Adriana Taylor reflects on her role as volunteer with a Community Based Learning (CBL) project in Dublin city.

This semester has been an eye-opening one for me in many ways.  My eyes have been opened to the troubled past that is Irish history, to what Irish culture is like today, to the importance of being flexible, to the appreciation of time, and to Irish hospitality.  Thanks to my participation in CBL my eyes have been opened to homelessness, how it affects children specifically, how to better love others, and how social problems can be right around the corner and easily ignored.  Had I not participated in CBL I would walk down O’Connell Street to shop or grab some food and never think about the people that live in the area.  I would not know that there are agencies working to eradicate social problems in Dublin right around the corner.  Every time I participate in service I gain something out of it and learn something about myself; this time was no exception.  I learned that the most important thing you can do for a child is reassure them and love them.  It was important for me to not label these children as “homeless” or treat them differently than I would any other child.  I still encouraged them when they got stuck on a math problem and pushed them on the swing as high as they wanted to go.  I didn’t instantly categorize them or box them in my mind as someone who had barriers.  Regardless of the population I serve, I think it is important for me to approach them with an open heart and mind.  Simple love is the most vital ingredient to successful service and I think the children at my CBL showed me that this semester.  The first few times I was at my site I was unsure and not confident about what I could do to help.  The children noticed I was someone new and didn’t pay much attention to me.  As my visits became more regular, certain children opened up to me and I became an older person they could talk to, play games with, and ask for homework help from.  The opening up of the children coincided with my personal opening up and my increase in confidence which made my experience more worthwhile.  I know my attitude going into my site visit has an impact on how I interact with the children and what I get out of the experience.  My CBL will always be an integral memory of my study abroad experience and I am very glad I did it.  Notre Dame has taught me the value of serving others, even in everyday life, and I’m grateful I got to develop that in a foreign country.  It contributed to my growth as a person and gave me a deeper understanding of Irish culture.  No country is immune from social issues and although some tackle them differently, they need compassionate hard working people to help resolve them.  Participating in CBL during a great time of growth in my life made me excited to commit myself to a year of service after college and continue this type of growth.  Homelessness is a problem that I will continually acknowledge and have a special place in my heart and prayers for.