We moved into our shack today and started work right away. We did physical work around the yard. We started around 9am, had lunch break at noon and the work day ended at 3:30pm. Apparently this is a short day of work! All I know is that I was ready to nap during our lunch break! While two people dug a hole for a new outhouse (baño), the rest of us re-fenced the yard. This consisted of ripping old plastic off the sticks used as fence poles and stapling on new plastic. The people doing the fence periodically rotated with those digging the baño hole. In the end the baño hole was at least ten feet deep. We carried the heavy baño structure over from the next yard and put it safely on top. By the end of the day we had a new bathroom and a repaired fence.
Our income for the day was 300 pesos; however by the time we paid our bills and bought groceries for dinner tonight and breakfast and lunch for tomorrow we only had five pesos to spare. It was the most stressful situation ever for me. Based on some requests from the rest of the group Emily and I were the ones doing the shopping today. By doing this I really got a sense of what life could be like for a struggling family (and not only here but anywhere). Standing in a grocery store trying to calculate in my head what the bill will be, how much money we had and worrying if we were getting enough to fill our 
families stomachs. Trying to put a bit of money aside for a day off. And the worries of what if we didn’t have enough money, what would i put back and the embarrassment that goes hand in hand.
Even as we sit here by the fire with barely any light left planning our meals and schedules for tomorrow, I cannot help think how many people in my neighborhood are thinking along the same lines. Only their worries are much stronger because at the end of this week they don’t get to ‘check out’ and go back to a big sturdy house and worry-free steady meals. We only have five pesos to spare today but when it comes down to it, we are going to be okay.
Written by Deryn, a School of Leadership Student
For 7 full days, I’ll be living in a shack that we, the six of us School of Leadership students, built out of cardboard, wood, and plastic scraps that we’ve salvaged from the streets of Zapata & Vicente Guerrero. Why you might ask? To experience some of the life challenges that a migrant worker in Baja Mexico might encounter.
Each day, we’ll be working common labour jobs to make a daily combined wage of 300 pesos; the equivalent of three people working. This will be shared between the 6 of us to buy food, water, and supplies – including toilet paper, firewood & any other life bills that may come up like medical expenses. Just so you know, 300 Mexican Pesos = 26 American Dollars.
Building our new home seemed like a near impossible task when we first began. Considering all we were given was a staple gun with staples, a few nails and a hammer. We had zero money and needed to build a stable, water-proof structure to keep us safe from whatever weather is coming our way. So we turned to the ditches of the highway; we scavenged for cardboard, wood, scraps, windshields, anything and everything to build our shack. Some generous businesses also donated some scraps of wood, twine and cardboard boxes. Once we filled our van with cardboard and such, we headed home.
After we got everything out of the bus we started to strategize where we would build our new home. We tried to find the most level surface to build on, from here we decided where the shower, fire pit and water barrel would go. Idea’s were flying. We decided on a raised tent shape, basically a triangular shaped frame with about a 2ft base at both ends; similar to a basic house shape, only shorter. Once we had the frame of our shack built we started to lay and staple cardboard to the roof. We covered the roof with the plastic to make a water-proof roof for our lovely new home. For the plastic we used the rope that the lumber yard man gave us; it was quite handy. We did some problem solving and came up with different ways of holding down the plastic. Once the plastic was in place we made sure everything was secure.
I think we may just survive in this thing, considering I’m looking out the window at the shack and it’s still intact despite a night that kept me awake with rainstorms and wind gusts like you wouldn’t believe! (Or maybe I just stayed awake because I’m terrified for the next 7 days...and slightly eager to get started!) But all in all, it’s an experience I’m excited for. Here goes nothing – we’re all in this experiment together!
Leah and Emily, School of Leadership Students living in Mexico
Published by absolute February 18th, 2011
in Uncategorized.
Day 1
TOTALLY AMAZING! As you can see in all the pictures. We went to tour around a few different villages and seen about 6 schools. All we can say is “totally amazing”!! The first village “La Union” and was so totally awesome, it was our first encounter with the children. It […]
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Published by absolute February 14th, 2011
in School of Leadership and Other Sites.
23 days ago, we left Hamilton Ontario - Mexico bound. On the way, we found Arizona, The Grand Canyon, San Diego, fro-yo, and sunshine. Sadly, we had to leave Arizona and San Diego behind (they didn’t quite fit on the bus!) but the sunshine, we kept with us - or rather, it chose to stay. […]
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I can remember walking into my high school gym, and being amazed by the transformation that took place in little under an hour. My gym had been changed into a stage for what looked like a rock concert. I bounced in my seat when the music started, and the lights began to flash as the […]
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