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During the March spring break Project EXPORT Fellows traveled to Hardrock, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation to provide community service, and engage in community based presentations and activities while developing a greater understanding of Project EXPORT partner community. Fellows spent four days immersed in rural Navajo daily life visiting homes of elderly community members, a unique opportunity for them to learn first hand a bit of Navajo cultural traditions. EXPORT Fellows were taught how to enter a Navajo home and greet in the Navajo way. As part of their service obligations fellows helped the elderly with basic daily chores, such as chopping wood, shoveling horse manure, and cleaning homes. By traveling out to each home everyday fellows experienced first hand the challenges of rural living on the Navajo Reservation and the barriers to health care and health promotion.
 In addition, fellows met with Hardrock community leader, Percy Deal the chapter president who gave fellows the historical background of Hardrock, Mary Begay, the Chapter’s Injury Prevention Coordinator who spoke about substance abuse and related accidents, Lorraine Herder, the Senior Center Supervisor spoke about Navajo traditional foods, weaving and her interest in diabetes research in Hardrock, Nicole Herder community activist gave a presentation on environmental health and injustice issues in the Big Mountain area and Valencia Herder, and Justin Willie demonstrated how to developing a traditional garden using sustainable techniques of permaculture. The cultural immersion into Project EXPORT partner community Hardrock has fostered a sense of commitment and understanding of the culture and issues surrounding the people of Hardrock. Fellows gave their spring break to Hardrock but in the end the memories and times in Hardrock will be with them always.
“The trip to Hardrock had a great impact on me. I am sorry for the students who were unable to attend because it is an experience I will carry with me always.”
- Project Export Fellow
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