Living Below the Line - Day 2

Rahinat Emily Koti-Major here again!

My day was going well, for breakfast I had oatmeal with a rice cake (unsalted). Then I had plain 'ol tuna from the can. After all that I had about 95 cents left for dinner. But during dinner temptation came into play. 

My mom has been supporting me in this challenge by locking the freezer and refrigerator for my sake and also by not eating in front of me. But for some reason she was just acting devilish today. She ended up cooking my favorite dish for dinner "shrimp and okra." Once she was done cooking it she realized what she has done and said sorry but then also taunted me and said that if I feel like giving up/in the food is on the stove for me. 

Delicious shrimp and okra

As much as I loved the smell and knew that it would taste soo good I didn't give in. But every now and then when I made my way towards the kitchen to get some water, my mom would peek to see if I was going to the stove for a little taste but I restrained myself. 

After all that happened I just laughed at my mom and we talked for the rest of the night. And she gave me this little analogy saying, in life there are a lot of test along the way and she wanted to see if I was weak-minded or strong-minded. I guess I passed the test. I am so thankful for her support in the things I do although sometimes she makes me want to renege, but I keep my mind focused on knowing that the end is near. 

For dinner I had chicken flavored Ramen noodles instead. And this was my trying Day 2. 

Sincerely, 

Rahinat Emily Koti-Major

Living Below the Line - Day 4

Nicole here! So, I'm still alive!

The past few days have found me tired, lead-limbed, and low-energy. I find myself not wanting to lift heavy objects or bend over to retrieve things. I'm soooo tired. It may be the caffeine withdrawal more than the lack of nutrition.

 

This is me, except I don't get a delicious cup of cartoon coffee

This week has certainly made me think. As I near the end of my journey, I have come to a few conclusions:

1) Not eating is totally unhealthy. Not only do I empathize with those in poverty who are unable to access adequate amounts of healthy food, I also wince at the thought of those that do this to themselves as a result of an eating disorder. It is not a fun way to live. 

Anorexia is a serious disease. A few people this week asked me if they thought I would lose weight this week. I remember asking the same thing of d'Arcy from the Global Poverty Project. I realize I was wrong. Not eating actually causes your body to slow your metabolism in order to conserve energy. Starving your body of nutrients causes it to literally eat itself if you do it long enough. You're not losing weight; you're dying a slow, painful death. Harsh words I know, but remember, I am very hangry right now.

Please click here for some information on anorexia and here for some healthy eating tips. If you or someone you know is suffering from this disease, help is never too far away. Contact your Berkeley College Counseling office or click here to find a treatment center near you.

2) You don't need 5 days to feel the impact of this challenge. By day 2, I was utterly miserable. It's enough to scare you; the toll is so severe on your energy level, your emotions, and your interactions with others. Avoiding dates with friends because you can't drink or eat dinner with them, watching people around you eat when you can't, and having people offer you food that you can't accept all take their toll on you, emotionally as well as physically.

3) Not being able to accept donated food is kind of cruel. I do believe that you need to feel physical hunger to understand what this challenge is about - empathizing with those in extreme poverty. However, I think it's also important to know that, especially in NYC there are plenty of resources for those who can't afford to buy food. See my previous blog post for local organizations that are making a difference every single day! I also mentioned that so many people have offered to give me some of their food. I think that has been the most profound aspect of this challenge for me - the limitless generosity of the beautiful people in my life. 

4) You don't have to eat junk to eat cheaply. It's a common theme in our country that the poorest of our fellow Americans eat the worst food. Either due to access or lack of education about nutrition, people would rather go to McDonald's than the produce aisle. I've learned that for $1.69, I can buy a pound of dry beans, which when soaked and cooked, basically doubles in size. 

That's a lotta beans.

This really hit home for me. I'm always going for the convenient in-the-box dish or buying pre-made foods to save time. As I prepare to enter marriage this year, and hopefully motherhood in a few years, I am starting to learn how to cook affordable, nutritious meals for my family. I don't want them to go right for the instant, powdered food. It's not just about me anymore and I want my children-to-be to adopt healthy eating habits for a lifetime. 

My wholesome all-American Family if I was born a really long time ago.

In conclusion, I wish we could all empathize with our fellow human beings in crises without having to go through this arbitrary process of starving ourselves in an unhealthy way in order to prove a point. Being hungry is awful. We should all do something to help others to avoid this painful state of being, whether we can relate to it or not. 

That being said, whether what I am doing this week will help anyone else, besides yours truly, is completely up to you, dear reader. 

Click here now to go to the Berkeley Cares Live Below the Line Team Page and donate to UNICEF. Help fight world hunger today!

  Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Berkeley College. 

Living Below the Line - Day 3

Nicole here again!

So, I'm in the middle of my 5-day journey of living below the line. My h-anger has reached all new levels. I spent most of yesterday wishing I wasn't doing the challenge, thinking of ways to get out of it, and being mad at myself for doing it. I thought about food all day, and realized that I got hungrier a lot faster between meals than Day 1.

I found myself unable to focus on work. I thought about food from the second I woke up til the second I went to bed. 

My face when:

It makes me think of free breakfast and lunch programs at schools. Imagine being a child trying to focus in class with your stomach rumbling, or gazing with envy and hopelessness at your friends' overpriced Lunchables feast.

 

While I never managed to partake in the sodium-drenched amazingness of Lunchables myself, I did always have breakfast and lunch as a kid so I was very lucky. For those kids that aren't so lucky it's great that New York City offers free, healthy breakfast at school.To learn more about free and reduced meal programs in NYC schools, visit SchoolFood

I also realized that eating this cheaply means sacrificing nutrition to some degree. Subsisting on starches and beans and very little vegetables can make you cranky, bloated, and generally unhappy. One could say that eating a diet of fast food and barbecue (looks at floor and whistles) can also have the same effect, so it is great to take a step back and say "What the heck am I eating?" Even though deliberately not eating when you are hungry (to prove a point to society about our ridiculous over-consumption in the face of global poverty) can SEEM like you are participating in some seriously disordered eating, it does make you think; about food, mostly, but also about what we eat and why. Seriously, it's very deep.

This is some of what I've been eating. Beautiful isn't it? (It's this or more bean pictures people!)

Something that has helped me immensely with this challenge is the constant offers of those around me to share their food with me. The challenge does not allow donated food (unless you calculate the cost) so unfortunately I could not partake in all the deliciousness that abounds in my workplace. That being said, it brings me great comfort to know that I could never go hungry in the presence of my generous students and coworkers. 

Stay tuned for a post on some of the awesome services in NYC that feed our hungry fellow New Yorkers!

Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Berkeley College.

Living Below the Line - Day 1

Rahinat Emily Koti here - Student Government Association Secretary at Berkeley College's NYC campus.

Here's a picture of some of my living below the line shopping.....only have $1.43 left for the rest of the week......thank God my store had a banging sale!!

Don't forget to donate to our cause! 

My fundraising page

 Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Berkeley College.

Living Below the Line - Day 2

Nicole here again!

I successfully survived Day 1 of the challenge. I think the dread of not being able to eat whatever, whenever I want is actually worse than the actual hunger I've experienced. I was able to get by on my three meals of oatmeal, ramen & peas, and beans for dinner. Drinking gallons of water helps to fight cravings and quell the colossal rumblings of my stomach.

Aren't they lovely?

Here are the rest of the week's beans soaking in some water, the old fashioned way:

Tired of bean pictures yet? WELCOME TO MY WORLD!

Emotionally, I'm borderline okay. My mood could be described as follows:

Also, the lack of caffeine, sugar, and rainbows in my diet has led to a nifty headache, as well as an overall feeling of lethargy and tiredness. I fell asleep early while watching TV last night, and then struggled to get out of bed this morning. I wish I could say...

...but unfortunately that is not the case. Feel free to come by The SAC and watch me eat my sad ramen lunch and cheer me up. And if you bring a burger anywhere near me I will be very upset with you. I will seriously reconsider our friendship!

Don't forget to donate to UNICEF. Do it for the children:

LBTL Berkeley Cares Team Donation Page 

Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Berkeley College.

Living Below the Line - Day 1

Greetings from Nicole Luthman, Coordinator for Student Development & Campus Life at Berkeley College's NYC Campus.

Today is my first day doing the Live Below the Line Challenge! And I must say, all I can think about is FOOD!

Why am I doing the challenge? The number one reason I do everything at my job: for my students. The number two reason? I'm a sucker. Just kidding!

Last month, d'Arcy Lunn, a powerful speaker from The Global Poverty Project came to Berkeley College's NYC campus to talk about his experience living below the line for 5 weeks. He's biked across many countries and documented his travels, which you can read about in detail on his blog, lunnyLBTL.wordpress.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @darcylunn.

d'Arcy opened our eyes to the heartbreaking issues of global poverty and to some solutions as well. He inspired several students to come to me and request that we do this challenge. My first thought "Do I have to do everything I ask my students to do?" But then, I realized I could hardly ask them to do something I couldn't do myself and that we would support each other through this challenge.

So here I am, thinking about food...

Live Below the Line Challenge: June 11-15

Berkeley Students and staff at the NYC Campus are participating in the "Live Below the Line Challenge" with The Global Poverty Project this week!

WHY?

Thousands of Americans chose to Live Below the Line this May for five days, in order to raise both awareness and critical funds, for the 1.4 billion people who live below the extreme poverty line every day.  Participants consumed less than $1.50 per day for all food and drink. This challenge is uniquely inclusive because it involves an activity that all people perform daily: eating and drinking.

Why $1.50? $1.50 is the U.S. equivalent of the extreme poverty line - a line that no one wants to fall below. The reason? To provide a unique perspective into the lives of 1.4 billion people living in the world's poorest countries who have no choice but to use $1.50 to cover all expenses. While completing the challenge, YOU, our friends and family can sponsor us in supporting the Global Poverty Projects initiative.

THE CHALLENGE

This challenge will take place for 5 days, from June 11-15, 2012. We will have to stretch $7.50 of food for the entire week, or $1.50 a day.

THE BLOG

Each day we will post to the Berkeley Cares Blog. Photos and videos of us cooking, buying food, eating food and our plate will be posted along with our thoughts and emotions as we go through this experience.

THE CAUSE
UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO UNICEF!

THE REWARD
In addition to raising funds for charity, at the end of the challenge we will present on our experience to the Berkeley College community. Berkeley College faculty, staff and your fellow students are all invited to attend. At this event, we will ask people to bring a potluck dish that costs $1.50 to make!

Live Below the Line Potluck

Thursday, June 21, 2012
5:30 - 6:30 PM

The Student Activity Center

 

Meet the Challengers...