Welcome & Accommodation

(Arrival)

Hey y’all! We officially started the first day of the trip. After a delicious breakfast at the hotel in Santiago, we ran to the bus for a one-hour drive directly to our base house in the beautiful town of Jarabacoa. Once we arrived, we placed students in their designated rooms. directly after this, they enjoyed a well-balanced lunch consisting of yellow vegetable rice, stewed chicken, salad greens, and watermelon. After lunch, we allowed the students to relax before going to the orientation, which went superbly well. Following this, the students were given a break, followed by the culture and safety orientation. This took a bit as it involved activities that the students were very receptive to. They have been great. we then had the GGLs explain their roles, collecting money for an exchange to pesos following the guidelines, and also revising their health forms. We then sat down for dinner enjoying a full plate of mashed potatoes, stewed beef, steamed vegetables, and pineapple. To end the day, we had students summarize what we learned throughout the day and our plans for the following day. The students ended their night with a lovely swim in the swimming pool, some guitar playing, and laughter.

(Breakfast)