Ricky’s Blog
Today was our last free day of the trip. We woke up at 8:00 A.M., an hour or two later than we usually get up, which gave us more time to sleep. Then, we ate pancakes for breakfast with watermelon, bananas and papaya. Everyone was prepared to go out into the city in groups of four or more, ready to enjoy Matagalpa for one of the last days of the trip. Some people went to pick up or drop off laundry and other people went souvenir shopping. Some of us even got lucky enough to run into the three Americans on the Matagalpa basketball team at a cafe (and of course we got another picture). We met back at the hostel for lunch, and while it was a hotter than usual day, some people decided to take a nap in their second chunk of free time. Others went out again from 2pm to 4pm to finish up souvenir shopping and work on their thank you letters for donors at one of Matagalpa’s cafes (we are getting hooked on Nica coffee). When we returned to the hostel at 4pm, we prepared for our last English tutoring session and the small graduation ceremony/party we would have in our classes tonight. For dinner, we had the traditional gallo pinto dish and chicken. In our last English class, most of us spent the first hour reviewing with students, playing vocabulary games (charades, pictionary, and the like) and had small conversations. Then we passed out the diplomas and brought all the students together for one last big conversation. It was sad to see our students for the last time and it was an amazing experience to teach English to people in Nicaragua. Then we came back to the hostel to have our nightly meeting and we had to sleep early because tomorrow is an early day.
Hi Glimpsers. Your experience is coming to a close. What an amazing time you have had. I’ve learned so much by reading your daily blogs. Thank you for sharing you adventures and experiences, trials and tribulations and feelings with all of us back home. I know that you are all coming back a different person then when you left. You have learned so much about a different country, its people and their culture. You have gotten to make some great friends who I hope you will all keep in touch with. Hopefully, each of you has learned something about yourself. Your task at hand is to teach others what you have learned. Share your stories. Do something to change the world around you. Take your leadership skills and become a leader in everything you do.
I want to wish each of you a fantastic senior year. Enjoy every moment of it. Good Luck in your quest for whatever the next step in your life is after high school. Remember the friends you have made in Matagalpa, both near and far. Keep in touch. No matter how many times you share your stories, this group are the only ones who will truly understand what you are talking about.
Congratulations on all you have accomplished. You have made us all proud!!! Have a safe trip home. But come home with Matagalpa in your heart.
Dear Glimpsers,
As you wind down from your amazing journey in Matagalpa, my wife Sylvia and I wanted to congratulate every single one of you for your exemplary service to the people of Nicaragua. You have shown tremendous amount of courage and you are all a group of compassionate natural-born leaders. A very special thank you to Ms. Scheppach and Ms. Trudy for their leadership and for believing in our kids and for keeping them safe. Congratulations again on a job well done! Enjoy your last day together in Matagalpa and have a safe journey back home.
Paulina: We are anxiously awaiting your return and cant wait to see you! Love, Dad, Mom & Bebe
I will end my comment, by sharing the following quotes with you amazing Glimpsers:
“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader”
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He/She is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things”
“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another”
“A leader isn’t someone who forces others to make him/her stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others so that they may have the strength to stand on their own”
“True leaders have great humility. They do not try to impress, they do not try to be influential. They simply are. People are magnetically drawn to them. They are most often silent and focused, aware of their core selves and values…They never persuade, nor do they use manipulation or aggressiveness to get their way. They listen. If there is anything they can offer to assist you, they offer it; if not, they are silent”
Sincerely,
Gonzalo & Sylvia
(Proud parents of Paulina Ruiz)