As I prepare for my second week of school, I can’t help but reminisce over my experiences during the last month of summer. I returned from geology field camp on the first of July and immediately began work for a demolition company in Denver. I soon realized my list of extensive duties included filling up a small dumpster with trash from a site, taking the trash to our truck, and dumping it at a local scrap yard. Yes, I know, very extensive. Though the tasks may have seemed dull at the time, the job allowed me to interact with local workers whose daily, monthly, and yearly income depended on this demolition job.

Most of the guys I worked with spoke solely Spanish and had little knowledge of the goings on outside of their respective communities. I fortunately obtained a minor in Spanish recently and was able to communicate with the “hombres” throughout my time there.

Each one of these men allowed me to catch a vague glimpse of the world through their “lens”. I learned a lot about what each person values, the difficulties they experience on a regular basis, and their aspirations. This opened my eyes to further realize how interconnected we all are despite race, language barriers, and opportunities. I wish I could spend more time with these guys to understand more about their lives, but sadly, life must move on, and here I am back in college for my last year. Consolation lies in the memories I have of these great fellows.