Quinn:
One week ago today we were all awkwardly lounging in the Miami Airport. Silence was one of the favorite activities. It’s weird how now we play card games and connect on deeper levels. It takes time for most things to become better. For example: wine, indie films, naps. But it took less than a week for our group to click and unify. It also took no time at all to reassure myself that this trip was worth signing up for. Whether it be the breathtaking rain forests, the comfort one can find at home, or the people that surround me. It’s one of those “money back moments and then some” that you could only dream for. Each day is better than the last and I just hope that we will never fall from this mountain of enjoyment.
Having little kids glimmer with happiness, climb on you as if you were the local jungle gym, is a highlight of your day. Everybody is happy almost all the time. Whether it be playing soccer or learning English, I couldn’t help but smile in joy as they skittered around. As Molly said ” I have never seen the light in somebody’s eyes before”. It really is a surreal moment for me to be drowned in happiness and thoroughly enjoy dying. It’s within these handfuls of moments that make me feel like I made the best choice of my life to come on this trip. Everything is happy on this island and I’m quite astounded that I’m even here.
Monica:
When we aren’t teaching the kids or building the 4th grade classroom, we are probably hanging out on the public dock that leads out to Lake Nicaragua. The dock holds many laughs and memories that will be hard to say goodbye to in about a week. Yesterday, while everyone was enjoying the nice cold water, I decided to expand my horizons and talk to some of the locals fishing on the very end of the dock. They were fishing with hooks attached to long pieces of transparent string that they would throw into the water. I sat at the beginning of the dock watching them laugh and catch fish. Once I gained the courage to talk to them, they taught me how to attach the bait and how to know when a fish is coming. I was impressed with myself because of the lack of language gap and at how easily I could understand them. As the fishing continued, we engaged in small conversation that was really nice. Although I didn’t catch any fish, I got to connect with the community on a whole different level.
Finally, today during group reflection somebody brought up the point that we only have a week left of this amazing adventure. It’s scary and comforting to think about how much could happen in a week. I feel so comfortable and connected to this community and the people in the group that I can’t imagine how hard it will be to say goodbye. The thought of leaving Ometepe is heartbreaking but I can’t wait to share my adventures with my family and friends.