“A house divided on itself cannot stand-that’s what I learned building houses in Mexico two consecutive Thanksgivings in a row. Building a house takes teamwork, strength, unity. One rusted nail or misplaced joint may bring the entire structure crumbling down. But that’s enough about construction. I didn’t go to Tijuana, Mexico to become an expert in architecture or construction; I went to Tijuana to become a better human being.

Experience builds character. Underneath that sweltering Mexican sun, amid the acrid smell of paint and the thundering bangs of several hammers, I learned to make minor sacrifices that would ultimately reap larger rewards (delay your lunch by an hour, pinch in your growling stomachs, and you could finish building one wall and painting another). I learned that quiet obedience was better heard sometimes than a raised, quarrelling voice. I learned what I was capable of and what I was not.

Four days of work like what we did in Mexico, hammering, painting, cutting, can seem miserable to an untrained individual. But the satisfaction and pride that came upon seeing the finished result was well worth it. Crooked, imperfect, and bright green, the house was where our sweat and grime (and blood, for a few individuals) had gone. It had rose from an empty eye-sore of concrete for a base to an eye-popping symbol of hope and home for the lesser fortunate. The journey was over, and, with pats on the back and a few chuckles of exhaustion, we headed home. Behind us, the house still stood, still stands now, and though our prideful emotions were temporary, they were well worth it.”

- TARUNIKA, Student (San Francisco, CA)