IMG_7144Being a teenager that is still in high school, and having the opportunity to travel outside of the United States is a huge blessing for me….. Today was the best day we’ve had so far. As teens that are all in the same age range, but from different parts of Chicago, we all came together as one big happy family. We are really starting to bond with each other and it feels as if we’ve known one another for years. We took a hike in the most beautiful preserved parks in which we came to a waterfall where we all swam together. Everyone had the time of their lives and it was so heartwarming to see everyone laughing and playing together. After the swim, we hiked back to our bus to come back home. At that point the fun continued. We had an amazing time singing songs and bonding even more. This experience has made me feel like I can do anything and meet anyone. Every student here is amazing and I don’t think I could’ve asked to be with a better group of people.

Another highlight was teaching Dominican students English. Teaching these English classes helped us connect more with the people around us and it allowed us to find out more about them. Teaching was so successful and I’m looking forward to teaching the next class. I speak for myself and my peers when I say that the reason we had so much fun teaching the English classes today was because we knew that we were giving them a long term skill that they could use to an advantage in their life and also so they can teach others what they have learned. I believe that we gave them the gift that keeps giving and it just makes me feel like I made a difference that actually matters. Let’s not forget about the food. We have an amazing cook name Lisalot, and she is just simply superb. We have eaten food that most of us can’t even pronounce, but it taste sooooooo good, and I believe that everyone here loves her cooking. Also besides the cooking, her presence alone makes the room brighten and put smiles on all of our faces. I speak for everyone when I say that we all miss our families very much, and we love you all dearly. Don’t worry, We’ll see you when we get home. Until then, we’re going to keep learning, and keep having the time of our lives.