ASB: Hope is Vital (Pre-Trip Part 2)

We have all arrived in Boston and checked into our hostel! We’re right in the heart of the Theatre District and only a stone’s throw away from Chinatown; I can step outside the hostel and see restaurants and pubs in either direction for blocks. It’s good to be in Boston. It’s my first time in Boston, so I’m excited to get some meaningful exposure to the city. We have time set aside tomorrow and Monday to go sightseeing, so I’m looking forward to getting a real feel for the city. The Commons, Bunker Hill, the Museum of Fine Arts, the USS Constitution, the whole nine yards.

As excited I am to see everything this great city has to offer though, I am even more thrilled to begin our service with Community Servings on Tuesday. Providing assistance to those afflicted with HIV is a noble endeavor, and to be a part of such a cause, even for a few days, is rousing. As we perform our service and help with the meals, I hope, in particular, that we will learn more about the specific circumstances surrounding the lower-income individuals in Boston who have HIV (Community Servings clientele). Theirs is a unique experience, and also one that I have little knowledge of or experience with. Anyway, dinner will be ready soon (thanks to Barbara for tonight’s dinner!), so I’m going to attend to that! Expect more from my teammates as the week progresses!

ASB: Hope is Vital (Pre-Trip Part 1)

Here I sit in Gino Warnick’s suite in Fisher West with Justin Morales and Barbara Olivier, two of my teammates for ASB Hope is Vital. As I type out this blog post, my mind continuously returns to the prospect of me going on my second ASB trip. I’m no ASB rookie anymore, but I still look forward to the coming trip with as much excitement as I did for my first ASB excursion. While I have steadily gotten to know my teammates over the past several months in our team meetings, I look forward to really getting to know them all on the trip. By spending the next week with them, not only doing service with Community Servings and reflecting on our experiences but seeing the sights and embracing everything the city of Boston has to offer, I hope (and think) we will all grow closer together.

Of course, ASB is more than just a chance to get to know people, and I am especially interested in learning more about HIV/AIDS (our social). I’d say more, but we are leaving for Boston around 9AM Saturday morning (this morning now), so I should probably get to bed. Expect more commentary once we reach Boston!