YAY! CAP day two is finally done!

This morning our stomachs were filled with yogurt and fruit, followed by scrambled eggs with ham and cheese in a fluffy roll. From there we embarked on a bus to Las Gradas in order to continue our laborious enterprise.

The bumpy and curvy 30 minute drive to Las Gradas was exciting because we were all ready to get some work done in the uvilla garden and the small medical garden. Once we got to the school we all gathered our stuff around our rest hill and gathered the tools to continue the fence. Promptly, we all took initiative and scattered around to help in the different jobs. Gradas students helped with securing the posts, nailing the mesh, and anchoring the fence down. Our gate team did a phenomenal job today, there were many ups and downs because the dimensions didn’t add up but they were super flexible and quickly adjusted the plan and made it efficient. Unfortunately, we got a little backed up because the chicken wire didn’t arrive today. Many Glimpsers were frustrated we couldn’t quite meet our goal for the day, but in lieu of labor we were able to connect with the local students by entertaining them with games and speaking with them one-on-one.

After our CAP meeting we realized that the CAP project is supposed to aid the community and that even if we didn’t complete our goal due to the lack of chicken wire, the most important thing is to connect with the children. This newfound connection has given us a stronger determination to work more vigilantly tomorrow. It was heart-warming to see the astonished faces on the children when they learned the different English words and American lifestyle. All the children were so excited to play with us and it’s safe to say that we have made a plethora of new friends.

In the free time before lunch, quite a few Glimpsers took advantage of local bakeries and even the neighboring boba shop. However, these outings left them with full stomachs so it was hard to finish the delicious lunch at La Estancia: quinoa soup, chicken tacos, and cheesecake.

After lunch we had a few minutes to rest before our sixth tutoring class. Like yesterday, students were in finals so there were smaller classes and some pupils had to leave early to study. Most of the intermediate classes combined again for a slightly haphazard–but entertaining–lesson in the future verb tense. The beginners had a very amusing class learning our numbers and incorporating them in complete sentences. The students are very engaged in the lessons which makes the 2 hours -full of laughter and excitement- go by faster. Yet, it is going be very difficult to say goodbye in our last class tomorrow. 🙁

For dinner we had a happy surprise of hamburgers and garlic fries. We can say that if it was not the best burger we’ve ever had then it came excruciatingly close. The burger itself was well done, but still retained its juices and flavor; it was a pleasure to eat. However, it was followed by a strawberry, ice-cream cake that was out of this world! Ana never disappoints her eager eaters.

The Glimpsers are now taking advantage of their well deserved rest-time and are ready to destroy CAP day 3.

Goodnight families! We’ll see you in a few days!