Que lo que (or what’s up here in the DR), my name is Anna Fox and I have the pleasure to tell you all about Global Business and Deconstruction of Poverty Day. This day was a little different than others in the vein that it was heavier day. We had the privilege of touring a sugar plantation here on the island and saw everything from where the temporary Haitian workers live to the production factory. Though the company was presented to us in a positive light some suspicions seeped through when we saw the rooms where the temporary Haitian workers live. These buildings have 20 rooms and in each room lived 10 people, the only way I can describe this to you is that it looked like a concentration camp. And with pride the Barahona company presented this to us.

Later in the day our suspicious were confirmed when we went to a bateye (a community with people of mostly Haitian descent, in poverty, who live close to the plantation). These people, so humble and working on any social projects to improve their community, live by getting running water only once a month and are exposed to toxic pesticides that cause heart attacks and cancer. And even in this community, working at the planation is a last resort because the pay is so low and the personal risk is so high. In this community we met incredible people, who are happy and generous, and are working to change the mentality of poverty in their communities and the amount of education available, and learning the importance of looking into both sides of the story. After this day my eyes, and the eyes of my peers have been opened to the realities of the world and I know we will all act differently because of it and hopefully work to create a more humane global economy.

Hello everyone back home! My name is Alvina and I was the co-leader of the day with Anna. However the day before it was our time to lead I caught the flu and had a fever. Despite my efforts in the morning to try and go with my peers to experience this day, I thought it was in my best intentions to rest up and take care of my body so I was able to spend the rest of the trip healthy. I spent the day sleeping till 12:30 and taking 2 hours to try and get some food in my stomach. I got to know the other girls who were sick as well and getting to know my GG leader, Kim. We were in this together and despite being sick we were having such funny conversations and I’m glad these girls were with me to go through these tough times. Although I was sad to not be able to experience Global Business and Deconstructing Poverty, I knew Anna was leading our group and I had nothing to worry about.

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