I enjoyed most of my time at Heifer, while at other times it was not my favorite thing. Prior to the arrival I was expecting to have less food than we were given. Also I did not think we would go in and out of simulation to keep discussing our experiences. I thought that everyone would get to milk the goats, so I was disappointed when I was not chosen for that or other fun activities involving the animals. I enjoyed a lot of the activities and team building exercises but I was very anxious to begin the simulation. When finding out in the family of small Thailand i was very please, plus I had a good friend in it. The first night was rough and the food was not very good. A couple family members and I walked around trying to trade foods and supplies but most of the other countries would not accept what we had to offer. The first night we had a stew for dinner which contained rice and carrots. It was not very good or filling. That night was also filled with the exciting event of Guatemala raiding our home and popping out baby, which lead to a 30 minute mourning time. The next morning we woke up earlier than I had in years, 6 a.m. My family and I walked to the Slums to find a raw batch of grits which gave an uneasy feeling to my stomach. We spent a good portion of the afternoon performing chores which resembled the lifestyle of Thailand. We picked weeds for an obnoxious amount of time and followed was cleaning the urine of the ducks and the their whole cage, then we fed the pigs. After what seemed to be hours of chores, we went to the barn to collect the ingredients for our Thai lunch. We all pitched in to make a curry dish, which was unexpectedly tasty. After cleaning our dishes we spent a large amount of time out of simulation, discussing simulation, life, and other things. That night was my favorite. Our family had the most money to spend at the market than any other families. We left the market with tons of potatoes, rice, oranges, oil, and canned fruits. For dinner we prepared the same thing as the night before but this time it was much tastier. After a long night of songs around the campfire and attempting to make tortillas we went into our small Thai house and went to sleep. We woke up at a harsh time of about 5 a.m., collected our things, and went to get real food that was prepared in a kitchen. The simulation effected my view of the world. It made me even more grateful that I have the opportunity to eat what i want and when I want. I learned how to make a fire and cook with little recourses which hopefully I will be able to use sometime in my real life. Mos of my experiences matched my expectations even though I thought it would be a little more difficult and harsh.
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