aLTERNATIVE BREAKS
Winter 2017
Homelessness
Atlanta, Georgia
The night we arrived in Atlanta, we parked the van at Varsity, a large drive-in restaurant that was established in 1928. This is where we enjoyed the old school diner vibe, pigged out on cheap fast food, rocked the paper hats that came with our meals, and laughed as we recalled the big dent Malcom left when he backed up into a pole at the gas station. Half an hour after we woke up, we were individually assigned tasks so we could reach our goal of serving breakfast for approximately eighty people. With the help of Malcom and Norelys, we managed to cook enough eggs upstairs. Meanwhile, the others made the pancakes that accompanied the meal downstairs. Once everything was ready, we served the homeless and sat down to speak with them. I had met a man that had been clean from drugs for the past two years. He confided in me that he secured a job with the help of Safehouse Outreach. The man kept saying he was a troubled kid growing up and his biggest regret was not taking his education seriously. He told me that he would love to go fishing and this started our conversation about fish. We stayed indoors to play Uno with several homeless people and I won twice on that trip.
The next day we were to fill the shoes of the homeless people living in Atlanta. This required for us to wake up before the sun rose, carry an empty water bottle around, and leave our other belongings behind. We struggled to find a clean bathroom we could use without having to pay for food. The alternative was using the public bathroom at a park that turned out to be really dirty. We struggled to find a place with a water fountain in order to quench our thirst. We finally were finally able to fill our water bottles when we came across a mall. We struggled to satisfy our hungry stomachs with the portioned meals being served by Safehouse Outreach. My cheeks would turn red with embarrassment at the thought of being handed food at no cost. As we wandered Centennial Park, we decided to have a friendly competition of seeing who could run through the water-shooting olympic rings without getting wet. I beat everyone seeing as I had only soaked through one sock when attempting to sprint from one side to the other. Nelly, who was drenched, made my sides hurt from laughing so hard. This was when we met a genuine old homeless man by the name of Lee sitting on the bench. He was not looking for us to give him money, but simply wanted to share his life with us. His drug addict father introduced him to drugs from a very young age. Not to mention, Lee saw his relatives die in cold blood with his own eyes at merely eight years old. When he finally decided to get clean, he realized his family had left him to fend for himself on the streets. Lee told us how he dreamed to be a singer and turn his life into a movie to inspire others. He mentioned our goals, education, and faith should always be our priority.
The following morning began with us making our way out of Atlanta and heading to the pastures that make up the countryside. Larry explained the story behind the God’s Farm after we arrived at our destination. When he was in college, he had worked with underprivileged children from the hoods of Atlanta. It was quite shocking for him since he had been born into a rich family. Once Larry started making good money in the business world, he felt unsatisfied with his current life and quit his job immediately to make a difference in the lives of others. Every single summer, the underprivileged boys living in Atlanta are invited to kayak, fish, hunt, swim, pray, and feed the farm animals. He wanted these children to think of him as the father figure they never had. Malcom, Marvin, and I would lift the branches onto a trailer that was attached to the pickup truck. Then, we would dump everything into a clearing so the farm looked presentable for visitors. The other girls needed help cleaning up the newly built installment, thus I decided to join them after the Monster Crew finished their job. This is where I met Vance, a ninety-nine year old veteran who volunteers to maintain this place in pristine condition. I learned he surpassed his wife and brother who passed away a year prior. Moreover, he served our country as an engineer for the Air Force, serves at a local soup kitchen every month, and grew up on a farm during the Great Depression.
On the fourth day, I skipped making breakfast since I had been sick the night before. The food that was freshly made was taken to a nearby Nursing Home. After the elderly settled into their seats, the lady running the event announced it was time for their annual Holiday Bingo tournament. It was funny to see how competitive the elderly got when there were prizes up for grabs. I gifted the only prize I won to an old lady sitting in front of me. After we came back to Safehouse Outreach, the coordinator arranged for us to freshly paint the dorm rooms and organize the closet of donations. The smell of the primer covering the walls was so strong I had to constantly take breaks every fifteen minutes. Momma would joke that they were keeping us from playing Uno with her. At a painstakingly slow pace, we were able to paint the green accent wall and beige walls for only two dorm rooms. The worn out donations were dumped and those that passed inspection were organized according to size.
The last day we walked towards a bridge where the homeless bundle up for the night. A total of thirty care packages that contained necessities were given out to those in need. Not to mention, I met a handful of people that just wanted to share their story with us. One man graduated college with a business degree, showed me his resume, and told me he had been cut off from his family. The other man told me he left everything in Philly to reunite with his daughter and she did not welcome him into her home. Another man was clearly starved as he gobbled up two granola bars in just two bites. We prayed with anyone who asked and it served as a reminder that there are good people willing to help in this world. Then, we went bowling to celebrate our week of giving back to others. Nicole, Nelly, and Marvin were killing it. I fell behind with only one strike, however at least I did not have to resort to bumpers like Malcom did. Prior to that, his bowling ball would pass the pins and go straight into the gutter. The night ended with the beautiful botanical garden display all lit up with Christmas lights. Some were programmed to light up to the beat of each song playing. It was an absolutely mesmerizing sight and the sweet hot chocolate I drank by the fire left me all tingly inside. On our way home, Carmen came to hug us goodbye and we exchanged the gifts each of us bought for our game of White Elephant.
Winter 2018
Animal Welfare
New Orleans, Louisiana
When we arrived in New Orleans, we waited in the airport for the apartment to be ready. We ordered an uber to take us to our loft since we had way too much luggage for public transportation. Afterwards, we got onto the bus to reach the stop for Walmart. This is where we paid for the groceries that strategically planned to last us a week. It was a struggle to get back on a bus with several plastic bags hanging from our arms. We had waited at what we thought was the wrong bus stop resulting in us having to run towards another bus stop across the street. On the way, a gallon of milk was lost, several plastic bags teared, and the water bottles were dented in. When we finally got on a bus, it turned out to be the wrong one and getting an Uber back seemed to be our only option. The night ended with us stocking our fridge with the groceries we managed to salvage.
The following day we decided to visit St. Louis Cemetery No.1. This is the oldest and most famous Cemetery in New Orleans. It was opened in 1789, replacing the St. Peter Cemetery as the main burial ground when the city was redesigned after a fire in 1788. Famous New Orleanians who are buried here include Etienne de Boré, the first mayor of New Orleans; Homer Plessy, the plaintiff from the landmark 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision on civil rights; and Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial, the first African-American mayor of New Orleans. I was shocked to see family tombs that have recently buried descendants. To ensure a spirit did not latch onto me, I touched the bronze on the gate before walking out. There was a plantation home nearby where American Horror Story: Coven had been filmed. This was when I discovered Madame Delphine McCarty LaLaurie and her malicious actions towards the enslaved. A young enslaved girl was said to be combing Delphine’s hair when she caught a snarl. The Madame stalked the girl down the stairs and drove her out a window to meet her death. In addition, a fire started in Delphine’s house during one of her lavish parties. This was the time the public uncovered behind the attic door were the bodies of mutilated slaves that had undergone ill-done surgeries. To satisfy our hunger, we ate the affordable hot dogs and french fries from Dat Dog. Later that day, I met crazy Raggedy Ann for the first time. She was desperately tugging on her leash while the toy in her mouth squeaked. The deaf puppy, Harrison, definitely had everyone cooing with his curled ears and blue eyes. A fellow volunteer offered to drive us to the loft that day to spare us from having to order an Uber.
On the third day, we crossed the French Quarter off our list. When we walked around, I sat on the steps that led to the Mississippi River. This was were I listened to a man sing songs he was simultaneously playing on his keyboard. His dog was trained to take the tips using their mouth and place it in the palm of his owner’s hand. After, we walked passed by a saxophone player who was playing Silent Night as we entered Cafe du Monde, a historical establishment built in 1862. I shared an order of beignets with several people in my group. The dough was golden and the powdered sugar stimulated my taste buds. When we crossed the street, I saw a man painted from head to toe in gold, lying on the ground with a bottle to his lips, trying to trick tourists into thinking he was an actual statue. Right outside the St. Louis Cathedral, were many vendors and fortune tellers with signs dictating their prices. At some point, we attended a mass at the St. Louis Cathedral for a little bit to get a glance of inside. We sat on the street watching a dance group spin on their head and do flips off the ground. Anyways, I attempted to take Raggedy Ann for a long walk around the block. She loved to stop immediately to roll on her back as soon as she would spot a patch of grass. We Ubered to Fulton Street, after our shift at the shelter, so we could listen to musicians blasting music from inside the bars.
The following day we got to see the New Orleans Museum of Art on a student discount. There was art from all over the world displayed here. One modern piece was a giant cabin of used materials that were painted entirely in gold. Each painting drew the air from my lungs as I scrutinized the individual strokes of a much bigger picture. Another contemporary piece served as an interactive piece that would reveal certain colors with just a shift in perspective. The sculptures found outside in the garden stretched high into the sky. Not to mention, I walked Raggedy Ann again, swept the dirt off the floor, and unfolded newspapers for the kennels. We were able to get a quick scoop of ice cream after our shift and Uber to a tattoo parlor for those who wanted a tattoo. Before we went to bed, we attempted to watch the Princess & The Frog being that it takes place in New Orleans.
On the fifth day, we slept in that morning and passed time by taking turns playing on the PS4. We went to Bourbon Street to have a fancy lunch at the Galatoires, a historical establishment founded in 1905. It is known for the recipes and traditions that the original owner had brought over from France. I ordered a well-done filet mignon as my entree. Meanwhile, I was able to taste escargot for the first time and the saltiness lingered on my tongue. We walked to Canal Place where we saw the Christmas lights inside the Roosevelt, a historical hotel that was renamed after President Roosevelt when he built the Panama Canal. Later that day, I ran around the block with Raggedy Ann, disinfected the kennels for the dogs infected by ringworm, and walked a older isolation dog named Luna. Moreover, I was able to see how Skye interacted with Daniela and a lady who works for ARNO. She told us Skye ended up at this shelter because he had bitten the boyfriend of his owner during a verbal altercation. On the other hand, we learned Biscuit was given up for paralyzing a puppy next door to her house. Additionally, it was mentioned that Agent Doggett was a scared feral dog who has never lived anywhere besides the streets. We ended the night with beads strung around our necks, catching momentos that were being thrown from the balconies of old buildings, and dancing to the music that poured from the bars on Bourbon Street.
The next day we ordered pizza to the loft and did not head out until noon. We saw a beautiful steamboat, decorated with garlands, docked in Mississippi River. The entrance to the mall was near, therefore we decided to walk by the different stores to pass time. Next, we Ubered to the French Quarter again where we each ordered weird drinks from Rocket Fizz. I was recommended from a lady who worked there to buy a soda that was supposed to taste very similar to corn. Right next door, the others signed a consent form to try the hottest sauce in store. It messed up their stomachs and they did not feel good for the rest of the day. Also, there was a Voodoo store we entered seeing as our curiosity got the best of us. They had dolls, herbs, candles, and crystals on display as a gift to their Queen Marie Laveau. Anyways, I held a foster kitty on my shoulder, ran around the block with Raggedy Ann, prepared the litter boxes, folded the ringworm laundry, and gave out one treat per kennel. To celebrate our week of volunteering, we had a reservation at Dragos, a restaurant famous for their charbroiled oysters. I genuinely liked the taste of the oysters, despite not being a big fan of seafood. Weeks after our trip, Daniela received a text message saying that Agent Doggett was adopted by a loving couple. He looked extremely happy and the pictures made it hard to believe this was the same dog that would start to pace every time someone would near his cage.