Dineth’s thoughts on building and working in El Salvador
Today was our first day building and working with the local community in El Salvador. I think going into it, none of us knew really knew what to expect. We all knew that we’d be building houses, but beyond that, nothing more. It was really nice that we were introduced to the family that we would be building the house for before we began building. The three children of the family, Stephanie, Jennifer, and Kimberly, were constantly watching us from behind the corner of the foundation, and a few of us decided to test our Spanish skills and make conversation with them. I think the most unexpected part of our day was when Luis told us that the objective of our trip was not actually to build a house, but to interact with and get to know the people around us. I think it really was put into perspective when I went to teach entrepreneurship to local teenagers, because they were just as interested in finding out where I am from and what my life is like as they were in learning about entrepreneurship. Despite all the blisters and dirt-stained shoes, I think we all would agree that today was a great start to this fulfilling week.
Dineth Siriwardane ’15
Dineth (Left)