Back At It

A LOT has changed since 2014.

This year we have welcomed several new faces & places. We are also proud to share that because of your generous outreach and support, Pan y Amor has been able to relocate their middle and high school students to a larger and safer property. Given this incredible opportunity, they have started various projects including the cultivation of their very own school garden. Here, students from different grade levels have grown and harvested fruits and vegetables -- an opportunity they could not have had previously -- so thank you.

Day 1 (not actually) -

After our arrival in Managua late Saturday night, our group boarded a bus, which later transported us back to the hotel. Little Bandaids, a partner group of Little Pencils, welcomed us upon arrival. A week prior to our visit, they had visited Aproquen, a hospital well-known for their treatment of burn-victims and cleft-lip pallet patients. During their visit, they crafted dozens of games for the children and performed drama skits as well. For dinner, we all enjoyed some Nicaragüense pizza and then got ready for bed.

Day 1 (actually) -

The following day was spent touring the city on bus and visiting small marketplaces. Several of us purchased small trinkets for ourselves and families at home. Throughout this process, many of us also discovered the importance of bargaining.
We also spent a period of our time deciding whether we would visit El Volcan Masaya or the lagoon. After much thought, we chose neither (lol). Instead, we drove by El Lago de Nicaragua, which *interesting fact* is the only lake in the world that has sharks.
Later that evening, we enjoyed a home-cooked meal made by the Brenner grandparents and prepared our supplies for the following day.

Day 2 -

Yesterday was spent at both the elementary and high school campuses. At the elementary we all split up to aid the different age groups in various classrooms. Some of us helped with math, while others helped with reading, English, and calligraphy. At the high school, we ate lunch, jumped rope with several of the students, and were introduced to the students we would be visiting for the rest of the week. While some of us tutored, a couple of us were also able to finalize the plans for the rest of the week including science projects, sex-ed talks, and break-off groups.

Later in the afternoon, we were treated to some ice cream at a nearby parlor to top off all of yesterday's hard labor.

In the evening, we went back to the hotel, prepared ourselves for dinner and finished the night off with a delicious meal at the Porterhouse.

Now on to Day 3!

- Ian