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Don Alberto shows us the sign he carved. This extraordinary man also taught himself to read and write.

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Don Alberto grows pineapples, bananas, coffee, and many varieties of orchids.

 

Today was action packed! After a hearty Nica breakfast, we headed out on the bus to a nearby overlook for breathtaking views.  Next we went on a physically challenging but rewarding hike in Tisey. We hiked down to meet the infamous Don Alberto. For the last 35 years he has lived in the remote area of Jalacate and has devoted himself to making wood and stone carvings by hand. A very warm and generous man, he welcomed us all with bananas as he gave us a tour of his work. With unusual methods, Don Alberto carves only at night, using only primitive hand tools, mostly inspired by images he sees in his dreams. After lunch the students planned their first English tutoring session for the week. Many felt challenged by the task of lesson planning. Afterwards we walked to the Esteli Cultural Center, where we had classes in local arts, made with dried corn husks, and dancing. Local teenage dance students led the session, which was certainly a hit with our group.

At our nightly meeting many students expressed the desire to hear from YOU!! If you´re reading this, please drop us a line, thanks!

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