Yesterday, June 24th, was the last day of our CAP Project and also our last English class. It was a long and tiring day–both physically and emotionally draining. We woke up around 6:30 am and by 8 am, we were back at the school, Juan XIII, to finish what we started. We had a daunting task ahead of us: completing an enormous garden (with terraces, a nursery with new seeds and plants, a staircase made of tires and cement, sandbag and rock supports, and more), painting two of the school’s classrooms, and designing and creating a mural. The group worked hard. I think yesterday was the hardest any of us have ever worked.
Somehow, we managed to pull it off. We took only one break for lunch and by 4 pm, we had accomplished more than we ever thought we could. Initially, the CAP Project was supposed to consist only of the garden, but because of the overwhelming dedication and passion a lot of the group expressed for expanding the project, we were able to complete the classrooms and mural too! Looking at all the work we did, I have never felt so proud. The garden looks beautiful and will help the school and community (which is one of the poorest in Matagalpa and where many of the locals don’t have food) for a long time. The classrooms, which are painted white and blue in the tradition of the Nicaraguan flag, will be a source of pride for the school, which wasn’t able to afford good paint. And the mural will be a reminder to them and to us of all the help we were able to give Juan XIII.
Even though the CAP Project was done, however, we still had to trek back to the hostel and prepare for our final English class. We scarfed down dinner and ran over to El Progreso to give our final two-hour lesson. For the first hour my partner and I taught the usual curriculum, but at 7 a couple students brought out a cake, candies, and soda, and we devoted the rest of the class to taking pictures, snacking, and having fun. I received small gifts and letters from my students. It was a bittersweet moment, and unfortunately, we eventually had to say goodbye.
Yesterday was one of the happiest, hardest, most eventful days of my life and it will forever be with me. I grew a lot as a leader and spent the day with the other Glimpsers helping others and bonding. I can’t believe I’m leaving Nicaragua tomorrow. As much as I miss home, these past three weeks may have been the greatest and most important of my life.