Keep CTK Weird 2016: Portland Day 1!

Ellie Baxter:

Today was our first full day in Portland. The first thing that we did was go to the Portland Food Bank. Our first shift was sorting packaged foods into healthy foods and unhealthy foods, which they called "supplementary." Then, we went to lunch and came back for our second shift. We had to put on aprons, hair nets, and gloves on. We liked dancing in them. At first, we were sorting and bagging onions, then when those were all done, we sorted and boxed cherries. In the end, we had sorted and packaged 19,613 pounds of produce, which made 16,349 meals. I thought it was an amazing experience and I would love to do it again.

When we were finished at the food bank, we came home and got ready for dinner and the Shanghai Tunnels tour. We went to dinner, ate, and found the place where the tour started. We went underneath the buildings of Portland to see things like boots from young men who had been imprisoned, trap doors, hear about human trafficking, and even stood in paranormal portals.

It was a really cool first day in Portland and I can't wait for more to come.


Simon Bidne:

Today at the food bank, the first shift we packed up boxes of food with non-perishable items to be packed and sent to food banks across Oregon. On the second shift, we packed onions and cherries to be sent around Oregon as well. On the second shift, we packed 19,613 pounds of cherries and onions, 16,349 meals, which comes out to an average of 206 meals per volunteer there.

The Shanghai Tunnels were an interesting turn-around from the food bank because it went from helping a bunch of people to learning about how innocent people were taken advantage of. We learned about how men were sedated and taken advantage of, then sent off for 3 to 6 years. And they were taken from their families and sold into slavery. We also learned about women who were taken off the streets, then mentally broken down and sold into prostitution. It really saddened my heart to hear how proud some of these men were that did this. It was hard to go and do good and then turn around and learn about some of the worst things that happened. It was a very emotional first day and it really set a tone for the rest of the trip.