UDaB goes international
Alternative Breaks program sends students on first international trip this winter
12:52 p.m., Dec. 8, 2014--University of Delaware Alternative Breaks (UDaB) will send 16 students on its first international experiential and service learning program to Nindiri, Nicaragua, in January 2015.
Since its establishment in 2010, UDaB has sent students across the country, and now across the globe, on student-run and student-led trips.
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Students traveling to Nicaragua, including site leaders Julia Conrad, a junior in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, and Bimal Amin, a senior in the College of Engineering, will work in the semi-rural communities of Campuzano and El Portillo for eight days.
The trip will partner with Bridges to Community (BTC), a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of impoverished communities in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. BTC sends groups of all ages to help with housing, health, education, and economic development programs.
“It was time to bring the organization to UD and UDaB and give UD students this amazing opportunity and help spread BTC’s mission and values,” said Conrad, who has been on two previous trips with BTC.
The goal for the trip is to work alongside Nicaraguan adults, children and BTC staff to build two homes. Daily tasks could include shoveling and mixing cement, passing and laying cement blocks, painting, or leveling. The students’ days will culminate around 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner, reflection, and activities hosted by BTC. Full immersion into the community is one thing that UDaB representatives said they believe will help lead to the creation of active citizens.
“While living in these communities, we will be eating local food, taking bucket showers, falling asleep to the sounds of dogs and chickens under mosquito nets, and living without the comfortable amenities to which we are accustomed,” said Conrad.
Senior Shelby Dorr has been on two UDaB trips over spring break and two study abroad programs, but this will be her first international trip with a service focus. She said she chose the Nicaragua trip because she was “interested in the progression and growing development of UDaB and thought being part of the pilot international trip would be a great experience.”
As UDaB continues to expand and grow the number of trips as well as locations over spring break, Dorr said she believes the Nicaragua trip will be a success and set the groundwork for future international UDaB trips.
All UDaB participants personally pay for the cost of their tripa. To donate in support of UDaB’s growing programs, vist the UDaB donations page here.
Visit the Office of Service Learning website for more information on the Nicaragua trip and other UDaB’s spring break trips.
Follow along as the students travel to Nicaragua, or one of the other 11 trips, by liking UDaB on Facebook, and follow @udabreaks on Twitter and Instagram.
Article by Claire Griffiths, UDaB public relations chair