Reflections

Tonight we will have our first meeting for "reflections," an integral part of the service-learning experience. (I wish I could say that I had taken the above photo, but unfortunately I can't.) Every day, our students write in their personal journals, commenting not only on their experiences and observations, but on their thoughts and feelings in response to these experiences. During reflections, we gather to share some of these insights. I share my own thoughts from my journal, which is less robust this year given that I spend a fair amount of time writing this blog instead. But there are some personal things that I choose not to share with the world, but which I do share with my students during reflections. Last year, this was a very important part of our students' experience in Cochabamba. Reflections allows them a space to freely share their reactions to the unprecedented experiences they are having here in Bolivia, to express the often profound emotions that their encounters here raise for them, and to have those validated by their peers.

Leading such a process (as is the case with leading this entire program) is really beyond my training as an academic, but I find myself to be surprisingly good at it.