This morning we started our day at Our Lady of Talpa. We helped clean and organize Ms. Vichill's classroom. Then, we conducted several team building activities for her 7th grade students in preparation for their transition to 8th grade and high school. After each activity we posed questions for reflection, activity improvement, and comments. Following all the festivities was a question and answer panel with us on our experiences as college students. This was an opportunity for the students to ask any questions regarding transition, our interests, our intended careers, and overall advice. Interacting and conversing with the students was a humbling reminder of our roots, where we once started and how far we have come.

As a part of our immersion, we participated in a necessary "California experience" aka lunch at In-n-Out. After we ordered, we brought out all our food to the cars and ate together in the parking lot. It was definitely interesting to see college students squished into the trunks of minivans eating burgers and sharing fries.

Later, we drove along the coast to Chaminade College Preparatory High School (CCP-WH) and the West Hills Marianist Community. A student from St. Mary's University and an alum of CCP-WH (along with his sister) gave us a tour of the high school and introduced us to the Campus Ministry staff. This presented a new perspective of the Marianist presence at a high school level.

Immediately after our tour, we went to the Marianist community for mass and dinner. After we ate, we sang happy birthday to Francisco and presented him with a cake for everyone. Then, we all gathered around to share about what we have learned or will take away from this trip. Some of the major lessons include the beauty of different universities comprised of students with diverse backgrounds coming together to serve and work for the advancement of the common good. We see this shared passion in our work whether it be with the people on the margins or the people close to us. In addition, a take away is the value of not only focusing on serving others, but learning from one another as well as building community with them.

Paz, Cheyenne y Taylor
Dios te bendiga!



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