I just came home from a LiveDifferent Build…now what?

Great Expectations

Expectation is a funny thing. It can move you to action anticipating one outcome, only to find that what you finally experience is something quite different. This was the case in my experience with the Live Different Build trip.

I didn’t expect hard labour. Wouldn’t they just put the unskilled gringos on shovel-washing duty or something trivial like that? Despite this, I wanted to experience the amazing feeling that would come from being a part of something that would impact a family’s life so significantly. I wasn’t quite accurate on either account.

Yes, there was some shovel-washing. But there was also shoveling, cement mixing, sifting mounds of sand, and applying cement to the house. It was real labour. Add high temperatures, children weaving about constantly, and the odd animal roaming underfoot, and the challenge grew. But that was the easy part.

Our “day-in-the-life” excursion gave us a chance to visit a family in their home, to help with some chores, and make a meal with them. Accompanied by LiveDifferent volunteer trainees Katie and Mark, my colleague June and I visited the home of Lulu. She lives with her husband, Ollie, and adorable three-year-old daughter in a small, two-room house. One room is used as a kitchen/living room/hair salon (Lulu is a hairdresser) and the other is a bedroom where the three of them sleep on a mattress held off the floor by cinder blocks. The walls are draped with sheets to cover the spaces between the wooden boards that act as walls.

The washroom, a small concrete structure outside of the house, consists of a shower and a hole in the floor which, we presumed, was the toilet (us Canadians were too shy and proper to ask). June and I were lucky. We visited a family that was doing relatively well. Some of our other colleagues had quite a different experience.

Seeing people live that way was hard, but it was surprisingly harder to see the love, warmth, and appreciation they had for each other – and for us! – despite their difficult lives. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves, and what they lacked in “stuff” they made up for tenfold in their relationships. Why was this hard to see? Because, suddenly, this trip didn’t make me feel like a good person at all. I complain about trivial things daily though I have everything I need and more, and I often catch myself valuing the wrong things. Many of their most basic needs go unmet, yet they would happily share all of what little they have. The secret to their joy is something we already know, that, as LiveDifferent so eloquently puts it, “life is about people, not stuff.”

Knowing something on an intellectual level can only take you so far. Experiencing the reality of it is quite a different thing. After I was through feeling like an arse, I started to feel amazing getting up each morning knowing that what I was about to do that day mattered to somebody else’s life. I feared this feeling might be short-lived. I might come back to Canada and fall into old patterns. It’s not a perfect path, but something has definitely shifted and I don’t imagine there’s any going back.

– Lucy – LiveDifferent Builds Volunteer, Spring 2016

A Different Path

At the beginning of grade 12 I thought I had my whole future planned out. I’d go to university the following year and complete a degree in International Development. While that is still my plan, I have just taken a different path to get there. I had the opportunity to go to Mexico for three months to participate in the LiveDifferent Academy program where we learned about social injustices, served in the local community, and experienced personal growth in numerous aspects of our lives.

Originally I was going to complete the Academy and then work for the rest of the year to save up for school. As graduation was getting closer all of my friends were heading off to start their futures, so I started thinking about my next step after the Academy. I began to realize that I could use my time more effectively than just working, and could do something more meaningful. Shortly before leaving for Mexico I went to Hamilton to visit LiveDifferent friends and hangout for the day. I got to visit the road teams while they were training and see a glimpse of what they would be doing for the rest of the year. It was after this that I realized tour was something I wanted to do. It seemed like a very positive environment, which I wanted to participate in. The most intriguing thing to me was that tour is creating change inside of Canada and helping those close to home.

When I arrived in Hamilton for training week I knew that I had made the right decision to come on tour. Our first week consisted of training and making sure everything was ready for the presentations to begin. I felt excited to start the process, but also nervous that I wouldn’t catch on fast or wouldn’t be good at my jobs. Luckily the training week went well and everyone was very understanding and patient while teaching me things they have been doing for months. This week was very beneficial for not only training but for transitioning into a team environment and learning to all work together. We had a week full of laughter, random moments, passion, and hard work to get us ready for our showcase.

As I am the only new intern on my team I think I was the most nervous/excited for our showcase, where we host all of LiveDifferent’s staff and friends to see our newly designed presentation for the spring tour. It was a really cool day seeing how all of our hard work comes together as we gave our presentation. After the showcase everyone was excited and eager to get on tour and start the journey. I am grateful for the incredible people who are filled with kindness that surround me, and I wouldn’t want to be in any other environment. I feel inspired by the people around me and cannot wait for what the next four months have in store for me.

– Danica, LiveDifferent Tour Intern, 2016

What does “Life is About People, not Stuff” mean at Christmas?

LiveDifferent’s motto, ‘Life is About People, not Stuff’, can make us pretty uncomfortable around the holiday season.

It’s uncomfortable because we’re bombarded with messages to buy expensive gifts to prove to people that we care about them. It’s uncomfortable because people literally push, shove and even trample over one another to get the best deals on whatever the hot item is that year. It’s uncomfortable, because most of us have more than enough already, and don’t really need any of the stuff that’s going to be waiting for us under the tree on Christmas morning.

I’ll be honest…I’ve had my moments where I’ve done all of the above, and I certainly dampened everyone’s Christmas Spirit! I even remember one Christmas when I’d just returned home from a LiveDifferent Build, and I was absolutely against getting any presents because I’d just met so many people who had so little. I told everyone in my family that I couldn’t, in good conscience, accept any gifts that year! (Which, as it turns out, wasn’t very helpful to my Mom or Dad, who just wanted to get me something nice to show their appreciation at Christmas!)

It’s hard, because it is true that we really don’t need any more ‘stuff’. It’s true that there are so many people in the world who have very little and could benefit from us spending less on ourselves, and more on causes that can make a real difference. But, it’s also true that if ‘Life is About People, not Stuff’…then at Christmas, and throughout the year, we should be focused on giving to people, instead getting stuff.

There’s an awesome video that’s been making the rounds this year, and I think it shows this perfectly. A group of kids get set up in a social experiment, where they’re given a tough decision to make. Watch it and see what happens!

It’s kinda hard not to tear up when you hear these kids, who have the exact gift they’d asked for sitting right in front of them, choose instead to take a gift for their family over and over again. And when they’re asked why, they say that family is what matters, that they want to give back to their parents who have given them so much, or that they’re excited that they have the opportunity to give something nice to their mom, who hasn’t had a nice gift in a long time.

These kids get it. Life is about people, regardless of stuff. And at Christmas, it’s about making sure the people we love can feel it – that they know that we appreciate them and everything they do for us.

And hey, if you’re really worried about staying away from the consumerism of buying all kinds of unnecessary stuff, there are so many creative gift options you can choose instead! You can hit up Pinterest to find dozens of DIY gift ideas. You can support your local economy and buy something made in your own hometown. You can even make a donation to a charity as your gift, knowing that your gifted support will make a real difference in the life of someone who needs it! Choose a cause you care about, such as your local food bank or shelter, or look up the awesome Christmas gift ideas from your favourite charity, like Charity Water, World Vision, Plan Canada, or even us here at LiveDifferent!

So, go forth and celebrate the Christmas season in full LiveDifferent style, without feeling guilty about it. Instead, be excited that there’s an entire holiday dedicated to showing the people in your life how much you care about them! Yes, that might mean giving a gift that someone does not technically need, but that will show them that they’re loved. In the end, that’s what Christmas is all about!

– Cindy & LiveDifferent

From the Ground Up

This week was our build week. Instead of a house build like LiveDifferent normally does, we decided to switch things up a bit and work on a schoolhouse project. This Build was very different compared to my other LiveDifferent Build experience. The school was built out of wood entirely and had two classrooms inside the one building. During the last day of our “Week in the Life” experience we had spread the dirt that the concrete pad was poured on. The concrete pad was spread and dried during the few weeks between Week in the Life and our build week. When we got to the site to actually start our build, there was just a pad on top of a pile of dirt.

As the days went by, our Build slowly took shape. I had the most fun working on the roof, from snaking through the support beams to slathering on tar for the shingles. From on top of the roof I could see all the way out to the ocean and also could see the next town, Camalu. I could see the entire build site and watch everyone do their jobs. The part that I didn’t enjoy was painting. It was especially difficult because the wind kept blowing sand and dirt onto the walls we were trying to paint. But, in the end, it was all worth it because the school looks beautiful with its gray walls and white trim. During the week, we ran into some travelers from Tennessee and some circumstances led them to helping us for a day or two. It was so cool to meet these people and have them help with building the school.

This was a pretty important Build, not just to me, but important to all the families and students who live in the surrounding area. The school that the students were using was four garage doors and a tarp as the roof. There was no flooring so the classroom floor was just bare dirt. When we got towards the end of our build, the students took down their old classroom, and seeing their faces of glee and excitement taking it down was indescribable. The build was a fantastic experience and it is such an amazing feeling to see the school all set up and see it wiz past as we drive down the highway.

-George (Jorge), Academy Student 2015

Desert Adventures

For the last two and half months we have adventured to many different places that are reflective of the Mexican culture. A few of my favourites were a volcano hike, Lucha Libre, Globos market, and the Baja 1000 off-road race. All of these excursions were terrific outings where we met many kind people and experienced Mexican culture. The volcano hike was an interesting and smart way to view a new part of Mexico. We traveled to a lovely beach and, from there, hiked an hour up a beautiful volcano. The volcano has not been active for many, many years. Hiking up was a leg killer because it was all up hill, but reaching the top made it all worth it. The views were spectacular and breathtaking. There is something so mindful and peaceful about being on the top of a mountain and soaking in the beauty that Mexico has.

Lucha Libre is a form of entertainment wrestling widely enjoyed throughout Mexico. Mexican wrestling is characterized by colourful masks. The wearing of masks has developed special significance and matches are sometimes challenged where the loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a done with a high degree of weight attached. I am aware that this type of entertainment is a huge part of the Mexican tradition, which we haven’t seen a lot of.  The wresting event that we watched was held at Globos, a market that is held every weekend in a nearby town, San Quintin. Many items are sold at the market including clothing, food, and toys. The owners of the market were celebrating their 10 year anniversary in business and to celebrate they hosted a Lucha Libre event.  Many people gathered for this experience because it is a very popular tradition in Mexico.

The Baja 1000 is an off-road desert race that takes place on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula the third week of November every year. It draws in thousands of spectators, sponsors and media. We were able to participate in the Baja 1000 festivities by travelling to Ensenada for the pre-race fan fair and spending the next day watching the race on the track near our home. The Baja 1000 allows various types of vehicles to compete on the same course, from dirt bikes, atv’s, dune buggies, trucks, and custom fabricated race vehicles. The name of the event can be misleading as the mileage varies each year because the track changes, but essentially it is about 1300-1500km’s! You can imagine how long it must take! The racers who are able to complete the race usually finish in an average of 18-22 hrs.

All of these outings have been so much fun and have made the LDA experience so much more enhanced by participating locally with Mexican culture. With only three weeks left, I hope to attend more fun filled excursions in order to soak up more culture and knowledge about Mexico.

– Grace, Academy Student 2015

What Life is about People means to me

No Hombres? No Problem

This week I attended our different volunteer positions and visited my host family one evening. I really enjoy going to Buen Samaritano, because I like the work I get the opportunity to do there. I enjoy the reactions I get when I ask for the “man’s” job.  Another female student, Danica, and I showed up one day, ready to mix concrete to set up some posts for a clothes line.  We received a confused look and a ‘No hombres?’ (No men?) from the women in charge.  “No, muy fuerte!” we assured her as we flexed our arms jokingly.  She then led us to the lines and we worked for three hours mixing and laying concrete into meter deep holes. We finished 3 out of the 7 holes.  Many people here have such a strong idea of what women and men’s roles are.  In Canada, I have worked as a carpenter, a landscaper, and a construction worker, all of which are traditionally deemed jobs for men. A number of times I have gotten weird reactions, but I like to prove that women are just as capable of doing labour work as men are.

Mareena is another reason I like working at Buen Samaritano.  She works there and it feels awesome to be able to connect with someone from the area.  She speaks enough English that we can have conversations and she helps me with my Spanish.  Mareena likes it when we tell her about Canada. Her questions are filled with wonder as we tell her about the weather and how different it is from Mexico.  Getting to know her has definitely made this volunteering experience better.

I have never been the socialite but I have really enjoy being with my host family. We visit them one evening a week, in order learn more about Mexican culture, practice our Spanish, and get to know other people in the community. I love preparing dinner together, joking around, and laughing about our miscommunications. Dinner is great and the food is amazing, so I always compliment Hilda on her cooking. She is so funny; she will point to my stomach and say “nada!” (nothing) and then grab her own and say “manteca!” (fat) – she thinks I’m too skinny.  We laugh about this exchange because it happens every time.

LiveDifferent’s motto is, “Life is about people”, and I’m beginning to see what this really means by taking in people’s stories and getting to know their personalities. It’s such a powerful feeling to really get to be a part of a person’s life, and to impact them in a way that you could not have if you hadn’t taken the time to build these relationships.  Sharing moments and memories with others is something I’ve learned is so important. Life really is about that special connection you share with everyone who enters and exits your life.

– Alexandria, LiveDifferent Academy Student 2015

Time – An Undervalued Luxury

This week was very challenging, but also very rewarding. I was able to learn so much about poverty and about those experiencing poverty that I’ve never thought about before. One of the hardest things I learned this week is how little free time people have to spend with family and friends. There is always something to do. What do you do after you are done work for the day?  Typically, one would go home, make dinner, do a couple chores, and then relax until bedtime. What if simple things like cooking becomes a chore or a challenge?  The reality for some people is that they have to continue working hard as soon as they get home. They need to cook, some over an open fire, to make repairs to their homes, do yard work, laundry, and so much more. It’s crazy to think that after people work a 9 hour day in the sun in the fields, or rock picking, they have to come home and do more hard work. Back home, when I finish a day of work I come home and watch TV or sit and hangout with my family. Understanding this is also a reality for many working people back in Canada too, it made me realize just how lucky we are to have some of the luxuries at home that make those daily chores less stressful and time consuming.

No task is simple when living in these conditions. For example cooking is much simpler when we have a stove, countertop, and numerous cooking utensils at our reach, but for many people, and for us this past week, we were cooking over an open fire. It is hard to imagine that food can be an uncertainty in people’s lives. If it is raining, then the fire won’t start, which means you’re unable to make dinner for your family. Living in this uncertainty this week was a new concept for me. It made it very stressful and made me anxious every time we were about to cook. Throughout the week our timing with cooking food improved, as we always tried to get most of the cooking done before dark. It is amazing how much you can’t do once it starts to get dark. Again, it is a totally new concept as I have always lived with electricity.

This week has taught me so many things and I am beyond thankful to have gotten to experience it all. One of the largest lessons I learned is to never underestimate one person’s ability and strength. Working alongside locals this week and getting a taste of what their everyday lives showed me how strong people can be. While we were working alongside them we needed to take breaks, to drink water, and give our bodies a chance to stretch, but they do not take these breaks and continue working for long periods of time. They know what they need to do to provide for their families and they are willing to do it. One of my favourite moments this week was when we were rock picking on Friday. After we worked for about 5 hours in the sun, we were done picking but now needed to bring up all the bags of rocks. At this point the workers became less serious about getting as many rocks as they could and starting joking around with each other and talking more with us. It was nice to see that even after a long workday they were able to joke with each other and try to make their days more enjoyable.

I have found a greater respect for those experiencing poverty, especially those we were able to work alongside.  I am very grateful we had this opportunity to try and understand some of the daily challenges they face. We learned so much this week about our group, poverty, and ourselves in general.

– Danica, LiveDifferent Academy Student 2015

The Most Empowering Week of My Life

Being empowered doesn’t come from things that come easy to us. It comes from the tougher times where we push ourselves to the limits and survive to tell the story. That’s how I feel about this experience.

Everyone else was so excited for ‘Week In The Life.’ I, on the other hand, was terrified. I didn’t sleep at all the night before we moved in or the first night outside of our normal bunkhouse either. I was living without walls and I wasn’t sure I could do it. But I have.

With a few changes, I’ve still been able to live this experience with everyone else. Though I helped with the building of the house, I don’t sleep there. I sleep in a room, on a concrete floor, with all the windows open. I have a mattress and a plastic chair, which are the only things that the others don’t have. No electricity. No running water. We all cook meals over the fire. It’s not an easy life to get used to.

We were all talking around the fire last night about the things we missed the most. The item I said I wish I had was a lamp. Just to be able to read at night is a luxury I definitely take for granted. The food item I wanted more than anything was peanut butter. Seems simple enough, right? Well, you’d be surprised how expensive it is for a family of 5 who are living on the income of one field worker! I’ll never look at it the same way again.

Showering is very different also. Though I find bathing with just a bucket challenging, it does raise a startling point about water usage. We as Canadians use far too much. To know that I can wash my hair and my entire body with just one bucket of water is shocking because I know I use far more in a shower with running water whether I mean to or not.

But the best thing that has come from this experience is that I feel it has made everyone better friends. In order to be successful in an environment like this, you have to be able to work together and function as one unit. I think we have done pretty well at doing just that. Personally, I have had to become better at acknowledging what I can and cannot do and ask for help. I am not usually good at that, but during this time I’ve had no choice. I’ve also had to do different types of work than the others would do. There are times I wish I could be in the fields working with them, but at the same time I like doing different work because I enjoy when we share our stories about our day once we’re all together in the evening again. It makes the experience all the more interesting.

Is this a way I would want to live for an extended period of time? No. But I have realized that the people who do live in these circumstances are extremely courageous and strong. After walking a mile in their shoes, no better words could be said. My frame of mind has been forever changed by this experience.

– Melissa, Academy Student 2015