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Alternative Spring Break offers more than just volunteering 

Twenty-three students participate in its inaugural year

By Anna Sarkissian

Spring break in the Dominican Republic tends to connote sparkling seas and swaying palms.

Instead of sipping piña coladas, 17 students participating in the inaugural Alternative Spring Break program spent a week volunteering at an orphanage in Monte Cristi on the north-west coast.

Another cohort stayed in Montreal and worked remotely with a community in Chevery on the lower north shore of Quebec and several other organizations.

“I feel like I've accomplished something,” says psychology student Estelle Wong, who travelled to the Caribbean nation. “I can’t believe I did it. You don't know how the kids are going to respond because you’re from another country. But I feel like I may have made an impact.”

In collaboration with the Dean of Students Office, Rich SwamiNathan brought the initiative to Concordia in August after running similar programs at the University of Western Ontario and McMaster University. He is the Coordinator of Residence Life at Loyola and facilitated the trip to Monte Cristi. Ania Marczewksa from Counselling and Development was a staff leader for the local group.

When he was younger, SwamiNathan spent a month and half volunteering in Mali. “It was mind-blowing,” he says. “I have so much and yet they seemed happier than I was. It opened me up to different people, religions and cultures.”

Instead of worrying about upcoming midterms, SwamiNathan recommends students think about the fact that they have access to education, which is a privilege.

“There’s so much more out there, people need to witness it to really appreciate what they have don’t have, to see the big picture,” he says.

The students taught English at local elementary schools and helped fix up the infrastructure around the orphanage. Students paid $1 550 for the trip, which included subsidies from the Concordia Student Union, the Dean of Students and the Office of the President. Hospitality Concordia provided lunches for the Montreal group.

Peterborough native Kevin McLeod is one of five students who participated in the ASB closer to home. The group stayed together at the Grey Nuns residence and make short heritage and tourism videos to help promote the community of Chevery, with help from the Quebec-Labrador Foundation.

“I don’t know if this is the kind of thing that would win an Oscar, but I think the videos turned out well,” McLeod said. They also volunteered at Santropol Roulant, the NDG Food Bank and the Benedict Labre House.

“This really opened my eyes to how I can contribute to the Montreal community,” the political science major added.

The program is designed to be more than just volunteering. In keeping with the model of service learning, the groups met for a debriefing each evening to talk about how their hands-on experiences could relate to their academics, career paths, and so on.

For Wong, leaving Monte Cristi was difficult. She hopes to return to the Dominican Republic, perhaps this summer.

“I came back to paved roads. I walked down the streets wearing boots, not flip flops. Everyone is in their own bubble here,” she says. “Over there, you walk down the street and everyone waves. You just wave back, it’s a natural response.”

Students will share photos and experiences with the university community at the Alternative Spring Break Showcase on March 24 at 3:30 p.m. in MB 5.215. All are welcome.