While the hot weather and oceanic views were a call to some during Spring Break 2018, my approach was a little different from that scenic route. Tahlequah, Oklahoma, also known as the capital of Cherokee Nation, was where my break was located.
At GW, and some other schools across the country, there's a community service opportunity that you can apply for known as Alternative Breaks. The goal of this organization is to allow students the opportunity to travel within the U.S. and even outside the U.S. while not only providing community service through sustainability, housing developments and education, but the opportunity to learn about the various cultures of where you go to.
The first choice that I applied for and was able to get was going to Cherokee Nation. Sounds like the middle of nowhere, which I can see, but to the people living there, it is anything but the middle of nowhere. Instead, it's a place full of history, culture and pretty good food (Did someone say Indian Tacos?). When I found out I was accepted with 12 other students from GW, I was both nervous and excited leading up to the trip.
To say the experience was quite eye-opening would be an understatement. Not only was I able to work with little children for a couple of days, but I was able to learn some of the Cherokee language as well: o-si-yo (Hello!). We were able to talk to adults and college students about their lifestyle of living in Cherokee Nation. And no, Cherokee Nation is not a reservation!
Also, can I just say that I'm now a personal basket-weaver? Not really, but a girl can hope.
The range of activities kept us busy for the full week. The children, maintaining a clean environment in the classrooms and outside of the classrooms, trips to the Cherokee Heritage Center and playing the Cherokee sport known as stick-ball all allowed us to immerse ourselves in the Cherokee culture.
Being able to hear from others that live in Tahlequah allowed me to learn more about how to keep an open-mind and become aware of other people's experiences and thoughts. Yes, I was able to provide some service to the education program we worked with, Headstart, but the knowledge given to me is my chance to continue that service and become a better ally for the Cherokee people and various Natives/Native Americans throughout the United States.
Living in D.C. I'm given the chance to partake in protests and attend events where I can raise my voice with others. So when going to a various place completely different from where you are from, don't just stop in that one particular area, but spread it across the nation.
So I thank the people of Cherokee Nation as well as Alternative Breaks for giving me the chance to become culturally aware of other people's backgrounds and using this experience to stand with others where needed. This opportunity will last a lifetime.
