As an Undergrad at USD I was very involved in UM. I participated in mass, attended and led retreats, volunteered, etc. At the beginning of this semester I felt something was missing and quickly fell back into my routine of Sunday night mass at Founders, or Wednesday night Mass for Peace. It is in this space that I get to relax, think, and pray. Earlier this semester I attended the Silent Retreat and what an experience it was. I don’t know where to begin. It was amazing to sit alone for almost two full days and not speak, just think, journal, sleep, and reflect. I don’t think I left that retreat with any great new awakening but it was the peace and presence that I hope to carry into other areas of my life. This semester I have also attended Theology on Tap centering on themes of Community, Prayer, and Vocation. At these events I have not only been able to meet other grad student both in and outside of SOLES but I have also been able to think about my future and how my work in Higher Education relates to these different topics. Each experience has given me new insight to my direction and purpose for the future.
I just had my final pre-trip meeting for my International Experience and am getting excited. The semester has gone by so quickly. January is in one month! I will be traveling to El Salvador for two weeks with University Ministry. We will stay in San Salvador, the capital, for the first five days, and then travel to Guarjila, a small village in the countryside to stay with a host family for the remainder of the trip. El Salvador is a poverty-stricken nation and has been struggling for over 15 years now with the aftermath of a horrible civil war with took the lives of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children. Since that time the United Nations has been slowly aiding the country to build back up and reestablish a fair and just government. While in San Salvador we will be meeting with political and religious leaders who will each share their story of the civil war. We will hear their perspectives on rebuilding the nation and see important historical locations such as the church where Bishop Romero was assassinated. His death was the start of the war. We will see art exhibits and cultural ceremonies and have the opportunity to eat dinner with college student who attend the largest university in the country. In Guarjila we will live simply. We will learn from he stories of the families who are hosting us and volunteer at the clinic and orphanage that the people run. It should be amazing. I look forward to being present. In 550 this semester we talked about the “Here and Now” and these people are constantly in that state of mind. They don’t have distractions and don’t need a television, phone, or even running water for that matter to keep them occupied. They don’t have outside worries and want to share their love, culture and faith with us as visitors. I sure there will be a follow-up post to this experience but for now I am very excited and look forward to this trip!
As an Undergrad at USD I was very involved in UM. I participated in mass, attended and led retreats, volunteered, etc. At the beginning of this semester I felt something was missing and quickly fell back into my routine of Sunday night mass at Founders, or Wednesday night Mass for Peace. It is in this space that I get to relax, think, and pray. Earlier this semester I attended the Silent Retreat and what an experience it was. I don’t know where to begin. It was amazing to sit alone for almost two full days and not speak, just think, journal, sleep, and reflect. I don’t think I left that retreat with any great new awakening but it was the peace and presence that I hope to carry into other areas of my life. This semester I have also attended Theology on Tap centering on themes of Community, Prayer, and Vocation. At these events I have not only been able to meet other grad student both in and outside of SOLES but I have also been able to think about my future and how my work in Higher Education relates to these different topics. Each experience has given me new insight to my direction and purpose for the future. 
I just had my final pre-trip meeting for my International Experience and am getting excited. The semester has gone by so quickly. January is in one month! I will be traveling to El Salvador for two weeks with University Ministry. We will stay in San Salvador, the capital, for the first five days, and then travel to Guarjila, a small village in the countryside to stay with a host family for the remainder of the trip. El Salvador is a poverty-stricken nation and has been struggling for over 15 years now with the aftermath of a horrible civil war with took the lives of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children. Since that time the United Nations has been slowly aiding the country to build back up and reestablish a fair and just government. While in San Salvador we will be meeting with political and religious leaders who will each share their story of the civil war. We will hear their perspectives on rebuilding the nation and see important historical locations such as the church where Bishop Romero was assassinated. His death was the start of the war. We will see art exhibits and cultural ceremonies and have the opportunity to eat dinner with college student who attend the largest university in the country. In Guarjila we will live simply. We will learn from he stories of the families who are hosting us and volunteer at the clinic and orphanage that the people run. It should be amazing. I look forward to being present. In 550 this semester we talked about the “Here and Now” and these people are constantly in that state of mind. They don’t have distractions and don’t need a television, phone, or even running water for that matter to keep them occupied. They don’t have outside worries and want to share their love, culture and faith with us as visitors. I sure there will be a follow-up post to this experience but for now I am very excited and look forward to this trip!
I know many people who have been on the El Salvador trip and am glad you are going!
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