My name is Ryan and I am a proud member of the Leon 2 team. Today myself and Makhayla Prothro served as leaders of the day. The amazing morning started early with a few of us watching the sunrise, followed by making a card for our amazing GG leader, Cindy, who celebrated her 22nd birthday. The wake up call was “Wake me up before you go, go” – by WHAM, allowing everyone to start the day with a smile.
Breakfast was followed by some amazing English tutoring prep with a sense of excitement and anxiety as the 2nd class approached. Free-time marked the first day that groups of four could travel the beautiful streets of Leon. Myself and Makhayla went on a secret mission to the local market with our program coordinator Judith to buy cake and ice cream for Cindy’s late night birthday party.
Following free-time everyone nervously got ready for our adventures shadowing HS students from Public and Private Nicaraguan schools. Eight students went to the private school ( Ryan, Kim, Spencer, Claire, Dorothy, Kwing, Nyla, Nivedha, Cindy, and Judith), leaving seven ( Nicole, Chris, Steven, Bridget, Makhayla, Casey, Devin) at the Leon public school. Both groups walked into the school nervous and left with a new and incredible experience behind them.
By seeing the differences and being able to experience class with a regular student, it allowed for everyone to see the reality of school in Nicaragua including all the surprising differences and interesting similarities. The classes were large and loud with short lessons and not much respect for the teacher. However it was refreshing for many of us to be able to talk with students learning English and taking a lot of similar classes (Math, Science, English, Spanish, computer science ect…). The private school group each participated in math tests at different levels of schooling revealing a surprising, but positive equity to the education systems of our two countries. Each group had the opportunity to talk about the day with each other, some teachers, and the students we all shadowed, creating some deep conversations and new friendships. Instagrams were exchanged and a sense of international community or familia was made.
After leaving the schools, dinner had a little American inspiration with fries and chicken strips… yum. English tutoring brought new and exciting challenges with inspiring results. The students continue to engage and really enjoy the lessons. Today the classrooms were filled with rich vocabulary and developing ideas.
The night came to a happy close with a nightly meeting ending with Nyla dancing/singing to “One Direction”or what Judith calls ” Justin Direction” and an epic celebration of Cindy’s Birthday!!!!!!!
Until next time!!!
ps. Comment on the blogs… WE MISS YOU ALL!
Feliz cumpleaños Cindy!! Thank you for keeping watch over our kids during their time away from home. It sounds like they are all having a great time and they are learning and experiencing so much! We wish you health, love, wealth and happiness and may all your wishes come true! Happy Birthday!!!!!
From the Cebulski Family
It sounds like a long packed day. Happy Birthday Cindy. Casey we got to see the picture of you guys relaxing that was posted on Nicole’s Facebook page. We have been successful getting donations to raffle for relay for life, and we will keep working on it. Be safe and be smart. Love and miss you!
Hola! Feliz cumpleaños, Cindy! Qué emocionante que Nyla pudo compartir su imagen de ‘One Direction’ con todos vosotros. Yo le burlan y dicen que tenemos acción invertido en ese grupo, lol (How exciting that Nyla was able to share her likeness of ‘One Direction’ with you all. I tease her and say that we have stock invested into that group, lol). Did anyone video tape it? Today sounded like another exciting explore-filled day for you guys. Filled with an uplifting wake-up call; to minor challenges in the classroom, but ending with a bond of new internacional familia; to ending with a celebration. Wow, you guys are accomplishing so many wonderful things in such a short amount of time. Again, you guys are such an inspiration; magnifica. Hi Nyla. Love mom and dad!
Hasta mañana!
Feliz cumpleaños Cindy! And may you be blessed with many, many, more. “There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why. – William Barclay,” so thank you for taking good care of our kids and being such a great inspiration to them. What a terrific day Ryan and Makhayla! Thanks for the wonderful blog and all the insight, because shadowing students is a great way to interact with a student through all or part of a school day to gain knowledge into what a student experiences within the school setting and that is an awesome task and you guys did it with great courage, congratulations! I’m happy Nyla entertained everyone at the birthday celebration with her singing and dancing moves, which I can not wait to see when she returns home. Now, I’m looking forward to the next exciting venture and blog. Nyla’s grandmother
Bridget
It look like you are having a great experience. Your present came back to us.Have a good time.
Love Nanny and PaPa
Hey Casey its your favorite cousin Kate!! It looks like your having so much. Fun!! Your moms has been sending pics that’s she sees of you lol but I miss you have fun be safe!!
Happy Birthday Cindy. What a way to spend your 22nd birthday ! Happy to hear the group made your birthday extra special. Great job everyone.
Sounds like all of you are having an awesome time and soaking it all in.
Love all the details in the blogs. I can feel the excitement and energy in the writing from all of you. This is what the whole experience is about opening your eyes to what there is outside of your “world”!
Nicole hope you are doing well! Sending you big hugs and miss and love you. Be safe and take care !
Great recap of your day – we love reading about what you are doing and seeing glimpses of your activities, so thanks. Is there a FB page for this particular GG group? If there’s a place for more photos/info, I’d love to have the link. We miss you, Spencer – hope you are feeling well and having an amazing time!! Love you. Happy Birthday, Cindy. 🙂
Your wish is my command on your PS there Ryan. Big time happy birthday to Cindy from all the GG staff here at the Port, I remember celebrating it at a Port member lunch last year. Nice to see your group is bonding, keep up the good work!
Kim, Nicole, and Casey I can’t tell you how much your mama’s miss you guys! We always look forward to these blogs and anxiously scan the pictures looking for your faces (at least I do). I know you guys are having a great time together and meeting so many incredible people.
Kim, don’t worry about the Relay for Life fundraiser. Molly got some awesome prizes and I am following up with the stores you and Casey contacted in Union Landing. Don’t worry about anything, just have fun.
Love you and miss you. Hugs hugs hugs and kisses!!!
Ryan- I am so excited for you and the experiences and friendships that you are building on this trip. I look forward to reading the blogs every day and love the amount of detail that each of you are putting into the summary of the day. I love you and miss you so much. Looking forward to seeing all your videos…. xoxoxo Love Mom and Grandma