I applied for Alternative Spring Break recently. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do service somewhere in America with students from Ohio State. It’s something I’ve been toying with ever since I came to Ohio State.
The way the application process works is that there are about 20 trips which the applicant ranks in order of which ones they would like to attend. There is also formal application with essay questions and past experience and all that good stuff, too.
When I saw there was a New Orleans trip, I was elated. It has been a dream of mine to go to New Orleans for a long time; partly because it is the jazz capital of the world, but also from a service standpoint as well. I am disheartened by the lack of support they are receiving, particularly governmentally, for their continued recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Also, my brother-in-law’s family is from there, and was displaced from their homes, so the first-hand account I’ve received really brings it to life. The specific service trip I ranked first was Project Lazarus, a home for people with AIDS, that isn’t receiving the support it needs due to tight funds and other rebuilding efforts.
Anyway, the result is this: I was accepted to Alternative Spring Break, but to my fifth choice: a trip to Iowa to clean up from flood damage. Iowa?? That’s basically Ohio.
My mom said I should consider it, and that it is really all about helping people and might be just what I’m looking for. I know this makes sense, and I’m sure this situation in Iowa is more than deserving of volunteers. I guess I did get a little too caught up in a potential trip to New Orleans.
But I’m still undecided about accepting. When I truly started to keep in mind that it was really about the service, I thought, why do I even need to go to Iowa then? There are plenty of places that need service right here in Ohio that I could give my time to during Spring Break. I’m from Cleveland, for goodness sakes. There’s definitely a need for service there.
But part of me wonders if I’m just justifying my actions because I really don’t want to go to Iowa. Definitely a moral dilemma that will involve some personal reflection.