Student Takeover by Sophia Strauss

It’s day 9. We’ve been here for just over a week and there are so many things going on in my head right now. I feel as if I’ve been here for weeks rather than days, like I could live here, rather than just visit. Yet at the same time I’m anxious to do things that have to yet to be done. To visit every inch of this beautiful city, to hear the echoing laughter of every bouncing dominican child, and to say “buenos dias” or “cómo estás” to every person in Santiago, each one of them so full of life and light. I know so little yet I feel like I was meant to be here. Just feeling all these little connections spark to life with the kids and my host family and my group mates makes me beyond thrilled to see how many more connections I’ll be able to make. Just today I made a new friend, a little boy I met at Accion Callejera. He doesn’t speak english so the only way to communicate with him was with my minimal spanish speaking skills and his creativity. Somehow it worked and we were laughing all day. I truly can’t imagine leaving this place in just 2 weeks. I can’t imagine saying goodbye all these kids and people so soon. I hope the time doesn’t fly, even though I know I’ll be having buckets of fun.