Today we experienced living on a dollar a day beginning with bucket showers at 4:45 AM. That was an entirely new experience! The most memorable and important part of the day was visiting the families who lived in the community. When we were introduce to our housing families they greeted us with smiles and welcomed us openly into their homes. Every glimpser participated in aiding the families with their daily chores and made the most out of this experience. Doing the laundry required so much more labor in rural Nicaragua than back home. At home I just have to put my clothes in a basket, then move it to the washer, and lastly put it in the dryer. Today however, we had to hike uphill to the tank of water where the river washed away the dirt and soap from the clothes. First we grabbed a piece of clothing and then we laid it out on a rock and rubbed soap on it then we poured water on it to clean it. Most of us also learned to make corn flow=ur and use that dough to make tortillas. We were all treated with so much love and they were so sweet to introduce us to their friends and family as a their own kids. Some of us got the chance to milk cows too! Although we saw these people so happy and ecstatic there are just some things you can’t forget about the conditions they live in. The houses we saw were made of cardboard plastic and scrap metal and they didn’t have basic sanitation. They only had a few utensils and even those were reused so much that they were wearing out. I think that us Glimpsers learned so many important things that we want to share with our friends and family back home. Even if you don’t have a lot of materialistic things you can be happy because you know that making the most of the situation is what counts in the end.
2024 Trips
- T1A-BAY: Turrialba 1 6-5-2024
- JA1A-BAY: Jarabacoa 1 6-6-2024
- TA1A-BAY
(formerly RB1A): Las Tablas 1 6-7-2024 - JD1A-CHI
(formerly RB2A): Juan Dolio 1 6-10-2024 - T2A-BAY: Turrialba 2 6-10-2024
- JA2A-BAY: Jarabacoa 2 6-12-2024
- T3A-CHI: Turrialba 3 6-13-2024
- C1A-LA: Constanza 1 6-17-2024
- CH1A-BAY: Chitre 1 6-17-2024
- SP1A-BAY (formerly RB3A): San Pedro 1 6-18-2024
- TA2A-CHI
(formerly CH2A): Las Tablas 2 6-18-2024 - C2A-BAY: Constanza 2 6-20-2024
- T1B-WM: Turrialba 1 6-24-2024
- JA1B-CHI: Jarabacoa 1 6-24-2024
- TA1B-BAY
(formerly RB1B): Las Tablas 1 6-24-2024 - JD1B-NYC
(formerly RB2B): Juan Dolio 1 6-28-2024 - T2B-BAY: Turrialba 2 6-28-2024
- T3B-LA: Turrialba 3 7-1-2024
- JA2B-BAY: Jarabacoa 2 7-1-2024
- C1B-NYC: Constanza 1 7-5-2024
- CH1B-BAY: Chitre 1 7-5-2024
- H1B-NYC (formerly RB3B): Heredia 1 7-8-2024
- TA2B-LA (formerly CH2B): Las Tablas 2 7-8-2024
- C2B-WM: Constanza 2 7-9-2024
- T1C-NYC: Turrialba 1 7-12-2024
- JA1C-BAY: Jarabacoa 1 7-12-2024
- TA1C-CHI (formerly RB1C): Las Tablas 1 7-12-2024
- JD1C-LA (formerly RB2C): Juan Dolio 1 7-16-2024
- T2C-CHI: Turrialba 2 7-17-2024
- T3C-BAY: Turrialba 3 7-19-2024
- JA2C-NYC: Jarabacoa 2 7-19-2024
- C1C-NYC: Constanza 1 7-23-2024
- CH1C-WM: Chitre 1 7-23-2024
- SP1C-BAY (formerly RB3C): San Pedro 1 7-26-2024
- TA2C-NYC (formerly CH2C): Las Tablas 2 7-26-2024
- C2C-CHI: Constanza 2 7-26-2024
- T1D-BAY: Turrialba 1 7-30-2024
- JA1D-CHI: Jarabacoa 1 7-31-2024
- TA1D-NYC
(formerly RB1D): Las Tablas 1 8-1-2024 - JD1D-WM
(formerly RB2D): Juan Dolio 1 8-2-2024 - T2D-NYC (GK): Turrialba 2 8-6-2024
- JA2D-WM: Jarabacoa 2 8-7-2024
- T3D-NYC: Turrialba 3 8-8-2024
Previous Trips
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1146 posts - 2018 Trips
772 posts - 2017 Trips
880 posts - 2016 Trips
940 posts - 2015 Trips
977 posts - 2014 Trips
625 posts - 2013 Trips
578 posts
Nice to here from you Jasmin. I am back home after the surgery and doing well. Please call when you get a chance. Take care and enjoy…
I enjoyed reading the very lively description of the day. Glimpsers are really learning a lot about life in Matagalpa. I believe this experience will be cherished by the students for rest of their life’s.
Great job with blogging.
Jasmin great post and pictures. I read your post to some of our relatives (Justin’s) and they said it sounds like life in the Philippines. I’m sure many of your families may be able to relate to some similar experiences. Here is another question I pose to you and the other glimpsers:
If the families that you stayed with did not have many valuable material goods (basic sanitation, televisions, silverware, etc.), then how do they know what is truly valuable to them? They do not buy luxury cars or Jordans to show status, so how is status expressed in this culture?
Just more food for thought from a teacher whose mind is not on summer vacation… 🙂