Dear Reader, 
Joining the Trek program was initially a major eye-opener. Before I moved to Vancouver, I was completely clueless about the reality of inner-city poverty. The trek program not only introduced me to an entirely new and lovable community of Hastings Elementary, but it also caused me to confront the pressing issues that Vancouver’s downtown Eastside faces. On my first trip down to Hastings Elementary, I began to see what everyone told me to “watch out” for. I saw the masses of homeless, sitting on the sidewalks in the pouring rain, waiting for generous people to drop coins in their cups, waiting to be dry and full, waiting for someone to help. I saw drugs, I saw disabled, I saw teenage girls sitting alone in alleyways. I saw a line of people the length of two blocks, waiting to get inside, waiting to fill their bellies with the scarce amount of food the community had to offer. I have truly, never been so appalled in my life. It evoked a sense of incredible guilt within me, which I was then accompanied by when I walked into Hastings Elementary.
Despite these alarming issues happening within their community, the school was light and cheerful. I realized two things; the first was that these “alarming” issues have been present for generations upon generations and there has not been enough done to solve them. And second, not many things can take the innate happiness away from children, even though many of them face poverty that no child should experience. After visiting many times to play, cook, help with homework, and most of all build relationships with the wonderful students, I was reassured in my decision to join the Trek program. Coming to Vancouver as a new student, I felt that it would take me all four years to truly know the nature of the city I became a part of, and even though there is still way more to discover, Trek has given me insight that I would have no other way of receiving; it taught me the importance of student activism and working toward your cities problems. Being in the CAP Global Citizens program, Trek prepared me for a wide variety of issues that would be explored in my courses. Most importantly, it guided me in becoming a genuine “global citizen”. I always looked outward at the world’s issues, only wishing I could change something I had virtually no influence on. Joining Trek forced me to look inward on something I could easily be involved in and actively work toward. The problems were right in front of my face, and I had no choice but to acknowledge them. I fully plan on continuing my involvement with the program to hopefully make a worthy difference in the Downtown Eastside. Trek provided me with experience and insight that I apply to my daily learning, and helped me understand my role as a student and as an activist.
Sincerely,
Codi Gambino