Alumni Blog

Daniel/STU/Dominican Republic/2009 (Impact of Intercordia)

“Intercordia allowed me an opportunity to put the
stepping-into-another’s-shoes theory into practice.”

Intercordia allowed me an opportunity to put the stepping-into-another’s-shoes theory into practice. At least in part.. my experience living with my host-family in the Dominican Republic humbled me by allowing for a sense of reflexivity of my own cultural roots, as well as empowered me to be even more open and accepting of various cultures, no matter what a person’s belief, faith or lifestyle. To everything we must grant a deeper story, rather than simply accepting what is on the surface as-is.
My experience working with impoverished youth in Consuelo has undoubtedly helped shape me for my current job as a youth care worker in a group home in Fredericton, NB. Although I understand that we come from different backgrounds, everyday I am learning and practicing methods of listening, of being patient, sharing, and showing care to the youth in hopes of somehow relating. In my experience, this relationship hasn’t come from a psychiatric interview, but rather through simply and non-judgmentally ‘being’ with the youth.