REED’s Be The Good program recently funded team member Tiffany Buchen’s work in Trinidad and Tobago. There, she focused her time on teaching, coaching and mentoring local students in a variety of sports, games and skills. Excited to help students improve their physical health and well-being, grow stronger community ties and improve their overall quality of life, Tiffany embarked on a week-long trip to the islands.
Read more about his experience in this Q&A:
Why were you drawn to this service trip?
While this may sound cliché, I was searching for a volunteer opportunity that “spoke” to me. I reviewed several programs ranging from animal reserves in Nepal to home renovations in Peru. Still, the chance to work directly with children in Trinidad and Tobago immediately felt like it was meant to be.
The program description heavily highlighted gaining experience in teaching, coaching and mentoring students, with an extra focus on physical health and well-being, growing community ties and improving intrapersonal skills. I also can’t deny that living in the Caribbean for a week wasn’t an additional draw, especially an island I had never been to nor knew much about before getting to experience it firsthand.
How did you spend your time? What did a typical day look like?
I was fortunate enough to stay in a beach town called Crown Point, just a few blocks from Tobago’s Swallow Beach. Each morning, I walked down to the beach, where a crowd of locals often was already listening to music and kicking off their days with a dip in the Caribbean.
I was expected to report to the local YMCA each day at 9 a.m. for the kids’ summer camp. I would check in with the coaches on duty and jump straight into the pool, where we would work on diving and floating and host the occasional cannonball competition. My exceptional students had no shortage of questions about the United States and my home state of Tennessee. We enjoyed learning about each other’s cultures, and I especially loved hearing about their plans for the future — what they wanted to be when they grew up, where they wanted to go to school and what their favorite shows were.
Trinidad and Tobago has strong cultural influences from all over the world. Following my volunteer shift, I consistently dove into all the island had to offer. I also used this free time to tour the island with a local family I met through my program, kayaking in the Caribbean Ocean and attending one of my students’ ninth birthday parties.
What is one unexpected thing you learned from your time abroad?
I walked away from my Be The Good Trip with many incredible learnings, but two things that stuck with me were the delight of simplicity and the impact that content from the States has made on communities around the world.
Those who call Tobago home live a simple yet significant lifestyle. They have forgone complicated and expensive foundations such as public transportation for a more communal approach to travel. They rely on their neighbors and friends to make life easier — bringing to reality the saying, “It takes a village.” They take time to enjoy the little things in life, and no problem is ever too big.
After working directly with so many amazing kids at the YMCA, I noticed the undeniable impact of U.S.-based television shows, YouTubers and online games on other cultures. The American shows the children were introduced to even influenced their dialect. As a PR professional, this showed me just how vital our media and its content are.
What is your favorite memory from your service trip?
My favorite memory from my trip was getting an invitation to celebrate Kalika’s ninth birthday with her and her family. It was an honor to spend this meaningful day with a family that had truly taken me under their wing during my stay in Tobago. No phones or iPads were strewn about, and we reverted to some of my favorite childhood games like Simon Says and Red Light Green Light (this time with sand between our toes and the ocean waves crashing behind us). This family truly changed my life and allowed me to become a member of their community for the short time I was there, and I cannot wait to visit them again.
What is one thing that has surprised you about the local culture? How has this trip expanded your worldview?
Community. I have never experienced community and its meaning as I did in Tobago. Your neighbors are not just your friends; they are family.
I was truly impacted by each person’s outlook on life.
Life is meant to be enjoyed and savored; nothing too serious or a problem too big should ruin your happiness. The United States is a fast-moving country; there’s a plan for everyone and often a timeline to execute it. We forget that we are all living this life together, and if we don’t take the time to enjoy it, we’ll miss it.