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…
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…
There have been two major events since I arrived on the island: intern retreat and campamento! 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…
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,…
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…
Dearest friends, family, and strangers, I’m back after a brief hiatus, and we have a lot to unpack. Since my last post, I’ve started my volunteer role at FM4 Paso Libre, a shelter for migrants and transmigrants in Guadalajara. Taking…
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…
Hey all! I made it! This past Wednesday, I bid farewell to my family and friends as I took an early-morning flight (2am!) to Guadalajara. Preparations looked like everything from me reaching out to my host mother to preparing and…
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…
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…