See You On The Next One

SEE YOU ON THE NEXT ONE

One Volunteer’s Story of Discovery and Change

JUNE 6, 2018

“This organization attracts people from all walks of life, all corners of the globe, all socioeconomic classes, from all different philosophies, and mindsets, and religions. It made me realize in many ways how niche my existence had become.”

My name is Brandy Soublet. I’m 30 years old, and a captain and logistics officer in the United States Marine Corps.

When Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria were devastating the country, I was safely tucked away in Europe, enjoying a 12-month sabbatical. When Harvey hit Houston, I was in Southern Spain, visiting Moor castles and eating my weight in Spanish tapas. When Irma hit, I was in Germany, spending hours in art museums and medieval cathedrals. When Maria hit, I was cozied up in a warm cabin in Northern Norway, leaving only to try and catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. I started to lose momentum, and the desire to keep traveling began to fade. It felt indulgent to be jet-setting around Europe when there was so much work to be done at home. I really missed contributing, mentoring people, helping people.

I’ve been in the military since I was 17 years old, originally allured by the structure and discipline of the Naval Academy. It offered a great education with the added elements of leadership and ethics training. The strong focus of the student body fit my personality.

Convinced I would five and dive, complete my required service, and move on with my engineering degree, I came to find that it was actually a really good life. I really enjoyed it. A few years ago the Marine Corps introduced a program granting time away to Marines interested in pursuing personal goals, without disrupting their careers. Taking a gap year to travel the world had been a dream of mine since the Naval Academy, and this program offered me the opportunity to achieve that dream without leaving a career that I loved. As I formed plans to crisscross the planet as a tourist, I had no idea that this year would eventually bring me back home as a volunteer.

volunteer_couple_laughing — On our what to bring list you’ll find a sense of humor; laughter is a regular part of our day

As soon as I heard of the devastation of the island of Puerto Rico, I knew I wanted to participate in the response effort. My mother was born and raised in a small rural town in the center of the island called Orocovis. Stories from my family members of lost power, no water, long lines for gas, banks without cash, and food shortages reached me half a world away, via phone calls with my mother. Instead of feeling the removed compassion of an outside observer, I felt the effects more acutely as they affected the lives of my family members. I immediately began researching organizations working on the island and began the process to becoming a disaster response volunteer.

Unfortunately, I immediately hit roadblocks. My first foray into the disaster response world found me encountering hurdles as I struggled to get involved in the response effort. After a month and half of online courses, background checks, and unanswered emails, I found myself no closer to getting deployed to Puerto Rico. “It shouldn’t be this hard to volunteer,” I thought as I struggled through the application process of a well-known disaster response organization. Finally, after dedicating so much time trying to volunteer with this particular organization, I decided to start over.

Another google search lead me to the All Hands and Hearts website. I quickly filled out an application to go to Houston, TX to volunteer for a week. All Hands and Hearts had not yet started their program in Puerto Rico but I was eager to get to work. If I couldn’t get to Puerto Rico immediately, I’d go to Houston while I kept trying. The application was short and to the point – who were you and when were you available. This made me a little wary of the organization, given the complicated process I had just been through. After a couple days, I received an invitation to come join the effort in Houston. I thought to myself… “that was too easy.” I would come to learn that this was a central principle of All Hands and Hearts – always aiming to accept as many people who were willing to lend a helping hand.

I learned many valuable lessons during my time as a volunteer. As a Captain in the Marine Corps, I’ve grown accustomed to being the person in charge. With All Hands and Hearts, I was simply a team member. Unexpectedly, I learned leadership lessons as I was reminded what it is like to be the person at the bottom of the totem pole. These lessons and the perspective I gained will most certainly help me be a better leader for my Marines.

volunteer_couple_working(1) — Team work is how the product comes to life

Another lesson I learned was how niche my existence had become. Interacting and forming friendships with people from all walks of life fell in stark contrast to the life I had left behind at home – the life in which I mostly spent my time with other Marine Corps Captains, ages 28-32, with type-A personalities, or other college-educated young professionals from my hometown. Although a diverse group, our experiences, mindsets, and values are incredibly similar. A person doesn’t grow much from surrounding themselves with people who are just like them; a person grows by gaining perspective and knowledge from those with different backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs. The All Hands and Hearts community is one of true diversity and I gained perspective and insight from the relationships I formed with other volunteers.

I was also able to develop some wonderful relationships with the homeowners whom we were helping. One homeowner, Maggie, implored our team to work a bit slower, so that we would stay longer at her home. She made an effort to get to know each member of the team, despite the language barriers. She was so friendly and never let us go a couple hours without a drink or a snack. She was even determined to marry off her daughter to our team leader! We really felt like a part of the family by the time we finished. She was one of those homeowners who cried when we left not because we put a roof over her head, but because she lost her friends that she had made in the last week.

beneficiary_volunteer_laughing — Homeowner Pablo shares a laugh with Brandy

Meeting and getting to know Pablo, another homeowner, was easily the highlight of my time as a volunteer. Pablo has an indomitable spirit. Despite the many obstacles life has thrown his way, from losing his eyesight at 21 years old to losing his roof in Hurricane Maria, Pablo is as gregarious and upbeat as they come. He loves his radio and sings every day. Most of our conversations consisted of him telling one of his many jokes or discussing his love of Puerto Rican cuisine. He spends every single afternoon just wandering around his neighborhood, which he has memorized, and is able to walk about freely, saying hi to the neighbors. Everybody knows who Pablito is, and they all talk to him, and take care of him. No matter what he faced he’d just smile and say,

“you know Brandy I just had to smile, because what can you do but smile and go on with your day?”

barranquitas_puertorico_pr_volunteer_group_smiling — The staff and volunteers of our Barranquitas, Puerto Rico project.

I will be forever grateful to All Hands and Hearts for my experiences as a volunteer. Besides the ability to help my mother’s community recover from the natural disaster, I unexpectedly gained something else: a new community. All Hands is the most diverse and inclusive group of people I’ve ever been a part of. The organization attracts people from all walks of life, all corners of the globe, all socioeconomic classes, and all different philosophies, mindsets, and religions. I found myself forming close bonds with people I would never have otherwise met. No volunteer is left on their own for very long before being pulled into a lively conversation or a round of Monopoly Deal. Friendships are formed amongst people of differing backgrounds, ages, and interests. It is a true melting pot of individuals who often have only one thing in common – a desire to serve others.