#alt breaks

[diaryofvoluntourism-blog]

GW Students Volunteer Over Spring Break

Voluntourists from George Washington University spent their spring break in Ecuador, Costa Rica, DC, New York City, and Utah partaking in community service. 

Learn more about their alternative breaks here!

[transitioninglives]

So my school's Alternative Breaks program picked me to be a Site Leader

I wanted to lead a Thanksgiving Break trip with LGBTQ and Health as our issues. I wanted to work with an organization that intentionally works with LGBTQ people to prevent the spread of STIs / connect them to resources if they’ve already contracted something. I also wanted to work with an organization that is trying to increase access to affirming health service for trans* identified people.  The way our selection process is set up, you get to rank which issues you’d like to work with. I wrote in LGBTQ (because it wasn’t an option on the drop down menu) as my first issue, Health as my second, and another passion of mine as my third and final. Then I got my email a week later saying I had been picked for a health issues weekend trip.

I want to be happy that I got picked at all and that I get to fuck shit up as a Site Leader and challenge people’s opinions but I’m having a hard time. Not only have my alternative break dreams been crushed (this is my last break as a student), but I didn’t get LGBTQ as my issue. Now I’m super afraid that my co-site leader will be a homophobic cissexist asshole.

I’m hoping for someone awesome but for right now I’m pretty bummed. 

[femmefatale311-20-blog]

Spring Break

As some of you may know, I spent my spring break in New York City working with some inspirational folks and organizations to perform outreach with the homeless LGBTQI population. 

My experience was, yet again, incredible.

There are few words to communicate the way I feel about this experience. At times I was so frustrated and overwhelmed that I found it difficult to be a leader and sort through the tornado in my head. At other times, I felt so overwhelmingly moved by what I was witnessing and experiencing that I was speechless. I shed a few tears and I laughed more than I expected. I felt empowered by my fellow participants and inspired by the strength of the young people whose stories we heard. I felt at home. While the severity of my life experiences doesn't rival those of the folks we worked with, I felt at peace with them. I was aware of all the things that my situation has afforded me but I didn't feel judged for them. I often feel like I don't fit in where I'm at right now and that feeling washed away while I spent time with the clients. Of course we had our fair share of road bumps but for the most part there was just a lot of singing, painting and laughing. 

Planning this trip required a lot of tongue-biting, bubble-bursting and real talk but I think, in the end, the experience I helped to facilitate was meaningful for everyone involved. I felt touched by the clients and I think, in even the smallest of ways, we touched them. I want to thank my 10 wonderful participants for their bravery, their confidence, their willingness to tolerate me, their honesty and their enthusiasm. I want to thank my fellow leader for his hard work, patience and dedication.

I have yet to understand my place in this world. I'm a soft-souled person who is still searching for a place and a community to call home. This experience has given me a little more insight into where I belong and what my strengths and weaknesses are. I look forward to continuing with The Streetwork Project after graduation. I will forever be thankful for what the AltBreaks Program has given to me. 

[ofthepeopleforthepeople]

#362. November 19th, 2013: Lindsay Serwatka

If you’re looking for a goddess, then you need to meet Lindsay She is literally one of the most beautiful women on this earth and her personality is even more gorgeous. We’ve known each other since the very beginning of college which is crazy, and I have…

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