I went to the Dominican Republic in August of 2022. Although it was a family trip for vacation, we took advantage of the resources offered at our hotel to step outside of our resort and explore the actual country. Before coming on the trip, my mom told my brother and I to accumulate a few extra toys or entities we no longer use. My mom packed these in her own suitcase and while at the hotel, signed us up for a tour group.  Our team leader started the day off by educating the group on things made in the Dominican Republic. In this photograph, he is explaining how coffee is made and the significance of it here in the Dominican Republic. Coffee was first introduced in the Dominican Republic in 1715 and has been the principal crop of small-scale farmers, and coffee began to be exported in 1872. 

We spent the day traveling through the native villages and learning about their community through a bus. I would look out my window and there would be girls with hoards of fruit in their hands offering it to us for money. There were people living in houses made of wood or block walls that looked nearly collapsible.  However, there was a point where we stopped and were able to step outside. During this time, my mom took out a bag and it was filled with the toys we had packed before coming on this trip. She gave it to my brother and I and we took off handing out toys to the kids playing around. I will never forget the look on their faces, the pure joy, and the constant thank you's I kept hearing. This experience opened up my eyes and made me extremely grateful for what I have. I'm also grateful my mom gave me the opportunity to help and she has inspired me to continue to do things like this in the future. You can always give and help, no matter where you are.