Living on a $1 a day had been advertised to us since the start of Global Glimpse. It has been something we all had been looking forward to. We started our day by taking a bucket shower and having only bread and hot chocolate for breakfast. We then headed off to meet the welcoming community of Beijuco Aplastado where we would spend the majority of our day.
After having an introduction meeting, we split off into smaller groups and met our host families for the day. Our families took us in their homes, introduced us to our host brothers and sisters, and gave us the opportunity to experience their lifestyle. We spent the next three hours performing various chores. Some of us planted yuca roots, others built fences, while the rest cooked the lunch for the community. It was amazing getting to interact with these families and bond with them on a personal level in such a short amount of time. We were very surprised by the resources that these people had developed in their little communities. They grew many different types of plants to use for various household purposes. We enjoyed the taste of the outside layer of cacao beans, the richness of a freshly picked mango, and the sweetness of a locally grown sugarcane.
Although we bonded well with our individual families, the community came together as a whole during lunch. Sharing a meal with the whole village was a unique experience and one that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. After lunch, we had some free time during which Glimpsers bonded with the children of the community by playing baseball together and then with the adults of the community through a dominos tournament. The people of the community were extremely generous, humble, and welcoming. Even though they live on a dollar a day, the richness of their hearts was overwhelming. It was really hard to say goodbye to the community because we really did feel at home with them. After giving small gifts to the community leaders and hugging our families one last time, we returned to the Foundation where we had time to rest. Once we were rejuvenated, we prepared for our English tutoring classes, which took place from 5-7 PM. These classes are another opportunity for us to serve the community through the most powerful weapon, which is education.