The definition of community is a group of people working cohesively to accomplish a common goal. On the final day of our Community Action Project, the L1C Glimpsers were able to give back to the community of Monte Redondo to the best of our abilities. We attempted to finish up as much as we originally planned, but time was not in our favor. Despite the factors working against us, the community seemed genuinely happy to see the progress we made together. They seemed determine to finish what we started and make our project sustainable for the rest of the community.

As the leader of the day for the CAP project, I honestly did not know what to expect. I did not choose this day because I wanted to be leader on the last day of CAP. I picked this day because it was the only day still available because I was the last to sign up as a leader of the day. If it was up to me, I would not even choose to be a leader of the day. But I am glad that I was pushed into this situation because I was able to step out of my comfort zone. I am not an outgoing person, so this day gave me the experience to organize, motivate, and lead a group of people.

Being a leader is not an easy task. You have to be aware of everyone and everything. And being leader of the day for the last day of CAP seemed more hectic because we had to finish what we started in a limited amount of time. There was no pushing off certain tasks until the next day because this was our last day at Monte Redondo. It was our last day to interact with the community and build relationships with the locals. It was our final chance to make our lasting impression on the people.

For me, the day started off difficult because the electricity went out a couple of times, resulting in the fans not working. Because the weather is pretty hot in Leon, many of us found it difficult to sleep. But other than that, the day started off pretty normal. After eating at Quiero Mas, some Glimpsers bought extra materials for the CAP project, while the rest of us prepared to leave for Monte Redondo.20150808_153754

Once we arrived at Monte Redondo, the task to finish our CAP began. The design group continued their murals, painting little baby chickens to represent the children at the preschool. The way the school is situated sort of like a chicken coop because of the way the fence surrounds the school. So the chicks represents that the children will have a safe haven at the school just like the chicks are safe in the chicken coop. They also drew a painting about conserving water. The garden group was finally able to plant the trees around the school and the herbs in the garden in the back of the school. The planted trees included mandarin, lemon, and palm. The herbs included rosemary, mint, thyme, and many more indigenous plants. In order to protect the garden and the dirt planter beds that the garden group dug tirelessly to make, Carlos the bus driver and Jesse gathered wooden posts and create a fence. A problem that the construction group encountered was creating the brick patio/stage for the school. We had all the materials to create the stage, but no one had experience to create the cement and the foundation. But by not making the stage, we left a task for the community to take part in. We essentially passed the torch from Global Glimpse to Monte Redondo. To prevent time loss, the construction group worked adjacently with the other groups. They helped paint the national flower of Nicaragua on one of the murals or dig holes for the trees.20150808_153524

Overall, the CAP was a impactful experience. The community was open to any suggests and gave us feedback to help create the best environment for Monte Redondo. This relationship allows for the best interaction between the Glimpsers and the community. As the Quote of the Day by Maya Angelou states, “I’ve learned that people may forget what you said, they may forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” I’m sure the L1C Glimpsers made a positive impression as the people of Monte Redondo offered that we are always welcomed.