Exploring the bustling streets of Masaya and looking at the steaming volcano for the glimpsers’ second fun day was so exciting. We joined up with the June 3rd Matagalpa group and spent what seemed like days going on the bus ride. Many of us were new to the idea of haggling, so we struggled with asking questions like “cuanto cuesta?” and “cuanto es lo menos?” which means “how much?” and “is there a discount?” It was great watching my friends being thoughtful (or selfish) buying gifts for when we head back home in a few days. I was happy for those who were a little home sick, since we went to papa john’s (the pizzeria) for lunch!

We also found that the stunning view of the volcano made our day twenty times cooler. The volcanos around the area have recently been very active, so there were hoards of smoke pouring out of the crater. We were very happy to get off the bus after sitting down for so long, and socializing with the other group was great. I was so estatic for today, since I have never been to a volcano. I have always had a thing for exotic environments, which is why I picked doing this day in the first place.

After spending some time out and about and running around the touristy areas, we rushed back to our hostel to grab dinner and head to our English classes. Many of us find it hard to give these people the English they need to do well and head there dragging our feet, but many of us end up with smiles on our faces as we return back for our nightly meeting. I find that I am always so nervous about teaching these people, especially when my co-teacher and I never had that much time to plan out what to do. I am so happy though that whatever I do end up doing, It ends on a positive note.

When we returned, we were getting ready for bed when we heard some partying fireworks . People here are extremely celebratory, and do not worry, everyone is safe. We are living the ‘nica’ lifestyle here!