As we all know and anticipated, we have 2 days before we arrive back home in California. Today was our last full day in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. For many, it meant to explore the city to their heart’s content; and for some, it might have been to stay back in the hostel and take a 3 hour nap. Needless to say, today was our last adventure in Nicaragua. Since today was our free day, there too much that happened since the day was ours. Being the leader of the day isn’t as easy as I thought it would be despite today being very relaxing.  I started off the day waking everyone at 8:30 after the long, hard work we accomplished the day before at Sor Maria. After, we had an amazing twist to our breakfast today, which was crepes with fruits! Not your usual Nicaraguan meal. From then we were able to have from 10:00 am-12:00 pm our first round of free time. After the two hour block, we had our lunch back at the hostel. From then on, I started to feel the pressure of the responsibility as a leader. I had to make sure everyone was back on time and present. You can say the type of feeling was like a guardian, making sure everyone is safe and here.

After lunch, many of my fellow glimpsers had to finish our final drafts of our donor letters. Donor letters on this trip are letters to individuals who have supported Global Glimpse and were able to provide us with this wonderful opportunity. Finishing our donor letters ate up about 1 out of 4 hours of our last round of free time. During my free time, there were a total of 7 people who all needed to go to specific shops in the city. Throughout the 3 hour block, we were able to get snacks, hair cuts, jewelries, souvenirs, and desserts while running around I the pouring rain! At 5:00, we had our usual Nicaraguan dinner. Since more than half of the day was already over, I felt the pressure of being a leader diminish  throughout the day, but I was still alert about everyone’s presence and safety. After dinner, our entire group walked down to San Luis for the last and final time for English tutoring.

English tutoring today wasn’t exactly tutoring. Many of the students from my class did not show up for the last day at all! Some students from different classes sat around and had personal bonding time with their teachers for the very last time. Other students had a different way of bonding, which was pot lucking, chasing some of the fellow teachers around, or even a game of basketball. Today’s last English class was a bitter sweet moment. For me, I was not very close with my students, so the last day offered me the time I had with them to get to know them better than I should have.  Towards the end, there were many pictures being taken, hugs being embraced, and heart breaking goodbyes. Teaching English class has opened my shell and allowed me to teach others an ability I can do well, which was English. Having this experience has also brought down my walls of anxiety.

As a leader of the day, I have learned at times to step in my group as a glimpser and step out as a leader. I didn’t feel prepared to become a leader because of the responsibilities that were placed on my shoulders. However, even though I had responsibilities as a leader, today was meant to be relaxing and fun. Throughout the day, I pushed myself a bit too hard to be what a good leader should be like. At the end of the day, I realized that I had been too hard on myself; I realized that being a leader meant leadership as well as companionship. You need equal parts of being fun and spontaneous, and the other being stern and taking the lead. I will never forget Matagalpa and its wonders and adventures it has given to all of us. It is truly heartbreaking to leave this city, but this trip will always be in our hearts. Viva en Matagalpa!