Woodland School Nicaragua 2017

May 19, 2017

We woke up at La Posada la Abuela, we had breakfast -it was gallo pinto and scrambled eggs. Then we had a group meeting about possible problems and solutions through the trip. We had two to three hours of swimming in the laguna, it was interesting because it used to be a volcanic crater. We had lunch and then head back to Managua, to Acahualinca to meet the people in Podcast for Peace, an organization we will be working with tomorrow. To conclude our day we went back to the Hotel Xolotlan, we hanged out for a while, waiting to go to the restaurant to listen to authentic Nicaraguan music. We are all alive and well, we are also incredibly excited and can’t wait for what’s next.

Alexander, Theo, and Jack

May 20, 2017

We woke up at hotel Xolotlan fully refreshed and ready to start a new day. We had delicious Nicaraguan breakfast of rice, beans, cheese and scrambled eggs. We headed up to Podcast for Peace ready to help. First we took a tour in the neighborhood around Podcast for Peace learning about part of the history of Managua. We saw the difference in the quality of lives in Managua. We learned about the many efforts to help the community and the complicated politics. We then headed back to Podcast for Peace and started our work. We painted, mixed cement, patched walls, stiffed sand, and made Windows. It was great experience to see the effects we had on the community.
We went to lunch at a delicious vegetarian buffet that served delicious vegetarian smoothies. After that, we took a tour of the rich historical elements of downtown Managua. We learned more about the revolution and the many important figures that contributed. It was enlightening to see the history and Spanish architecture. We went back to Podcast for Peace to finish up the work we started. Under the hot afternoon sun we put our blood an sweet into our work. We were rewarded with cool scream and gelato. We went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the evening taking it easy and enjoying the pleasures the hotel had to offer.

Sincerely,

Luke, Will and Sean

May 21, 2017

Today we ate breakfast which was pancakes and fruit, it was delicious and nice to have some American food, however, the Nicaraguan food has been amazing. Afterwards we got on the bus and headed to Podcast for Peace. We finished painting inside and outside walls, we made a wood fence, cemented the wall to make them smoother, and created a frame for a column. It felt amazing to help out the local people.  Later we walked with a couple of locals to a nearby park to play soccer. We played around 30 minutes then it started to rain. We got on the bus and headed back to our hotel, once we got back we took quick showers in nice tile bathrooms. After we had great lunch, we got on the bus. The bus drive was 4 hours to Esteli. The scenery was beautiful and it was such an awesome experience to see the culture of Nicaraguans. We stopped at gas station to try some Nicaraguan snacks. Once arriving we got to meet some lovely bugs that were perched outside our rooms. We had some delicious food and we spent some time in the common area. It has been such a wonderful day and can’t wait to sleep and build the park tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Morgan, Isabella and Xavier

May 22, 2017

Today we had another delicious breakfast of rice and beans. After that, we headed over to the school that we would be working with. We were instructed to clear out the weeds and grass from an area that would later be used for a playground. While we were clearing the space for the park, some of the children came out to play tag with us. It was an amazing experience to be able to connect with some of the local kids even though we did not all speak the same language. It was touching and memorable to watch them warm up to us as we worked. The work was strenuous but it felt rewarding to see the progress we were making. By the time we had to head out for lunch we had nearly finished the work. Our lunch consisted of more beans and rice.  Later on in the day, we went to a stone sculpting workshop where we also got to carve stone ourselves. It was exciting to see what some of the locals did for a living and to be able to experience it firsthand. While some of us were doing that, others were going on a hike and exploring the area. We got to see the goats and the cows and the worms that they kept at the farm. At the end of the day, we had another dinner of beans and rice.

Sincerely,

Annica, Hayden, and Ayisah

May 23, 2017

Breakfast started at around 8:00 sharp. We had breakfast, which included rice beans, eggs, and the same as usual we had an extra plate of tortillas for the table. After our usual breakfast, we headed out for our second day of service work at La Garnacha. La Garnacha held children of ranging from ages 3-11. We continued our service work. We weeded in the back, soon to be garden, filled holes with cement, and played with the children.  Later on, we headed down for lunch and left for the hike to the swimming hole. We swam for about an hour, hiked back tired and smelly. . .ish. We were allowed to relax for a few hours and then we headed off to our final dinner at Don Reynaldo’s. After dinner we were surprised with traditional folk dances from the people of La Garnacha and we even shared a few dances of our own. After we headed back tired and sore from our hike for our final night at La Garnacha.

Sydney, Arya, Audrey

May 24, 2017

Captain’s Log…

At 8:00 in the morning, everybody asked proudly towards the school where we built the playground. As everybody watches the kids line up, there are smiles in their faces. Just a little past 8:00, the inauguration started. The students started running towards the playground trying out all of the equipment, and then both schools started playing tag and duck duck goose. After a fun hour playing with the kids, Woodland ate a delicious breakfast and then departed. As we left the village, many villagers waved to us. When we arrived at Granda, we stopped by Tip Top, the KFC of Nicaragua. After stuffing ourselves with fried chicken, we continued our drive to Hotel La Pergola. Checking into our rooms, everybody went to play in the small but beautiful pool in the middle of the hotel. After an hour of playing the pool, everybody enjoyed taking a HOT shower. We then enjoyed pizza and pasta at Pizziol, talking about funny moments on the trip. Back at the hotel, everybody fell asleep knowing that an exciting day was coming.

Tyler, Ty, Gavin, Quinn

May 25, 2017

At 8:00 a.m. we woke up and and had an all American breakfast near the pool. Most of us were tired of Nicaragüense cuisine at this point. At 9:00 a.m. we departed via bus for our boat tour of Las Isletas. When we were there we ate mangos, drank out of a coconut, saw monkeys, and relaxed in the humid nicaraguan sun. At 12:00 p.m. we had lunch at Cafe de los Sueños. There we ate variations of pan inis, which included; Mediterranean, chorizo, veggie, and chicken. After that we got on the bus and headed to the Masaya Market to do some shopping. Extravagant purchases include: Ty’s full size 1 person hammock, Morgan’s bracelet dedicated to Profe Cheung, and Jack’s $35 obsidian rock. After that we headed to the Masaya Volcano, one of the many active volcanoes of Nicaragua. We stayed there for around 10 minutes where saw magma. Our final dinner of the trip was at the Garden Cafe, where we ate, steak, fajitas, and curry. Our dessert was a choice of Brownies or lime cheesecake. After dinner we headed back to our hotel where we did a group meeting. We looked back on our trip to Nicaragua, shared memories, and celebrated Profe Cheung’s birthday.

Brandon, Riley, Jackson