Greetings, all! Some of the students and I were just discussing over dinner that although it seems like we have been here for a week, we have actually only been here for just hours. We are packing so much into each day that half the time, it ends up being hard to keep track of the days! Today set the bar high for fun as well as for strengthening our understanding of the culture here in this beautiful country. We started the day by exploring the city on a walking tour that included meeting half of the fire fighters in Constanza! Hearing their passion for service was a great reminder of why we are here ourselves. Our service in the community begins soon, and will no doubt be life-changing. Sliding down the pole at the fire station was a treat for some as well.
After our city walk, we learned from ‘El Gato‘, the best mask-maker in the DR, and we got to make our own carnival masks! I was blown away by the talent in this group for their artistic abilities. I thought the day couldn’t get any better, but then we went dancing! We learned how to dance bachata, then moved on to salsa, zumba, and merengue as well.
The day was not over yet! We exchanged some of our US dollars for pesos and went to the supermarket for snacks! We’ve been having some amazing meals here at the hotel and enjoying the new snacks we discovered today. Ask Taylor about the incredible salad we had tonight with our pasta!
As a teacher who often feels like maybe it’s time to switch careers, I am so inspired by the students on this trip. If I could have a class filled with all 22 of them, I would want to teach forever. Tomorrow, two of those incredible young people will write the next blog post. In fact, the posts will be written by students from now on, with the Group Leaders helping out as needed. Enjoy the photos!
John Keith
