"The essence of my ASSA trip came about from not only how much the children had learned from me, but more importantly, what I had learned from them.  The children at this institution taught me numerous valuable life lessons.  One of which was never to complain about small petty things, as there are bigger problems in life.  I watched the struggles these children endured, such as walking and eating, things we otherwise would take for granted.  This made me realize the importance of what we have, and never to take things for granted.  Words like courage and determination outline the basis of what these children believe in and practice everyday.  Another valuable lesson I acquired was that opportunities come rarely, so every opportunity missed is an important experience lost.  An example of this demonstrated by the ASSA children was their determination and courage they showed once they had finished their semester end exams.  After their exams, they were extremely determined to enroll in computer classes for the summer and understand the logistics of the instrument.  They did not miss a single opportunity to acquire these skills, which will definitely help them in their future, as learning modern forms of technology is an opportunity and if missed is a valuable experience lost.  

I had come to ASSA with no expectations, and returned with memories and experiences I will cherish for years to come.  The value of this excursion is priceless, as no words can quite explain how much I have learned from these children and how much of what I have learned I utilize on a daily basis.  These types of opportunities are very few and to most come once in a lifetime, and to my satisfaction I did not fail to gain such an experience."