Hey friends and family, this is Emily Huang reporting our 10th day in Esteli, Nicaragua! It’s incredible to think that we have finished our 10th day already; we have gained so much experience and knowledge through our activities. Today, we got to experience life on the farm and was even able to milk goats and cows.

This morning, we woke up at 5 am (gasp). After our 5 am wake up call, we all trudged to the bus half-awake and very tired. But it was all worth it. Our bus ride to the farm took approximately an hour (which most of us used to catch up on sleep). The farm, otherwise known as La Garnacha, was absolutely breathtaking. La Garnacha was incredibly lush and green. The amazing plant life was stunning. The workers at the farm warmly welcomed us and allowed us the honor of working alongside them and understanding the history of their farm.

Along with being a natural reserve, La Garnacha had one of the most amazing views of the 14 volcanos shared by Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras. Since it was a cloudy day, we were not able to get the full experience. The worker there told us that every year, many people come during November and September to see the volcanoes — apparently this is one of the best times of the year because of the clear skies. After that, they showed us one of their rich fields, which contained numerous plants and vegetables. During this tour, we learned that La Garnacha grew and sold organic vegetables to numerous businesses and restaurants in Nicaragua. In addition, our group learned how the farm grew from only having one or two sales to having over 300 sales in the past 16 years.

Working in the farms was truly a one-of-a-kind experience. The glimpsers were able to peel coffee beans, feed goats, and learn about fertilizer. Along with our work in the farm, we had the option to drink a nice warm coffee (made from their own beans) or drink soothing lemongrass tea (which was also grown in the farm). At 12:00 pm, our group enjoyed a delicious lunch made by the wonderful people at the farm.

After lunch, we traveled back to our hotel and worked on our CAP (community action project) presentation. The principal from the school of Santa Cruz visited us to see what we had come up with. Our whole group had a blast presenting and collaborating with her about the project. At around 4:15, we finished and had free time until dinner (which was at 6 pm). Many students went out to explore the city and culture during this time.

All in all, today was an unforgettable experience. Our group was able to see beautiful landscape and greenery while learning about life on the farm.

Well that’s the summary of today. We all had a bunch of fun, and we are excited for what is to come. Good night friends and family, tune in tomorrow to see what happens next.

Buenas noches,

Emily

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Visiting the Cows & Goats. 

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One very delicious lunch.

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The beautiful field of organic veggies. 

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Group pic in front of the volcanoes!