Hey! My name is Solana and I’m today’s leader of the day. I’m a rising senior at Lowell High School in San Francisco, and am involved in a club rowing team based on Lake Merced. I heard about Global Glimpse from a classmate in my AP Environmental Science class this past year, and could not be more thankful.

Today’s adventure began with an early wake-up call at 5:15 am, followed by 17 zombie-like teenagers running around to brush teeth, grab changes of clothes, and fill up water bottles. After a delicious breakfast of beans, rice, eggs, and plantains, we stacked and scraped our dishes and boarded the bus. Throughout the hour-long ride some slept, while others sang along to Ed Sheeran and Green Day. Fog sat along the rode (a little sense of home for me), cascading over countless mountains and natural beauty. The alluring smell of coffee quickly grew as we approached La Garnacha, a farming cooperative/community. Our group traveled to La Garnacha to learn more about how organic-based farming worked, and how the employees worked together in harmony, a perfect fit for today’s theme: Global Business. We split up into 4 groups and got to participate in everyday jobs and activities like weeding, goat-poop-shoveling, and roasting beans. After cleaning off and hearing from La Garnacha’s program coordinator Don Pablo, we were able to explore in the community artisan shops and purchase some coffee that they had just learned about (wink wink parents)! A mouth-watering lunch of chicken, beans, tortillas, cheese, and salad was served, and with full stomachs and new memories, we boarded the bus towards La Alegria, a cigar factory.

We spent part of our day weeding coffee seedlings at La Garnacha, the organic farm we visited on Global Business Day.

We spent part of our day weeding coffee seedlings at La Garnacha, the organic farm we visited on Global Business Day.

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Coffee beans (pre-roasting) from La Garnacha

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Kevin getting ready to shovel some goat poo!

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Alysia and Henni with the baby goats! Awww!

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This is some nutrient-rich compost! Check out all those worms!

 

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Spencer working on roasting the coffee beans – don’t stop stirring or they will burn!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At La Algeria, we learned lots about the growth and production of tobacco and it’s extremely large role in the Nicaraguan economy. We were also able to see, hands-on (some were even lucky enough to make a cigar on their own), how the tobacco leaves transform into a perfectly packed product. After watching the skilled employees craft cigar after cigar, we heard about how La Alegria’s mission differs from the larger, more factory-based production companies.

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Tiffany learned how to roll a cigar at La Alegria cigar factory.

 

We then rushed off the Sonati, an organization that spreads environmental awareness and works mainly with children. There we presented our Community Action Project idea to expand and beautify a nearby school garden, answering and asking questions about estimated budgets and required materials. With a better idea of our plan, we walked over to Colegio Mas Vida, the location of our English classes. Spencer, Vi, Estefany, and I rallied to teach emotions to a class full of energetic children in Basic A. Sharing our glow, a highlight of the class, and our grow, an improvement that we can make, we reflected together in the main room of the school.

A long and exciting day now behind us, we sit down for a yummy bowl of soup filled with chicken and veggies to fuel us for our crazy day to come. All that is left is our nightly meeting, and hopefully, a well-deserved night’s rest.