It’s almost time for my adventure to begin! Two weeks from today, I’ll be stepping off the plane in Belfast. I’ll be wearing everything that doesn’t fit in my suitcase (I’m talking multiple winter coats), so I will definitely not be putting my best fashion foot forward. 

Let me catch you up on my preparations for the move– it’s been a busy summer. Since receiving the joyful news that I would be going to Belfast, I have been making lots of arrangements to ensure that my transition in September is smooth. My main accomplishment has been procuring a UK visa, which involved reading the entirety of the UK immigration website, bothering my endlessly patient partner organization with a bunch of forms to fill out, paying lots of money, and even taking a little road trip to the Cincinnati USCIS Office. I’m happy to announce that I finally have that hard-earned stamp in my passport, so I can finally breathe for the first time in 3 months. I also applied for an international credit card (with no foreign exchange fees!), secured housing (I’ll be living with college students in Northern Belfast), bought a plane ticket (departing on 9/11), purchased a UK phone plan (excited to have the +44 prefix), and got a Belfast transit card (can you tell I’m extremely Type A)? 

Aside from handling the practical things, I have also done a lot of emotional processing and transitioning over these past few months. I knew that this could be my last summer living in Nashville, which has been my home for the past four years, and I wanted to hold space for the magnitude of this change. In my last days there, I lingered in wistful goodbyes and reflected on cherished memories. I visited places that held meaning for me, ceremonially experiencing “lasts” (last church service at Belmont United Methodist, last walk at Shelby Park, last drive down Belmont Blvd, last Chocolate Milk Latte at Sump Coffee Co, etc). My heart brims with love for the city that has remolded me! The physical space and the people within it have forever changed me and my trajectory, and it is quite bittersweet to realize that we will now be evolving separately. I will never be this version of myself, in this city, in this phase of life, with these people, ever again! Instead of feeling daunted or disappointed by that reality, I am invigorated. I feel confident in my choice to leave and excited by the prospect of a new environment. I know that moving to a new country alone will not be easy– it will probably be isolating and stressful at times. However, I am sure in the friends and family who are rooting for me, my ability to find wonder in the ordinary, and the joy that will come from doing work which impassions me. 

I stand where I am today because someone taught me to love stories as a child; now, I am ready to pass that love to students in Belfast. At Fighting Words, I will facilitate story workshops, empowering children and illuminating their ability to expand their own creativity. I will also lead a creative writing club, strengthening young writers’ skills and supporting their growth. I cannot wait to meet the students and my colleagues at Fighting Words– I know I’m going to learn so much! 

Until next time,

Eleri xx

a picnic with friends right before I left Nashville

a gorgeous Nashville sunset to see me off

a hopeful and timely message!

I recently celebrated my first two months here. The summer staff has left, and the needs and priorities are shifting here. My boss and I are beginning to prioritize drafting and revising her manuscript (more on that later!!). I am getting accustomed to a change in routine and community, and despite not being in school or living in a climate that experiences autumn, I have that ‘back to school’ feeling.

New Hope Girls sent 25+ girls to school this past week. Here are three safe houses at New Hope Girls. I live in the “university house” or “la casa universidad,” with three teenagers beginning their senior year of high school, one being a third-year college student and one co-worker my age. During my first two months here, it was difficult to find a quiet spot in a house or a cool place to sit outside (well, that part is still true). Beginning this past Monday, the house is cleared out by seven in the morning! This is when I either commute to Santiago to work with my boss or work from home.

My work is more internal now. External activities at the safe houses have been turned into after-school activities and sports practices—and as a result, office work is ramping up, the manuscript needs to be completed soon, and work-related trips are becoming a priority.

I am most excited about the special project that solidified my position here: completing and publishing my boss’s memoir.

Earlier this year, my boss, Joy, set her February aside to complete a 30,000-word manuscript, which she describes as New Hope Girls’ memoir. 40 stories chronicle the organization’s establishment and the prayer, grace, faith, restoration, and provision that occurred along the way—It is amazing!

I am blown away by what I get to be a part of.

When I arrived two months ago, in June, I was tasked to work through the manuscript slowly, developmentally editing it along the way. After Joy and I decided that self-publishing was the route we wanted to take, Joy hired a publishing consultant to aid with the story formation and distribution processes. The three of us have become a team!

His job is to consult during revision, suggest marketing strategies, and oversee all distribution processes. My job is to developmentally edit the manuscript alongside Him (I do the first round, he does the second), then copyedit to printing standard, and then proofread the manuscript to perfection. Additionally, I’ll work with New Hope staff to strategize and execute marketing campaigns.

Again…it floors me that I get to do this. This is my dream project. I feel incredibly lucky to do something like this so early in my career.

Perhaps the process I am most excited about is the first round of edits. Joy is currently about 10,000 words short of the word count a book of this genre needs to be at. So, I’ve already created a scheduled plan for how we are going to get the content to that level. Joy and I have planned multiple writing retreats where she writes, I edit, and we revise together.

The second draft of the manuscript must be complete by January, so we currently have four months to complete it. Considering Joy is the organization’s president, this is a difficult feat, but we both have a lot of momentum and excitement in completing this project. And the story of New Hope Girls…wow. I feel honored to help Joy document this story and to share it with others! We hope it can honor everyone involved.

The three other interns are gone, the pool parties are fewer, the camps are complete, and the summer season is officially over. I have lived a whole season here. This fills me with encouraging pride—I feel much more settled here and am gaining confidence. I want to be steadfast. I want to try my best to honor the seat at the table that has been so graciously offered to me, and I am learning a lot.

Happy back-to-school, everyone!

cred: @newhope.girls — the girls before the first day of school!

Welcome back, folks!

In the last two weeks, I feel I have lived and learned more than I ever anticipated. Most notably, I just returned from a three-day training with this cohort of full-time volunteers. We are currently eight volunteers from three different countries. We all bring unique experiences and passions to the table. Some of us are just finishing high school, while others are wrapping up university (or well past graduation, as in my case). Despite our differences, I’m now more excited than ever to be a part of this crew. Their intentions are genuine, their energy seems infinite, and they are willing and ready to learn. Also, there’s now another Aaron on the team! After some brainstorming, I was given the nickname Benito, and it’s catching on.¹

For our training, we traveled an hour south to a cabin in Lake Chapala, where we learned more about the current context of migration through Mexico, the origins, history, and mission of our organization, how to work well as a team, and more detailed aspects of the work we’re already doing. We laughed through demonstrations as we practiced the procedure for new entries to the shelter, but we also took time to connect on a deeper level and build trust. It was the first time in a long time I was in an educational setting as a student, not a teacher, and that actually made me quite emotional. Though I only finished undergrad a bit over a year ago, it feels like I’ve lived multiple lives since then; I’ve called several places home and found community and companionship in so many contexts. Feeling like a learner once again brought me an unexpected peace — a brief intermission for a season of life that sometimes feels like an emotional roller coaster.

Further, the training brought me back to the roots of my decision to embark on this adventure — my purpose, my motivation, my why. My interest in immigration was born long ago, but it truly came to fruition during my senior year of high school, when I met one of my closest friends. An immigrant from Brazil, he took a leap of faith to come to the United States when he was only 14. He came knowing very little English and with only a few relatives in the country. Against all odds, he achieved fluency in English within three years and graduated with flying colors. Looking at him now, you would never come close to imagining the setbacks and challenges he faced. Though far from perfect, he is able to live a stable life, and he has found a strong support system in the United States.

Senior year of high school was a blur, but if memory serves, stories of migration like his were what first compelled me to study Spanish and international politics. Over the next four years, I volunteered and interned with several organizations dedicated to serving immigrants and refugees, and I even practiced discussing immigration topics in my Spanish classes at Belmont. I cemented my belief that immigration is a human right and that facilitating the process for those in need is a worthy cause. Since my arrival in Guadalajara, I have not once doubted the validity or necessity of this work. I can see the impact it makes firsthand, and I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity to expand my perspectives on a phenomenon so dear to my heart.

I could say a whole lot more about why and how I ended up in Guadalajara doing this type of project, but I need a little something to keep you coming back! Though my social calendar has slowed a bit since my last post, there is so much more I want to do in and around Guadalajara with my new friends. Hopefully, I’ll be back with stories of thrilling adventures and unfamiliar experiences.

Until then,

Aaron/Benito

1. Contrary to what some may believe, “Benito” is not a tribute to the iconic Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, but rather a Spanish take on my middle name.

It might sound like a lot of work, but I promise, I’m still having fun! One of my favorite shots from last weekend’s trip to Tequila.

The 2024-25 crew on the lake. I love these guys!

There have been two major events since I arrived on the island: intern retreat and campamento!

the campamento crew!

I must have perfectly timed my arrival because not even two weeks in, I, my boss’s daughter, and the other two interns were making the two-hour trip to the coast for a beach getaway.

The idea behind the retreat was to build friendships, have time off, brainstorm ways the internship program can grow, and enjoy this beautiful island. I can confirm that the trip was successful on all fronts. It is an experience I look back on with gratitude.

Some highlights include paddle boarding during sunset (I saw a green sea turtle!), swimming in the ocean, laughing with the other interns, cooking dinner at the house, jumping in the pool after dark, late-night chats before sleep overcame us, and other little moments of joy that only I get to keep. Truly, what a good time.

doing some office work in the mountains! The girls painted our faces with butterflies.

It is so rare and beautiful to me that we all get to be together, and I get to be with them. I get to be here, and I pray that this outlook never fades or eludes me. It is necessary and essential to view things this way, but it is not the easiest thing to believe every day. Two of the interns that I spent the last few weeks laughing and hanging out with are now back in the States. Circumstances have changed, and that is okay. Joy is a discipline; contentment is a discipline.

the beach at cabarete

I am glad to be here. It is also challenging to be here, and the whiplash of both of these things being true tires me out occasionally. One moment can be very light, and then the next moment, there is a stinging reminder that the world is so broken, too—these are harsh realities that I must keep close to my chest. It’s just how it is.

Around my fourth week here, we loaded up the vans and drove to Puerto Plata for summer campamento. This is THE event on the New Hope Girls calendar. A recurring team from Florida comes down to the DR every year (this year, with a team of 25, which puts us at a 1-to-1 ratio for New Hope Girl to US volunteer). This is a big help and an exciting thing! This is the ninth year of campamento.

the hike — we explored some caves beforehand!

Basically, campamento is a kid vacation! The girls get to explore their beautiful island home and, for some, see the ocean and beach for the first time. We stay at a small campground in the mountains, where there are many potholes, free-range cattle, stars, almond trees, and mosquitos. Many volleyball games are played, and daily dancing in the gazebo is a must.

Some highlights include the beaches in Cabarete, a 6km hike, a trip to the colmado, banana boating, cliff jumping at Lagoon Dudu, feeding a cow, the girls teaching me how to harvest raw almonds (the trick: a good, pointed rock and a hard surface), making journal art, braiding hair, night chats in the Bigs dorm (12-16 age range), impromptu English lessons with the Littles, and more.

I would, however, be remiss if I did not mention that, by the end of camp, 30 girls were sharing one toilet and two showers because the water was out in 2/4 cabins, there were multiple rat spottings in the dorms (they skidder on the wall’s ledges inside the dorm. This made my top bunk experience quite thrilling) and that nearly all the adults had either food poisoning, nausea, headache, aches, chills, fever, or all of the above (for me, all of the above). But hey…we still had a blast! Nothing could stop us.

It’s both. There’s thankfulness in mealtimes, joy in dancing, bliss in shell hunting, and relief in sleep. I would not change it, but I want to challenge the idea that everything is always paradise here. This is a real place, one far from the lush, abounding resources and vacation homes of Punta Cana that most Americans associate with Caribbean life. I see here that where there is beauty, but there are also destroyers of beauty…but that’s not the end of the cycle. New Hope Girls exist to break cycles, and I am proud that I get to be a part of that.

our trusty safari van

Lagoon dudu. I got to jump into it!

Good morning, afternoon, or evening, wherever you are.

I write to you as I wrap up a 12-hour overnight shift. If you had told me three weeks ago that I would be here, as an amateur security guard and volunteer-in-charge, I would have laughed you out of the room. Alas, needs are needs, and this week was a tough one for volunteers; we were very few despite the albergue being at full capacity. Unfortunately, this week was also marred with drama and conflict, including a serious incidence of theft and some rebellion against authority. Frankly, I wasn’t prepared to deal with the reality that even the seemingly sweetest are capable of betraying your trust, but these occurrences served as reminders of both why there are so many rules and why they must be enforced with no exceptions.

At first, my supervisor’s offering of an early morning shift sandwich with weekend overnight shift bread made me lose my appetite, but I’m proud to say that I dove in headfirst, learned a lot, and have grown in my capacity to lead firmly. Sleep deprivation is temporary, but the lessons learned and skills honed in just one intense week will certainly last a lifetime. In the midst of all the chaos, I worked out a new agreement with my supervisor, and I am now planning to stay at this shelter as a full-time volunteer through mid-November. Now that it’s official, I get to experience training, retreats and activities, and other benefits. Perhaps what I’m most excited for is the chance to work on the more administrative end of the organization, potentially in the legal, political, or social realm. Such an opportunity ought to facilitate a smooth transition back to the more traditional working world, which I anticipate being my next step.

Though it’s been fun, I’m happy to say that a new class of full-time volunteers has arrived to help out, so I will no longer have to sprint around the shelter, juggling several little tasks at once. I hope that our relationship goes beyond delegating work and sharing the burden of service; I am still looking to invest in friendships here in Guadalajara, and the dozen new arrivals are too!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the fun I’ve had this week as well. Waking up at 5:45 day after day to bike 30 minutes to work doesn’t allow for too much socializing, but I still managed to visit some stunning waterfalls yesterday, taking full advantage of my day off. I’ve also gone out on the town a bit, eager to see the vibrant, relaxed side of Guadalajara at night. It’s early days,  but now that I’ve settled the details of my volunteer commitment, some bigger trips and adventures are sure to be in the works. Stay tuned for more updates!

Un abrazo,

Aaron

Yesterday’s adventure: La Cascada de Huaxtla. Truly magical!

I decided to bike home from the shelter today. The sun was shining and the morning air still cool. What a sweet moment (and great way to see the city center)!

The Dominican Republic is starting to feel more comfortable to me.  I have settled into my room, which adds permanence to my position here.  After about a month here, the novelty has worn off, kind of like breaking in a new pair of jeans.  Not bad at all—quite good, actually—but it’s just not new anymore.  This is not a vacation where I’ll return as soon as anything gets difficult.  No—this is my life (and it’s going quite well).

On my first night here four weeks ago, I was immediately embraced by the other interns.  There are three of us, and together we hauled four mattresses from the upstairs bedrooms to the downstairs living room area and watched a movie together.  It was a sleepover complete with Coca-Cola, get-to-know-you talk, a movie, and Papa John’s pizza we ordered through PedidosYa!  We could have been in America, except for the ungodly number of mosquitos flying in through the open window and attacking our ankles.

We had a birthday party for one of the girls during my first week here, and that was a big, beautiful day to join the New Hope family!

Birthdays at New Hope Girls are a big deal.  We decorated the home in blues and whites, served cake for the girls’ breakfast, and invited all corners of the New Hope organization to come celebrate.  The best part was when the yard games turned into pool games—the girls threw the caregivers into the pool!

This is the day I met all 25 girls who are residential regulars at New Hope.  The other 200+ girls are a part of the outreach program. I got to meet them that same week for Campamento (like summer day camp!).

The theme for Campamento was “Generacion Luz” or “Generation of Light.” Luckily, the campgrounds are walking distance from my home, so my housemates and I walked over to begin the day. 

We hosted games, danced with the girls, and tried some of my first Dominican food (“La Bandera” or “The Flag.” It is chicken, rice, red beans, and salad).  Amidst all the fun and games, I also had a startling moment.  Two of the kids approached the leaders and shared a piece of their stories with them.  The information led to our team opening two new legal cases.

My work as an executive /editorial assistant means that I do not often see this part of our work, but it was a moment that put into perspective why we throw birthday parties and host community events like camp.  Every email I send, and every text I write and review all connects to this: to a little girl going to camp for the first time, and feeling seen and loved enough to say something—It is all about rescue and healing.

We host camp because it says to this community that we see them and we are.  Camp says this is how leaders are supposed to care for you.  Through our actions, we say: this is who you are—a member of the light generation.  You do not have to be like the person who hurt you—we will feed you, clothe you, and educate you because you are created for something more than the pain you have known.

This is the work that I have been called into for these nine months.

Campamento — Generación de luz!

…

My day-to-day is more consistent.

Every morning I set my alarm for 6am and try to get up to go run at the outside track near my house.  Sometimes I go with a friend, other times I circle the track with a podcast or audiobook playing in my ears. T his is a good way to start my day.

After a shower, coffee, and a toastada, my housemate and I walk to the bus stop (“estación de guagua”) for the commute to Santiago.  It takes about thirty minutes and is a very enjoyable part of the day. The buses here are quite nice and air-conditioned.  The people on the bus are quiet and respectful.  You have to yell out your desired drop-off location to el chofer, so it’s a great opportunity to practice my Spanish!

I arrive to my bosses house / home office around 9:30am and then we work until about 5pm!  It is a typical ‘9-5’ situation, and all my work is in English, so it is quite comfortable. 

Right now, Joy, my boss, and I work together to strategize effective communication methods among the staff and donors, as well as work on copy material for their media outlets (blog, instagram, emailing list, etc).  After lunch, we usually move into working on her manuscript, which is around 30,000 words.  I am currently about 8,000 words in, I would say.  There is a lot about working on the book that I really enjoy, I’ll save that for another report.

There is a simplicity and ease to my life here that I have not experienced in a while. The comfort of routine and the steady pace of work has been quite good for me. I was already a calm person, but I am más tranquilla here—island time suits me quite nicely.

My fellow intern friends!

A beautiful beach near Samana.

The sunset in Las Terrenas 🙂

My life has changed completely since I arrived (in the best way)! Everything is still brand new. My friends, community, home, food preferences, language, images of beauty…I’m in a state of exploration and wonder. It’s good to be in the Dominican Republic!

I spent years dreaming of an experience like this, of the ability to serve and to learn a new language. I wanted to work with women and girls, to be a part of a team committed to justice and change. How is it possible that some courage and a plane ticket could flip my entire world upside down? What!? I’m so lucky to be here!

.

Let me tell you about how my last day in Tennessee transformed into the first day of my brand-new life here in the DR.

On June 26, my entire life lay scattered on the floor: a few books, some college t-shirts, handwritten letters, and small, gifted watercolor paints. One of my best friends, Kaylee, came over and helped me pack. We sang some of our favorite songs and talked well into the midnight arrival of June 27, my departure day.

I walked her to the car, and the finality of her driving away hit me: college was over, the lease of my Nashville home was up, and I thought about all the rooms I called my own and how they all belonged to someone else now. In a few hours, I would have another new room.

At 6am, my mom dropped me off at the Nashville Airport. We did not talk much on that drive, but it was good quiet. I felt really loved by her and so grateful for her ability to listen and recognize that this new stage of my life is exactly where I need to be. We hugged warmly and said, “see you soon.”

No going back.

Coincidentally, the President and Founder of New Hope Girls (my boss) was in Nashville for the Thistle Farms Revolutionary Love Conference (which I got to attend with her earlier that week!). She and I decided to fly together. The uninterrupted time together allowed us to brainstorm additional projects we could work on together for the next nine months (I want to revamp their garden!), discuss day-to-day rhythms, and get to know each other. We also debriefed moments from the Conference.

Thistle Farms is an amazing organization in Nashville with a similar anti-human trafficking mission as New Hope Girls. It was so cool to be in the main conference room just a few days before. I was surrounded by many role models and strong women. It hit me that I had probably never been in a room with that many female leaders in my life. What an excellent room to be invited into.

I felt a similar way when I arrived in the Dominican Republic.

I arrived in Santiago, Dominican Republic, on June 27 at midnight. What was the first thing I did in this new country that I now kind of call home, you may ask? I ate a Subway sandwich (turkey club, to be exact) with my boss’s family, including her two youngest kids, and I felt immediately welcomed. It was awesome-random.

That morning, they treated me to a nice cafe outing to discuss the day’s plans, and I grew more nervous-excited by the minute (I ordered a cortado, but the Spanish word is “cortadito” and isn’t that so cute and fun to say?). After that, it was time to move into my new room.

When we arrived in La Vega, we explored the barrio, and I was introduced to the amazing girls leading the Ministerio de Luz (“Ministry of Light”), New Hope’s outreach program. This was my first few hours in this new place and I tried to slow down my brain and take in the bright Caribbean colors and the crazy high danceability of Latin music. I also wanted to remember everyone’s names and their faces. I wanted to remember these first few moments.

We left the barrio and toured the workshop and the three safe homes. I was getting the full La Vega tour experience, and I was loving it. The final stop on the tour was the safe home for teenagers, where I will move into my new room.

I entered the room and entered my first moment alone in days. I put my bags down gently and looked around, slowing down.

My new sheets are my older sister’s favorite color. The space above the nightstand is a perfect space for handwritten letters and watercolor paintings. The closet is spacious, and my college t-shirts are folded in a stack. There is a large plantain tree outside my window—I did not think I had ever eaten fresh plantain before. My window faces the north; Nashville is north, and my hometown in Illinois is north. All my people who helped me grow up are north.

The sun is pink and orange now, and I will be more than okay.

Me and my new intern friends!

Mashed plantains “mangu,” from the tree outside my window. Also, very common Dominican meal! Chinola juice, fried salami, and mangu.

weekend dinner at an empanada restaurant! We love Chinola juice.

chalk wall at the little girls safe house 🙂

Hey there, I’m Aaron! Welcome to my Lumos blog. Over the next four months, I’ll be keeping you in the loop on my international development project in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Part of the time, I will be working in a shelter for immigrants and refugees as they pass through the city. I might also have the opportunity to expand the project to work on local issues and work with other NGOs.

I recently returned from a nine-month stint in Galicia, Spain, where I taught English on a Fulbright grant. That experience certainly made me feel more confident as a traveler and intercultural communicator, and I am excited to use my much-improved Spanish to serve. My time at home has been short, but I am making the most of it by seeing lots of friends and family before I leave the country once again. It’s a whirlwind, this season of life has helped me feel more comfortable moving around and adjusting quickly to new environments.

While the past year has prepared me well for some aspects of the project, I know that the work I do in Guadalajara will be immensely different than teaching. I might have the opportunity to teach at some point, and I will be looking out for any chance I get, but I will also have to do lots of physical labor and “grunt work” at the shelter. Regardless of how I contribute, I’m excited to do so, and I’m doing my best to begin this experience with an open mind. I’ll be back with more updates next week after I land in Mexico and visit a friend before beginning my work!

¡Hasta pronto!

Aaron

This is a time of back-to-back life-changing experiences. I will debrief my graduation, moving out of my college home, my two-week trip to India, a week at Boston L’Abri, and a KY lake trip with my dad. First on the bracket is graduation.

My sister took this photo...she also graduated from Belmont!

How do I even attempt to culminate my experiences? It was wonderful, heartrending, better than I could have ever hoped. Above all else, I feel lucky to have great professors, friends, family, jobs…need I go on? They helped get me here. My Belmont highlights:

RUF: I loved being a part of RUF, its ministry, and the friends it has brought me. There’s a line in a song from Les Mis (I coincidentally watched this two nights before I left town with some friends): “To love someone is to see the face of God.” RUF felt like that.
The English Major: The English department. What a group of professors and students! I loved creating and leading the Belmont Creative Writing Club, attending English Club trivia and game nights, and building relationships with such caring educators! In the fall of my senior year, I invited English major friends to a monthly breakfast, which grew into solid friendships. Two of my friends in the “English Breakfast Club,” Eleri and Elisabeth, are actually going on Lumos trips in the UK! It’s so cool to see how these friendships once consisted of simply sharing a monthly meal and now consist of some significant encouragement to pursue global service together! Crazy.
University Ministries: We went on a Belmont trip to Israel and Palestine. The trip was incredible, and we learned so much. Our trip inspired me to get involved in my local community alongside University Ministries. This led me to help lead meal preparation for Room In the Inn (at Belmont) my senior year and to go on a mission trip to Seattle (a profoundly impactful experience for me and a huge reason I decided to pursue an international service project). I also co-led a service trip to Memphis, TN, for 15+ first-year students! It was a blast. The UM staff are such the best at encouragement. I am so grateful that I decided to work with them during my senior year.
Study Abroad in London: Imagine you are in Yorkshire, hiking through a beautiful hilly sheep pasture on your way to a tranquil waterfall where the Brontes wrote their famous novels. That was my life (and I’m still not over it). Studying some of my favorite stories in the lands that inspired them is an experience I will never take lightly. Again, I felt so lucky. London is my favorite city ever, and I hope to return.

That was college, and it was wonderful. Two days after I graduated, my two best friends left on a beach trip, and I packed up our house. I packed up plates, memories, photographs, and shared kitchen bowls—we really had an amazing time living together. I’ll never forget the times we shared.

Next, India. I went with University Ministries and Rahab’s Rope, an anti-human trafficking organization like New Hope Girls. When I first heard about this trip in 2023, I knew I needed to be on the team. This trip was the most challenging travel experience I have had, primarily due to not adjusting well to food/heat and not feeling well. However, I enjoyed meeting the people and exploring local areas. The trip helped prepare me for my move to the Dominican Republic in ways I am still trying to understand. Overall, it was a positive and needed experience.

Vasco, Goa, India.

I arrived at Boston L’Abri two weeks after India and a month after graduating and moving out of my college home. Boston seemed like a good idea—a place to re-center my thoughts and mentally prepare for the move to the Dominican Republic. I had spent the last four years surrounded by people my age, and I wanted to go somewhere where I could disconnect from the outside world and learn from those currently experiencing a variety of life stages. My Christian faith is very important to me, and I wanted to ground myself in spiritual truth before I left my Nashville church/faith community ultimately. So, L’Abri it was.

My time there can be summarized as peaceful. L’Abri focuses on group discussion, spiritual questioning, and intellectual study. Most of the day is spent in silence, and it is also not difficult to spend it in solitude. Most mornings, I walked to the reservoir and spent at least an hour walking along the water’s edge. It was so, so needed. The community I met there was so warm and inviting as well…one of the best environments I had ever been in. Having the time to quietly study, pray, read, draw, spend time in nature, do yard work, drink tea, draw, paint, listen, and be listened to was so life-giving. I hope to spend more than a week there after I return to America.

Boston L’Abri — this place quickly felt like home.

It was difficult to leave Boston, but knowing I would go to KY Lake made the process easier. Every year, my siblings and I spend a weekend in June with my dad. It is a tradition I look forward to. My sister flew in from Pennsylvania, and I was so happy to see her! We ended up bunking with our young nephew, which was so much fun. We all spent the weekend drinking coffee on the balcony overlooking the lake, which I love so much, and playing Sorry! In the evenings after dad treated us to ice cream. KY Lake reminds me of childhood, and it was nice to be reminded of that one more time as I move toward pursuing such ‘adult’ things like graduating and moving far away from family by myself.

Finally, I said goodbye to my friends and family and packed up my life for the next nine months...and my life changed yet again.

we drank coffee every morning and got to ask dad thoughtful questions at KY Lake.