Maybe one day we won’t wake up before the sun, but today was not that day. Despite being a Fun Day, wake up call was at 5:30am. We picked up breakfast and lunch at Buffet Estelí (and a bombero friend) and then headed straight to the Samoto Canyon on a private bus. We arrived at Namancambre Tours north of Estelí and met our tour guides Juan and David.

Before embarking on our journey, we left everything that we didn’t want to get wet on the bus. We took nothing more than our life vests, water bottles, and cameras which our guides graciously promised to keep dry. After a short but strenuous hike accompanied by roaming cows, we reached the river and took our first steps in the clear and refreshing water. We half walked and half floated downstream until we reached a set of rocks. This was our first jumping point and with plenty of encouragement, every single student took the plunge.

We continued down the river with gorgeous views of the towering walls on both sides. Toward the end of our aquatic journey, we reached a rowboat to transport us from one part of the river to another. And I mean a rowboat, as in one, singular. With the tour guides, bombero, and rower, we squeezed 22 people in 1 rowboat.

We ate lunch before heading to a rosquilla (flat corn disks that can be sweet or savory or a combination of both) shop to quickly buy some rosquillas and other snacks which we shared on the bus. Upon arrival at the hostel, the students continued with their CAP design by determining the necessary materials and roughly dividing their budget. Then, during their well-earned free time, the Glimpsers left in groups to call family and friends and to buy cookies and wafers and bakery goods.

As it was a Sunday, we were fortunate to enjoy nacatamales again! Then after a quick energizer, we learned that tomorrow would be our long-awaited Shadow a High School Student Day! With another early wake up, of course. I’m pretty sure we’re all used to that now though. 😉

P.S. Sorry, we’re having some technical difficulties with the photos taken by various cameras today and transferring them over to the tablet. I’m sure, however, that the anticipation will make finally watching a certain Ishwa’s GoPro videos all the more exciting.