On July 12, 2014 we had another exciting but emotional day in Leon, Nicaragua. This day was based on poverty. We started the day by waking up at 6:30 a.m. and having breakfast at Quiero Mas at 7:30 a.m. After breakfast we had a poverty seminar that was taught by Shiloh. During the seminar we learned the five p’s of poverty: People, Place, Politics, Peace, and Past. Next, we took a field trip to the dump. At the dump we split into 3 groups and walked through the dump. While walking through the dump we conversed with the people that go to the dump to work everyday. We were all affected by their stories about how they support their families by collecting trash and selling it. One of the men that we talked to said the weirdest thing he found was a fetus in a jar. On the bus ride back we had a quiet reflection time to think about what we experienced and felt. We also looked at the houses in the community surrounding the dump. Once we returned to the hostel we had a reflection meeting. During these meeting we bonded and let our vulnerable sides show that we had never seen from each other before. Then we went to lunch at Quiero Mas and ate rice, beans, and mushroom chicken while vegetarians had rice, beans, and plantain chips. After lunch we watched a movie called Dreaming Nicaragua. This was an excellent movie about how poverty affects Nicaragua. This was also an eye opener because it showed how people in the rural areas live in poverty. The majority of them are happy and humble. We also had a seminar on tutoring where we shared our ideas about how to teach and play games with our english students. We then had dinner which consisted of beans with sour cream, and a quesadilla. To conclude our day we had our nightly meeting and went to bed at 9:30 p.m.
Wow, I am touched by how much you all are learning through experience over this trip. I am glad you all have this opportunity and have each other to share your reflections and insights with.
Take care and looking forward to see you and learn more about your experiences.
– Dolly