meals on wheels

Studying aboard in Puntaranes, Costa Rica in 2010, was a constant push out of my comfort zone. One adventure I voluntarily entered was when I decided to learn about some of the social issues in Puntaranes. Specifically I got the opportunity to see how the community dealt with issues of poverty and hunger.  Weekly, local college students volunteered in a program similar to America's "meal on wheels" idea. Another student Sara and I  help to prepare the food and then got into a car -train. Besides the preparation of the food, mentally I had to prepare myself. We went around the city until about eleven o'clock at night ladling out hot food to homeless people. I am still proud of myself and can scarcely believe I did that. At a time when  I was building my fluency in Spanish, I repeatedly go into small jeeps with unknown folks and went further and further out into the city. At first, as a female I was scared. Each meal I gave encouraged me to give another, as we built community with each other and those we fed. After completing that service trip, I grew stronger intrinsically.