For the past 4 years, my family and I have traveled to Ensenada, Mexico on a three-day trip to build a house for a needy Mexican family. Each time seems to be more memorable than the next. This specific picture is special to me because it was my second time here, and I had spent over $600 of my own money to come with my dad, so I felt a lot more independent than I did before. This picture was taken on the shopping trip, which occurs on the second day of building as we are finishing the house. The mom and the children go out with a translator and two to three volunteers and are able to spend $200 at the local Wal-Mart-type store. I was lucky to go with everyone because it meant I was able to interact on a more personal level for the kids whose house we were building, and to improve on my Spanish. Together, I was able to help them each pick out a treat, check out at the grocery store by myself, and communicate pretty accurately with the kids, which gave me a huge confidence boost in my Spanish-speaking abilities. Overall, that trip was one of the most inspirational and thought-provoking experiences I’ve had, and I can’t wait to return again this year!