Greetings from Esteli! Our first day here has been tiring but very worth it.

We began with a breakfast of gallo pinto, eggs, fried maduro (plantain), queso frito, and what everybody agreed to be the best orange juice ever to exist.

And then we embarked on our 2.5 hour bus ride to Esteli, and many well-deserved naps were had.

Our hostel is breathtaking! It’s colorful, filled with plants, and the owner is very sweet.

Today was History Day, so we talked a little about the history of Nicaragua: the rise of the Sandinistas, the Revolution in the late 70s, and the US’s involvement with the Contras.

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We then walked to the Esteli natural history museum and saw many artifacts!

There were ancient Central American hieroglyphics including the symbol of Esteli, old, handwritten letters of marital consent, and beautiful paintings from Nicaraguan artists around the time of the Revolution.

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We then had a walking tour of local Esteli, and many of us were surprised to see the amount of American influence within the city including brand names (Payless, Banana Republic), clothing styles (skinny jeans), and music (Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg).

We did encounter a number of looks from the locals, seeing as we are traveling in a large group and come from many different racial backgrounds, but everybody was really friendly- one guy even let us into his house to see how he lives!

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We found a beautiful mural of historical figures in the Parque Infantile across the street!

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Back at our primary foodspot, Alfreditos, Andrew made a friend!

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And Abdul made an enemy…

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We all learned the importance of hydration today, and are ready for sleep because tomorrow’s schedule includes a hike AND a dance class!

Hoping our family and friends are well and sending our love from Esteli!!