Washington DC.

My trip to DC was many things: humbling, rewarding, and very influential. I guess coming into the trip I was quite skeptical of a few things (that I'm embarrassed to admit now). However, by the second night I was really surprised by the people I met and the experiences that I was able to be a part of.

The first full day in DC, I traveled to Martha's Table with Gianna, Mimi, Kara, and Melia. We made over 200 PB&J sandwiches and packaged desserts. I was really impressed by this organization because they run their own after-school programs and daycare for kids. They also collect clothes and sell them to families for more affordable prices.
That night, we made dinner for a small group of guests. Most of our guests were homeless, but they had such interesting backgrounds and told us each very insightful stories. We held the dinner at the YSOP building in downtown DC. I met some incredible people at this dinner. One was named Sammy and he worked upstairs in the office for Street Sense, a newspaper published by the homeless to create awareness in the community. He told me that he was the sole survivor of a terrorist attack in Kenya (his home). He was stuck under ruble for three full days, until authorities found him and saved him. Now, he was in the United States trying to make some money for his family back home in Kenya. He told me that his life was never easy though, he always had to work very hard to make an earning, especially in the United States. He also expressed his desire to return home and see his family. What surprised me most, however, was that every person I spoke to was extremely intelligent. Sammy and I discussed the new immigration laws passed in Arizona and he told me about some books he had read (written by famous authors, who unfortunately I had never heard of). All our guests also seemed to convey the same message to me in one form or another: never give up hope, but keep fighting. That message really spoke to me and to my senior year. I had complained about so many things leading up to this trip. I had thought I was so unfortunate for so many reasons. And now, looking back, I'm ashamed of myself. People on the Washington DC trip taught me that there was hope for the future and they really taught me to appreciate what I have now. At the end of the trip, I felt privileged, but I also felt extremely honored to have met the people at YSOP and in the greater Washington DC community. Every single day they work to help people who are struggling; something that I personally dream of making a career of.

I would also like to thank Mr. Gustave, Houda, and Mrs. DiCharo for chaperoning the trip. Without your help, everything would have been impossible. Many sincere thanks!

Ruta Ziukaite