While many Dartmouth students who spend a term away from Hanover jockey for New York City investment banking internships, some juniors have shunned the conventional in favor of more unusual off-term experiences.
For these students, being away from Dartmouth and experiencing new cultures has made for exciting adventures.
Raina Milne '06 spent six days climbing Mount Kilimanjaro during her time volunteering at an orphanage in Tanzania. In a BlitzMail message to friends, she described her initial difficulty adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings.
"There is a lot I really like about Africa, but it has been a huge adjustment," she said. "I am still really homesick a lot of the time. I never thought I would be in a place where no one speaks English."
Nevertheless, Milne described the entire experience as unforgettable and talked of her growing attachment to the children at the orphanage.
"The kids continue to be absolutely amazing and remarkable. I don't think I am ever again in my life going to be around so many little arms to give me hugs, and it's going to be devastating to leave," Milne said.
Milne also got the opportunity to go hiking, kayaking and snorkeling and was amazed by the unique beauty of the countries she visited
"The hike was so green and lush, the air is different here, and everything seems so massive and old that it makes you feel incredibly tiny and insignificant. Africa has humbled me in so many ways," she said.
Alyssa Vinas '06 shared the same sentiment in describing her off-term this winter. Vinas spent four weeks in Costa Rica working at a home for abandoned and abused children.
As a psychology major, she found her background useful in dealing with the less-fortunate children.
"Since I worked primarily with children two years of age and younger, I had to be very aware of and adjust my own behavior and actions to cater to the specific need of each child," Vinas said
Vinas explained that she chose to do volunteer work after realizing she had no desire to spend her off-term interning in an office.
"I didn't want to spend an entire term cooped up in an office doing something I wasn't interested in" she said. "As cliche as it may sound, [working in Costa Rica] really made me step back and look at my own life and realize all the things I take for granted and appreciate how lucky I really am to lead the life I live."
Kimberley McKee '06 spent seven months in Australia, staying on as a waitress in a caf after studying abroad during Fall term. McKee admits that it took awhile for her to adjust to cultural differences.
"I guess the thing that struck me the most about Australia was the fact that everything shut down at around 4:30 to 5 in the afternoon," McKee said.
But McKee grew to appreciate the more relaxed Australian attitude as she realized people preferred to go home early and spend time on activities outside work.
McKee also credits her time in Australia as being her first real life experience -- learning to live and work on her own.
"[It made me realize] the importance of life experience over the classroom," she said. "I hope to definitely get back to Australia someday, and I also want to travel elsewhere. No plans set in stone but I figure if there's a will, there's a way."
