A Year in Review: I Cannot Wait for 2013

Hello everyone!
   This is my first time posting on a blog and I am really excited to do so. In the past, I feel like I have been able to express myself better.
    What a year it has been.....there has been change both in my personal life as well as in the real world. One of the highlights of my year was being invited to join a group of 25 other students and faculty on ASB to Mississippi. I have had many friends that went on the Joplin trip and based on their stories and testimonies, I knew this was something that I wanted to do. I have always loved helping people and wanted to have the chance to make a difference to those who were deeply affected by the BP Oil Spill and past hurricanes. I have seen the photos and the damage that has been done by this community and feel horrible for them. The efforts being made in this instance show who the heroes are in this country; they take time from thier lives and dedicate it towards helping fix the area and make it a better place. It is because of thier continued dedication that I also want to have the chance to make an impact and gain a sense of confidence. I want to challenge myself and do something that I have never done before, and I know that doing this will definetly guide me in becoming the person I want to be.
    Seeing everything that has occured in the past year has taught me to be grateful for everything I have.Since becoming a member of ASB, I have begun to see things in a new light that I have never seen before. I have learn to gain a better understanding of what people go through and how much one simple thing really does change everything. These events have shown me how important volunteering is and that doing this does make an impact. I think that by finding photos, it will help me express my true opinions.

    The one thing I want to talk about is Hurricane Sandy. Although I was not directly impacted, the devastation was heartbreaking:

 

This photo was particularly devastating to me. This roller coaster was a part of a boardwalk in which 1000s of people would walk on every summer. It was a part of a culutre that many people looked forward to every year. To many families, the boardwalk symbolizes fun and many family memories. With one storm, everything changed. The rollercoaster is now under water and broken. The places surrounding it are gone and only pieces of it remain. It was so devastating to see this because families did not know what to do. The emotion that came from these pictures are unspeakable; I can only imagine what they are going through. I wish that I could have gone on the boardwalk in order to understand how much this meant to the people that went there. It is through times like these that we truly come together and support one another. I am so lucky to be a part of a nation that is there for one another. I am looking forward to helping/ seeing what happens next.

It was through Hurricane Sandy that I strongly encourage every person to do something towards the cause. It gave me no greater feeling then when I was able to participate in FSU's Kiss a Pig Fundraiser. The event was so much fun and knowing that my money was going to those deeply affected made me feel so good about myself. I could not stop smiling whenever I talked about it because it was so much fun! I cannot wait to do the same when in Mississippi!! I know that going there and helping out CCI will be a grateful experience that will help me understand the serious damage that occured to one of the states in our great nation!

Love
Carly :)

New record!

The applications are in! We broke our record with 60 applications this year! Tomorrow (well, technically today) we begin a new process—the interview process. Our goal is that an interview will give each applicant the chance to truly shine.

I am so incredibly thankful for each person who took the time to apply this year. You took a chance, dared to think beyond your own needs and apply to a program where others come first. Whether you are chosen or not to be a part of this trip, you should be so proud. Taking the time to apply demonstrates just the kind of person you are—selfless. Thank you! Thank you for taking an interest, for putting in your effort, and for seeing the value of service to others.

There is no doubt that ASB is growing and that FSU students’ passion for service is growing too. Your applications have inspired me.

Keep giving back FSU! Whether on ASB this year or not, you are ALL making a difference J

Love,

Molly

Operations and education trip leader  

We're almost there!

WOW time flies! It's such an awesome feeling to be so close to having a group! Going to Joplin, MO was such an amazing experience, and I'm so excited to be a part of ASB 2013. My perspective, now as a trip leader, has completely shifted from last year. Right now, I just really want to get as many wonderful people as possible involved in this experience. I hope it will change them the way that it changed me, and I want to make sure that I'm making their ASB experience as amazing and life-changing as possible. Picking the group (and the chaperones!) will, I'm sure, be a stressful, but absolutely rewarding experience in the end :)
-Tori Dost
"Blessed are those who see beauty in humble places, where others see nothing." -Camille Pissarro

It's That Time of Year Again!

How time flies! I cannot believe it is already the end of September. It feels like yesterday we were heading back from Joplin, Missouri and I was eager to apply for a trip leader position. After the last few crazy weeks of the semester and getting the finance trip leader position I was eager to begin planning for the next Alternative Spring Break trip. After what seemed like a quick summer full of researching, planning and fundraising we have finally made it back to Framingham State and guess what... ASB is in full swing! 

Applications have been out for a mere four days and already submissions have been coming in fast and furiously! It is hard to contain my excitement about the trip and I cannot wait until we officially have our group that will be heading to Biloxi, Mississippi. I find myself constantly thinking about ASB and putting off school work to focus on this trip. Attending Alternative Spring Break last year changed my life and I only hope that the trip to Biloxi will have the same effect on other Framingham State students. It is going to be a crazy few weeks full of reading applications, interviewing potential ASB members and notifying our final group. These past five months have flown by so I can only imagine how quickly the rest of this year will pass. In no time it will be spring break and ASB will be off to a new location to create new memories that will last a lifetime!

Carolyn Holland
ASB Trip Leader

From a "Chaperonie"

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” ― Mother Teresa

As a proud member of the Framingham State University community prior to the trip, it was enlightening to join such a motivated group of our students in Joplin and fortify that sense of pride. I was a last minute addition to the chaperones, and wasn’t sure what to expect. However from the one pre-trip meeting I attended to introduce myself to the initial meet up at Logan International, I could tell by the level of energy and enthusiasm that the adventure would be one for the books. At first glance, the sociable demeanor of all the students led me to believe that this was a group of friends. I was shocked that this group was pieced together through an application process, joining together a diverse group of strangers and acquaintances. Many of the students have posted that we became a family. The close quarters certainly encouraged and solidified a unique bond between us. I’m sure the lack of personal space, privacy, and individual free time contributed to the camaraderie. However, I am convinced it was more so the fact that we all share the same compassion for humanity. Connecting on such an emotional level and comforting each other throughout this experience revealed a sentiment and sense of vulnerability that normally gets pushed aside. We were able to take part in rebuilding a community and experience the results on a tangible and personal level. We saw the house get a fresh coat of paint, a beautiful new garden, and the whole exterior of the property became a home again. More importantly, in my opinion, we witnessed the gratitude of the entire community of Joplin through countless measures of appreciation, from the verbal thanks, to the free facilities that the wonderful “Animal” and friends let us utilize, to the monetary donation the “man in red” gave us that very first night. We all felt the gratefulness, and were humbled. I think all of us agreed that we were the fortunate ones and were thankful for the experience. Personally, I learned to look at the bigger picture. People say “don’t sweat the small stuff”, but it’s easy to forget what the small stuff is. It took a trip of this nature to remind me that my everyday frustrations might be considered a good day for others. I am blessed to have the life I live. I am alive and well with a roof over my head and clothes on my back. I work at a University that not only encourages its students to get out and explore and contribute, but its staff members as well. I cannot think of a better way to spend a week’s worth of my vacation time. I would like to thank the other 25 trip members for this once in a lifetime opportunity, for welcoming me at the last minute, for the support and many laughs on the trip, and for making me feel more connected to FSU.

Brooklyn

The Week I will Never Forget

You will often hear college students saying they spent their spring break in Cancun or Florida, but for me, I spent my Spring Break in Missouri. Sure at first it doesn’t sound very exciting, but for me it was a life changing experience. I didn’t know what to expect from any of this. While in Boston waiting for our flight to depart it was snowing just overall depressing. I just wanted to get to Dallas. Once in Dallas it was raining, we even had to wait a good two hours because of maintenance problems. It was a long day of travelling but when we finally got to Joplin it was beautiful and sunny. I saw it as a sign of hope.
After a long day of traveling and we were finally in Joplin we went out to eat at Pizza Hut. On our way in a man sitting down enjoying his meal noticed our large group of 26 people and asked where we were from and we told him Massachusetts. After finishing our food we were told that he paid $100 of our meal. Then after that the manager came outside to personally thank us for what we were doing and he told us that he lost six of his friends and four of his employees. This was just the first night in Joplin and these two people showed me how much they truly appreciate people like us helping restore Joplin.
The next day, it was a Sunday, was supposed to be our first day on the worksite. It was raining that morning so instead we drove around Joplin to see the tornado damage. I heard about the tornado, I saw pictures, I even saw a video of the destruction, but it didn’t hit me until I saw it for myself. These neighborhoods were neighborhoods just like mine and their homes were taken away from them in just a matter of minutes. After all of this they kept hope and stayed strong, Joplin Strong. Even on Extreme Makeover Home Edition, a young child said, “Material things don’t matter, family is what matters” or something like that. Just knowing that made me appreciate everything I had so much more. It wasn’t until we reached the high school, that I almost broke down, and I don’t cry. When I saw the sign read “Hope High School” I knew that even though the schools were taken away from these kids they still had hope. Schools were opened not too long after the tornado and these kids were still able to get an education. After taking all of this in Molly came up to me asking me for an interview. I honestly didn’t know what to say it was so much to take in at once so I sounded like an idiot on camera. After that interview I knew I had to take those words and put them into actions. I wasn’t in Missouri on a vacation I was there to help restore Joplin, I was there to make a difference.
The house to my surprise was bigger than I thought it would be. The only problem was that we had to share two bathrooms between 26 people, 22 of them being girls. Growing up with one bathroom and two sisters I knew what I was in for, just times 11 (that’s the math in me). As soon as we got there people started claiming beds, but I didn’t mind where I slept so I ended up taking the floor. It was cool though, because of the bond that Jorge and I made we ended up switching off every night between the top bunk and the floor. Living in such a small house with 26 people we got really close really fast. I learned everyone’s name by the first night and by the end of the trip I got to know everyone. By the end of the trip it was safe to call ourselves a family. Because of this new family I truly grew as a person. I definitely came out of my shell and came out of my comfort zone. I am absolutely terrified of heights and what did I end up doing, I zip-lined and jumped a 100 foot free-fall. That same day even though I have stage freight I rode a toy horse in front of hundreds of people and earned myself a medal. By the end of the show a man said to me, “Hey son, I paid my money’s worth to watch you win that horse race!” It made my night.
We did a lot of work on Rhonda’s house; we cleaned up, weeded, chipped paint, painted washed the house, sanded, caulked, replaced some pieces of wood, and made a flower garden. I even got to use a nail gun! After four days, we were able to do so much even though we were powered by a strict diet of cereal for breakfast, and pb &j sandwiches for lunch. When it was our last day, I will never forget the look on Rhonda’s face after we finished. We all even got a hug from her, after we gave her a picture to remember us. She even just recently sent Angel a message saying, “I believe you are in my front yard now!!! I love each of you for your time, care and giving of your time to help us here in Joplin. God Bless each of you. Each of you are truly amazing." We had such a big impact on her and knowing that I made a difference in her life changed my life forever.
It was a life-changing experience. I made new friends, a sonic buddy, and overall a new family. Now I am that guy that always holds the door for people behind me. I can honestly say I didn’t know what to expect before going on the trip but now I can say that I wish I could relive every moment of it.

Tim!

Lets build a time machine and relive ASB 2012.... PLEASE!!! :)

Sitting in the airport, itching for departure, all I could think about was the people we'd be meeting, the smiles we'd share, and the life long memories we'd create. The hope this community holds is inspiring and I couldn’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work! Along the trip I kept a journal of a couple key things that stuck out to me at the end of each day. Here’s a few of my favorites:

Day two: Today was our first day up and about in Joplin. We visited the tornado path. Seeing all the destruction was devastating. There were so many emotions going through me at one time, that I didn't really know how to react. After literally being torn out of their homes and having their community ripped to pieces, Joplin remained strong. Even after a year, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, so its just amazing to me to see all these people always so incredibly joyful and nice. It's apparent that material things don't mean a thing to these people; it's all about having each other. Hope is something that is never lacking in this community; it's the glue that holds them together. Hope high is the perfect example of how new beginnings aren't too far off. With that realization, a spark lit up inside of me, I was inspired, touched, and motivated. Nothing was stopping me from giving this my ALL.

Last day: :( Today was our last work day, its bitter sweet. I mean it’d be nice to have a shower or maybe some more room, but at the end of the day all I want to do is stay here with my 25 new brothers and sisters. I had the most amazing time, well amazing isn't even the right word because it was greater than that. I just wanna give a shout out to all the trip leaders for being spectacular. I also want to thank the fabulous chaperones for being on their game! What an experience this was. :) I really can't begin to fathom that this trip is already coming to an end. Coming into this we were all strangers, but now were a family.
Experiencing such a trip has really put things into perspective for me; I appreciate more than I ever did before. It's chilling to think about how much faith and hope lies in this community. It gives me goose bumps. Being here and actually getting some eye action with all the damage that was done motivates you even more to work so much harder. I just want to help restore this community and give them even more of a reason to smile. After all a life without hope is a life thats hard to live and that’s why I think Joplin has so much of it. They continue to prove to me that no matter how bad things get they always get better, especially when you smile along the way.

I have learned so much on this trip, and if I could go back this very moment, I SOOOOO would! Always take every day with a smile and live in the moment, because you never know what tomorrow holds. Be passionate in everything you do, and always let your heart shine. I'm inspired to be a better person because all of you.

Love always,
Lizzie :) <3

"We can burn brighter than the sun"

I can't believe it's been a full week since we came back from Joplin. It feels like it was yesterday. Alternative Spring Break was one of the best experiences of my life, and I'll take the many lessons I learned during our week in Joplin, Missouri with me wherever I go. And not just metaphorically! I got my tatto, a spiral sun, in Joplin so that each time I look at it, for the rest of my life, I will remember the beauty and kindness of the people in Joplin. Although it was premeditated, my tattoo, in part, is for the people of Joplin who, although victims themselves, were the first to show kindness to us, a group of students from halfway across the country. It's for the man at Pizza Hut who put $100 towards our meal, even though he didn't look like he had an extra $100 dollars to give. It's for the manager of Pizza Hut, who ran into the parking lot after us to thank us, even though he didn't need to go out of his way. It's for Rhonda, who could still smile throughout it all. And, finally, it's for the amazing people from Framingham State who I met on this trip, and whose big hearts and desire to help their fellow man have, in turn, helped me to realize that life is short, but meaningful and beautiful nonetheless. Thank you, fellow ASBers. Wherever life takes you, I hope you'll let your inner sunlight shine through. :)
I can't wait to do it again! And for my mom's sake, I hope I won't feel the need to get a tattoo on each trip! ;)

Is this real life?

So we have been home for about a week now. It was one of the hardest transitions getting back on the daily grind. I was so excited to go back to school and see all of my friends and most importantly, my fellow asb family. We would see one another and jump all over each other with hugs. My friends from here began to think I was crazy because we were all obsessed with each other. I had to explain to them numerous times "When you go from living together for a week to not at all, you miss your family!" Even when I got home from the airport and was just home for one night, I went stir crazy over how much I missed being in our tight quarters and just being a family. Although I will admit, having my own bathroom again was a godsent. LOL
All I can say is Miss Molly Goguen was completely right... It was so hard to focus last week! I kept thinking "last week at this time we were ziplining" or just remembering other things we were doing. I just could not focus at all... and when you have to complete an 18 page paper due the Thursday we got back, yeah it was almost impossible. But I managed and I finally put up all of the pictures on facebook on Thursday night! I would not let myself do it before I passed in that paper; that had to come first!
Words cannot describe this experience. I now walk into Wal*Marts and want to cry because of the good times we had, I look through pictures and laugh at all the good times and I hear Adele and We are Young and I blast it and sing it at the top of my lungs. Whenever family or friends ask me how the trip was I immediately say "It was the best week of my life." And that's because it was. We all went on this barely knowing each other and we came back a family. This was by far one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. We laughed together, we cried together, we ate together, we rode together and most importantly, we worked together as a team.
Just the feeling of knowing you are making a difference, no matter how big or small, is amazing. Rhonda was such a grateful, kind hearted woman with a big smile. Getting to know the woman and her family whom we were helping just made the work so much more worthwhile. I am now back in Massachusetts and try and think of the smallest acts of kindness to take on whether it is picking up a piece of trash or holding the door open or simply just saying hi to a stranger. Any act, no matter how big or small can make a difference This was one experience I will remember forever and ever and ever and ever. I still get sad thinking about how it has already come and gone, but in Dr. Seuss's words
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"
... I should probably go get some homework done... Love you all!
~Erin the Elephant :)

Back to the Daily Grind

Okay, so time to blog. I have never been good at putting my feelings down in writing (sorry for my horrible motivational mailboxes BTW) which is why I had avoided doing it for so long. That and I had a pile of work waiting for me on my return to school.
ASB was pretty much the best thing I have ever done. That is a heavy statement but it is totally true. I almost backed out before we went on the trip because I have never been the most social person and barely knew anyone who was going on the trip. That really freaked me out. But I knew that I would just sit around all spring break playing Skyrim if I didn't go so I stayed in. I am so glad I did. Everyone on ASB was friendly, and sharing a bathroom with 26 other people really makes you connect with them. So did all the group bonding that we did on the trip. Normally group bonding is the worst experience of any program that I have been a part of before but somehow for this trip it was actually enjoyable, so congratulations to whoever came up with those.
My favorite part of ASB was spending time with wonderful people and working to get something done. We made that house look gorgeous. I also really enjoyed the car rides. For me that seemed like the time that we got the most bonding in. Rocking out to the same songs over and over and over will do that to you I suppose. I also really enjoyed the ice cream truck coming by. It was a very little part of the whole trip but it just reinforces how perfect everything was. For being so nervous at the beginning and dreading being totally socially awkward for a whole week, it was a fantastic break. Everyone we met was so nice, the people at the liquor store letting us use their bathroom, Howie and Scott, even the people at Pizza Hut. Truly the experience of a lifetime.
Now, being back at school is not as relaxing as I thought it would be. I find it so hard to focus on my school work when all I want to go is work on a house. I have never been one to enjoy school anyhow which makes this even worse. My anthropology paper on cannibalism will not make anyone's day better. Hopefully this weekend will re-energize me and get me back on track, school work wise, and I will just have to look forward to all the volunteer opportunities that come my way.

Laura Hardy