and talking about the issues and struggles that they must have faced when it hit. Afterwards we drove to the city and went sight-seeing. The weather was beautiful and the shops and food were amazing. By the end of the day I think we were all sad that we were leaving  in the morning. We all became really close with inside jokes, eating meals together and helping out at the schools together. Honestly it was the most eye opening experience I have ever done and I’m so thankful that I was given the opportunity to share this experience with these amazing people. It was the right amount of service, reflecting and fun and I would absolutely recommend anyone to go on an alternative break.

Walking around before reflection

We stopped for coffee and beignets

There were freight trains near our home

House destroyed and abandoned after Hurricane Irene

Lower 9th Ward

Lower 9th Ward

Walking towards the levees

Around where the levees broke

French Market

Trolley!!

Bourbon Street

Mmmm Beignets and Coffee

Back to school!

And so begins the story of our adventures at the head start programs in New Orleans. We had spoken the night before about how we were going to split up into three groups, each group going to a different school to work with the students and teachers at the head start schools. By the end of the week we were all beyond exhausted because our children wore us out! They had so much energy and just wanted to play and be loved all the time. We reflected every day before dinner and shared our experiences at the different schools - Any difficulties and things we found that were shocking to us etc. Some days reflection lasted longer than others but the main themes that we all agreed on. The students in the head start programs really needed it, the kids needed more attention and that they were understaffed at the schools. We went to school Monday through Thursday and we were all a bit relieved that we could have a day off on Friday but the teachers at the head start schools-They didn't get a day off. They did this Monday through Friday up until July and they only get about a month off and they start back up in September. We all gave them such credit because they didn't have to do this, they could quit if they wanted to but they didn't. They don't give up on these kids and that was so inspiring to me.

The school my did our service in. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the school.

 

 

At the Incarnate World School.

 

Our playground where we had recess

Lunch tables

 

 

We had dinner with these amazing kids who were part of the Hope program which takes kids who come from unfortunate settings and gives them a chance to live together and go to school. They have 100% graduation rate from High School and most of them go to college. They were so sweet.

 

Glen was my favorite!

 

From New Jersey to New Orleans

The first day that we arrived in New Orleans, I remember all of us being exhausted and a bit cranky. We got off the plane and went straight to the car rental place. As soon as we stepped outside though our moods completely changed. The weather was absolutely gorgeous – The sun was shining and the temperature was in the 70's. We were all in absolute bliss. After we picked up the rental vans it was time to drive to our place of lodging for the week and about thirty minutes later we arrived at our new home located at St. Bernards Parish and we were introduced to Pastor James. He showed us where we would be sleeping and introduced us to the staff that would be cooking meals and helping with maintenance during our stay. During dinner we met our staff partner, who went over in-depth what we would be during our week. After that we asked Pastor James what was going on tonight around the area. He told us about there being an Islenos Festival a short drive down the road where there would be great food and rides. We decided to go check it out and I know we’re all really glad we did. Take a look at what we ended up doing!

Waiting for our flight to New Orleans

 

At the Islenos Festival our first night

 

Nikita and Richa enjoying some rides

Great end of the first day

Friends and Benefits

Hello friends!

Day 1:
7:30 AM arrival at the Rutgers Student Center. It was cold. It was early. Not fun.
However, after arriving and seeing everyone's bags in the vans, the group's adrenaline quickly rose and we all headed off to the open roads. Well...we stopped for some amazing bagels first and ended up getting a free green bagel in honor of St. Patricks Day. Huzzah!
After driving for about 3 hours, the group stopped by a Dr. Seuss Memorial where we took some typical tourist photos and had some fun. After going to the memorial, we thought why not visit the town's armory as well? Let's all follow Merz's gps! -__- bad idea. We were unable to find the entrance to the armory and eventually gave up. Ah well...at least we were able to hear Mike's goat cry. Soon after that little adventure, the group went to Crackerbarrel for some lunch where Merz beat everyone in checkers.



Arrival at the lodge: we all went to explore the mountain searching far and wide for some incredible views.

Day 2:
First day of school! Bright eyed and bushy tailed, the group woke up and left our lodge at 7:00 am. Needless to say that off of our college student sleep schedule, the group was not very awake at first. However, Jeannet's peppy attitude quickly woke the entire group up. After going over some facts about the school, the group split up into their separate classrooms for a fabulous day of classes!

During reflections, the group reflected on how amazing the staff was. Also, we talked about the special needs of the students and how we approached them throughout the day.

After classes, we all found a really cool tree house and did some more exploring.

Day 3:
Snow day! About 14 inches of snow fell from the sky. (Certainly not typical NJ weather) Anyhow, we were all assigned to a group home and spent the day there. Each of the homes were extremely accommodating and we all connected to each of the students there.

Here's to more adventure!

Pre Trip Jitters

The day has finally arrived! The night before our flight for our Alternative Break. We all have been waiting to leave for New Orleans from the moment we were selected to go on this trip.From getting to know each other a little more at each pre trip meetings to focusing on the issues that are still happening in and around the New Orleans area, I think that our team of very different but amazing students are going to have an amazing time and learn a lot from each other as well as from the students we will be working with.

Here are a few pictures from our last pre trip meeting.

I think we're a fine looking bunch :)

Actually, I think we're all more attractive in this one :)

You'll be seeing more pictures of Ashlee, Alyssa, Jarrett, Nikitia, Matt, Richa, Sonia, Itzel, Courtney, Paige, and myself later on this week!

Spring Semester Weekend at Camphill Village!

On Friday, all of us boarded our super comfortable van on Friday and headed out to Kimberton, Pennsylvania. After a two and a half hour drive, we finally reached Camphill Village. We were greeted by the volunteer trip coordinator and settled into a comfortable little home. That night we went over our itinerary for the next two days and bonded as a group. Around 8:30 A.M. on Saturday we got up and headed out on a tour of the village. We stumbled on a very interesting looking tree and visited several homes and the farm. We saw several baby cows and the rooms in which they make cheese. After the village tour, we worked in the apple orchard by dividing up our jobs and working with one of the villagers. Amanda was the brave and adventurous one out of the group! She climbed trees and picked out the rotting apples. Vicky, Fatima, and Anwesha helped plant compost around the trees. Andrea and Ayuni helped pick twigs with the villager. After hard work, the group split into pairs and went to specific houses to meet different people and help with any other tasks. Some of us washed windows and others helped collect firewood and recycle materials to ensure all the wood was used properly and efficiently. After that, we all split into different pairs again and went to specific houses to eat supper with the families. We experienced the kinds of dishes they ate (which included mostly salad, potatoes, and beef). We experienced how the adults suffering from disabilities were able to comfortably eat and spend time with their families. They were all given their own space and preferences to ensure that they were all happy. After supper, our group headed back to our house and spend the night playing Apples to Apples. On Sunday morning, we got ready for brunch and again split into different pairs and visited other houses. We had brunch with the other families of the village and learned more about how the workers started working in the village. Also, we interacted more with the people at the village and talked about the activities they did to keep themselves busy. Some of the women in the village would knit scarves and hats to sell in a near by shop. Some of the men would help collect firewood and plant trees. After brunch, the group went into the woods to help plant several maple and pine trees. The group planted a total of 16 trees! After that we headed back to our home and packed our bags and loaded our van. We visited the family of the volunteer coordinator to say goodbye and headed back towards New Jersey! Many of us felt like we accomplished something by helping the village take care of the environment and by spending time with the villagers. Many of us expressed feelings about how we wish to become more involved in community service. Some of us expressed how we learned more about how to interact with people that suffered from disabilities. The trip sadly came to an end but the group will get together again for a post trip service! It was an amazing and unique learning experience that will never be forgotten!