Hello family and friends, it’s Lila here as the blog volunteer. (Hi Mom, Dad, and Rosalie!)

Today was culture and education day. After eggs and toast for breakfast, we had a culture workshop where we had some college-style discussions. After that, we walked through the town and visited a local artist, who taught us how to make clay masks.  Then lunch, and then a visit to Arelis, a local teacher who told us about her life and how hard she works to teach  people of all ages to read and write. We enjoyed some games at free time (no phones forces you to be social!) and then had a workshop to teach us Glimpsers how to prepare for English tutoring lessons. An impromptu dance party emerged before dinner; then we enjoyed some salami and mashed plantains before going over the day and tomorrow’s schedule at the nightly meeting.

We’ve been sharing “thorns and roses”– good and bad parts of the day– at our meetings, and these were some of the common ones:

Thorns: we were not that fast at counting off, our method of making sure everyone is present, and we feel that people should talk in discussions when they want to, not when everyone is forced to have a turn, and we’re feeling a little homesick as we adjust (myself included)

Roses: the group is really bonding and getting closer over just a few days, and we’re enjoying talking to everyone instead  of forming separate cliques

We’re all pretty tired by the end of our packed days, so it’s off to bed!

P.S. Parents, I encourage you to comment on the blog. They get read aloud at the nightly meetings and it’s nice for students to hear them. (To my parents: hint, hint!)

**Buenes noches**