I had hoped for the kind of Alternative Spring Break
that involved sun, sand, a private room at the Ritz, and efficient room
service. Apparently, this version is not available at Madonna. Or at any school
in the U.S. and probably the world.
On the other hand, my Alternative Spring Break in
Washington, D.C., included plenty of informal conversation with Madonna
students, Dr. Seuss art projects, homework sessions with kindergarteners and
first-graders at a Boys & Girls Club, food deliveries to shut-ins during a
rare blizzard (rare for D.C.), some sight-seeing at museums and monuments, and
some pretty decent meals.
True, we weren’t living in the lap of luxury. About 40 students and staff slept side-by-side on cots in the Boys & Girls Club gymnasium. Showers were cold, privacy was non-existent, and my portion of the “Scrub the Club” project involved cleaning bathrooms. I don’t even like to clean my own bathroom.
But I’m glad I did it. As I squirmed to get
comfortable on my Red Cross cot, it occurred to me that plenty of people would
be grateful to have a cot to sleep on, some shelter from the un-spring-like
weather, three meals in one day. I thought about my privileges: steady
employment, a reliable car that’s paid for, a comfortable bed and hot shower at
home. What felt like “roughing” it to me might have felt like the Ritz to
someone else.
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