Service and sun make for a fulfilling break
Patricia Morrison
Issue date: 2/25/10 Section: News
Today marks the beginning of two momentous journeys across the globe.
This morning, 28 students as well as faculty members set off for Costa Rica and Panama, but their goals are far from partying and any tans they get will be purely secondary to the reason for their trip. Students from the nursing, biology and foreign language departments will provide medical care to native peoples in both countries, make a map of a previously uncharted mountainous rainforest region of Costa Rica called Talamanca, assist with rebuilding efforts in Costa Rica following a flood that destroyed a native town and conduct independent research projects.
Service learning trips allow students to leave the "comfortable" Capital community and "learn independence and about how other people live and are happy, wha other people believe," Maria Jose Delgado, a Spanish professor who will accompany the students on this trip, said.
Students will begin their immersion into other communities with five days in Yorkin, Costa Rica. The natives of Yorkin, called Bribris, fought for and won their independence from the Panamanian government.
After their time in Costa Rica, the travelers will move on to Ustúpu by way of Panama City. In Ustúpu, they will visit the native Kuna people who make their home on the islands of Kunayala. Kunayala was the destination of a previous trip in 2009 and some students will continue research this year that they began during the trip last year.
Another group of about 18 students will voyage to Choluteca, Honduras through Campus Crusades for Christ and the Great Commission of Ministries of Latin America. Students there will be performing similar duties, such as working in medical clinics but will also work on university campuses and sponsor English conversation clubs.
The Honduras trip also puts a focus on strengthening the Christian spirituality both of students going on the trip and the people they interact with in Honduras.
Haleigh Lanham, junior, looks forward to her time in Honduras as a time to grow spiritually and personally outside of her normal comfort zone.
"I'm going to experience what God can do for others who have nothing else. It will be a time to grow with my relationship with God, with others, and personally," Lanham said.
Patricia Morrison
Chief copy editor
pmorriso@capital.edu
This morning, 28 students as well as faculty members set off for Costa Rica and Panama, but their goals are far from partying and any tans they get will be purely secondary to the reason for their trip. Students from the nursing, biology and foreign language departments will provide medical care to native peoples in both countries, make a map of a previously uncharted mountainous rainforest region of Costa Rica called Talamanca, assist with rebuilding efforts in Costa Rica following a flood that destroyed a native town and conduct independent research projects.
Service learning trips allow students to leave the "comfortable" Capital community and "learn independence and about how other people live and are happy, wha other people believe," Maria Jose Delgado, a Spanish professor who will accompany the students on this trip, said.
Students will begin their immersion into other communities with five days in Yorkin, Costa Rica. The natives of Yorkin, called Bribris, fought for and won their independence from the Panamanian government.
After their time in Costa Rica, the travelers will move on to Ustúpu by way of Panama City. In Ustúpu, they will visit the native Kuna people who make their home on the islands of Kunayala. Kunayala was the destination of a previous trip in 2009 and some students will continue research this year that they began during the trip last year.
Another group of about 18 students will voyage to Choluteca, Honduras through Campus Crusades for Christ and the Great Commission of Ministries of Latin America. Students there will be performing similar duties, such as working in medical clinics but will also work on university campuses and sponsor English conversation clubs.
The Honduras trip also puts a focus on strengthening the Christian spirituality both of students going on the trip and the people they interact with in Honduras.
Haleigh Lanham, junior, looks forward to her time in Honduras as a time to grow spiritually and personally outside of her normal comfort zone.
"I'm going to experience what God can do for others who have nothing else. It will be a time to grow with my relationship with God, with others, and personally," Lanham said.
Patricia Morrison
Chief copy editor
pmorriso@capital.edu
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