Day 4 started bright and early at 5:30 with our usual serving of gallo pinto and eggs. First stop of the day was to either San Luis, the private school in Matagalpa, or Institute Nacional Eliseo Picado, the public school in Matagalpa. At these two high schools, everyone was partnered with a host student to shadow them throughout their day, during classes, passing period, and break. We all had the opportunity to get to know our host students very well and make many new friends that we will hopefully get to stay in touch with! Even though one school was private and one was public, they were very similar in that both classrooms lacked materials, only containing a whiteboard, rustic desks, and an old table for the teacher to sit at. The constraints for providing quality education in developing countries is restricted due to the lack of finances which results in lack of resources and opportunities for these children. This made the group as a whole realize how much we take our education back in the United States for granted.

Next stop was to visit Asociación para el Desarrollo Integral Comunitario (ADIC). This organization provides a place for children to come two days week to take educational workshops, with a focus on personal growth, leadership, violence in their community, women’s empowerment, and protecting the environment. The kids can also come to learn theatre, music, art, or just to have a safe place off the streets. After learning about their organization, we got to spend time with the kids, playing games and dancing. The director of ADIC, Silda, was the most inspirational figure of the day because she shared her passion for education with us by providing a fun, safe place for children without making a profit.

After dinner, we held our first English tutoring sessions at San Luis. It was chaotic at the start due to the fact that around 80 students attended, which caused us to have to change our lessons and switch teaching groups. However, the classes went well and it was exciting to see how everyone had the ability to step out of their comfort zone and teach someone a new language. We are looking forward to seeing our students’ growth within the next 7 sessions.

Being the Liders del día gave us the opportunity to improve our leadership skills. It was a challenge to constantly remind everyone to be on time, drink water, and to exemplify the three C’s (courage, commitment, and compassion). We learned that when in a leadership position we are strong, but we just need to be more consistent in directing others. Being the first liders del día of our trip, we hope that we set a solid foundation that others can build off of and learn from.

Thank you for reading our blog, sorry we could not post pictures tonight, but check back tomorrow! Also, shoutout to all the friends and family who have commented on previous posts. We all love hearing from you!

Thank you again,
Marisa and Gabby