Day 3- Glide and Sightseeing

Hi everyone, Brittney and Kendra here to reflect on day 3 of our San Fran trip. The day again started off with a trip to Glide. This time some of us were able to experience a different part of the program than we did the previous day. Many of the people who had come through the doors today had been there the day before. Something that stood out to us was the Glide patron’s request for more sugar than they were given on their prepared trays. The sugar gives their food more taste and, as a result, is a very sought after commodity. 

An interesting thought that comes to mind is that at Glide, aprons and hairnets are a sign of privilege. We are fortunate enough to be in a position where we have the time, means, and abilities necessary to serve these individuals. One thing that we talked about in our reflection today was viewing the situation from the point of those that we are working with and realizing how lucky we are to be on the serving end.  We have also had the opportunity to somewhat share in their experience at Glide by eating the same meals as them.  However, the meals that were served to us and the other volunteers were a little more full, which only served to illuminate our privilege even more. We were given extra sausage, eggs, and bread, and lemonade instead of milk and water.  This may not sound like much, but it can mean the difference between hunger and satisfaction. Today was our last day serving at Glide, and we are really grateful for the time we spent there.  We learned a lot and were extremely humbled by everything we experienced and the people we came into contact with.

After serving at Glide and a short break, we had the opportunity to leave the Tenderloin District and see some more “touristy” areas. Out first stop was Fisherman’s Wharf. One highlight of this stop was seeing all of the sea lions, which have turned Pier 39 into their home. We were also able to have a good view of Alcatraz and sample good fish. Next was the Golden Gate Bridge where we shamelessly posed for many stereotypical tourist pictures. For many of us, this was our first time seeing the bridge and it looked somewhat surreal. We also had time to travel to the Castro, a neighborhood that is known for its openness and fun-loving spirit. After visiting a few shops in the area and stopping by the Human Rights Campaign store, which is located in Harvey Milk’s former camera store, we had dinner at Takara Sushi.

Then, we tiredly made our way back to the hostel and had a very interesting reflection and went over the itinerary for Tuesday.   We are looking forward to what the rest of the trip has in store!  J