It’s a strange feeling to be sitting here, writing my last pre-trip ASB blog post. This will be my fourth, and last, Lafayette ASB trip. I remember being so nervous before my first trip and not fully understanding what I was getting myself into. I certainly did not expect to become so deeply involved in ASB. Three years later, I feel much more prepared and excited for this trip. I think our team has formed strong bonds with each other already, which we will need for this week. We have discussed causes of childhood obesity at great length and have come to understand that this is a social issue, not just an individual health issue. Our education the past few months will put our service in a new, more informed context.
I am very much looking forward to the coming week. As intern, I have been working since last April to help plan these trips start to finish. While my experience on Executive Board has given me a new appreciation for the work needed to make these trips a reality and helped me develop valuable skills that I can apply to multiple areas of my life, I think sometimes I lose sight of why we work so hard to put these trips together. In the midst of reserving vans and compiling housing information, it’s hard to remember the mission and vision of our club. Finally going on this trip will be meaningful not only because I’ll experience the end result of all our planning, but also because I think it will help me remember my values and why I wanted to devote so much of my college career to ASB in the first place.