My Spring break was definitely one of a kind. This trip has stretched my limits physically, emotionally and mentally. We boarded a plane to California to install solar panels on the rooftops of low income communities. Wow, right. Except it was so much more. Each and every person in this trip brought their most sincere self to the table and was ready to contribute. All of my teammates put their best foot forward and worked so hard to make a difference in others’ lives. It was inspiring, to say the least.
The people we met at GRID alternatives were absolutely wonderful. They made sure to make us feel at home. They were passionate about their work and loved their jobs. It was joyful to listen to them talk about their life journeys and how they ended up working for the non-profit organization. There were many unique perspectives that made me pause and reflect. It just made me realize that there are many issues in this world that we just turn a blind eye to because quite simply, we don’t know what we can do about them so we do the next best thing, just ignore them. In this trip, I had to come face to face with a lot of them.
Towards the beginning of the trip, I was a little bit distracted. I had been upset due to some personal reasons and that had made it hard for me to focus and be completely immersed in the trip at first. This changed when we started installing solar panels.
We installed solar panels for two days. I felt so proud after I saw them. It was a tangible result of our hard work. We had installed 32 panels in all, on the rooftops of two houses. At one point when we were installing them, I had an epiphany. I had gone through three days without worrying about my personal problems because I was focused on helping others. It felt great. At that moment, it was just me and my teammates. It did not matter what had happened or was going to come in the near future. What mattered most was the present. I am truly grateful for this experience. It has helped me be a more optimistic person than before.
Another great aspect of this trip was the service I could perform. It was a humbling experience. We got to interact with the communities of the area and find out about their lives. We met a little boy named Santiago too. The GRID staff told us that the solar panels that we were installing would be on the house for 20 years, which implied that when Santiago would be old enough to go to college, those solar panels would still be on their houses lowering the family’s energy costs.
An additional highlight of this trip for me were the games that we played. They were used as an ice-breaker initially. But the enthusiasm and competitive spirit that my friends brought into these games made them a great bonding experience. Another bonding experience were the reflections we had every night. They reinforced the fact that our actions have consequences and we must take time to think about them and the impact it has.
Overall, this trip was a delightful opportunity to meet new minds, make an impact and expand my horizons.