5.11.15

The Price of Sugar.  This technically is a movie that I just watched, but it is much more than that.  Before watching this documentary I had no idea what was happening.  I did not even know this problem existed.  Now, I feel guilty.  In the Dominican Republic at the Bateys human trafficking occurs on the sugar plantations.  People are smuggled into the Dominican Republic from Haiti for cheap labor.  These workers have no rights, no papers, no home, no food, they are lucky to even be alive.  The conditions they live in are horrible, but they are improving thanks to Father Christopher Hartley.  He is fighting for the rights of workers and helping them get what they deserve from the government and the family in charge of everything, the Vicini Family.  This family owns 250,000 acres of sugar cane, all being cut down by Haitians.  They are working as hard as possible just to stay alive, and I did not know any of this.  All I knew was that the Dominican Republic and Haiti shared a boarder on an island in the Atlantic Ocean.  Now I know that almost all of the sugar that is cut down is transported to the United States and this is the sugar we see in almost everything.  I had no idea where it was coming from.  I had never thought about it, but know, I wish I didn't enjoy sugar as much as I do.  Father Christopher Hartley is doing everything he can to help these people in the Bateys, but the Dominicans hate him.  They claim he is "Haitianizing" the country.  I don't understand why the people are so against him and what he stands for.  I mean, I guess I can kind of understand though.  People in the United States hate the illegal immigrants that come into this country.  I want to feel like that is different, but it is not.  The immigrants that come into the U.S. are doing the jobs that Americans do not want, they are working in the fields for a low pay.  I don't know.  I don't want to sit here and act like I am innocent, because I know I am not, but I want to feel in someway that I am helping the Haitians cause.  I guess in less than a month I will be helping them.  I will be in the Bateys.  I hope I can make a difference while I am there because, that documentary made me feel helpless here in the U.S.

3.8.15

Hmmm. The Dominican Republic.  Sounds exotic and fun, right?  Well that's why I'm going.  During June 2015, me and about 15 other students will depart to the Dominican Republic.  I am so excited, the trip is going to be so much fun!  I think I will learn so much on this trip!  So far, I don't know much about the Dominican Republic.  All I know is that a few years ago I really wanted to go there on Spring Break.  It also sounds very sunny and warm.  Hmmm, what else do I know?  I know it is located in the Caribbean and boarders Haiti.  They speak Spanish (pretty obvious huh?), they have great Merengue music, and I don't know much else.  Before I go on this trip I want to learn a little more about this place, I want to know what the people are like, the food, the culture, the towns, etc... The Dominican Republic seems like such a great place! I can't wait to experience it for myself!  While I am on this trip I hope to learn.  I want to learn what other people live like outside of the United States.  I want to learn what it is like to help people, to build, to teach.  For a long time I have wanted to go on a service learning program.  I hope this inspires me to do more service learning work!  I am so excited to go to such an amazing place with amazing people!