Sunday, June 19, 2016
Day 9- Granada Tour
Today is our last day full day in Nicaragua, and it felt like a typical tourist style day. We weren't in much of a rush to get out of San Juan Del Sur, the nice sleepy little surf town with pretty much everything you could want in it. We started the day slowly, some slept in, some got up and had a light breakfast. With time enough to for a morning swim, several went into the ocean and embraced the day. By ten we packed the van and headed to Granada, one of the oldest cities in Honduras. Two hours later we were in the city and ready for lunch! Part of the history that was told to us in the van rides days earlier was that Leon and Granada were the two rival cities for many years, with Montegue and Capulet style disruptions over the years. To end this it was decided Managua should be created to relieve the tension. Granada was founded in 1524 by Francisco Cordoba (also the name used for the Nicaraguan Currency) and there are many churches and old building here that attest to a long history. Located on the edge of a large lake (50km+ wide by 80+km long) it has been raided by pirates, burned by US Marines. It is a popular stop for tourists now and many features of the town seemed geared towards that. After lunch, checking into the hotel, a quick swim and phone calls to our fathers on Father's Day (I reminded them all several times if they say I didn't!), we went on a horse and buggy ride through the town past all the historic and important sites. There are several statues to historic people like Sandino and some ex-presidents, and buildings like churches, cathedrals, and large hotels. Then we finished the ride at a dock and took a boat ride onto the lake to see the wildlife and islands. There are over 300 little islands in the lake, the result of Mt. Motombo eruption 20,000 years ago. These are mostly populated with a variety of house from local people to summer type homes. There are also a lot of birds and monkeys and other interesting wildlife. After an hour tour of the lake we came back to the hotel and readied ourselves for dinner. It is a relaxing end to our trip and helped us see the long an interesting history of Nicaragua. Tomorrow we're off to the States again, happy for our adventures with hopefully a better understanding of ourselves, and our world. Some are longing to come back, maybe we can get a group together again soon. - T McGuire
Day 8- San Juan Del Sur
Hello all!
Today was a relaxing and informative day. We started off with saying goodbye to Kacey, our America-Nicaragua liaison, and saying hello to Hoscar, our liaison for the rest of the trip.
As we drove out of Managua, he explained to us why there were the plastic trees all over Managua: they are the way that the Sandinista government is expressing its gratitude to Venezuela for helping Nicaragua out with its energy situation.
We also stopped near a volcano and touched these extraordinary plants, which contract when exposed to outside contact.
As we drove into San Juan del Sur, everyone was amazed by the absolutely stunning view. We got to see that view even more as we zip lined across the Nicaraguan jungle.
We were all anxious to go to the beach, which is why we were all ecstatic when we found out the restaurant we ate lunch at was right next to the ocean. We either jumped in the water or watched the Copa Europa match.
After lunch, were not nearly done with our time at the beach, so we went back almost immediately after checking into our hotel. I would estimate that we spent nearly three more hours at the beach.
We finished off the day with dinner and Ice Cream. It is safe to say that our stay here in Nicaragua was informative, rewarding, and fun.
Michael K
Today was a relaxing and informative day. We started off with saying goodbye to Kacey, our America-Nicaragua liaison, and saying hello to Hoscar, our liaison for the rest of the trip.
As we drove out of Managua, he explained to us why there were the plastic trees all over Managua: they are the way that the Sandinista government is expressing its gratitude to Venezuela for helping Nicaragua out with its energy situation.
We also stopped near a volcano and touched these extraordinary plants, which contract when exposed to outside contact.
As we drove into San Juan del Sur, everyone was amazed by the absolutely stunning view. We got to see that view even more as we zip lined across the Nicaraguan jungle.
We were all anxious to go to the beach, which is why we were all ecstatic when we found out the restaurant we ate lunch at was right next to the ocean. We either jumped in the water or watched the Copa Europa match.
After lunch, were not nearly done with our time at the beach, so we went back almost immediately after checking into our hotel. I would estimate that we spent nearly three more hours at the beach.
We finished off the day with dinner and Ice Cream. It is safe to say that our stay here in Nicaragua was informative, rewarding, and fun.
Michael K
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Day 7 - last day in Estelí
Waking up at 6:30 this morning, we all stuffed while also unloading our bags as we collected our final donations for "La Cruz" learning center. Rather than going to our usual breakfast at the hotel the group left the hotel at 7 am to check out the town's farmers market in the center, and stop by the local smoothie shop. Who knew the best fruit drink in the world could be bought for only 60 cordobas or $2.12. Walking around the center of the city we saw trucks filled to the brim with tomatoes, the articulate craftwork of the locals, homemade bread, and freshly prepared banana, papaya and "piña" yogurt. At around 8:30 we dragged our bags to the car and began our last ever trip to the learning center.
Pulling into the school we were greeted by a group of political science college students who had come by to donate not one but 5 piñatas. We all sat around watching as one kid after another took a swing. Upon bursting the piñatas and tackling the ground, the kids all sprinted over to us. Smiling up and screaming "para ti!!!" or "for you!!!" they so thoughtfully offered us their candy. Despite having very little they were gracious enough to offer what they had. And even the college students gave to us. Thy were so thoughtful they handed each of us chicken sandwiches and orange juice in a bag. Yes, a siren wrap bag. After we all looked frantically between each other over our confusion they started to laugh and proceeded to show us the best way to go about drinking it. Most of them didn't speak English so we weren't able to to talk too much but their professor made one comment that will stick with me forever. Leaning over to Elizabeth she said, "Thank you so much for helping our country." It was a small gesture but it meant so much.
After a little play it was time for work. Most of us helped carry more cement for the shed while a couple others worked more in the garden removing yet another rock. Rachel and Lexi began their endeavors with one rock which after hours of uncovering lead to be a 10 person job with about twenty 7 year old spectators. With some Spanish music playing in the background everyone got after the rock and with the eager help from some of the kids they were finally able to uncover the 500 lb rock.
After working in the hot sun we all headed to the gazebo for a quick lunch. Afterwards we separated all of our many donations between the Cruz and Esteli schools while some helped out in the kitchen making sandwiches with our left overs for the kids.
The next few hours were spent water painting, jump roping, playing soccer and even swinging on their play set. Despite the scorching heat and billions of flies, everyone made the most of their final hours at the learning center. After a new game of "gato, gato, perro" because none of us knew how to say duck or goose in Spanish, and taking hundreds of photos, it was finally time to say goodbye.
Tears were falling everywhere as we said our final "adios". We were so sad to leave, but so thankful for all of the amazing memories and friends we had made throughout the week.
On our 3 hour drive back many bathroom stops were made and lots of napping took place.
Once we had returned to our hotel in Managua we showered and headed to the pool side for a nice snack which lead to a full on meal. We all had an amazing final dinner with Casey who gifted us all with Fabretto volunteer t shirts. Then it was off to bed for a good night's rest for a new adventure in San Juan Del Sur!
Pulling into the school we were greeted by a group of political science college students who had come by to donate not one but 5 piñatas. We all sat around watching as one kid after another took a swing. Upon bursting the piñatas and tackling the ground, the kids all sprinted over to us. Smiling up and screaming "para ti!!!" or "for you!!!" they so thoughtfully offered us their candy. Despite having very little they were gracious enough to offer what they had. And even the college students gave to us. Thy were so thoughtful they handed each of us chicken sandwiches and orange juice in a bag. Yes, a siren wrap bag. After we all looked frantically between each other over our confusion they started to laugh and proceeded to show us the best way to go about drinking it. Most of them didn't speak English so we weren't able to to talk too much but their professor made one comment that will stick with me forever. Leaning over to Elizabeth she said, "Thank you so much for helping our country." It was a small gesture but it meant so much.
After a little play it was time for work. Most of us helped carry more cement for the shed while a couple others worked more in the garden removing yet another rock. Rachel and Lexi began their endeavors with one rock which after hours of uncovering lead to be a 10 person job with about twenty 7 year old spectators. With some Spanish music playing in the background everyone got after the rock and with the eager help from some of the kids they were finally able to uncover the 500 lb rock.
After working in the hot sun we all headed to the gazebo for a quick lunch. Afterwards we separated all of our many donations between the Cruz and Esteli schools while some helped out in the kitchen making sandwiches with our left overs for the kids.
The next few hours were spent water painting, jump roping, playing soccer and even swinging on their play set. Despite the scorching heat and billions of flies, everyone made the most of their final hours at the learning center. After a new game of "gato, gato, perro" because none of us knew how to say duck or goose in Spanish, and taking hundreds of photos, it was finally time to say goodbye.
Tears were falling everywhere as we said our final "adios". We were so sad to leave, but so thankful for all of the amazing memories and friends we had made throughout the week.
On our 3 hour drive back many bathroom stops were made and lots of napping took place.
Once we had returned to our hotel in Managua we showered and headed to the pool side for a nice snack which lead to a full on meal. We all had an amazing final dinner with Casey who gifted us all with Fabretto volunteer t shirts. Then it was off to bed for a good night's rest for a new adventure in San Juan Del Sur!
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Day 6
We woke up this morning to the birds chirping and the sun shining through the window. After eating breakfast, we headed out to the Fabretto center in town. We had some time to kill before a cultural presentation and some of us played basketball or jumped rope with the kids. The cultural presentation was next, done by preschoolers. They sang us head, shoulders, knees and toes in English, a typical Nicaraguan folk song and a historic dance. After leaving the school in Estelí, we headed out to the Fabretto school outside the town. Some of us worked on digging more rocks out of the garden and others moved rocks and dirt to the back of a building to make cement for the shed. We finished the morning with a kickball game and lunch. We then headed about an hour out to a scenic viewpoint. It was about a 10 minute hike to a beautiful view. On the way back into Estelí, we stopped at a smoothie and garden place. We walked around all of the plants and found a playground. Some of us got smoothies, banana yogurt, Nutella and bread or hummus and bread. A couple hours after this, we headed out to dinner at a chicken restaurant. It was very yummy. After, we all walked back to the hotel to pack and sleep for our last night in Estelí.
Rachel C.
Day 5 - work and tours.
After another early breakfast at 7 am, we headed out to the Febretto learning center to continue our work on the bodega. As we arrived half of our group went to finish the work in the garden while the rest laid the foundation for the shed. Even though it was blazing hot with the sun beating down on us, we kept smiling and working, especially Maddie Jones who was shoveling an impressive amount of cement. After working for a few hours we took a break to play with the kids. Many of us dispersed and made bracelets, colored, and received a lesson from the kids on how to jump rope. The amount of joy the children have here is indescribable and makes us want to stay forever. However, after eating our lunch and saying many sad goodbyes, we left the learning center and went back to the hotel to relax for an hour. Taking many needed showers, we left feeling refreshed and clean and headed to a cigar factory. As we toured, we learned about the production and manufacturing of the cigars from the Tabacalera Perdomo factory. Soon afterwards, we journeyed to the center of town to explore and buy a few souvenirs and rehydrate with delicious smoothies. Feeling exhausted, we decided to relax at the hotel for an hour before going out to dinner. After we all took naps and showered, we left the hotel for a traditional Mexican restaurant where we devoured our tacos de pollo and quesadillas. All in all, the day was an absolute success and we are excited to see what we will do tomorrow!
Stay tuned!
-Morgan T
Stay tuned!
-Morgan T
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Day 4 - Tuesday June 14
We started off the day with a yummy breakfast at the hotel around 7 am. After we finished eating and packing our lunches for the day, we head out for a hard day's work at the fabretto learning center. Once we arrived, we got right to work, wasting no time. We began by moving cinderblocks to assemble a wall. Once that was completed, some of us moved rocks from the garden to the area where we will build the storage facility for the learning center, while others worked in the garden where we hoed some rocks. Then, we helped to make cement with sand, rocks, water and cement powder and mixed it all together. The workers then put the cement into the square holes we dug yesterday in order to assemble the storage shed. After moving more cinderblocks to assemble another wall, we figured it would be a good time to refuel our bodies. As Morgan and I were just about to have our lunch, two little girls of the fabretto center came up to us and asked to play. I was so excited to play with them, but nervous to speak Spanish, afraid that I would not know what to say or not understand what they were saying. One of the little girls wanted to draw with me, so she pulled out a seat at her desk for me to sit in. She gave me paper and colored pencils to draw with, and more kids began to come up to us, wanting to play. Other Mercersburg students joined in on the fun. We were having a great time playing with the kids! We played with the kids for so long that we lost track of time! A few Mercersburg students and I brought out our gopros and cameras. The children loved playing with them and taking pictures. It was so fun seeing them all run around taking photos of each other having such a great time. Soon after play, we ate the lunches that we packed. We then get back to the hotel to get ready to go to a beautiful waterfall in Estelí. After a scenic car ride of the countryside, we finally make it to our destination where we hike about 20 minutes on a beautiful trail overlooking the mountains until we descend to the waterfall. When we make it, we are in awe over how incredible the sight is. The group happily swim in the lagoon and relax on the rocks. We then hike some more trails and visit some more parts of the waterfall. Everything is beautiful, and we don't forget to take many pictures. After a crazy adventure at the waterfall, we make our way back to the hotel where we clean up and get ready for some yummy Nicaraguan dinner. The dinner we had was authentic Nicaraguan style which consisted of some Nicaraguan tacos, huevos (eggs), beans and rice and much more! Before heading in for the night, we took a quick stop for some delicious ice cream. We all love it here in Estelí, and personally, I never want to leave.
Seeing the happy faces of children at the fabretto center was my favorite part of the day and I expect that by the end of our adventures it will be my favorite part of the trip. After a long day full of work and play, we try to get some sleep before another exciting adventure in Nicaragua!
Brooke W
We started off the day with a yummy breakfast at the hotel around 7 am. After we finished eating and packing our lunches for the day, we head out for a hard day's work at the fabretto learning center. Once we arrived, we got right to work, wasting no time. We began by moving cinderblocks to assemble a wall. Once that was completed, some of us moved rocks from the garden to the area where we will build the storage facility for the learning center, while others worked in the garden where we hoed some rocks. Then, we helped to make cement with sand, rocks, water and cement powder and mixed it all together. The workers then put the cement into the square holes we dug yesterday in order to assemble the storage shed. After moving more cinderblocks to assemble another wall, we figured it would be a good time to refuel our bodies. As Morgan and I were just about to have our lunch, two little girls of the fabretto center came up to us and asked to play. I was so excited to play with them, but nervous to speak Spanish, afraid that I would not know what to say or not understand what they were saying. One of the little girls wanted to draw with me, so she pulled out a seat at her desk for me to sit in. She gave me paper and colored pencils to draw with, and more kids began to come up to us, wanting to play. Other Mercersburg students joined in on the fun. We were having a great time playing with the kids! We played with the kids for so long that we lost track of time! A few Mercersburg students and I brought out our gopros and cameras. The children loved playing with them and taking pictures. It was so fun seeing them all run around taking photos of each other having such a great time. Soon after play, we ate the lunches that we packed. We then get back to the hotel to get ready to go to a beautiful waterfall in Estelí. After a scenic car ride of the countryside, we finally make it to our destination where we hike about 20 minutes on a beautiful trail overlooking the mountains until we descend to the waterfall. When we make it, we are in awe over how incredible the sight is. The group happily swim in the lagoon and relax on the rocks. We then hike some more trails and visit some more parts of the waterfall. Everything is beautiful, and we don't forget to take many pictures. After a crazy adventure at the waterfall, we make our way back to the hotel where we clean up and get ready for some yummy Nicaraguan dinner. The dinner we had was authentic Nicaraguan style which consisted of some Nicaraguan tacos, huevos (eggs), beans and rice and much more! Before heading in for the night, we took a quick stop for some delicious ice cream. We all love it here in Estelí, and personally, I never want to leave.
Seeing the happy faces of children at the fabretto center was my favorite part of the day and I expect that by the end of our adventures it will be my favorite part of the trip. After a long day full of work and play, we try to get some sleep before another exciting adventure in Nicaragua!
Brooke W
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Day 3 - work day
Day 3: 1st work day in Esteli! Woke up @6:40, bfast at 7 in hotel. Headed out to Fabretto school up a really pretty mountain @around 8:15, got there and met the ADORABLE students, hard for me to speak spanish, but somehow I formed a coherent introduction. Then we got to work, some on digging the groundwork for sheds, and some- Lexi, Brooke, Mr. McGuire, and I- on digging up rocks to clear more room for the garden. Liz and Rachel also decided they are going to try and help design a mural for the divider being put up to split the cafeteria and library. We got pretty dirty, tried to clean up a bit, used the latrine (which happened to be most of our first times using a hole in the ground), then left to see the dump where the kids come from and their parents work. The dump was very large and a lot of the kids parents were at work there. We then went to the community where they lived and the houses were so dillapidated and looked sort of unsteady. On our walk, we met an eighty year old woman who seemed genuinely happy and made me really consider the experience as a whole and what being happy really constitutes/ takes. She greeted us with a warm smile and was introduced as one of the "founders" of the community outside the dump, and her happiness was radiant even living in a situation like hers. It made me realize how little it takes to just be content and happy with what you're given- as Maddi pointed out as well. From the neighborhood, hgh school aged kids have to walk more than an hour every morning to break the poverty cycle and go to school in the city of Estelí. Fabrettos entire purpose (in the area) stemmed from creating a good education option for those in the dump community so they can try to break out of the cycle and go to university or get a job in the city. We headed back to the school after and ate a pretty tasty packed lunch. Not sure why, but bananas taste 10x better here. Then we went to play with the kids for a while which was AMAZING. I never wanted it to end. We painted, made bracelets, played soccer, the look of joy on their faces even with a pretty big communication barrier was heartwarming. I struggled to communicate a bit but managed to elicit some smiles when I tried to speak spanish, and when I painted a butterly, car, flower, and watch on a boy named Fernando. The whole time I just kept thinking about how their life is so different from ours, but we can still smile at the same things. We went to visit AXIS after that and toured the other Fabretto center in the city of Esteli. We talked for a while to the middle/high school level students in the accelerated English learning program. Brooke and I were a little awkward with our group but the conversation was still interesting and none of us wanted to leave. They seemed pretty interested in what Mercersburg was like and I was just as interested in how they learned English pretty well in just 5-6 months. After leaving the school, we went to a cuban restaraunt for dinner and just being and walking in the city was an experience in itself. We ended the night celebrating Elizabeth's birthday on the roof with an Elmo cake we bought from the corner store earlier, and listening to spanish music while trying to identify some planets in the night sky. - Maddi R
Monday, June 13, 2016
A note of praise
A special note from Mr. McGuire -
I'd like you all to know I'm very proud of how the students have been so far on the trip. We have had flight delays, pouring rain strange foods, downtime, hard work, and challenging scenes of poverty. Everyone is "up for whatever", no complaints quick to jump in, trying new foods and engaging experiences. I'm very proud of them all and the parents and school should be too. More on today in a little bit when Maddi R finishes it.
I'd like you all to know I'm very proud of how the students have been so far on the trip. We have had flight delays, pouring rain strange foods, downtime, hard work, and challenging scenes of poverty. Everyone is "up for whatever", no complaints quick to jump in, trying new foods and engaging experiences. I'm very proud of them all and the parents and school should be too. More on today in a little bit when Maddi R finishes it.
Day 2 travel to Esteli
Day 2:
We rolled out of bed around 8:00 this morning to find a banquet for breakfast. Fruit, juice, cereal, bacon, and these delicious corn pancakes filled our bellies as we prepared for our second day in Nicaragua.
Before heading off in the van around 9:00, we rushed to the outside of the hotel for a quick picture of ourselves and the miniature bird farm that we had not noticed the night before.
Upon leaving the hotel, we realized that no more than a block from our hotel, people were living in poverty. Children ran around without shirts or shoes, street peddlers begged whoever passed to buy their insect-covered fruits, and some people bathed in alleyway streams. Each house and business was surrounded by steel gates or just a cement wall at least seven feet high to protect from robbers, some even had guards on watch. The level of security and mistrust in the city is high, but on every passing face, all I saw were smiles. Even though they had very little, these people were content and happy with their carefree lives; not having to worry about which celebrity is wearing what or how costly the new iPhone will be. Life is on the bare necessities and that's all they need.
Our first stop on the tour of Managua was Lamas Tia Casa. The life of Sandino, a Nicaraguan liberator of the 1930s, is chronicled there. From his travels to Mexico to overthrowing the American senator who declared himself president of Nicaragua. Unfortunately, because of the rain, we were unable to go to the park we had initially planned to eat lunch at. Instead we traveled to Puerto Salvador Allende: a town square with a dilapidated chapel damaged by earthquakes, the three tombs of past Nicaraguan idols, and a tiny temple filled with breakdancing teenagers. Our final stop before Esteli was a lakeside boardwalk call El Malecon Managua Vieja. The shores of Lake Managua were covered with litter and we spotted an adolescent crocodile/alligator in the water, so we collectively decided to steer clear of the lake by at least 20 feet. We walked around for about 30 minutes before realizing the space was more for nightlife as most of the stores weren't open by 12:30.
We finished lunch around 1:25 and piled back into the van to begin our 4 hour trek to Esteli. After leaving the main city, sporadic houses, miles of open farmland, and the high mountains in the distance were the only things to be seen. We passed the time by sleeping, taking pictures, and playing disease and music group ABCs, attempting to name one for each letter of the alphabet. About three hours in we stopped at Maxí Pali, a walmart-like store, to grab some quick ice cream and snacks for lunch. After another hour we arrived to our new humble abode, Hotel Los Arcos. We explored the beautiful courtyard on the first floor and open air space on the roof. We finished off the night with a trip to the town square where families chilled and kids ran around on the playground. All in all the day was fun filled in preparation for the taxing labor we would be doing at the school tomorrow.
- Maddi J.
We rolled out of bed around 8:00 this morning to find a banquet for breakfast. Fruit, juice, cereal, bacon, and these delicious corn pancakes filled our bellies as we prepared for our second day in Nicaragua.
Before heading off in the van around 9:00, we rushed to the outside of the hotel for a quick picture of ourselves and the miniature bird farm that we had not noticed the night before.
Upon leaving the hotel, we realized that no more than a block from our hotel, people were living in poverty. Children ran around without shirts or shoes, street peddlers begged whoever passed to buy their insect-covered fruits, and some people bathed in alleyway streams. Each house and business was surrounded by steel gates or just a cement wall at least seven feet high to protect from robbers, some even had guards on watch. The level of security and mistrust in the city is high, but on every passing face, all I saw were smiles. Even though they had very little, these people were content and happy with their carefree lives; not having to worry about which celebrity is wearing what or how costly the new iPhone will be. Life is on the bare necessities and that's all they need.
Our first stop on the tour of Managua was Lamas Tia Casa. The life of Sandino, a Nicaraguan liberator of the 1930s, is chronicled there. From his travels to Mexico to overthrowing the American senator who declared himself president of Nicaragua. Unfortunately, because of the rain, we were unable to go to the park we had initially planned to eat lunch at. Instead we traveled to Puerto Salvador Allende: a town square with a dilapidated chapel damaged by earthquakes, the three tombs of past Nicaraguan idols, and a tiny temple filled with breakdancing teenagers. Our final stop before Esteli was a lakeside boardwalk call El Malecon Managua Vieja. The shores of Lake Managua were covered with litter and we spotted an adolescent crocodile/alligator in the water, so we collectively decided to steer clear of the lake by at least 20 feet. We walked around for about 30 minutes before realizing the space was more for nightlife as most of the stores weren't open by 12:30.
We finished lunch around 1:25 and piled back into the van to begin our 4 hour trek to Esteli. After leaving the main city, sporadic houses, miles of open farmland, and the high mountains in the distance were the only things to be seen. We passed the time by sleeping, taking pictures, and playing disease and music group ABCs, attempting to name one for each letter of the alphabet. About three hours in we stopped at Maxí Pali, a walmart-like store, to grab some quick ice cream and snacks for lunch. After another hour we arrived to our new humble abode, Hotel Los Arcos. We explored the beautiful courtyard on the first floor and open air space on the roof. We finished off the night with a trip to the town square where families chilled and kids ran around on the playground. All in all the day was fun filled in preparation for the taxing labor we would be doing at the school tomorrow.
- Maddi J.
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| In the bus to Estili. Morgan song starts with Z - go. |
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| Lunch Time out of the rain! |
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| Add caption |
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Day 1 - We Finally All Made It!
The Travel Day
It is 10 Pm in Nicaragua and after a long day of struggles and miscommunications all members of the trip have safely arrived at the Camino Real hotel in Managua, with only the minimum scaring memories. While most of the group began their journey together at the Dulles airport this morning, our two founders, Alexis Sommerville and Morgan Tomasso, took separate and slightly more complicated routes. Lexi awoke this morning with bad news of cancelled flights, but because of her persistent mindset found a way to get around the weather. Conquering three US cities, Charleston, Charlotte, and Miami, she finally arrived safely in our new humid oven we like to call home, paying only 15 dollars for the 2 minute taxi ride to get to the hotel. Morgan, on the other hand, took a more educational path, flying from Virginia to Houston on Friday in order to crush her ACT this morning. She payed an even better deal of 10 dollars for the long and dreadful two minute taxi ride. The rest of the gang survived our journey through monstrous bug attacks, interesting encounters with sobbing strangers, and colorblind misremembrances when looking for luggage. But, the day finally came to a great end with the help of our new best friend and Fabretto volunteer Kacey, great nachos, and a nice night swim in the pool.
Liz S.
It is 10 Pm in Nicaragua and after a long day of struggles and miscommunications all members of the trip have safely arrived at the Camino Real hotel in Managua, with only the minimum scaring memories. While most of the group began their journey together at the Dulles airport this morning, our two founders, Alexis Sommerville and Morgan Tomasso, took separate and slightly more complicated routes. Lexi awoke this morning with bad news of cancelled flights, but because of her persistent mindset found a way to get around the weather. Conquering three US cities, Charleston, Charlotte, and Miami, she finally arrived safely in our new humid oven we like to call home, paying only 15 dollars for the 2 minute taxi ride to get to the hotel. Morgan, on the other hand, took a more educational path, flying from Virginia to Houston on Friday in order to crush her ACT this morning. She payed an even better deal of 10 dollars for the long and dreadful two minute taxi ride. The rest of the gang survived our journey through monstrous bug attacks, interesting encounters with sobbing strangers, and colorblind misremembrances when looking for luggage. But, the day finally came to a great end with the help of our new best friend and Fabretto volunteer Kacey, great nachos, and a nice night swim in the pool.
Liz S.
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| A night swim. |
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| Nachos, pasta, waiting for Morgan |
Friday, June 3, 2016
Welcome To Our Trip Blog!
Greetings-
We are all very excited for our Mercersburg Nicaragua Adventure. The Fabretto service trip is an exciting and well organized adventure into the lives of impoverished children. We will be helping them build a storage facility and expand their classrooms at the Esteli educational site. We have crafts and sports and other things to engage with student there as well. We will bring donations of school supplies, clothing, games, and sports equipment and try to make as much of an impact as the 9 of us can! A special thanks goes out to Erika Coe, our volunteer coordinator from the Fabretto organization. Also, Morgan Tomaso and Lexi Sommerville are to be commended for their hard work and steady leadership on this endeavor. They are passionate, caring, and engaged students who rallied our group to this mission. Excellent work! I and the other students will update this blog over our week and a half in Nicaragua, on our travels, work, and downtime. Thanks to all the parents and summer programs who have helped make this trip a reality.
Stay Tuned!
We are all very excited for our Mercersburg Nicaragua Adventure. The Fabretto service trip is an exciting and well organized adventure into the lives of impoverished children. We will be helping them build a storage facility and expand their classrooms at the Esteli educational site. We have crafts and sports and other things to engage with student there as well. We will bring donations of school supplies, clothing, games, and sports equipment and try to make as much of an impact as the 9 of us can! A special thanks goes out to Erika Coe, our volunteer coordinator from the Fabretto organization. Also, Morgan Tomaso and Lexi Sommerville are to be commended for their hard work and steady leadership on this endeavor. They are passionate, caring, and engaged students who rallied our group to this mission. Excellent work! I and the other students will update this blog over our week and a half in Nicaragua, on our travels, work, and downtime. Thanks to all the parents and summer programs who have helped make this trip a reality.
Stay Tuned!
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