Day Two: Ann Marie

We showed up at City Arts Gallery knowing nothing of what was about to happen, except that there would be poetry and music at this event called “Poets for Dinner.”  What we found was a community of artists and artist-appreciators who come together every third Sunday to share their thoughts and laughs.  Throughout the night we were wowed by performances that dealt with heartbreak, punctuality, unwanted advice, and sexuality.  Mr. Gun even made an appearance in a poem where he talked about how he could “impregnate the dirt with bodies.”  The featured act was an incredibly talented saxophonist and poet who combined his arts to create a beautiful auditory experience. 

All these performances invited audience participation, blurring the lines between performer and observer and drawing us in even further.  The acts were punctuated by energetic hostesses who balanced the seriousness of some poems with playful banter and hugs.  Our group couldn't help but be drawn in by the raw honesty of the people who openly shared their stories and embraced vulnerability.  At the end, everyone in the gallery held hands in a circle to again mix the serious and humorous by doing the wave and then reflecting on all that is good in our lives.  As we left, we realized we had just experienced a community gathering that will never be exactly the same again.  Moving into this week we will carry the idea that everyone has hidden talents, and that Baltimore cannot be defined by a “single story.” 

Day One: Stephanie

Our team decided to do a SNAP challenge during our ASB experience. The national average benefit for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is $4.44 per person, per day.  Using this as a budget, we learned some ideas about how to shop for healthy food with limited food dollars and planned meals for the week. The group split up into smaller groups to plan and shop for specific meals.  We used the USDA What's Cooking website, which allows users to search recipes by price per serving, and several other resources to brainstorm meal ideas.

We went to a nearby supermarket and spent about two hours comparing unit prices, looking for generic brands, buying in large volumes, calculating servings, and comparing fresh, canned, dried, and frozen versions of the foods we wanted. While finding healthful and affordable choices was time consuming, we managed to buy groceries for 12 people for the week for less than $300.  But, we had advantages of an economy of scale with such a large group and hours of planning and shopping that many families with limited resources do not have.

Our first meal was brown rice, sautéed vegetables, and chicken.  We also made kale chips for a late-evening snack. We have yet to experience much strain related to the challenge, but several people felt hungry after dinner.  It will be challenging to snack less between meals, be more flexible with types of foods, and eat less than we normally would, especially as the week carries on.

Day One: Andrew

I felt closer to the Dominican Republic today than any other day since I have returned. There are so many parallels between my first day in-country there and today. Both here and there we all piled in to a van/guagua with all of our stuff and we went to a grocery store. But most importantly in both instances we stepped outside of our comfort zone and local context. Interning in the Dominican Republic was one of the most valuable experiences of my life; I hope AB will have a similar impact. Since returning from the DR it has been easy to retreat into classes, family and friends but I am very excited about the opportunity to serve again.

One undeniable difference between the 2 experiences will be the food. In the Dominican Republic, we stayed with homestay families who were given an eating allowance for our stay. Every family I stayed with made sure I got to enjoy authentic Dominican cuisine and filled my plate until I couldn't eat any more. My homestay families stuffed me, and I probably gained 10 pounds while living there. Although I got the opportunity to witness poverty and live in struggling communities while in the DR, hunger was not something I experienced. AB will be very different in this regard, we will be living on the food budget that many families struggle with in the communities we are serving. We will get to understand the role hunger plays in their lives on a much more intimate level and their struggle to stay healthy. It will be challenging to deal a limited food budget but I know it will absolutely make this experience more meaningful.

Courtney Holmes

Hey!! I'm currently a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in sociology with a concentration in stratification and inequality. After graduation I plan to take a couple of years off before going to graduate school.  I was born and raised in a suburb outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In my free time I enjoy watching sports and cooking. I'm looking forward to learning and exploring a new city. In general, I want to gain a greater understanding of the concepts I have learned about during my classes.

Andrew Tlsty

My name is Andrew Tlsty. I am a Junior Accounting and Information Systems major at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. I am a Technology and Business Transformation fellow. This past summer I completed a study abroad trip to the Dominican Republic with the Maryland Social Entrepreneurs Corp. While there I lived with homestay families and interned for a nonprofit; this experience drove me to participate in AB.

Corinne Paul

Hi! My name is Corinne and I am a junior government and politics major minoring in international development and conflict management. I'm a member of several orgs, including Humanity First, the Student Labor Action Project, America Reads*America Counts, and the Student Justice Coalition. I love doing yoga and hope to learn lots of languages one day. I am excited for Alternative Breaks at Baltimore because it is so close to campus yet so different from College Park!

Nneka Mezu

I'm Nneka Mezu. I am 20 years old and a junior Cell Biology and Genetics major. I am also pre-med. I hope to become a doctor and specialize in either allergy or infectious disease as well as get involved with public health research. I love being active (running, dancing, playing basketball or football). I am going on Alternative Breaks because I would always spend my spring breaks at home studying and everyone that I know that had done AB always had amazing stories to tell. They always ended up having fun. So on this trip, I hope to get to know you all a little better and making a positive impact on the lives of those that I will be serving.