Hi GG friends and family! My name is Natalie Blumberg, and I was the student leader for our very first Free day! I think my role today was very different from the past student leaders because our plans were not as structured as most other days. There were no seminars, guest speakers, or set field trips to coordinate. Even though we were free most of the day there were still some moments that I needed to step up and assert my role as the student leader.
Our wakeup call was 7:00 and we went to our usual food spot for yogurt and granola. Back at the hostel we exchanged more US dollars for Nicaraguan Córdobas so we could spend our money freely throughout the day. Our first stop out was the laundromat because the I think the only word to describe our clothes was “dank.” After doing activities in the humid Nicaraguan heat for a week straight we were all struggling to find clean clothes to wear. After we dropped off our clothes we split into two groups because we were not yet allowed to leave the hostel without one of the adult leaders. My group went straight to the supermarket while the other went to an internet cafe. I personally want to try the biggest variety of Nicaraguan snack foods as I can so I can bring them back home and share them with my friends and family. So far my favorites are Zambos plantain chips in the chile lime flavor, which is one of the only spicy foods here in Nicaragua. Another favorite among the whole group are Picos, which is a sweet triangular baked good that one of our i
n-country leaders, Noel, brought for us. After the supermarket we planned to switch locations with the other group, but sadly the electricity was down in the Cafe so we went to get smoothies instead. The usual lunch was soon to follow.
After lunch we had more free time but chose to focus it on English tutoring prep and our community action project presentation which we had later in the day. Every day we try to prep our lesson to teach our students so we aren’t stumbling at the front of the classroom wasting our time and theirs. After about 40 minutes of that we put together our presentation for our CAP. As a whole we are planning to renovate the whole outside area of the school we are working with, Niñas y Niños del Fortín. Some parts of the plan include refinishing their picnic tables, putting in new grass, and creating an edible garden.
Our last major agenda item was English tutoring. I have personally been studying Spanish since 6th grade and I just finished AP in the Spring. Because of my experience I am one of the teachers of the beginner Spanish class. In this class we talk to the students primarily in Spanish because they do not yet know much English. With all that being said, going into the beginning of this trip I was not confident in my Spanish skills whatsoever. I would try and get the native speakers to talk to the people taking my order and I would undersell my abilities. But after even a few days of tutoring I feel that both the students and the teachers have learned a lot from each other. I have become more confident in speaking my Spanish to native speakers without being self-conscious as I am forced to do it in front of my class everyday. I have noticed others around me feeling the same way as well. Even those who came into this trip knowing zero Spanish have been pointing out signs and saying phrases with ease. Teaching others really makes you learn more about yourself too, like your capabilities, strengths, weaknesses and much more you wouldn’t know without opening yourself up to a class of students who want to learn. As a side note I also learned why teachers are always so sweaty during class; I was constantly running around to help people out and acting out words which made me really hot and I had to stand by the window towards the end.
The final thing we did during the day that I thought was pretty funny was order pizza from Pizza Hut to the hostel. On our arrival day I remember going on the bus and seeing all these signs for Nicaraguan food, and places we didn’t have in the US and thinking to myself, “Why would you go to a foreign country just to eat food you can eat back home?” Well after eating at the same restaurant all three meals a day for practically a week straight, I can see why. We were all craving some greasy American food so we ordered 6 pizzas to share and ate them all at 9 o’clock at night. I have no regrets whatsoever.
As one final thought, being as we have been in León for an entire week now I can say this has been already one of the most impactful, craziest, busiest, and most fun weeks of my life and I can’t wait to see what else this trip has in store.
Hey Stella and friends!
Thats pretty cool im glad you had a nice day off! I know you’ve been working hard! Bring back snacks please some sound good and I’d like to try something interesting. And that’s really cool to hear that you guys are teaching english to the kids not only that but everyone’s spanish is improving too so it’s not only the kids that are gaining something your skills are being honed too!
I hope you’re having fun Stella love and miss you a lot ;(
Hi Sophia:
Did you get a chance to call obahchan?
I couldn’t tell if you were part of the group who made it to the Internet cafe or not.
Hopefully you got to try some ice cream too.
If you get a chance, please try to call home, I’ll be back Friday
Hello Global Glimpse participants, Sounds like a fun free day. Except for having to do laundry. Michael I’m not seeing you in any of the photos from the free day. Please remember to take photos. And make sure you save money for snacks on the plane ride back. I’m glad you’re having this experience. love and miss you Mom
Hi Natalie, great summary of the day. Glad to hear you are gaining confidence in your language skills. I am impressed at how you guys seem to be taking your roles there very seriously. I know the people of Leon appreciate what you guys are doing and I know you guys will have a deeper appreciation of the people that make up this world with us.
With that being said, I’m glad you guys were able to have a free day to get some shoppingand laundry done. I could only imagine the extreme “dankness” humidity and heat could produce.
Pretty funny about the pizza though! Think about what food you’d like your first day home and let me know.
Very proud of you! We love you!
Mommy,Daddy, Nathan and Olive
Aditi
Was happy to read that you were able to do laundry and eat Pizza. Love you take care!
Mommy
Sophia!
I’m so glad you were able to reach me today! Hopefully you got through to obahchan and she feels better after hearing your voice.
I haven’t seen a picture of you in a few days so please let the leaders of the day know that we appreciate photos in the blog that include the group, if possible. I
‘ll tell tio no more gallo pinto for awhile!!
Love you and miss you
Mom
It’s great that you all got a well-deserved break amidst the constant activity! Thanks Natalie for this wonderful update.
We are proud, fortunate and grateful that our daughter Maya could be part of this program and have this life-changing experience. It would be wonderful if all young people had the chance do something similar–there lies the potential to change the world for the better.
Hi Kush,
I am so excited to see your picture on the blog with one big smile on your face. First of all my humble thanks to Elly and Daniel who are taking good care of our children not only with learning and exploring with culture of Nicarragua but also nurturing them. Many Many thanks to the group leaders and seriously hats off to you guys how well you guys summarize the day event. Even though it’s my first time writing to you Kush but I keep checking your blogs sharp at 10:00 PM and keep going back every five minutes to see if the blog is posted . We miss you a lot but also excited when you come back to US this experience of reality will season you more. Love you lots
Mommy
Happy to hear that you were all able to enjoy a day of relative rest and relaxation. Those smoothies and ice creams look like a refreshing treat in the heat! Hope the mosquitos haven’t been a problem! Too bad you weren’t all able to get your chance at the Internet Cafe, it would’ve been great if everyone had a chance to touch base with home…perhaps the next time?
We continue to be so very impressed at everything that you have been exposed to and the collaborative work that you are doing both with your CAP and your English tutoring classes. Keep up the good work and know that you are becoming better and stronger individuals through this program. Love the pictures…keep them coming!
Kali: Your family and Lucy misses you lots! She’s been checking your room every day and looking at me with puzzlement…
Special!
So glad to hear you all were able to eat Pizza, thats must have been a real treat. 🙂 sounds like the free day was a great time to unwind. Hope you are all continuing to have a great time.
Love you
Mom
Aditi!!!!
So much has happened while you were gone! I got to go and see the sims studio and see how they make the game. I also got 3 free sim games, a backpack and a headband inspired by the game. There was also a regional field trip so all the programs from the bay area came to EA and the CEO came and talked to us and I was able to get a picture with him. I finally got my shirt, I will show it to you when you come back. I also made a bunch of new projects and made a website that shows all of them. My mentor is even teaching me how to animate, but all I can make so far is a bouncing ball. Tomorrow I’m going on a field trip to Ford motors and I will tell you how it goes later.
I miss you so much! I hope you’re having fun! I can’t wait to hear all about it when you come back.
-Dipti
Hi everyone, this is Arden Steele. I have been struggling to navigate through the website, and I’m not even sure I’m commenting on the right group, but I would like to say hello! I hope everyone is having lots of fun on the trip, especially you, Michael (Martinez). I just want you to know that I miss you so much and I can’t wait for you to come home.
I’m sorry about the phone calls, both times I accidentally missed it and couldn’t get back to you. But, I did get your emails. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I hope you’re having lots of fun on your trip and I miss you so much. I love you more than anything. I hope you’re safe, happy, and enjoying yourself. Hopefully I’m not making a fool of myself. Have a good night!