Solar Spring Break was honestly nothing like I expected. It was so, so much more. Naturally, I showed up for solar- to learn it, support it, work with it, and bring it to those who could benefit. Since I intern in electric utilities, I was excited to get out and see how what I’ve heard around the office could be put into practice in the field and actually serve people. Bringing everything we’ve experienced back to my older coworkers has been great and I can tell they’re super interested in hearing about all of it.
Going into the week, my only experience with renewable energy had been very formal and political, all very red-tape. Because of this, I don’t think I ever truly grasped the benefits it brings to the environment, let alone the people across the nation (and the globe). This trip completely changed my outlook on renewable energy, but SSB also gave me the opportunity to learn and grow in a variety of aspects outside of solar power.
I left California with more than I ever could have hoped for. I flew across the country to serve families who could benefit from a free solar system (and therefore a significantly reduced utility bill), but I am eternally grateful for how they served us. The lessons, experiences, and perspectives from both the GRID staff and the Bay community completely changed my view on the world. I had gone on a different ASB trip last year, but I was honestly surprised to see how much further my outlook on life and people could develop.
ASB definitely has that effect on you. Yes, it’s centered around service, but it’s also about bringing students together so that they can come back and bring society together. It’s cultural appreciation and community integration. It’s tearing down walls, breaking stereotypes, and changing lives.
We walked through downtown San Francisco one night and saw hunger and homelessness, pain and despair. What really made this hit home for me was a Mother Teresa quote I stumbled on after returning back to North Carolina- realizing how unloved and forgotten these people must have felt, well, I agree that that’s a much bigger tribulation to comprehend than poverty alone.
We canvassed neighborhoods to talk with families about GRID and saw how they had been taken advantage of. I really had to push myself out of my comfort zone for this day, but I’m so appreciative that GRID sent us out to really connect with the community. The homes that we visited seemed to enjoy talking to us, as college students from the opposite coast, and I hope we were able to get across our insane levels of enthusiasm and how much we genuinely cared for them.
We spent two days climbing on a roof and saw our team dynamic really come to light. Every single person brought something unique to the table. Everyone had such interesting stories and inspirations; they truly motivated me and made me aspire to be a better person. One of my favorite things to say about the ASB experience is that you go away for spring break with complete strangers, spend twenty-four hours a day with them for a week, and yet never grow sick of them. You come back from that week wondering how you’re going to go back to your normal life of classes and clubs without seeing them every day. I didn’t even want to say “see you later” as we got off our final plane, so how could I ever tell them goodbye?
We met people of completely different backgrounds all working towards the same goal and saw not only incredible passion, but new ways of thinking and a new appreciation for the lives we are fortunate enough to live. Every single member of the GRID staff taught me something different, even just from one or two conversations, and I really hope we get to see them again someday.
There was a lot of flexibility and open-mindedness required on this trip, but in my eyes, it was perfect. The Solar Power Rangers will always have a permanent place in my college family and my only regret from the week is that it took me so long to finally open up and find my place on such an amazing team. A huge thank you to Jackson for making this trip happen, to the team for being their incredible selves, to GRID for being awesome hosts and teachers, to CSLEPS for giving us this life-changing opportunity, to the NC State Sustainability Fund for making this trip financially possible, and to the California community for giving us a week we will never, ever forget.