So today was another wonderful day full of rich cultural experiences for our students. The theme of the day was art and culture. Students woke up this morning at 7, ready for the day’s adventures. Our first activity involved a mask making workshop with one of Constanza’s prominent artists. His mask making and costume work is featured yearly in the Dominican Republic’s Carnival festivals. Students engaged in a hands-on learning experience of creating their own clay masks following the customs of this particular art form in Dominican culture. Some of their work can be seen in the pictures below. Following this workshop, we reconvened at our accommodations to enjoy a delicious meal of rice, chicken, and potato salad. This sustenance prepared us for participating in our dance class. In this class, which was led by our PC Katherine, we learned the basic techniques of bachata and merengue. While some had to overcome some trepidation with being vulnerable and stepping outside of their comfort zone, students gave 100% in their effort to learn some of these traditional dances that define La Republica Dominicana. After dance, students had to switch gears and get prepared to lead their first English tutoring classes. These classes are held at the local elementary school and are comprised of students from all ages in the community. Our Glimpsers definitely stepped into their leadership roles with confidence today and experienced many successes. As one of their GG Leaders I feel that today marks a point where students are really bonding and establishing connections through their shared experiences–and it’s only the second full day!