Thoughts from Gabriel Allgayer '16

After another five minutes with the shovel in my hands, my back started to hurt again. After another two, I needed a break. The work we are doing, building a bathroom, is hard but also fun. Almost everything we do is without the help of electricity, since we are a seven minute walk away from the school. Yet this is the most enjoyable and relaxing part for me, helping the people while having fun. Yes, the work is hard, but being in such a great place (the middle of the rain forest) and having the opportunity to have such an experience is just amazing. Since we arrived, I have enjoyed this trip: the people we meet are all friendly and happy to help us, the country is beautiful, the food is more than delicious, and the activities we do are fun. The most fun one for me so far was the activity we did Monday after we were done working: a visit to the local snake house followed by eating ice cream in town afterwards. I enjoyed it so much since after working we were all in a good mood and ready for relaxing downtime with each other. But my experience was made even better with what happened next. After having trouble with my taxi, I arrived two and a half hours later than I told my host family I would arrive. Instead of being upset or angry, because they had to wait to eat dinner, they welcomed me as friendly as usual and asked me what happened. After explaining everything, all was good and we enjoyed dinner together.

-Gabriel Allgayer '16