JessicaKirk

Kirk, Jessica

3-07-09

Alternative Spring Break Trip Nashville

Day One

If today is an indicator of what the alternative trip to Nashville, Tennessee is going to be like then I am in for a really long, exhausting week for me and the other participants. So, far the Nashville trip has been a real eye opener in really positive ways and also some negative ways.

Today is only the first day but I can already tell that this trip is going to a very rewarding experience. This trip is definitely a very enlightening experience, I am even more thankful for my family and way of life. Its easy for one to say that they empathize for what these homeless people have to endure everyday, but to witness it first hand will definitely put everything into perspective. When I go to bed every night I have a warm bed to go to, but when the homeless people of Nashville go to bed many do not even have a building to sleep in. Fortunately, the people at the Campus for Human Development offer them a safe and warm place to stay the night. I honestly don't know if I could survive one month in the place which makes me respect them even more. Respect is definitely something these people deserve, but unfortunately don't always receive. Many people say that respect is earned and not given, and many of the homeless people that I met today definitely have earned respect.

Although the trip is very rewarding there is always drawback to an experience of this nature. One I first got out of the van I will admit I was scared, nervous, and very anxious as to what it was going to be like at the site. Once I stepped off the bus and looked around those feelings was soon replaced with frustration and annoyance. I have never been a fan of cigarette smoking with my paretns to begin with, but to see people who are homeless lined up outside the building smoking cigarettes frustrated me. I get that an addiction is hard to kick, but when you are homeless there seems to be more important things you could chose to spend what little money you have on. Of all things that could frustrate me it is cigarette smoking that made me mad.

One story that is kind of interesting for me at least is the trip to the Nashville Rescue Mission for our lunch break. When we walked through the door which also have metal detectors we are immediately rushed through to the cafeteria by a nice, but very big and stern man. As he was leading us to the cafeteria he was constantly telling people to make room and back away for us, like we was the President of the United States of America or something. Which only added to the awkwardness of the situation, because we got to eat before everyone else and I could tell that some of them wasn't happy about it, and some even verbalized it. Some asked us "are you going to get you some lobster or shrimp soup" and another man when told to back up responded "why would I wanna touch ya's nasty asses". This kind of was insulting considering we was trying to help, but many others actually thanked us for what we was doing which made up for the rude remarks.

Today was a very insightful and enriching experience I will definitely remember this day for the rest of my life, but Ill be the first to admit that I hope everyday isn't this eventful and exhausting.