Recently I watched the documentary Living on One Dollar, following four young men, who experimented living on just one dollar a day for eight weeks, in rural Guatemala. I highly recommend this documentary to everyone, as it really puts our lives and opportunities into perspective. I found the overall happiness of the Guatemalan people to be the most profound aspect of the documentary. Almost everyone in this village is willing to help others, regardless of how little they have. Families who have almost nothing are able to maintain happiness and positivity. The people of this Guatemalan village were very accepting, and willing to help the men in the documentary, whether it was a simple interview, farming tips, or inviting them over for dinner.
Personally, I do not think I would be able to survive in the conditions displayed in the documentary. One of the guys ended up with stomach parasites, and they did not have the budget to pay for medication. All of the men had fleas after the first couple days. I believe that the medical care and lack of means to afford for care when needed would be one of the most challenging aspects of living in poverty. Many people need medical care, but due to their informal employment, they receive inconstant income, making it almost impossible to receive and pay for the medical help necessary.
Many of the values in which the Guatemalans have are similar to those obtained by people in the United States, as well as my individual values. The Guatemalans from the documentary believe in treating all people with respect. This is a big belief of mine, as I try to treat all people, regardless of our differences, with respect. The Guatemalans also exemplified happiness in even the worst conditions. This is an ethic that I really focus on in my life. No matter what situation, good or bad, I hope that I can extract the good, and smile at the little things that life brings. Another similarity in morals that the Guatemalans and I share is family. I really treasure and appreciate my family, as do the Guatemalans. The Guatemalans were constantly supporting and making sacrifices for their families, such as giving up school in order to help work to make money. Finally, we all place a large emphasis on hard work and education. Every day, regardless the task, it was clear how hardworking the Guatemalans are. They also were eager to learn, and get a good education, as education is often their only avenue out of life-long poverty.
This documentary gave me a new outlook on places in the world where people are truly “born into poverty”. Although very few would choose to live in poverty, their positive attitudes and hard work is very inspiring. There is a lesson to be learned with the amount of happiness that people can obtain in truly simple lifestyles. No material objects are needed to bring happiness. This documentary provided me with more insight as to the lifestyle and hardships of the children I will be working with on my service trip. I will use this in order to better understand the living conditions and background that most of the children have grown up with. It also helped me to realize the problems that the Cambodian people may be facing, and how they deal with them. The documentary taught me a lot about true happiness and selflessness, both of which I hope to bring, and learn more about on my service trip.
