It became crystal clear to ALES student Moni Holowach why she was in India during Reading Week when she watched slight, poorly fed boys easily dig holes for trees that her group had been struggling to plant.
She wasn't really needed as a volunteer. Her role was to learn what you can't see from a classroom, such as how those boys' families were displaced from their tribal way of life in the forest by the construction of a reservoir. Or how their parents migrate for work, while the boys forage for food.
"I learned about the interconnected nature of so many areas of my degree and how they play together, from food science to community nutrition, to food policy," said the third-year Nutrition and Food Science student.
The India visit was one of three Alternative Reading Week community service-learning trips organized by ALES.
Eleven students visited Bangalore, in southern India, and also a village four hours away where a school for those tribal boys is run by Pipal Tree. The non-profit organization working for sustainable development also introduced ALES students to unionized garment workers creating brand-name apparel under working conditions in which bathroom and lunch breaks are not guaranteed. The experience has strengthened Holowach's resolve to work in global health policy.
Another 20 ALES students visited Cienfuegos in southern Cuba, to learn about urban agriculture, food security and environmental conservation. They visited farms, gardens and small communities, and assisted with tasks from stacking sugar cane to crushing roots into livestock feed.
For Thomas Milligan, a second-year Environmental and Conservation Sciences student, seeing Cuban farmers' thrifty conservation techniques illuminated lecture concepts.
"A wind turbine pumped water from the well. That went to a fish pond and then after (the farmer) harvested all the fish he irrigated his crops with it," he said. "Nothing went to waste. Even the roots which had all gone bad, were crushed as a food source for pigs."
In Edmonton, six students spent three days and two nights in the inner city with the Mustard Seed social service agency. Their goal was to acquire a deeper understanding of the challenges and services available to homeless citizens. So they were "evicted" from the shelter at 7:00 a.m., sought to stay warm outdoors before the library opened, spent time there and in a mall, and searched out agencies offering free breakfast and lunch.
Several aspects left deep impressions on Sandra Gosling, a first-year Human Ecology student.
"First, the boredom. Spending all day doing nothing, we considered the toll it must take on people who live like that every day, just trying to waste the day until the shelters open," she said.
It wasn't easy to determine where and when meals were available, and once found many service centres were packed full. Finally, while loitering at a mall, they witnessed the prejudicial behavior homeless people face.
"I am even more motivated to start making change and now I have a better idea of where to start," said Gosling.
ALES introduced these co-curricular trips about six years ago, in order to expose students to situations that connect their studies to real-life issues. In addition to their community service, students also spent at least an hour with community members learning about their most pressing concerns.
In addition to the Reading Week service-based programs, ALES also organizes an industry-focused trip to Mexico, now in its second year. The International Agribusiness Showcase in Mexico is an intensive field program where students will visit farms and factories in Guadalajara, from April 26 to May 3. Co-sponsored by Scotiabank, the trip will expose students to agriculture and agri-food business management, and to Canada's trade relationship with Mexico.
She wasn't really needed as a volunteer. Her role was to learn what you can't see from a classroom, such as how those boys' families were displaced from their tribal way of life in the forest by the construction of a reservoir. Or how their parents migrate for work, while the boys forage for food.
"I learned about the interconnected nature of so many areas of my degree and how they play together, from food science to community nutrition, to food policy," said the third-year Nutrition and Food Science student.
The India visit was one of three Alternative Reading Week community service-learning trips organized by ALES.
Eleven students visited Bangalore, in southern India, and also a village four hours away where a school for those tribal boys is run by Pipal Tree. The non-profit organization working for sustainable development also introduced ALES students to unionized garment workers creating brand-name apparel under working conditions in which bathroom and lunch breaks are not guaranteed. The experience has strengthened Holowach's resolve to work in global health policy.
Another 20 ALES students visited Cienfuegos in southern Cuba, to learn about urban agriculture, food security and environmental conservation. They visited farms, gardens and small communities, and assisted with tasks from stacking sugar cane to crushing roots into livestock feed.
For Thomas Milligan, a second-year Environmental and Conservation Sciences student, seeing Cuban farmers' thrifty conservation techniques illuminated lecture concepts.
"A wind turbine pumped water from the well. That went to a fish pond and then after (the farmer) harvested all the fish he irrigated his crops with it," he said. "Nothing went to waste. Even the roots which had all gone bad, were crushed as a food source for pigs."
In Edmonton, six students spent three days and two nights in the inner city with the Mustard Seed social service agency. Their goal was to acquire a deeper understanding of the challenges and services available to homeless citizens. So they were "evicted" from the shelter at 7:00 a.m., sought to stay warm outdoors before the library opened, spent time there and in a mall, and searched out agencies offering free breakfast and lunch.
Several aspects left deep impressions on Sandra Gosling, a first-year Human Ecology student.
"First, the boredom. Spending all day doing nothing, we considered the toll it must take on people who live like that every day, just trying to waste the day until the shelters open," she said.
It wasn't easy to determine where and when meals were available, and once found many service centres were packed full. Finally, while loitering at a mall, they witnessed the prejudicial behavior homeless people face.
"I am even more motivated to start making change and now I have a better idea of where to start," said Gosling.
ALES introduced these co-curricular trips about six years ago, in order to expose students to situations that connect their studies to real-life issues. In addition to their community service, students also spent at least an hour with community members learning about their most pressing concerns.
In addition to the Reading Week service-based programs, ALES also organizes an industry-focused trip to Mexico, now in its second year. The International Agribusiness Showcase in Mexico is an intensive field program where students will visit farms and factories in Guadalajara, from April 26 to May 3. Co-sponsored by Scotiabank, the trip will expose students to agriculture and agri-food business management, and to Canada's trade relationship with Mexico.