Hey everyone, today was Deconstructing Poverty Day and the experience left us very humbled. We visited the Chitré Dump where we took  a tour and spoke of the obstacles and challenges that impoverished people encounter daily.  The Dump was an example of where human trash goes that is comprised of materials that take centuries to decompose such as plastic and rubber.  We observed mountains of trash and soil that were up to 6 meters deep.  Our waste plays a big role in the destruction of the environment, mass consumption on a daily basis contributes to pollution around the world which in turn leads to global warming. A disheartening observation was a family picking through the trash. This will lead us to appreciate our privilege, always having a roof over our head and food in our stomachs. A reflective conversation later on in the day empowered us to think before we act when consuming and to give back to our Earth and our communities. Also to watch out for our new initiatives to save the environment and live healthier lives upon our arrival back to New York as well as our expectation for you all to participate as well!!!

After our visit to the Dump, the other half of our day was filled with relaxation and bonding time.  We took showers, which were much needed after being surrounded by pounds of trash along with flies, bugs, stray dogs and even vultures!  As people who depend on the Earth for survival, we’re not so great at taking care of it. Besides that, we had time to play our favorite card games of Uno, 21 and Go Fish.  Some people took their free time to sleep (including me Lauryn).  Others went outside to shop at the supermarket and get food from our local bakery. Not to be forgotten the basketball we bought (me DéAndre).  We all enjoyed our free time in our own way.

Lastly, we prepared for our English tutoring classes (which have been going great) then proceeded to teach for an hour.  After we had dinner and our nightly meeting where everyone shared their thoughts in the reflection session mentioned earlier.  Overall, we had a day well spent because we learned a ton and we’re ready for the next three days in which we’ll be working on our CAP.