MaeleeSmith
During their service immersion trip to the Dominican Republic, 10 girls journaled about their new and exciting experiences. Journaling was a way for them to record their adventures so that they could remember their trip and the impact it had on their lives.

Junior Elise Willson was one of the girls who was selected to travel to the Dominican Republic. Throughout the trip, she journaled frequently, filling an average of four pages a day. 

“I mostly journaled about the details of my day, but I put an emphasis on breakthrough interactions I had in Spanish with my host family,” Willson said. 

Not only did the girls write in their journals, but they also drew pictures and junk-journaled by taping in certain momentos, such as food wrappers.

“Journaling made me feel more present during my experience in the Dominican Republic,” Willson said. 

Willson recalls feeling like she was living a completely different life than normal because she was in a new country, ate different foods and spoke a different language.

“My journal was my way of synthesizing information about the world around me and keeping me present in the moment,” Willson said. 

Now home from the trip, Willson feels a sense of nostalgia when looking back at her journal. 

“I wrote so many quotes from my friends and several descriptions of the village and scenery around me. Reading them now makes everything feel real again,” Willson said. 

Journaling was an instrumental part of Willson’s and the other girls’ experience in the Dominican Republic because it allowed them to reflect on their trip and record lasting memories.