A Conversation with Hopi, Bella, Dan, Josh, & Chelsea - Expedition Club Members
Chelsea- I was worried that I wasn't the right person for the trip. I felt like I wasn't outgoing enough. But I think the trip actually helped me better at that.
Hopi- 2 Urban Plunges, 1st time 2008: I thought it was a very eye-opening experience, because I've never experienced what it's like to live homeless and see what it's like to live homeless. I met some amazing people and heard some amazing stories. One of the happiest people I've ever met in my life and very giving. Cool to see people with so little giving so much. It's interesting seeing Seattle in a different light. Usually when I go to Seattle it's to go shopping, get prepared for trips or school, It's really interesting going into it to live on the streets and get to know people, cause you totally see it a different way. Walking around carrying all of your personal items on you rather than going to get stuff. Only having a dollar not being able to buy anything.
Dan- It made me want to do more traveling. Lit the spark there. Made me come back more open to new…anything.
Josh- Thailand definitely made me a different person. First trip made me a better person, and be more involved, not just sit back. It makes you want to get into things, go out and see the world and actually do something. So I would say it changed me for the better.
Hopi- It was amazing to see how little they had and they were still so happy. Made me realize that I don't need so many things to live.
Dan- Robbie's whole attitude towards connecting with people is very contagious. That was one of the most powerful things for me.
Josh- Robbie's way of approaching these kinds of things is on a way deeper level, I think. The way Robbie approaches it and how he builds this mindset, it makes the experience pretty profound for everybody.
Hopi- With Robbie, he puts it in your hands and it's your choice what you want to get out of the experience. And if you try hard and you work for it then you'll succeed and you'll have an amazing experience. I think he does a really good job of explaining that you'll get out of it what you put into it. I've never been on a better trip than one with him.
Bella- At first it was really hard. Really missed family After a while I just got over it because I think it took away from some of the aspects. Not focusing on what I was missing because I was there.
Josh- Their energy really gets you motivated. Everyone's rebounding off each other and it's this really positive thing.
Chelsea- They gain a lot of confidence.
Bella- They've started having school dances. Girls can wear their hair long.
Hopi- We've brought in some American culture.
Bella- You're learning something you could never learn in school. You're not in a classroom imagining it, you're actually living it. I feel like you learn so much more about who you could be and how you can benefit a community in such a small yet really impactful way.
Hopi - Robbie treats you more as an equal. He expects to be taught you and also teach you. Rather than, 'I'm your teacher, I know everything, listen to me,' which I feel is in school a lot, especially public school. Different levels of respect and reverence. You always learn things that you never expect, there's always those things that jump out at you.
Josh- He definitely treats you all like adults, and because he does that he expects a lot of you. It's a good way to do it.
Chelsea- It's not like this is how it goes, it's more just do it. It's not like you're sitting in a chair and hearing how it's supposed to be, you're actually seeing how it is.
Bella- Kind of blissful because you're not having that stress to perform.
Dan- I think it's amazing that Robbie just started the Expedition Club in Port Townsend and managed it completely logistically and kept it going. It's been this great success for years and years, and I just want to tell people, keep it going. It's a really valuable part of the Port Townsend community. You can kind of compare it to NOLS, or AFS, or Rotary exchange, but it's unique because Robbie's had that connection to the village for so long. Very local.
Bella- And it has branched out quite . People who have gone have moved to different areas and talked about it and expressed it.
Hopi- When I tell people about it I feel like I'm cliché about it almost. Everyone who goes always say it's a life-changing experience, and honestly it is. I try to explain to them that I'm not just saying that. I never would have expected to get out of it what I did. I never really knew what that meant until I went. You don't really know what you're gonna get out of it until you go. But no matter what, it's gonna affect who you are and you're gonna be different.
Bella- I was definitely skeptical about it. Once I got there I was like, I totally understand it know. I think it is something you just have to experience. It's really hard to tell people what it's like because they're skeptical. We're in this sheltered community of Port Townsend. You can't just tell somebody it's gonna be life-changing. That was definitely something I needed to open up to.
