Alumni Interview with Dom Cabrera

What inspired you to go abroad? 

I'd never been to the Dominican Republic before and was interested to visit a new place. I'd heard great things about BLUE missions from friends.

Why did you choose BLUE Missions? 

BLUE Missions is closely linked with the high school I attended and now work for.

What was your favorite part about the Dominican Republic?

Without a doubt, the people. The warmth and friendliness of the Dominican people is unparalleled. I learned more Spanish from one week hanging around a bunch of Dominican kids than I did in all four years of high school. To top it off, their wicked sense of humor was contagious.   

What made your experience abroad unique?

The opportunity to work really hard and to interact daily with the community members made the whole experience worth it. One day digging trenches, I was working with the men and younger boys. There was a definite sense of competitiveness; and as a relatively fit American man in his 20s, I was determined to not be outworked by a 10-year-old kid (who was sweating furiously in a hoodie despite the 90 degree weather).

This was no easy task: this kid could outwork most American men, without a shadow of a doubt. Anyway, I got lost in a swinging contest with this kid smacking the ground as hard as I could with the pick. This must’ve been quite amusing to the older (much wiser) men, but finally one gentleman explained to me that I was working way too hard. He explained that the trick was to work with the ground, not against it. 

How did local staff support you throughout your program? 

The local staff were some of the most impressive people I've ever met. We would've been totally lost without them.

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?

Brought more snacks. With the amount of work I partook in, two meals a day was not nearly enough. Breakfast bars or anything with a lot more protein could have served me well. I don’t think it was possible to eat “too many” calories that week.  

Describe a typical day in the life of your program. 

I woke up early every day, most days around 6:00 a.m. I had a light breakfast, usually accompanied with some kind of game to get to know everyone else on the trip. We worked a couple hours in the morning and then had lunch. Some days we worked more in the afternoon and other days we played with the local kids (they're incredible athletes). We took cold bucket showers in the afternoon (which actually turned out to be quite refreshing) followed by dinner. Then we played card games or just hung out until falling asleep.

What did you enjoy doing in your free time?

I never realized how fun Connect 4 is. Jonathon, one of the BLUE employees, is an absolute master of the game (I don’t think he lost once). I also learned a whole bunch of new card games from some of my very witty cohort. You’d never think losing could be so much fun.   

What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?

We stayed in the local library. They had moved all the bookshelves to make room for us. There was a common room in which we ate and hung out. There were three rooms in which we slept on cots, and there was a bathroom and kitchen, without running water (as to be expected). Part of the fun was learning how to do everything in the kitchen or bathroom without the accommodations we take for granted in the States. 

What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program? 

You will get out of this what you put into it. If you want to complain the whole time, you can (there are definitely uncomfortable moments). Or you can choose to immerse yourself completely and enjoy even the most difficult labor.

Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life? 

This experience has only affirmed all of my personal goals, and granted me extra motivation to work harder. Meeting amazing new people, both Dominican and American, restored my hope in humanity (considering all the negativity we find daily on the news).

Would you recommend BLUE Missions to others? Why? 

100%. Because of the people involved with this organization.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

Meaningful travel takes you out of your comfort zone and puts you face-to-face with new people who live a completely different way of life. Meaningful travel grants you the opportunity to discover what we all share in common, no matter how different we may appear. I think a trip means something if you leave (reluctantly) with an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the beauty of the people and the landscape in which they live.