Service Learning Experience Analysis

When I think about service-learning, the image my mind forms is not always a positive one. Sometimes, service puts one in an uncomfortable position, threatening their preconceived notions of a group of people, a culture, etc…. “Service is not an experience of strength or expertise; service is an experience of mystery, surrender, and awe” (Remen). This statement stuck with me the most during my time performing service-learning with my honors class at the Glen Haven apartment complex. I was uncomfortable, unsure of my actions in engaging with the children, and now, looking back on it, I realize that this was the point. The point of this service-learning activity, like any other, is to challenge one’s beliefs and comfort level, and furthermore

The layout had been partially explained, but yet I still expected a more developed area. Children were everywhere, running from place to place, screaming with laughter and joy. My nervousness about the situation fully came to fruition. I stood there awkwardly while I watched friends from my dorm easily make friends with certain children. I wasn’t expecting to have any problems due to them not being American, and I didn’t. You might not expect this from refugee children, but like American children, these kids were in constant motion, confident, and approached us without hesitation. They were cute, and had smiles as big as their faces. Yet all I could do was stand there. I don’t know how to interact with anyone who is more than a couple years younger than me, possibly because my only siblings were the exact same age as me--I am a triplet . For the first hour, I mainly followed my classmates around as they interacted successfully with the children. I observed more than I engaged. It seemed that while the children certainly enjoyed our presence and having fresh faces to play with, they would have had just as much fun had we not been there. They continued on as if most of us weren’t there, throwing acorns at one another and brought us into games of tag or to help them on the swing sets if they were so inclined to do so. The second hour only worsened for me. Kids can be cruel, and full of ignorance, this I know; it is mainly why I feel so uncomfortable around them. Two children in particular decided to single me out from my peers. They started talking to me, and asked “Why are you so small?” multiple times, and then continued to laugh about it. They were young, so I answered politely and mostly ignored it. As a result of my soft-spoken tone, they then commented with taunts like “You sound like a girl, are you a girl?”. My discomfort increased tenfold. I politely negated their questions