Staying at home, relaxing, and taking a mental break from school may have been nice but I wouldn’t have traded it for this trip. I knew when I applied I wanted to do something productive with my time off, so I was thrilled to be accepted. I’m also glad that the service of Children and Families related to my social work major. I looked forward to this trip for a few months.
The trip was everything I expected and more. Getting to experience the Denver Children’s Hospital was amazing. The hospital was accommodating and intentionally set up for the service of children. Despite the reasons children may have been coming to the facility, it looked welcoming and fun. Getting to participate in creative play was surprisingly natural even though I had never done so before. I felt I connected with the children and families in a meaningful way even though it was a short time. It would be awesome to continue volunteering there, if I could. Denver Rescue Mission was also a rewarding experience as I got to help run the kitchen that served people living on the streets of Denver. The Rescue Mission was less client interaction, and more manual labour but I still felt I made a positive contribution to the city of Denver.
Exploring the city of Denver was exciting. I had always looked forward to seeing the Rocky Mountains and they did not disappoint. Being able to look at the gigantic wonders was great, but getting to hike and drive up them was unforgettable. The nature and culture of Colorado has to be one of my favourites that I have experienced in the US. I would like to return to Denver on my own in the future to explore all it has to offer.
This trip was great because I got to immerse myself in DenverĀ not only in its nature, but also its community.