New York - Mid Week

It’s the morning of Wednesday March 17, St. Patricks Day. However, that’s not what is important. The past couple of days we have been helping out at a Boy’s and Girl’s Club in Harlem. I was able to paint a couple of murals’ for them. I felt great about putting a new touch on their gym. After walking through or taking a bus through Harlem, we have gone to PS 50. It has been great to help with kids with their homework and playing with them. As well as doing work during the days, we have gotten to go out at night. Monday night we ventured to Midtown around Times Square to find Magnolias to get some cupcakes. It was a lot of fun trying to find it and seeing all the things along the way. Last night we were able to go to Chinatown to eat, and then walked around Battery Park. We were able to see ground zero, which was interesting for me, since the last time I was in that part of town was July of 2001. It was incredible to see. So far, the trip has been very enjoyable and I hope it continues.

Daniel Smith

University of Oklahoma

NYC as Part of the Alternative Break Experience

This is the third morning that we have eaten breakfast at the hostel. Last night people had the option of going to a Matisyahu concert or having free time. My friends and I chose the option of free time and we wandered around New York City. We were walking to find the seaport, and we ran into Ground Zero. A million thoughts ran through my head immediately. I thought of the families that lost loved ones, of the people in the building at the time, and even the people on the streets or in the skyscrapers in close proximity to the World Trade Center. It was very depressing to think that someone could do such a thing to such a large amount of people. To know that there are people in the world who hate us just because we are Americans is excruciatingly upsetting. I wish people could coexist peacefully.

Megan Godwin

University of Oklahoma

Dylan's Thoughts on Impact (NY)

Being our second day here at Hostel International, our group is feeling rejuvenated from a much needed night of sleep. After our day of service yesterday, we reconvened as a group and reflected upon our experiences. This gave us each a chance to listen to the opinions of our group members, many of whom come from different phases of life than our own, and respond knowing that our own opinions were thought provoking and welcomed. There was somewhat of a feeling that our work was just “a drop in the ocean” and that although what we were doing was admirable, the end goal is not always in sight. Our work with students will not directly translate into college scholarships and better opportunities. Yet, our group pushed-backed on this; they felt that even one smile, or assistance with one page of homework, would be more important than we know to these impressionable students. This sense of pride that we all felt at the end of our group meeting, will carry over to our new and exciting work today!

Scott's New York Reflections

This alternative spring break has been an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. Today, we worked together to paint a gymnasium at the “Boys and Girls Club” and worked at the elementary school P.S 57, helping kids with their homework. The experience thus far has been enlightening and enjoyable. Being submerged in a different culture than I am familiar of is interesting and there is much to be learned not only from the students from other schools but the kids we’re tutoring and working with. It is great to have a sense of worth by helping the community and giving back. I feel that going on this trip was important because it allows me to see from a different lens and immerse myself in an unfamiliar setting.

-Scott Bratt

University of Kansas

Zach New York After a Day of Service

This is my second time to go on an alternative spring break, and I can say after my first day of service I know it is going to be just as fun! Waking up early is a drag, having to wait in line for the 2 showers at the hostel that serve an entire floor. After that the day took off, starting out at the Children’s Aid Society, painting murals in the new gymnasium. With over 30 workers, the paining went quickly so we had time to walk across Harlem to PS 50. Zach and I (the Zax) chose to volunteer with the middle school kids from Tuesday to Friday. There is no middle school afterschool program on Monday, so we instructed 4^th, 5^th and 6^th graders in basketball and football.

The crazy unplanned day is actually very fulfilling. Since we didn’t know what we were going to be doing, and didn’t know who we will be volunteering for, the work we are doing became more selfless, according to Mimonedes (sp?). I look forward to the rest of the week.

Zach Moorhead

U. of Oklahoma

Sarah's New York Day 1

After spending 10 hours in airports waiting on planes, luggage, and people I am so relieved to have finally made it to New York for the Hillel/City Year Alternative Spring Break. I have been looking forward to this trip since I heard about it almost two months ago. Since this is my first time in New York I am really excited about seeing the city but at the same time am fairly anxious about how bustling this metropolis is. I am sure to have a good time with this group and I hope to learn from my experiences.

Sarah Gordon, Hillel of Northeast Oklahoma

New York Day 1

As I sit here updating the world on our travels, I look around at my new friends, the 620 other people here at Hostelling International at 103rd and Amsterdam, and of course, the rest of the beautiful city of New York. Following our occupying of “The Ballroom”, our affectionate new home base here at Hillel/City Year Spring Break 2010, we have all set out on the quest to do our week in service, to attempt to learn eachother’s names, and to gain perspective on what It means to be a small group of volunteers in every sense of the word(s). For many American college students, community service, and particularly issues of social justice, are often thought of as being exclusive to the international context. The recent tragedy in Haiti for example sheds light upon this reality, as our neighbors in the Bayou of New Orleans faced large-scale hardship of their own less than two years ago. Nonetheless, we will be setting out this week to area schools to do what we can to address the needs of the schools and organizations whom we have set out to help. On this beautiful, alright rainy Monday morning, we will be working with the Boys and Girls Club of New York City-the details of what we will be doing will follow as they unfold. Stay tuned for more as we familiarize ourselves with our exciting peers, Hostelling roommates, and fellow street-goers in this cornucopia of culture and humanity. Yours truly, Colgate, F&M, Beautiful Hillel Employees of America, Hamilton, Worcester, OK, OU, and COLGATE.