Experiencing how the people of Estelí lived on $1 a day definitely proved to be an eye-opening experience that many of us will never forget. To maintain the theme of living on a $1 a day, there were some changes the Glimpsers undertook. For their three meals, they only consumed gallo pinto (rice and beans) and drank purified water. The use of electronics (including music devices and cameras) was banned for the whole day, and we were “adopted” by new families and assisted them with their daily chores.

After a two hour bus ride, which included a 30-minute delay in freeing the bus from the river, we arrived in the small, close-knit community of La Pita. The people of La Pita were victims of poverty, living in a community where outside aid and assistance was a two-hour drive through the mountains of Estelí. Upon arriving at La Pita, we were organized into groups and each group was adopted by a family to work alongside them and perform daily tasks. There was a variety of tasks that the groups encountered.

One group (Hannah, Ezra, and Ema) folded clothes, cut fruit, weeded the garden, and emptied the trash.

Another group (Matthew, Apostol, Nino, Mia, Kelly, Nic) helped repave a pathway by filling in gaps with mud. Despite the variety of tasks, the groups were able to bond and experience moments of hard work and reflect on the challenges the people of La Pita face daily.

After providing a packed lunch for the people of La Pita from Buffet Estelí, we spent our final hour bonding with the people of La Pita. Despite their lack of English and (some of) our lack of Spanish, we were able to converse and get to know our families on a personal level.

One group (Raychelle and Adrián) talked to their host family about their daily routine and their personal tastes in music. After a heartfelt farewell and a many pictures, our bus ride back to Estelí was filled with conversation on the memories we made spending the day with our families.

Today was definitely a day where we were pushed out of our comfort zones and forced to work and adapt in conditions that proved to be difficult, yet rewarding. Learning to adapt to challenges and going outside of our comfort zone was something we discovered before, during, and after our day with the families of La Pita. I was super proud that my fellow Glimpsers embraced this experience with an open mind and were willing to think and work outside the box by challenging themselves mentally and physically. Everyone, from the Glimpsers to the families of La Pita, inspired me to keep pushing boundaries and work outside my comfort zone no matter how difficult or straining it is.

Being El Líder Del Día has been an experience that I’ll never forget. Being Líder helped me mentally strengthen myself. It helped me realize that I possess an assertive tone that enables me to control the room and be informative on the itinerary, and that I’m able to project my voice so Glimpsers are able to hear me and divert their full attention to me. Being Líder Del Día may seem stressful since we’re still getting familiar with Estelí, but embracing this role can help improve your leadership skills in the long-run.

This experience has already been life-changing within the first 10 days of the trip. I’m excited to experience the next 11 days with the other Glimpsers.