AkeyaCarterBozman

Akeya Carter-Bozman

Alternative Spring Break Reflection No.1

March 7, 2009

The Nashville Campus for Human Development was the first stop on our Alternative Spring Break mission. Upon arrival at the Campus the entire group felt out of place, scared, and nervous. As the van pulled into the parking lot, looking into to the eyes of the homeless men and women sent chills through my body. Then reality set in and I realized that I would be spending all day working around and with them. We sat in the van tense wondering what would happen after we were out of the safety of our vans. I always believed that I am a pretty tolerant person, but my ideals were truly put to the test today. I have always believed or at least I thought I believed that everyone has a story about their life and sometimes life deals people a bad hand and they end up homeless or worse. Today my eyes were opened to the real world. Society apparently really does not care about the less fortunate, or the socially oppressed. The looks the homeless people received from the Nashville Elite made me sick to my stomach, and sadly enough I had the same look on my face when I exited the van.

As a future social worker numerous times in class lectures and discussions have been lead on why people are homeless, and today was the first time I realized how much of an at risk population they are. But one thing class and text books can’t show us is real life day to day homelessness. As I took a water break I saw laughter, smiling, and genuine generosity; all this coming from the homeless men and women. Their actions shocked me, “why on earth,” would they be so happy? Anyway I am tired, more information to come tomorrow and the coming days.