Relax, your children are fine. This is Nia and Kelly writing to you from Granada! It is extremely hot and humid and there are many bugs, but also many amazing things as well. Here in the colorful streets of Granada your teens are now excited about things we would usually take for granted, such as: air conditioning, ice, and wifi. Even so, today was a great experience for us because we had the opportunity to learn and practice a culture other than our own. Today specifically, we traveled to the city of Masaya to learn a traditional folk dance and in the meantime met some of the young students who practiced these dances. Next, we had a delicious lunch of traditional Nicaraguan food in the city of Catarina at Mi Viejo Ranchitio. Some of us had the opportunity to talk to a local friend/worker about life and culture, and how it impacts their daily life. Afterwards, we continued to a local pottery shop also in Catarina to talk to a local about his 25 years of experience making pottery and owning a business with his family. Through pottery he was able to show how he captures his culture. He also stated how ” with his work he tries to rescue the memory of the people before him”. We then traveled back to Granada to relax and debrief about the day. Todays experiences answered our question of the day for us and our fellow glimpsers of why it is important to preserve culture. Many of us feel that without culture you lose your identity. Until next time, hugs and kisses from all of us <3.

Kelly Li & Nia Dorsey

Getting ready for dance class

With our pottery pieces