Hola, todos! Me llamo Van!

My name is Van, and I am one of the students in the 2nd DR-San Cristobal delegation. I was the leader of the day, waking up everybody 30 minutes earlier than usual so we could head out as soon as possible for our adventure of the day. Even though it was a bit earlier, everybody was so excited to get started on the 1st Fun Day! Who wouldn’t be? We were to visit some cave systems (La Cueva de Pomier) to learn about the history and its importance. Not only so, we were going to end the day with a quick dip at La Toma!

When we first arrived, everybody was so astonished by the beauty of the scenery. However, it was also important to learn about the damage caused to the site by the excessive mining back then. The original landscape was altered, but we were still lucky enough to be able to experience its natural beauty. Our tour guides helped us learn about the history of the cave system and the people who onced lived in those caves. We saw ancient drawings, natural formation of the cave (thanks to the beauty of science). Did I forget to mention bats? There were thousands of tiny bats flocking around in some parts of the cave. At other parts, some climbing was involved, in which situations we were physically challenged to push ourselves. After the exploration came a delicious lunch with the community, then we were off on our way to the next destination!

Despite the fact that was it was raining that day, everybody was so exhausted after the cave exploration that we couldn’t simply return to the ranch. So, it was off to La Toma we go. La Toma is a natural pool which includes a waterpark built around a natural river (don’t worry – the water was clean). We had quite a splash (no pun intended) at La Toma, despite the heavy drops of water showering upon us. Even our GG trip leaders came in for some fun! Afterwards, our minds were refreshed, and so was our attitude for the rest of the afternoon. Thus, we were ready to get started on the second part of our CAP project! Ideas showered harder than the rain fall. The meeting took so long that we even had to continue after dinner. However, it was worth it because we now find a new source of inspiration to make a difference for the community, even if it’s not Nobel Peace Prize-worthy. You might be wondering – what is our final plan for the CAP project? Stay tuned for further updates!

Personal message to parents/guardians of the students in the delegation: please do not worry. Your Glimpsers are having a blast while making a huge difference in the community. We will keep you updated daily, rain… or shine!

P.S – The tarantulas come around to visit once in a while. We do love their company… seriously (not).

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