We started the day with an early wake-up time of 6:30 am. For breakfast, we had fruit and granola, bread, hard boiled eggs, and delicious watermelon juice. At around 8:10 we hopped on the bus and left for Cumanda El Molino, the indigenous community where our CAP (community action project) is taking place. We arrived around 9 and split into three groups, each with a focus on a different project. One group worked on sanding and painting the border of the soccer field, another one focused on repainting the community room where group gatherings take place, and a third worked on cleaning up, weeding, and adding soil to the area surrounding the community’s welcome sign. These were all important projects to the community, and a few community members worked with us to paint the community room.

We continued working on our respective projects until around 12 pm, when we had pre-packed lunch from La Primavera, which consisted of pasta, potato chips, peach juice, and a dessert which differed from person to person. After that we all got back to work and a few people moved to one of the other projects to help out. We started to cleanup around 2:45 pm and got back on the bus to leave around 3. We got back to La Primavera about an hour later, at which point most of the group had free time until dinner. A few students went out to get the rest of the supplies we needed, including plants to put around the community welcome sign.

We had a dinner of tea, soup, sausage, potatoes, and coleslaw around 6:00 pm. After that, we had a thirty minute break to prepare for a self reflection in the meeting room, where we analyzed our areas of strength and growth. Our nightly meeting began after that at around 8 pm, where we discussed our day and passed the torch to our leaders of tomorrow, Hang and Monica. Today we learned about the importance of cooperation and hard work, and also the value of self reflection and the role it plays in the growth of us not only as people but as a group.

Note to Family from Orion: I really really miss you guys. I’m taking a ton of pictures that I’m excited to share with you, I hope everyone is doing well. Please give Minou, Apollo, Loki, Ella, Iroh, Jasmine, and Toby many pets (or a friendly stare through a glass enclosure) for me. Love you all so much !! (also please water my cactus and make sure it gets enough sun).

Note to the fam from Adanna: I miss you bunches!! I can’t wait to tell you all about our adventures and show you pictures. The community action project has been really successful so far, and it’s been really amazing to work with community members to accomplish our goals! I love you so much and I’m sending you hugs <3