Today was the first day of the marvelous CAP, which stands for Community Action Project. For our CAP we are working with an organization called Niños y Jovenes de Caracte al Rescate, and we are going to help them spread their identity within their community.  This organization is made up of youth leaders that help children and other youth within the community, and beyond. We are going to paint a mural of their logos on the back wall of their building, create a sign to place in the front of their building, and create t-shirts for their leaders.

After our lovely breakfast, we had a quick meeting about our project and soon headed off the shops. We got the items needed for the day’s work, and also made some calls about the t-shirts. The students practiced their bargaining skills to find the best option for the shirts. After shopping and preparation, we took a quick lunch break, and headed off to the new adventure that awaited us!

When we arrived to the organization, we were greeted with lovable open arms. The children were running up to us and hugging us like they have known us for years, but in reality, we had only met them once before. The glimpsers were so excited to give high fives, hugs, and kisses to all the little children that had greeted us with such affection.  As the glimpsers started working, they soon realized that they had a lot on their hands. They would have to work together, communicate, and be flexible for a successful day, which was the ultimate struggle. In the end, we had scraped excess gunk off of the walls, begun applying the primer, and had figured out the dimensions and location for the sign.

After the project, we had a quick dinner and headed back to the hostel for a debrief of the CAP. There, we learned that we had some work to do, and talked about a new game plan. We quickly got onto the same page and felt prepared for the new experiences ahead of us!

Today, we learned many things. We learned a lot about our team, our character, and our communication. We are learning when to step up and when to step back, as well as when to be dependent and when to be independent.

We also realized that we are in Jinotega today. We had to realize that “We’re not in Kansas anymore” or in our case California. We learned there is a difference between Jinotega time and Cali time. In Jinotega, there isn’t Costco that is open seven days a week, from 10-8pm. In Jinotega, nothing really opens on Sundays, and we had to ask for a few favors to get the supplies needed for our CAP. Having the ability to adjust to situations was key to our success.

The most important fact of all was that it was Father’s Day back home. Most of us tried to contact our parents, however, the options were limited due to the fact that few stores are open on Sundays.  Fun Fact: Father’s Day in Jinotega isn’t until the 23rd :O But HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to you all!!! We love and miss you and are waiting to see you again!