Column: Embracing Change- Danielle Barriga's Journey from Love in Chile to Community Building
By Nancy Turner
The Dalles Ore. December 20, 2023 — Whenever we consider a change in our lives, even a positive one, we encounter the paradox of transformation. On one hand, we are on familiar ground. It may not be the best, but it’s what we’re used to. When we think of making a change, we run the risk of losing our stable ground. We tend to settle for what is familiar. Why rock the boat? On the other hand, to not change leaves us stuck, and unwilling to grow. Choosing a change lets us be open to the possibility of improving our lives. There’s tension associated with taking risks, but people who do have more fulfilling lives. As Rilke put it, “People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them.”
I’m here to tell you there are more people than you know who have taken risks and made decisions without knowing the outcome. There are plenty of people willing to get unsettled. One such person is Danielle Barriga.
Years ago Danielle fell in love with a Chilean man working on his PhD at Ohio State University. She was studying sociology. After he returned home, she followed. His town was a seven-hour bus ride south of Santiago. She arrived with not a word of Spanish. All she had was her two dogs and a suitcase of clothes. Eventually, she became fluent in her new language. She ended up teaching English as a second language and translating science research papers that related to the fisheries and mining industries.
Danielle and I had fun talking about our shared interest in Chile. My father was born and raised in Chile. His father managed a copper mine in the Andes. In my mid-twenties, I learned Spanish while traveling for a year in Central and South America. I bragged to her that my dog is bilingual. Pippin understands English and Spanish. Well, that’s nothing. Her dog, Mona, is trilingual. English, Spanish, and Cat.
Eventually, she left Chile. Her ex and their adult daughter stayed in Chile. Danielle had studied sociology in college. This time she returned to the US and earned her teaching certificate. She was living with her sister in Colton, Oregon. When offered a teaching job in The Dalles, she took it. Her sister wouldn’t move to The Dalles, so Danielle decided to go by herself. She had no idea what she was getting into. Talk about unsettling. She didn’t know anybody. However, she had a positive attitude. She’d grown up in a small town. She knew people in small towns tend to take care of each other. She told me, “We behave a little better when we know we’ll bump into our neighbor around town.” She figured she’d tough it out for three years.
That was six and a half years ago. With her AstroVan, she has done lots of camping and raves about the natural beauty in the gorge. She loves it here. The Dalles is home. She wouldn’t go anywhere else.
By 7:30 a.m. each morning Danielle is on the job at The Dalles Middle School. She teaches ELL and English Language Learning. Most of her students are Hispanic; some are Asian or Samoan. She loves having the opportunity to get to know her students’ families. It’s a real joy when a student’s younger siblings end up in her class. She gets to know the whole family. Her kindness and fluency in Spanish opened the hearts of parents and grandparents. They feel welcomed and included in their child’s education. This web of interconnection is crucial to each child’s success.
After the confining period of COVID-19 ended, Danielle wanted to build new relationships outside of work. She was with kids all week so wanted to be with adults for a change. Being an empty nester, and not into crafts, she wanted to do something meaningful with her time. Her first crush was on Jimmy Carter. Joselyn and Jimmy Carter were poster figures for Habitat for Humanity. Their volunteer work building houses for low-income people helped publicize the good work Habitat for Humanity did. Danielle decided to volunteer at the ReStore in The Dalles. Having been raised by a single mom, she always appreciated being thrifty, so working in a store selling used items was a good fit. Besides having a deep appreciation of their mission, she didn’t have to clock in until 10 a.m.
Danielle works on Saturdays. Sometimes she arranges objects for sale, cleans shelves, or helps a customer find just the right hinges for their project. Sometimes she helps in the back, unloading donations. Her Spanish is particularly helpful for Latinos asking questions about home projects, or how to apply for a Habitat home. She likes helping people save money by buying second-hand items. She appreciates the ecological impact of recycling tools, building materials, and household items. Everything you and I buy at the ReStore means that the item doesn’t get dumped in the landfill.
Not everyone likes to do retail work. We’re not all in shape to stack used windows or arrange furniture. If you’re a person who likes to do office work, writing, graphic design, filing, or maintaining a website, give Habitat a call. If you tell yourself you have nothing to contribute, in the long run, you’ll be palm-smacking your forehead, saying, “What was I thinking?” Whatever your strength, they can put it to good use. Danielle had no idea what she’d be doing at Habitat til she asked. She had to get unsettled before she could find her niche.
Danielle pointed out that we should never underestimate the value of making a small contribution. Don’t let fear or uncertainty hold you back. Even volunteering for an hour or two a week is helpful. She knows the sense of well-being and satisfaction that comes with volunteering. And it’s energizing! There’s a big difference between working at a wage-earning job and doing volunteer work. As Danielle emphasized, “A paycheck goes away quickly. The satisfaction lasts.”
Habitat for Humanity information: 541-296-8817
ColumbiaGorgeHabitat.org
