Hello everyone, this is Maya Nozaka! Today was a very relaxing day for our Glimpsers, as it was our Free Day. We started the day off with an 8:00 AM wakeup call, although most people were up well before then. We did a final money exchange before breakfast so that everyone had enough money to spend on souvenirs, food, etc. Then we headed off to breakfast around 9:00 AM at yet again our favorite restaurant, Imabite Comedor. Most groups already had in mind what they wanted to do, so our GGLs let them leave after they finished their breakfast of eggs, bread, and gallo pinto.

Since today was a Free Day, there were not many events on the agenda. Our free time lasted from approximately 9:30 AM to 3:45 PM, and this time we were allowed to go out in groups of four without any GG leaders, so it really felt like a Free Day. Today was primarily used for souvenir shopping and for one group, they used today’s time to get some fresh haircuts straight out the salon. As for my group, we first went to the flea market, which was near the one we went to for Working Like a Local Day. We then proceeded to eat lunch at Paz de Luna, the restaurant we had dinner at on the previous night. After our lunch, my group headed toward Central Plaza to complete our souvenir shopping. We bought items such as bracelets, bags, shirts, and much more. Many other groups went to places such as the supermarket to buy last minute necessities and Nicaraguan snacks to bring home and show to all of their friends. Many people were also excited to see the movie Suicide Squad, but were disappointed when they found out the movie was all in Spanish. It wouldn’t have been too bad for our Spanish speakers, but it might have been hard for those who took AP Chinese in high school instead of Spanish. Others also went to the call center to use the phone and internet to check up on friends and family.

After we were all done with our shopping and exploring of Leon, we came back to prep for English tutoring. Then after dinner, we headed toward the school to start the second to last day of teaching. Even though we have only been teaching for nine days, I can really see the progress all the students have made throughout this course. I am especially excited to see their faces tomorrow as they receive their certificates after participating in a six week long course. For tomorrow, we are planning to have a big talent show with all 4 levels. We will also be using our leftover CAP money to provide snacks for everyone at the celebration.

For all of the friends and family of our L1C Glimpsers who miss them, don’t worry! We will be arriving back in California in two short days. We are all so thankful to have been blessed with this opportunity to give back to our community and will cherish these last few days together.