Our 2016-2017 year of Bear Breaks Immersion Trips has come to an end, so let’s take a look back on the growth, learning, and service we experienced! Bear Breaks truly held to our principles of Pop the College Bubble. Be Fully Present. Spread the Love. In 2016-17, more than 100 Citizen Bear students, faculty, and staff traveled almost 8,000 miles locally, nationally, and … [Read more...] about Recapping 2016-17 Immersion Trips
Archives for March 2017
My first ever immersion trip was to Dallas last year, Spring Break 2016, as a participant. My second trip was to Kansas City this past fall. And now this is my third, and maybe final, immersion trip that I've gone on with Bear Breaks (only because of a busy upcoming fall with being in the university's marching band and me student teaching the following spring). From my first … [Read more...] about Community, Identity, Education, Service
I'm fairly sure going on a trip across the United States with 10 other people I hardly know FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK breaks every stranger danger rule my mom has ever set for me, but here we are. (Sorry, mom, you tried.) Anyways, if it isn't already obvious because I'm writing this, I've made it to the end of the week alive and well. If you've been tuning in to our Bear Breaks … [Read more...] about who’s telling the story anyway?
We discussed often this week how it is easy for we who are not homeless to have the "us verse them" mentality. We do not think of ourselves on the same level as these individuals to the point of dehumanizing them. Many believe, and I once did, that those who are homeless bring the problem on themselves. We may believe they are not trying hard enough to get out of their … [Read more...] about Us verse Them
Today was our final day in NOLA!! We started off the day with cafe au lait and beignets from the famous Cafe du Monde. After that we made our way to The Presbytere, a museum dedicated to the history of hurricanes in New Orleans, with a focus on Hurricane Katrina. This was an immersive and interactive exhibit. For me the most impactful portion was the accounts from the citizens … [Read more...] about Our Last Day in NOLA