Understanding the Cherokee People (Maryville, TN)

By:  Cherylynn Finklin & Angela Yao

Trip:  Once Upon A Time: Exploring the Stories of the Cherokee People

Today we finally were able to work with the Cherokees. We met a man named Gilliam who was a Cherokee Indian himself. We split up into three teams, all to work on separate trails along the Smokie Mountains in Gillian's family territory. Each person was given either a maddock, a clopper, or a rake and we used those tools to clear out a path in the woods. This was really fun and we were able to really work together to cut through the forest and clear out a path in the woods. This was really fun and we were able to really work together to cut through the forest and clear the path. During our lunch, we sat around Gillian who told us a little about life as Cherokee. He talked about the general organization of Cherokee government  a structure and his role in advocating at Standing Rock. This was really interesting and exactly what a lot of us were waiting to learn about throughout the week. After lunch, we walked through the other two groups' work to see the process that they had made. It was really amazing to see just how much we finished in the short hour and a half that we worked. Throughout the day, Gillian kept emphasizing the importance of touching the earth in order to destress and relax from the everyday life. After working, it was easy to understand exactly what that meant and how we could move forward with that in mind.

Following our time at Gill's, we went to go see Shortie Kirkland, another Cherokee Native American. At our time at Shortie's property, we played a fun outdoor game of "The Fish game." The Fish game is a traditional game used by Native Americans to determine if a couple is able to get married. There are two teams, men versus women and the objective of the game is to hit a fish that is on the top of a tall pole with a ball. During our experience of playing this game, all the universities that attended the service trip joined us and it made for a fun and awesome time! Through these activities, we had to step outside of our comfort zone and not only learn to trust and communicate with the Rutgers students, but also students from other universities. 

Exploring Caves and Hiking Trails! (Maryville, TN)

By:  Cherylynn Finklin & Angela Yao

Trip:  Once Upon A Time: Exploring the Stories of the Cherokee People

On Wednesday, our Once Upon A Time, team took a much needed break after two days of cutting down trees and removing massive amounts of privet. Our first adventure led us to

The Lost Sea tour in Sweetwater, TN. On the tour we explored the rich history of a cave that traces all the way back to the 1800s! We learned how native Cherokee people used this space at point for living and secret meetings. After walking ¾ of a mile in the cave, we arrived to the The Lost Sea and took an exiting boat ride, with a glass bottom, on the 800 feet long by 220 feet wide lake, that’s 50 feet deep!

Following our tour in the depths of a historic cave, we made our way to Laurel Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On this trail we walked 1.6 miles to reach a beautiful scenic view of the Laurel Waterfall. Along this hike, some team members were able to share special moments with one another—learning new and personal facts to form deeper relationships. Although this hike was not easy for most and surly a challenge for some, the experience of pushing towards the Waterfall was a reminder that great things worth having or seeing takes hard work and dedication—in the end the sacrifice would be worth it! We were all delighted upon arriving to the Waterfall and basking in nature’s beauty. Of course we couldn’t leave without taking multiple selfies and a great group picture!

Dear Mom, From Sim (Washington D.C.)

By:  Simran Nanwani

Trip:  Stopping Traffic at the Corner of Humans & Justice

Dear Mom,

As you know, today is day 3 of my alternate break trip! We had a personal session with Laura Lederer who is the founder of Global Centurion which is an organization that works towards combating human trafficking. This session with her really helped us dip our feet in the water and get a better understanding of human trafficking. Post this session, we went to the mall for on the street surveys to get a brief sense of what the community in DC knows about human trafficking since it is a prevalent issue in the USA today.

However, I am writing to you today to thank you for giving me the opportunity to move out of India and study at Rutgers and be as involved on campus as I wish to be. Because, today, everyone in the group spoke about why human trafficking is important to them and it really is a fulfilling experience to work on a project with a group of people who feel just as strongly and passionately about social issues affecting us today.

Sometimes, I feel like my focus is geared towards the bigger picture of completely solving the issue at hand, but the girls around me constantly teach me that there’s a whole process that goes along with that and make me draw back my attention to the smaller things that make a big difference. When I first thought of human trafficking, the first thing that came to my mind is prostitution and sexual trafficking and this can be a very complicated issue to overcome. But, if you start out small, even as simple as getting people to take surveys on the street, you are slowly working your way up and building through the struggles to overcome a complicated social issue and I couldn’t be more excited to take on this journey with twelve other incredible women so thank you Mom for giving me this incredible opportunity!

-Sim

Bringing Welcome to a New Day (Maryville, TN)

By:  Angela Yao & Cherylynn Finklin

Trip:  Once Upon a Time

We started today off by standing in a circle and singing a song to bring welcome to a new day, to the people and places that we would encounter. We sang Cherokee verses four times, facing each cardinal direction. One of the most resonating things our hostess, Erlene, said to us was that it didn't matter how we sang it or how we sounded compared to the person next to us - what mattered was the way we felt as we sang it, as the song is a story in itself, always changing to be reflective of the people it passes through. With this we began our journey at Once Upon a Time. 

After breakfast, we split off to work with Erlene on making jam. This was really fun and we got a chance to explore more of their home and talk with people from Vermont at the same time. Next up was a nice one-mile hike where Ed taught us about some of the features of the trail. Then, we had lunch and orientation. During the orientation, Ed and Erlene told us more about how they got started with this program. Once they were officially accepted as a host spot, they kept expanding, building (by hand) more shelters, bunks, and furniture to accommodate more students. We found out that they started this program not only to teach about the environment and about the native Cherokees, but to pass on a love and appreciation for nature to the next generation so that we could be its future protectors.

With that sitting in our thoughts, we hiked down to an area of the woods to pick out honeysuckles. We learned that the major reason for this was because these plants were brought over from another land and, as a result, they have no natural predators in this region to keep their population in check. As we picked out the vines from the area, we had fun talking and singing with each other. Afterward, it was time to split wood. We all attempted wielding the ax, one by one, some more successful than others at actually splitting the wood. This was a lot of fun and we got to cheer each other on, as well as our new friends from other schools.

By nightfall, we had some free time and happily ate dinner. It was a pretty relaxed day overall and the work was surprisingly enjoyable and educational. It was a great start to the week and we had plenty of time to get to know each other just a little better. We started to really understand the culture and differences in perspectives here. It has been great so far and I know that we all are so excited for the rest of the week!

We are All Immigrants (Washington D.C.)

By: Simran Nanwani

Trip:  Stopping Traffic at the Corner of Humans & Justice

It feels a little unreal how time flew so quickly and we’re already halfway done with the semester.  But here we are today, on day one of our Alternative Break trip and I am extremely humbled to be a part of this journey with twelve other intriguing women; working on a project that focuses on stopping human trafficking. Today was quite relaxed - we drove down to DC and headed to Taco District for dinner. While dinner was absolutely great, I noticed a poster on the bulletin board which said “We are all Immigrants”. This got me thinking about how grateful I am to be studying in the United States of America because this a place where people openly express their views and discuss the social cracks that exists within its society and it’s important to realize that even a country like the United States can have social problems, one of the major ones being human trafficking. The integral part lies in actively working towards overcoming these social problems, in any way – big or small. All you need is a little bit of initiative! 

All Good Things Come to an End... (The Right to Rights)

By:  Bogdana & Yvette

How is it over already? This is a question that no one on the RUAB Right to Rights trip has the answer to, and all of us can agree that our last two full days have flown by.  Thursday began with a tour of a Hindu Temple, where many of our group members had the chance to introduce those who were not Hindu into their culture.  The tour was able to give everyone their own special learning experience and helped us all figure out more about ourselves.  

Soon after, we were off to a tour of Clarkson, Georgia, led by a man named Omar. Omar is a Somalian refugee who received his degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, but then decided to become a taxi cab driver in order to dedicate his life to helping other refugees in his community.  On our tour, we were able to visit a few different apartment complexes where refugees lived. At one complex, we were welcomed into the

home of a family who had only been in the United States for about 8 months. With 6 young children, all they had in their fridge was milk and orange juice. Although we left with a sense of hope, given to us and the family by Omar, this family helped us see clearly as to why wewere in Clarkston and the difference there that was to be made.  We then visited the Refugee Coffee Co., a non-profit coffee shop with the goal of creating a global community in Clarkson while providing job creation and job training for refugees. 

Later in the day, our entire group returned to McLendon Elementary School to volunteer with their after-school program for refugee children, run by New American Pathways.  For some in the group, it was their second day at McLendon and, for others, it was their first, but regardless, everyone was welcomed by the children with open arms and smiling faces.  Our goal at the school was to incorporate what we had learned in our Something New nonviolence training in order to create a mini program for the children.  Through name-games, charades, and “draw-your-life” prompts, we were able to better understand the children and teach them more about inclusion and nonviolence.

Suddenly, it was Friday, and our last full day.  We began the morning with a type of service that was different from what we had been doing throughout the week, but similar to what many of us were used to doing at home.  We were asked to clean out two classrooms in the school part of the Church we were staying at in order to create more space for those in need to sleep and to make space for programs that would be held there.  We worked in two rooms and had two other rooms to put things in.  Our two storage rooms were small and the rooms that needed to be cleaned were filled.  We were told that not all of it had to be organized or even done in the end since there was so much, but we pulled together as a team with a goal in mind and completely cleaned out both rooms and reorganized them into the two others in a way that we do not believe was expected.  We were so proud to have made so much room for people to sleep or for programs to be run, because just those two rooms being clean will make all the difference. 

We then had the chance to spend the rest of our day with the children again.  This time, however, in the playground area of an apartment complex where many of the refugee families live. Being able to play with the children outside in their community was magical.  We were able to see deeper into their cultures and watch how they all play with each other, despite whether or not they can understand the language you are speaking.  At the end of the evening, a father of two girls playing with us in the park invited us into their home and welcomed us with food, chai, and an amazing conversation that gave us an even deeper insight into the struggle that refugees face.

In the end, our service was 100% needed and we were 100% appreciated.  The week would not have been the same without all of our bros.  

Ending the Week... (Arching the Gap)

By:  Cassandra & Siena

On Thursday morning, everyone was off to a much slower start. All tired and still processing the events of the night before; last night's reflection had been awe-inspiring. Having to respond to a prompt which required we share an event that influenced much of who we are, it was during this activity in which we broke down barriers within our own group that allowed us to know and understand each other on an intimate level. By the time we'd heard each other's stories, we realized how many shared experiences we'd had. Such a realization only assisted in our ability to provide service and empathy to the greater St. Louis community. We'd learned that involving ourselves in the every day lives of the community members could foster a greater sense of camaraderie between us and the community. 

We fought through the tough Missouri winds as we made our way over to the Kingdom House. Our task for the day, while relatively simple, was one that had profound significance. We had been sorting clothing that was donated throughout the Christmas season. Opposed to our previous notions, the Kingdom House did not accept all donations with open arms. If we noticed an item of clothing had a stain or tear of any sort, we were told to discard it. This caused us to realize the true importance of donation centers, such as Kingdom House, where they value not only the presence of those within their community, but also their pride. They continually maintained the fact that each individual deserved clothing of quality and care, not simply any items left over from someone else's shelf.

Later on that day, we attended a Zumba class given to those within the community. For the majority of time, the instructor had been speaking fluent Spanish. Regardless of the difficulty on our mostly English-oriented ears, the class moved with a fluid harmony that diminished the presence of any language barriers. 

As the trip was now coming to a close, we adopted the mentality that, opposed to our initial disposition, we each shared similarities with those throughout the St. Louis community. If there was anything to be learned on this trip, it is that this trip cannot simply be left in Missouri. As we each continue the journeys of our lives, it is our duty to continue this form of service within whichever community we reside. There are always improvements to be made, and this alternative break has taught us that the fight for a better world never ends. 

New Way of Thinking (The Right to Rights)

By: Bogdana & Yvette

In just two days, our group has learned an abundance of information about the community surrounding Atlanta.  Yesterday, we were lucky enough to take part in nonviolence training brought to us by New Way.  In this training, we were exposed to new ways of thinking and acting in various circumstances that we may face. The activities that Barak and Ronald presented us with had us challenge our way of looking at certain situations, ranging from the labels we place on others to the values we saw most important in our lives. We left the training with a plethora of questions about not only the system and society we find ourselves in but about our own personal beliefs and thoughts as well. That night’s reflection led us on a three-hour discussion that answered some questions and left us with many more than we ever thought imaginable.

The following morning, we were finally able to delve into the Clarkston community. At New American Pathways we were able to take a look behind the scenes of what goes into aiding refugees. By organizing the supply rooms, we came to the realization that helping a family doesn’t just stop after you’ve found them a place to live and a job to work at. These non-profits are fully engaged in the lives of their clients, right down to the bars of soap that we may take for granted.  

Afterwards, we had the opportunity to work with refugee students in the community. We noted that you can’t find children more genuine than the refugees we worked with in the after school programs run by New American Pathways. The students of Jolly and McLendon Elementary were open to us all and immediately immersed us in their games. They were open to talk about who they were and where they were from.  They were also excited to know the same about us! Our worries of a language barrier were extinguished when we realized that these children were eager for the opportunity to discover something new and create new bonds with us. 

We ended the day with an amazing surprise: Trivia Night, which almost got taken over by a few intense rounds of Knock Out! We’re incredibly grateful to all of the volunteers from Something New that made this night so unbelievable. The genuine passion and personalities of every volunteer is something all of us value and we could not thank them enough for a more amazing experience thus far.  

Taco Tuesday & Tears (Arching the Gap)

By:  Cassandra & Siena

I awoke to way more accommodating Missouri temperatures and a new curiosity for what the day would hold. After walking to the Kingdom House and learning that we'd primarily be working with children that day, I grew increasingly thankful for our previous day's coffee investment. I was fortunate enough to be assigned the room which housed children who were less than 1 years old, and knew that my morning would be filled with consistent cries and blissful innocence. By lunch time, when we finally left napping children, we were feeling more energized and in touch with the stress-free and childlike versions of ourselves.

You find some strange stuff when you help nonprofits organize their storage... #RUABoutservice #ArchTheGap

Soon after lunch, we all came together for our first official group discussion, the topic; the ever present and daunting Racism: Power & Prejudice. Approaching the conversation gingerly at first, we soon realized that the discussion of racism had evoked the memories of our unique and individual experiences. Ultimately, we came to the conclusion that sharing the instances where any one of us experienced oppression or were able to exercise privilege actually brought us closer together. The experiences we've shared far outweighed those that made us different.

Nothing like a little neighborhood clean up. #RUABoutservice #ArchTheGap

We managed to cool down from such intense discussion while making our way around the community, clearing it of any randomly left garbage along the lawns of the residences and grass within the park. As we walked through the swings in the midst of the sunset, a universal reflective mentality rested among us, knowing that our impact on this community was beginning to take form.

First Day Diaries: The Right to Rights (Atlanta)

By:  Bogdana & Yvette

Finally made our way onto the airplane after several delays!

Update: no update. After a flight delay with many false departure times, RUAB Right to Rights finally arrived in #BoujLanta (Atlanta, Georgia) #HereATLast! The four-hour delay was a blessing in disguise; we played some games that let us grow closer as a group and excited for the week ahead of us. Finally meeting our hosts Cynthia and Barak from our community partner Something New was amazing and really helped get us ready for the week we have ahead. We finished off last night with a trip to Walmart and some midnight pizza; we were pumped.

Even though most Alternative Breaks explore their host city as some much needed rest at the end of their servlce, we had the chance to discover Altanta beforehand. Acquiring the history of this significant city gave us all the necessary background we needed to understand the people of Georgia and the circumstances they face. The Center for Civil and Human Rights was an experience many of us will not forget. The Lunch Counter Sit-In simulation resonated with many of us, giving us a personal understanding of the trauma endured by citizens during the Civll Rights Movement, which can stlll be felt today. The day was filled with a range of emotions from pure joy as we jumped for a photo-op to absolute terror and panic after realizing that our elevator jolted twice and the doors hadn't opened (no worries, we called for help who intuitively told us to just click the button that opens the doors).

After experiencing a day of education, we were able to use our knowledge and expand upon it during a panel with members of refugee resettlement agencies here in Clarkston. We were
given the advice to be open minded in the work we do here and in our own lives. With this panel, we were given a true sense of what our service will be like and what life is like for the refugees living here. We're all eager to use everything we learned today to help the families in our service this week!

First Day Diaries: Arching the Gap (St. Louis)

By:  Siena & Cassandra

6:00AM

Greeted by pitch blackness and blistering cold, I lugged my suitcase into the back of my dad's car and began the brief trek to Newark Airport. 

6:30AM

"Oh man, did I underestimate the weather?", "Did I pack well enough for the freezing Missouri temperatures?" Thoughts began to crowd my mind. I walked into the United Airways terminal and immediately saw the other members of my group and my mind was at ease. 

9:00AM

They called our boarding numbers, and the members of our group gradually began to board the plane. We squeezed ourselves into what seemed to be the smallest plane I'd been in. Memories of my previous travels flooded my mind as our pilot gave details on our takeoff. It wasn't long before I felt the rumbling beneath me and fought against the unbearable pressure felt within my ears. I tilted my head back and dozed off into a peaceful sleep, knowing my adventure would be waiting when I awoke. 

11:00AM

The popping of my ears told me that we had arrived. All the tiredness I'd felt dissipated, excitement taking its place. 

2:00PM

The van slowly arrived next to the site we'd all been talking about. I peeked out of the window with a curiosity that was quickly satisfied by the overwhelming view of this structure. Both ecstatic and humbled, we each climbed out of the car ready to admire one of the many glorious contributions of this incredible city. We slowly moved up the steps, the strength of our united cluster was incomparable to the immensity of this beautiful structure. The Gateway Arch had exceeded any expectations we'd had. In the presence of the historical significance, we continued to walk knowing our adventure has only just begun. 

5:00PM

After a long day of sight-seeing and fulfilling all the mandates of proper tourism, we came back to the Rutgers House (cleverly named) unanimously both hungry and tired from all of the day's events. We settled on ordering pizza, a thin crust hailed as a Missouri trademark. When the pizza arrived, we all sat at the table thoroughly chewing and making small talk. Practically strangers this morning, we were all united under this roof and our shared experiences of the day. Some time while eating, our chews slowed glancing at the pizza boxes on the table and then each other, we all looked up and bursted out laughing. Coming to the conclusion that New Jersey pizza definitely tastes better.