Dear students, parents, and friends,

It’s been a few days since we boarded our plane out of Dominica. It was very sad for us to part from our group and to leave the community, but it was a very enriching experience for us and we hope the same for the students and the residents of Bense as well.

Our last week in Bense was full of activity, and we thought it wouldn’t be right to end this blog without an overview of our activities and accomplishments, and to share some photos that documented our experiences.

As far as work projects were concerned, our last week was very busy, consisting of two main projects. The first project was to begin building walls around the ground floor of the Resource Center (we all stayed on the second floor of this building), so that it could serve as a shelter for the upcoming hurricane season. Group A had already poured a concrete foundation for the ground floor, so it was our job to enclose it. The work was intense but very enjoyable and engaging, and we finished the job on Friday morning. We worked under the guidance of two delightful local stonemasons, Maki and Joseph, as well as our good friend Righteous. The second project was to paint two houses. We continued painting the house of a resident of nearby Calibishie, and afterward painted the house of our good friend Carey, and Carey’s mother Ruthenia.

In addition to our work projects, we had a lot of fun during our last week doing various activities. We did activities in the afternoons with local kids as part of our Summer Fun Camp, doing lots of reading, arts and crafts, and games. We also played Taboo and Mafia on Monday night with our friend Lizra Fabian, and on Tuesday we went to Batibou, our favorite beach, for the last time. On Wednesday night, we were invited to dinner at a nearby hotel by the local tourism committee to thank us for our work on the road to Chaudiere Pool. We attended a social at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Thursday night to play games. On Friday, our last day, we went to the local Pointe Baptiste chocolate factory to get some chocolate souvenirs to bring home. That evening, the village council came by to say goodbye and give us some parting gifts. We then went to have a farewell dinner and dance party at a nearby bar, before heading to bed to get ready for our long trip home.

Now that we’re back home, we’re happy to enjoy our daily comforts, as we’re sure the students are as well. Yet, we miss our students and the great friends we made in Bense. We hope to cross paths with you all, either on future Putney trips or elsewhere!

Much Love,
Liv & David