Hola family and friends! Today’s bloggers are Megan and Lina. To start off we woke up extra early at 4:45am in order to get on the bus at 5:40am to La Garnacha Farm. After a one hour bus ride we began with milking goats and cows. This was a unique experience for all of us because back at home we were not given an opportunity like this. After collecting milk from the goats and cows we had breakfast which consisted of avocados, traditional gallo pinto, homemade tortillas and cheese. Right after we split off into groups to collect food for the goats, weed the garden, and help with the coffee process. Two and a half hours later, we had fried chicken, French fries, vegetables, and rice accompanied with dragon fruit juice for lunch. Since there was a time crunch and pouring rain, we didn’t get to have any free time. We went straight to the UCA Miraflor, where we learned about the global coffee business, which came with a cup of café. We were on a tight schedule, so we raced back to the hostel to prepare for our Community Action Plan (CAP) presentation with Director Jahima of the Cristal Foundation. As a group we decided to help them build their main garden by planting many species of plants along with creating signs to help the children and visitors expand their knowledge of the environment from around the world. Quickly after, we had to rush and eat dinner while preparing for our English tutoring. Most classes went really smoothly today, while one class of students mistook a two minute break with a two hour break. We just finished our nightly meeting where we discussed our fun-packed activities for tomorrow! We still have an early day tomorrow, so good luck to our next Lider Del Dia, Alison!
From this eventful day, we learned the hardships of working as a farmer in a developing country. The months of hard work of growing, harvesting, peeling, roasting coffee beans turns out to cost about 50 Cordobas which is equivalent to around $2. This surprised many of the Glimpsers today because one hour of work in the Bay Area will already get you at least $10. Along with the hard farm work, many of us were proud of stepping out of our comfort zones and milking cows or goats. This farming community inspired us all because they are dedicated to producing organic goods and made hard work exciting!
As both of us being very quiet people, being Lider del Dia allowed us to pop our safety bubbles and demonstrate our leadership skills. Because of our busy day and early morning we faced many obstacles that we jumped and hurled over which helped us grow even more as leaders. We both learned that we shouldn’t be afraid to be loud and direct to a point in order to get the attention of the group. In all, we both had a very amazing experience being the leaders of the day!
Buenas Noches from Esteli!
Lina and Megan
Megan milking a cow
Transporting grass to feed the goats
Coffee seedlings
Thanking our hosts at La Garnacha
Presentation at UCA Miraflor
Our group at UCA Miraflor
Awesome job – Megan and Lina!! Milking goats and cows:-)!! What a day!! Farm work is hard work anywhere…glad you all enjoyed a taste of it – bet all the fresh food tasted great! We are so proud of all of you – it takes a lot to step out of our safe comfort zones and do something different…I loved all the pictures!
Anya – I’m running out of ideas for your streaks! Your brother is such a big help:-)
Love, madhu
Wow! Milking cows and goats! You guys have reached a new pinnacle of “earthiness”! I think you might well be in a very narrow slice of our global society that has ever milked a goat, let alone a cow! Well done guys! Did you sample some “organic” milk???
You guys have done so much in so few days. You will come back with memories that will last across the years and generations.
Love and hugs to all of you!
Megan and Lina, thank you for a warm self-reflection summary of the day. I want to commend you for stepping out of your comfort zone as it is not easy to do and share your thoughts with the group. Great job! You guys had a long but fulfilling day. Hope you get some rest and have fun tomorrow!
Alison, we can’t wait to read your blog tomorrow!! Love ya! Mama and Dad
Hi Zach,
Wow 4:45am! That’s sounds like some of your early trips to the airport. Your breakfast sounds so good! How fun was milking the cows or goats? What did you think of the coffee? Hope everyone gets a good nights rest for tomorrow’s early day.
Love you!
Wow! What a busy day you all had. So proud of all you for stepping up and get involved And not being afraid to get your “hands dirty”. These are truly life lessons and memories that you will never forget.
Thank you Megan and Lina for the detailed account of the day and all the photos. Makes me wish I was there too. And I bet the avocado, gallo pinto, homemade tortillas etc…must have tasted amazing! Probably so much more real tasting than here in the U.S.
Rishi not sure if you guys get to do laundry. If not at the Laundromat then at least the traditional way of using soap, water, rinse, wringing and then hanging out to dry which is also fun. Did you get to try the milk? Was it like when we were in Wengen?
Anjali made home made Key lime cake pops today and she has saved one for you.
Keep on having the best adventure ever and lots and lots of fun!
Love Mummy and Papa, Shaan and Anjali.
Wow..you guys had a busy day and such a rare experience of milking a cow. Thanks for the wonderful description of your day Megan & Lina.
Resha- Yesterday Machu Picchu was amazing and we hiked a lot. We were thinking about you and mentioning that you would have complained about the hike through out the way. Good to know that you are having great experiences and getting out of your comfort zone. Be kind, helpful and considerate to everyone and do count your blessings all the time.
Be happy darling and keep smiling. Got to rush for our tour.
Love you- Mama
What a fun experience to milk a cow! It certainly sounds like you all had a busy and fun filled day!
Hi Jessica-sending you lots of love from Hong Kong!
Wow, well written blog, Megan and Lina. Looks like a real long and hard working day and sure it was all worthwhile!
Tejas, hope you had fun too and the food sound delicious, all your favorites? Wish I was there too, with cows and goats ?. We miss you very much here!
Love you,
Mom, dad and Gaji
Looks like an adventurous day. Lina and Megan nice blog!
Envy you guys, great experience in farming, husbandry industry. This will be great experience you will sure cherish.
Tejas, As a animal lover, I know you would have a blast.
Great idea on building main garden as part Community Action Plan.
Keep on having lots and lots of fun!
Love
Dad
Thanks for the update Megan & Lina. Hi Makenna! So glad you’re getting to experience life outside of the Bay Area bubble. A “day in the life” of a local is the perfect way to see how different it can be elsewhere in the world. I bet this trip is changing your perspective. Hope you are enjoying it and taking everything in. Yesterday I was talking to Lucas about Nicaragua and he asked if it was farther than Lego Land. I told him yes, and that it was even farther than Hawaii or New York….he said wow that’s really far!!! I let him know that you’ll be home before he knows it. Love and miss you!!
4:45am! That is early. Hope u all have energy to last for the day. If not, coffee from last blog. HaHa.
Vivian, hope u gets to taste the milk u milked. Got to tell us at home the different in taste. Always thinking of you.
Love u lots. Mommy
Hi Kenna, I sent another message earlier but who knows where it went. Me and technology…ugh!!! Anyway I’m enjoying the updates.Wow milking goats and cows, planting a garden and English tutoring…you certainly have been busy.Experiencing another culture so different from your own is something that will stay with you forever and give you a whole new appreciation for the life you are blessed with. You learned about the global coffee business. Grandpa gets his coffee delivered every two weeks from Vega Coffee that is based there. A friend of ours’ son started the company to help local growers. I’m not sure exactly where in the country they are based. Enjoy. Love you!
Alison,
I can’t believe you woke up at 4:45, that’s like eight hours earlier than you normally do!! With the day you had, it sounds like it was really worth it! Looking forward to reading your post tonight.
Love,
Amanda
Mia, sounds like hard work. Hang in there! Miss you!