As soon as we arrived, many of our host families were ready to greet us, not hesitating to exchange hugs and “besitos”. On top of that, they quickly guided us to the fold tables beside the house, setting down pans of rice, beans, salad, and chicken in front of us. Their hospitality was tremendous, as they had given us all the chicken they had available, refusing to eat until we were finished. Despite not knowing these people an hour prior, they provided everything they could, prioritizing our needs over theirs. The lesson is obvious; we should become more generous people. 

Another short story from the day revolved around a fruit that my host family had in abundance. I forgot its name, but my roommate and I loved them, asking for more of them. We walked with the dad to a neighbor with a tree full of them and watching him fill a basket with them. After helping take off the leaves, we went to leave, and our host pulled out a bill, but the farmer refused to take it, giving us and the family a small gift. Even someone I had never spoken with offered a similar hospitality, extending it to anyone they could. We can already tell these next three days in the campo will define the heart of our experience.