The Only Thing We Know About the Future, It’s Uncertain

Posted on April 1, 2009 by erin09

I had no idea when I started this that every paper I’ve read, all the theories I’ve heard, all the academia surrounding poverty could be summed up by one utensil.  By that fateful $1.50 at Dollar General.  The issues of competition, or investment in the future and risk, of uncertainty, all of it is has been demonstrated to me now.

By a Can Opener.

Each year we take the Challenge we can get bagels from Einstein’s dumpster.  Every year participants are able to feed themselves largely off of this ”harvest” as mentioned in previous posts.  Well, knowing this, I counted on it when buying my groceries for the week.  I eagerly reminded those I shopped with to remember that the loaf of bread they were buying is unnecessary, we have bread for the week!  More importantly, I allotted an enormous amount of my budget, $1.50, towards a can opener.  I have so much to say about this can opener that I cannot put it all in one post.

Now that is something I never thought I would say.  Who knew I would ever have this much passion about any appliance.

The most pressing issue with this particular choice of budget though, is my hunger.  By investing in a can opener I was relying on the uncertaintyof having bagels.  I invested in higher quality food, vegetables and even a can of tuna, which could only be accessed by also investing in this can opener, and I did so willingly.  I did this because, naturally, our normal source of food which has served Challenge Participants at UMW for years would be there again.  I took a risk (albeit unthinkingly) and put the tiny money I had towards a tool which would increase my nutrition level and serve the entire community well.

Now, I’m hungry.  As I opened my last can of greenbeans at 9am, with two days to go, I realized what all those papers meant when they talked about why many of the very poor do not invest in “better” options.  I certainly wish that I had ignored the slightly healthier options and bought more affordable, immediately satisfying foods.  I gave up some of my ability to consume today to put money towards the future, but the future is a risky thing and this time it did not end in reward. 

As I write this I realize there may be bagels out at the Shanty Town, right now.  Wish me luck, hopefully tomorrow will not be as hard as it is looking right now.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Daylight, Don’t Leave!

Posted on March 31, 2009 by erin09

Schoolwork, finding and preparing food, and planning this conference (www.povertyactionconference.org) is time consuming, and there is simply not enough hours of daylight.  While I realize most people living on two dollars a day are not dealing with last minute registration bumps and having to work with catering for a conference, however they also have more long term worries for food.  I have a little food set aside which, worst case, can get me through the next couple days.  I just cannot image always being restricted by the sunlight. 

I have been talking with so many people here on campus, and it makes me think so much about the limitations.  Each year the rules have evolved to make this experience a more realistic glimpse of how the other half of the world’s population lives.  Ultimately the biggest limitation I can see at this point is about our safety.  We sleep outside, we may have some food stolen by squirrels, but we know that we are safe.  This is obviously a good thing, we could not responsibly recommend a program which puts students at risk, but it is less realistic.  Other safety measures include that our campus police patrol extra for us, and we have a cell phone on in the shanty town so that if there is an emergency we can get help.  We are also allowed to use stove tops for boiling and cooking, since open flames on a University campus is dangerous.

I am not really sure where I am going with this, but the sun is all but down, so I’m out for the night.

~Erin

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Bagels with a Side of Respect

Posted on March 30, 2009 by erin09

Often the participants of Challenge Week get a majority of their calories from bagels.  These bagels are discarded at the end of the day by Einstein Bagels, a store just across the street.  Sunday night there were a few bagels mixed in among trash, with only one box which appeared to not be contaminated.  These bagels served as dinner and a good portion of breakfast.

Today, however, we had competition.  I use the term loosely, since according to our Code of Conduct,

At all times participants must respect those nearby who are truly in need.  If at any time those in Challenge Week are using resources which are valuable for indigent residents in the area this action must be re-evaluated.

Well, there was a homeless shelter that apparently uses this resource Monday and Friday.  What was odd is my immediate reaction.  I was upset, naturally it was a passing and embarrassing emotion, but for a moment I was more concerned with my immediate hunger and concerned about going another day without this relied upon source of food that I was upset with this shelter. 

It makes our simulation more realistic.  At the first meeting we discussed that many people see our dumpster diving for bagels as cheating, since those really living on $2/day cannot do this. However, these bagels are our harvest.  A majority of the people living on $2/day are small acreage farmers who, during the rainy season, eat much of their harvest and even have a little left over.  Unfortunately this leftover produce cannot be saved for later and has almost no market value, since all of the other farms also have the same crops for sale.  The lack of bagels is more similar to either the dry season, or a natural disaster which prevents the harvest – a flood or drought. 

Yes, the simulation is just a simulation, but we are facing some additional constraints that just might make this year more realistic than we’ve seen in the past.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Day One: Uncertainty

Posted on March 30, 2009 by erin09

Day one of Challenge Week is complete, and it amazes me how quickly we were faced with challenges and changes in our own behavior.  We took a break a couple hours into building our Shanty Town (pictures to come soon!) to shop,

and shop,

and shop.  It is amazing when you have only ten dollars for a week how much difference a dime makes.  Then we have to think about how to prepare everything, how to work together but make sure we each get our money’s worth, etc.  I decided to bargain some, with toothbrushes.  It went like this:

At Dollar General there are cheap tooth brushes. You can get 1, 2, or 6 for $1.  I only need one, but I bought the six pack.  They may be slightly lower in quality, but they are good for immediate bargaining.  I traded and recieved:

-toothpaste

-chapstick

-free use of a pot for all boiling and cooking needs

-a banana

I also took a huge part of my budget and invested in a community can opener.  Though it is not formal, I have said that everyone can use it as long as I don’t have to go diving for bagels.  That’s a whole entry that will be for later.  For now, I need to go be productive while there is sunlight.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Let the Challenge Begin

Posted on March 28, 2009 by erin09

It is just 30 minutes before the big kick off, the signing of the Code of Conduct and TDC sponsored study hall.  I know that this week can take a lot out of everyone, so I’m hoping to get as far ahead tonight on all of my school work as possible!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment