Aisling Homan
What has this experience taught me about myself?
Throughout this community service project, I have learnt many things about myself, and the privilege that I have. Firstly, I learnt that I live an extremely privileged lifestyle, and that I am lucky to never have to worry about where my next meal will come from, and that I have steady access to food and clothing. I also learnt about the importance of giving back to the community, and how it is important for people in positions of privilege, and with available resources, to give back to the community, and help those in the community who desperately need it. This experience has also taught me that I need to be more appreciative of the situation that I am in, and that I need to continue to do my best to help people who live in less-than-ideal circumstances. In all of the places that we delivered food to, the families lived in poor conditions, with many children. This experience taught me how not everyone in the world is as privileged as me, and that there are many people who need help in order to provide for their large families. On another note, I also learnt about how to prepare new foods, such as the oatmeal fudge squares.
“This experience has also taught me that I need to be more appreciative of the situation that I am in, and that I need to continue to do my best to help people who live in less-than-ideal circumstances.”
M5 teamwork
What I have learned about the community?
During the service project, I learned new things about the overall Bermuda community. Firstly, I learned about the lifestyles of different people, and the differences in the living conditions throughout the island. On one road, there can be both families who can provide for themselves, and families who cannot. The difference of resources in Bermuda’s community is quite large, and the differences in quality of life are extreme. Alternatively, I learnt how communities can come together to help those in need, as the school community came together to cook and deliver the food, and to donate clothing to the families. This experience showed me how a community can come together to help those in need, while also showing me the difference in the quality of life between communities.
All packed up and ready to be delivered!
What have I learned about food?
I have learnt about the different types of food, the different manners in which they are prepared, and the necessary parts of a full meal. Before this experience, I primarily focused on baking and creating desserts, and as a result, this experience taught me about how to make both salads and main courses. Throughout the week, I was able to see and participate in the creation of different foods, and it reinforced the importance of food, and the effect that it can have on a community. Food is necessary to live, and yet many people struggle to find enough of it to provide for themselves and for their family. The power of food, and the different skills that are needed to create food, are two of the many things that I learnt throughout the service project.
“Food is necessary to live, and yet many people struggle to find enough of it to provide for themselves and for their family”
