Pre-trip reflection

I can't believe we are leaving in 2 days! After months of planning, we are finally getting ready to head down to Biloxi, MS. As the group leader, there are so many things going through my head right now. Firstly, I want to make sure that all my participants will have a safe trip there and back. Additionally, I want to make sure that this trip is impactful and meaningful for my participants. As Business majors, most people think that we are disconnected from society and only cares about making money. This is a great opportunity for us Kelley kids to show the community that we do care about our community. On this trip, I hope that my participants will be able to get in touch with the "darker side" of society. As college kids, we live under a protective bubble, sheltered from reality. Now this is a great opportunity for all of us to see and experience lives beyond the bubble. We are breaking free!

Although Hurricane Katrina faded from the news, the damages left behind are permanent. Working with Habitat will allow us to experience the post-katrina damage firsthand and also be able to actively help rebuild the town that many calls home. To gain some experience, we volunteered with Bloomington Habitat last Saturday as our pre-trip volunteering event. We were lucky enough to work with the future owner of the house. While we installed windows, I was able to talk to the owner's kids. Their faces lit up when they are talking about finally owning a house and all the things they'll do once they move in. Despite the draft coming through the doors, their story warmed my heart.