A Day in the Life of a Books for a Better World Ambassador Thursday August 11, 2016 by Lisa Schuring 4:45 am: Wake up to alarm and roosters (Although the roosters actually did their job at 4:15). 4:50 am: Shower quickly because the water is cold. 5:00 am: Dress and spray insect repellent on every inch of your body. 5:30 am: Grab a yogurt, granola bars, water, backpack, books and head for the city center bus stop. 5:40 am: Board a 14 passenger van and squeeze into a seat along with 29 other people. 8:00 am: Greet the teachers and children as they arrive at school. Visit with the director about the purpose of your visit and the mission of Books for a Better World. 8:45 am: Pass out the books and interact with the children as they read and look through the books. 11:45 am: Eat lunch of homemade corn tortillas, beans and egg yolk cilantro soup. 12:00 pm: Take photos with the cute kids and wave goodbye, choking down the tears. 1:30 pm: Wait longer for the truck to pass by and cross your fingers that you didn’t miss it! 3:30 pm: Get off at the town’s central park and buy an ice cream cone before walking home. 4:00 pm: Take a cold shower & wash away the dirt and sweat. 4:15 pm: Hand wash your clothes and hang them to dry. 5:00 pm: Review teacher questionnaires and make notes about school visits. 5:30 pm: Help prepare dinner of eggs, black beans, fried plantains and corn tortillas. 7:00 pm: Play games, sing, dance and enjoy every minute of your new friendship with your generous host family. 9:00 pm: Map out tomorrow’s school visits, prepare books, school supplies and teacher questionnaires. 10:00 pm: Lights out- Fall asleep to the sounds of salsa music in the streets and the dogs barking next door. Don’t forget your bug spray! Does this sound like a day you would like to have this summer? |