As our discussion of poverty is coming to an end, I came across a documentary called "Living On One Dollar" on Netflix. It is 56 minutes long and after 56 minutes it left me feeling sad. The mission starts with 2 friends and 2 film makers who go to a village called Peña Blanca in Guatemala for 2 months. They have to live like it is their home. They get a "house", land and all with only $1 each. They came up with an efficient way to earn money, they would draw numbers out of a hat and that is how much they "made" that day, ranging from 0-9. Th natives there don't know when or how much they will get paid because they don't have a set job, most are day laborers and work in fields. Chris, Zach, Ryan and Sean were eating under 500 calories each day, sleeping on the ground, getting bit by fleas while they slept and eventually Chris got sick and had to be taken to the hospital but the medicine to make him better was too much money, they didn't have enough.
Chris, Zach, Sean and Ryan started befriending some of their neighbors and they met Chino, 12, who can't afford school so he works in the field as his job. He is 2 and Chino already knows that he will become a farmer, Chris asked "If you could be anything what would it be?", Chino said farmer but Chris asked again and Chino said a pro-football player.
Rosa is 20 years old who never got to finish her education but wanted to start her own business. Supplies for school is only $25 (American dollar) and most families cannot afford that.
The 4 guys became very close with Anthony or Antonio. Anthony invited the guys to his home for a traditional pulique dinner which is made only 2 times a year, the cost of ingredients is expensive but Anthony and his family insisted. Anthony has a large family to take care of and he is the only one in the village with a set job and can rely on a constant pay check. He actually paid for all the hospital bills for chino's mother when she was very ill. Anthony called Chris, Zach, Sean and Ryan his brothers and invited them back to his house whenever they wanted and he will provide shelter and food.
Chris and Zach made a point that people with nothing are willing to share and give anything they have, even if it is limited. People like Anthony are willing to spend money that needed to be saved and spend it on ingredients for guests to have dinner. I recommend watching this, it opened my mind a lot more an it took me into the world that people actually have to live through. This isn't some Hollywood documentary where they make it seem not so bad or the worst thing in the world. It just shows how 4 guys from America having to survive how native do, which is very difficult.
Its all about survival!!!
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