The day started with an early morning and lots of sleepy faces, a drowsy walk to Aflreditos for a homey breakfast of pancakes and syrup, and a seminar from the energetic Helene and the comedic Matt. Today was Global Business day, and our morning started with article reading and discussions following the interactions of foreign businesses with each other, and most importantly, with Nicaragua. We read about the Fair Trade Organizations, working to help the fair and equal exchange of products between the producer and consumer, analyzed our own consumer participation in the shifting global economy, and learned about La Casita, a small eco living sanctuary we would visit later that day.
We traveled a short journey to one of Esteli’s fifty cigar factories. We saw the whole process of making cigars, from the bags of leaves, the fermentation, the rolling, and the packaging. It was a wonderful lesson in the type of work that can be found in Esteli, and showed how a large portion of their economy runs on their exporting of cigars.
After the factory, we took a bus to La Casita, a four-acre piece of property owned by David Thompson and his wife, who have, for the past eighteen years run a small café in which all of the food is cooked and the land tended to by him, his wife, and eight other staff members. He has a forest in which he archives the plants and trees grown there, and a large nursery of thousands of different species of succulents, cacti, trees, flowers, and plants. He and his wife grow every mango, every fruit they sell in La Casita. They live an incredibly eco-conscious life, rarely using chemicals and never on the plants, and respecting the nature and wildlife that came with the land. It was an honor eating their organic food, playing on their children’s playground, the only one for miles around, getting a special tour of his land, and learning so much from his close relationship to living in nature. It also rained later into our trip, and we all got to experience the cooling tropical rain.
Today we began the first meeting of our Community Action Project (CAP) in which we began to brainstorm and plan out of project to give back to the community during our stay here in Esteli. Our conversations got heated and passionate as we all discussed how we could create sustainable development for our project, and it was inspiring to see how much we all fell in love with the idea of doing so much good for the small school we are going to be helping.
While some of us went to dinner tonight, others went with Henrietta to her regular dance class where we sweated and danced to loud music, shaking our butts and having a fun night! It was a great experience being in an outdoor setting with a hyper active and engaging dance teacher, and many other women.
We ended the night as we always do, with a nightly meeting and the beginning of the process of the next days activities. The next day would be the “Living on $1 a day” challenge which began that night with no electricity, light from only a single candle in our rooms, and showering from a bucket. The challenge continued from twenty four hours after the meeting.
Everyone had a magical day, seeing the workers in the factory carefully tending to each cigar made, and spending the afternoon at the beautiful La Casita in the first rain of our trip. Our adventures will only continue, and we are all so excited!
Glad you all are enthusiastic about your project! I can’t wait to hear more! Josh, I know your dad will enjoy hearing about the cigar-making process you experienced. I wish you all well! Happy fourth from San Francisco!
Go Glimpsers Go!!
Thank you for a thoughtful detailed synopsis. I feel like I can smell the moisture in the air and the damp plants and earth. La Casita sounds amazing!
Connor,
I hope you are having a great time and taking advantage of this opportunity. It sounds like you are staying very busy. We all miss you. Love Dad
Vivian, The importance on learning how other cultures view, live, and respond to the world is an important aspect in your growth toward world and self awareness. We are enjoying your postings and look forwar o more of your adventures! We miss you almost as much as you miss your phone. Mumeu says” Bark!” Lick,lick! Until later,Princess!
Love and Woff,
Mom, Corbin, and Mumue
Wow, we’re amazed at this blog and being able to feel a part of your incredible journeys and experiences! The things you’re learning, challenges you’re a part of, and memories being made, I’m sure will be with you forever!
We love and miss you Jasmine!
Dad, Mom, Aaren, and Chatter your cat, too!
Thank you Mina for this post. What a luscious experience at La Casita. I really got a feel from it from your writing. It must have been very informative seeing the cigar factory. Interesting to see the reality of an economy dependent on the export of luxury items vs. the sustainable eco sanctuary that is unfortunately, not the norm anywhere. I think it shows us the possibilities and also opens up lots of questions of the relationship between a nation like Nicaragua to the rest of the world. thank you!
Thanks Mina for bringing the day alive for us who hunger for details of our kids’ experiences. Hey, you should really consider writing!! Love ya doll.
ps. bring me back a cigar