Everyone was slow to move this morning, even with our late 8am start. After a breakfast of rice and eggs we walked back to the hostel for the next seminar. We discussed topics like Ortega’s questionable presidency in Nicaragua. We read an article that was very contradictory and informative when compared to the praise many of the locals we’ve talked to about his presidency. This lead to wondering why the mass population seemed not to worry about corruption in the government and in their President. Many of us agreed that it is a luxury to care about corruption. To many here it does not matter how things get done as long as it gets done, which helps explain Ortega’s re-election.

For most of us, the seminar created more questions about the political system in Nicaragua than answers. When our guest speaker from the Movimiento Comunal Nicraquense (MCN) arrived he helped explain how the people are not attached to their government and that many of the Sandista organizations failed because people are not engaged. The MCN works towards protecting people’s rights and empowering youth; they really spoke to us about how they make impact in their government which was really inspiring. We invited him to eat lunch with us at Deja Vu before hurrying back to the hostel to prepare for our CAP presentation.

The night before, we decided to collect more donations for our project after realizing the $440 we contributed did not go as far as we hoped. We raised $135 more, which amazed us all and will allow us to paint the outside of the school at La Goyena, do a mural, along with clean and supply the classrooms. When Don Fabio, one of the community leaders from La Goyena, arrived he seemed enthusiastic about our presentation especially the mural featuring a winged lion. Talking to Don Fabio again, it really hit us all the reality of our CAP project coming to life. We are all passionate and excited to deliver next week.

IMG_1258 IMG_1260 IMG_1262 IMG_1270 IMG_1277 IMG_1292