Service Learning Journal II

Roots in the City
Second Visit

• This was my second visit to the garden in ovetown. I woke up around 8:30 A.M to the surprise that my parents were not home. I immediately tried to call my friends to know if they were going, so they could give me a ride. Unfortunately, nobody answered and at the last moment, my dear friend Diego called saying that he was going. He came to pick me up, as I was waiting for him with some pancakes.
• Then we head to overtown, getting there like around 10:00 P.M. I know it was late, but at least we made it. I spend my time, cutting the good leafs and cleaning them for the people. I also took out the dead leafs and carry them to the garbage with Yancilis. At the end, we spend some time talking about the history of overtown, and made a circle in where we hold hands.

• I felt really glad by the fact that so many people were stopping by the garden and asking for food. What shocked my little was the fact that we heard a sound like a bullet sound. I noticed that many of the volunteers were scared. However, I didn’t feel the same way. I felt as if I was in a secure place. I felt that these people wouldn’t even try to harm us, when they see that we are working for them, to give their children and themselves food.
• At the end of the day, I was feeling tired and hungry so we all decided to go eat at a Mexican Restaurant. As I was eating my tomatoes, I thought of how many people it takes for me to be eating this taco, accompanied by tomatoes. I felt as farmer and a harvester, knowing that someone was going to be tasting the food that I worked for with my own hands.

• What I learned from my second visit, was pretty much the work that our everyday food takes in order for us to have it easy. Whenever, we want tomatoes we go to the store, and buy them. Do we need to go and plant them? Do we need to get our clean hands into the dirty soil? Do we need to put our lives at risk with the chemicals that are put into each harvest? I don’t think we do…
• Finally, it takes courage and effort to be one of these admirable beings. Overtown citizens, do know what it takes for their food to be ready in their dinner tables. Sometimes, they themselves do it, or simply they just steal it. I don’t blame them, since I would definitely take this risk for my family. I also learned about the history of overtown, and why this place has the stereotype those now days identifies it.