Every year, sophomores take a class trip to Heifer Ranch, one of the more well-known trips of the St. George’s experience.

Although we were not particularly happy about this trip, it was an eye-opening and memorable experience for all of us.

The poor shelter conditions left many students freezing throughout the night, and the limited resources left many hungry. A majority of students were not prepared to sleep in cold weather without heat or commodities, so the harsh winds were especially unforgiving.

In addition to being packed into small rooms, students who were not necessarily friends huddled together for warmth, which created new bonds. Students who were “pregnant” also struggled to walk up and down the steep hills.

While one night at Heifer seemed to last forever for us, we realized that there are people who live in those conditions everyday. It is our responsibility to be, not only aware that these people and conditions exist, but to help in whatever ways we can, even if it helping one person.

Even though most people in the different “families,” or countries, were not close friends before Heifer, they all worked together to make it through the night.

For example, the refugees did not have any resources or any means of communication to anyone outside of their camp, so the majority of the sophomore class took great pity on the refugees and simply donated supplies that they did not need. At one point, classmates in other groups walked into the refugee camp and all gave the refugees supplies and food. The empathy for those who were less fortunate multiplied as each village filled their own families’ bellies. Some students and teachers from other villages even spent extended periods in the refugee camp to help them start a fire, which took about an hour.

Normally when cooking meals, we can start a fire within seconds with the help of a gas stove, so having to spend so long to keep a fire going at Heifer Ranch was a bit of a culture-shock. From this, we learned that we are in no way prepared to live without technology and with minimal resources.

So, what does this say about us? We should be grateful for absolutely everything we have, from our education at St. George’s to showers and warm beds. Honestly, Heifer is not much of a trip for pleasure, but the effect it had on us was worth it. For those who have not gone on the trip yet, instead of complaining, go into the experience with a positive attitude and you will receive a positive outcome in return.

For more information about Heifer Ranch, you can visit heifer.org to learn about its mission and donate money to a family in need.