Allow me to let you peek inside what life is like when you put 43 young adults into a community like the one we are living in this month. No TV, no transportation, minimal internet, no kitchen of free snacks, several children ages 1-17 running around, and constant mindfulness to conserve water and electricity.
Things you might hear/smell/see/taste:
- “Whose excited to go to the mall on our off day and use the free WiFi?!?”
- “Dude what the heck, I left a Snickers sitting RIGHT THERE!”
- the smell of coffee
- “I guess I might as well learn to play the guitar…”
- “No! The rule is you DO flush poop, just not pee!”
- 30 fully grown people running around in the dark playing Mafia.
- rice, rice, rice.
- the smell of a stinky bathroom hitting a whole new level.
- “Do you wanna pray about it? Here, let’s pray about it…”
- several children giggling over a Disney movie on a gringo’s laptop.
- “How much do I have to pay you to hand wash my clothes?”
- people doing their laundry for hours on end in the one giant washbasin in which all clothes and dishes for 50+ people are washed.
- “Are you going to finish eating that?”
- “Um, I’m sorry but we are having team time.”
- people becoming incredibly spoiled for scenic running routes, as we venture down dirt and grass roads through the wide-open mountain country side.
- “You mean you ACTUALLY get up and run at 6:30 every morning!?!?”
- men getting their ever-growing hair french-braided by bored girl squad mates.
- the smell of 43 different varieties of febreeze and perfume trying to cover various stenches.
- “So I was praying earlier and God was totally telling me…”
- someone always reading their Bible or journaling.
- “So what is your stomach doing? Dude mine is NOT cool right now, this morning I was in the bathroom and…”
- someone playing the guitar pretty much 16 hours a day.
- “Can someone teach me to do a back flip? I’m bored.”
- people whacking machetes through a tall grass field, picking up trash, building a rock wall, etc…
- about 5 friendly mutts running around and grabbing shoes, snacks, bags of trash, etc…
- our squad leader, Alan, carrying around fully grown dogs like they are puppies.
- incredible sunsets. every night.
- “Why does my tent ALWAYS reek?”
- both children and adults constantly swinging on the tree swings.
- “Wow, who is using that toilet stall? and I thought MY diarrhea was loud and musical!”
- squad mates, in a moment of bravado, venturing to ride a bike on the kids hand-made BMX ramp and crashing.
- “Why is it that all I really think about is our next meal? I’m not even hungry. Maybe I should go to the poperia and buy a Snickers…”
- “I have this new theory about not washing my hair with shampoo…”
- 43 adults piling on and off of school buses.
This list could go on for days, but I just wanted to give my supporters a taste of what life on the WR looks like right now! It is hilarious, loud, annoying, challenging, exciting, and entertaining 100% of the time!
