It is 8pm in Esteli and students are wiped out! We started our day at 7am for a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast of pintogallo. Then we all learned about Nicaraguan history through a timeline game and caught a glimpse of the political climate through a reading. Students were making great connections to American politics as well as politics in other Latin American countries!

We then had an amazing tour of the city of murals! We rode on the public bus (which was VERY crowded–a nerve-wracking experience for some!) and saw a cathedral, cultural museo, and the central square. This tour was not just fun and informative, but it will be useful for when students are able to explore Esteli on their own. One of the highlights from the students was a man trying to sell us hammocks all day!

Another highlight was a speech and painting session with Julio, a Nicaraguan artist who has painted many murals in the city. He took students through his experiences during the Nicaraguan revolution and several major political and social changes. It gave students the chance to see how these revolutions affect people’s day to day lives. Then we got to show him our artistic side through painting!

Shout out to all students–especially Anisa, Jorge, and Sean–who put themselves out there and practiced their Spanish today!

Right now none of my pictures are uploading 🙁 We will be sure to post one tomorrow!