Blog day 12.7 (walking up) (small)Suh GG Friends and Family! This is Kush and Kenny, aka the Swag Daddies, and we were the leaders for this day’s fun day: Volcano Boarding!

Our day started early, with everyone waking up at 5:30 AM, and then we ate pancakes and eggs at the usual comedor. After we finished eating, we went back to the hostel and got picked up by Quetzaltrekkers in two trucks to go volcano boarding at the Cerro Negro Volcano. The ride was about an hour long and it was a shaky ride, but everyone was asleep anyways so it was all good. We arrived at the Ranger Station at 9:00 AM, and from there, we got to the base of the volcano and began our forty five minute hike up the sandy volcano with our boards and jumpsuits in our bags. It was a challenging experience, but everyone managed to push through the steep path. Everyone was encouraging  and helping each other, despite the windy conditions.

Once we got to the top, we took lots of pictures and enjoyed the scenery. The only thorn was waiting to slide down the side of the volcano since we were all so eager to get down. There were a few falls, but everyone was safe and had a great time. Some people (us two) went over a ditch and flew into the sky. After everyone slid down, we went back to the ranger station, where we made our very own special burritos with beans out of a bag, chips, and salsa, which were accompanied with OJ. We then took the same trucks back to the hostel and showered. There were volcanic rocks in everyone’s hair and it took multiple washes to get them out. Later, we had some free time where we played card games and socialized while eating snacks. After that, we went to the comedor to eat a traditional Nicaraguan tamale which tasted interesting. Lastly, we went to the Ruben Dario Cultural Festival at the Central Plaza, where we watched performances and a light show.

What surprised us the most today was that no one chickened out of going down the volcano without any complications. What we are most proud of today is that everyone showed compassion for any students who had a hard time climbing up the mountain. There were several students who offered other students help, such as giving them water, holding their boards, taking breaks with them, etc. The most inspiring people we met today were our tour guides Jacob and Hallie. They do all this work for free because they know that by their work, they can help several kids in Nicaragua. Their passion for helping these kids takes away their desire for money and allows them to volunteer for a good cause. Being El Lider Del Dia was actually tiring but a rewarding experience. We constantly had to stop to make sure everyone was drinking their water and also had to make sure no one was overworking themselves or getting hurt.

But in the end, we learned that the whole group had it in us to become a whole family and work together to achieve one goal.

[Editor’s Note: Check out the tiny, tiny dots on the slope mountain–those are people!]

 

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