The following post features student writing.
¡Hola amigos!
We started today more excited than usual, what with it being the first day without sanding and all. Laura prepared us a beautiful breakfast of omelets, toast, and café. The morning was already off to a good start with the group spending a few post-breakfast minutes admiring the view from our lodge over the valley below. Then Alia, one of our fearless group leaders, headed off to the supermarket with three members of the group to pick up some necessities while the rest of us began painting! We perfected the walls around the now-sanded wood with red and white paint while all singing and dancing along to music DJed by our one and only Carlito (Charlie).
Carlito and Maya repaint the sala de capacitacion (training room)
After a long but fun morning, Dylan and Kenna helped Laura set the table for an almuerzo of rice, papaya salad, beets, chicken (and eggplant for our vegetarian!). We finished the afternoon with painting touch-ups and relaxing in the hammocks (yes, plural!). After a day of hard work, the sway of the hammocks and chirping of the birds is always calming. We met up with our Tico amigos on the soccer field to play a little game of fútbol, as well as one consisting of two players holding a yoga ball and running at each other at full force. The winner received the satisfactory prize of watching their opponent be flung across the grass. The losers were off to the showers with laughter to clean off their now muddy limbs.
Ally and Mila lacquer those difficult to reach places
We finished the day off with a very cultural meal of homemade pizza, oreos, and refrescos. After finishing dinner, we met up again with our village friends for handgames, music, and dancing. As we sit here writing this blog, we have about a dozen students throwing balones and playing cards. Tonight, we are going to catch up on sleep and prepare to check out some waterfalls tomorrow.
Work hard, play hard.
So much amor to you all! ¡Muchos, muchos besos!
– Ally & Mila 🙂