August 9, 2016- Kelly McNiel

As quickly as this trip creeped up on me, it came to an end just as fast. All the over packing has definitely not paid off and I’m struggling to pack everything back up. I’m grateful for my second time here in the Dominican Republic. This trip not only grounded me as a person, but it taught me lots of patience. This time around we didn’t have our youth leader, Kate, and of course everything that couldv’e gone wrong, went wrong. Not only did we miss our flight and lose our luggage, but we’ve been around kids all day. Don’t get me wrong-I love kids, but they test your patience. It makes it a lot worse when you’re struggling to communicate with them. All the tugging and yelling really isn’t THAT bad. 

By sitting and listening to my surroundings and actually taking the time to breathe, made a big difference. The trip has taught me to be patient with life and take everything with a grain of salt. Wether it be working with young children who don’t listen, kids who are mentally disabled, or missing your flight in a different city, always be patient.