CASA: WFS Central American Summer Abroad 2011

Day 24 The Last Day

2011-06-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

The view at breakfast

Breakfast this morning looked out over the beach. It was completely serene, which is the antithesis of what was to follow. After a quick lesson on the use of ATVs, we promptly hit the back roads of San Juan del Sur making sure to hit every oversized puddle and mud hole possible before reaching the statue of San Juan that overlooks the bay. From there we tore off for the beach where we then proceeded to race back and forth and push our four-wheeled machines to their limits rather than take a dip in the ocean. Once we returned our ATVs, several of us were so covered in mud that we had to shower before going to lunch.

Countdown to total mayhem

The boys in black

Heading up the hill

How many people can say,

"We were there...on ATVs"?

Our playground

About to shred

Tearing it up

Talking strategy for the next heat

Engines roaring

After lunch the boys completed their program evaluations and we reviewed our student evaluations with them as well. They then had some free time before we celebrated our last supper together. Tomorrow will quite literally be a big travel day since we will take the bus to Managua, fly to San Salvador, and end up in DC the following morning. Wish us luck.

Day 23 San Juan Del Sur

2011-06-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

The statue of San Juan

In just under two hours we were in San Juan del Sur. After dropping off our bags, we went to get lunch and enjoy one of the many infinity pools available to us. The boys are staying in their own house in a deluxe resort. For dinner we ate right on the beach.

One of our houses

One of the infinity pools

Dinner on the beach

Sunset

another view from the hotel of

the patron saint, San Juan

Tomorrow we ride ATVs on the beach.

Day 22 Mombacho

2011-06-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

One of the many views from Mombacho

After a poolside breakfast in our beautiful hotel, the boys hit the road to go up the volcano Mombacho. Getting up the volcano is one of my favorite parts since it requires these giant Mercedes Benz trucks. There are times the road is so steep that you swear you will either never make it up or fall off the edge. Once at the top, however, the boys checked out the observatory and got a quick orientation tour using a scale model. While this is the third volcano we have seen this trip, this one is unique in that it is a stratovolcano, which means, while it looks harmless compared to the others we have visited, it is really the most dangerous.

Getting to know some of the locals

Watch where you step!

Another local

One of the natural bridges created by the volcano

Guillermo leading the way

Hiking off into the clouds

While we planned to visit the Isletas after Mombacho, the tropical front just would not cooperate, so instead we came back to the hotel and watched the final game of the Gold Cup. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will cooperate when we go to San Juan del Sur.

Day 21 Granada

2011-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

The front of hotel Plaza Colon

While last night we said longer good byes to the host families, but this morning the good byes were much shorter since we had to get to Ganada, about a 2.5 hour bus ride. Most of the boys worked on their summer reading. Once we dropped our things off in the hotel Plaza Colón, we went out to lunch at El Zaguán, which was just behind the cathedral in the square.

In the hotel lobby

Walking the plaza

David is impressed with the woden menue.

Walking the colonial streets of Granada,

One of the oldest cities in Nicaragua

Ordering lunch

The Catedral across the park

Waiting on dinner

Most of the boys took advantage of siesta since there was a tropical front that has moved in and made it impossible for us to visit the Isletas. We will just add the Isletas after our trip to the volcano Mombacho tomorrow.

Day 20 Despedidas

2011-06-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Guillermo saying goodbye

This afternoon the boys were guests of honor at Aldea SOS. Not only did they get to take part in some games but they also got to take turns hitting piñatas. The students at Aldea SOS will certainly miss their guest teachers.

David learning about pinatas

Finding his range

Who is that masked student?

Joaquin gives it a shot.

Trying to appease the crowd chanting "Dance, dance, dance!"

After a thorough warm up, Guillermo is about to give the pinata what it deserves.

Reid looking for a home run

David celebrates with his new headpiece.

Reid getting some help picking up what was left of the pinata.

Case sweeping up

To add to the goodbyes, the boys brought their host families to a Paella dinner where each boy got up and thanked his host family.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Granada.

Day 19 Prometheus

2011-06-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

A photo worth framing

In the same way Prometheus fled mount Olympus in Greek myth and brought fire to mankind and taught its various uses, so Jose Orlando Padrón fled Cuba and brought and shared the Cuban technique with others not just in Estelí but throughout the world. It is Padrón who unequivocally saved the cigar industry after the Cuban embargo, and it is this same Padrón that we met, a day after his 85^th birthday, in his world renowned factory. We had a great tour with his son, Jorge, and afterwards, we celebrated this once in a lifetime opportunity by enjoying a more benign product of Estelí, a round of coffee drinks in Estelí’s best café.

Our VIP tour guide was Jorge Padron himself

Learning about packaging

On the rolling floor

Father and son discussing business

In the cafe

Before lunch we were able to donate the last of our donations, which included about 15 basketballs and some soccer gear including cleats to Sr. Rivera’s middle school. While this public school, like so many, is severely underfunded and overcrowded, it manages to turn out some of the most successful teams. There are over 1000 students who attend this school designed for 300, and the facilities are in serious disrepair. Consider all of that and then realize that their soccer, basketball, and volleyball teams are regularly regional if not national champions every year. With our donations, we hope they can continue to be successful.

Donating basketballs to the director

Donating soccer cleats and kit

Of course, after lunch the boys returned to their community service projects. Tomorrow is our last day in Estelí, so, aside from some free time in the morning, the boys will get to celebrate Father’s day (the Nicaraguan date) at Aldea SOS with a party including piñatas. In the evening we will have our going away party where the boys will be able to say good bye to their host families before we leave for colonial Granada the next morning.

Day 18 Raising The Bar

2011-06-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Joaquin is fighting gravity in honor of raising the bar

Reid floating on air because of his improved Spanish skills

Case making it look easy

David striding the earth like a giant among Spanish speakers

Guillermo from above

Esteban soaring like an eagle

Guillermo taking the plunge

The boys keep setting the bar higher each day no matter what the task. We are very pleased with the progress each one of them has made in terms of fluency, grammar, vocabulary, focus, and awareness.

In class today, the boys worked well. My group reviewed “gustar” verbs, Por and Para, Pretérito and Imperfecto, and time expressions, again, all in the context of their journal entries.

After lunch, the boys planned their lesson for the day. It is impressive to see how far they have come in their work with their students. At first, without prior experience, our boys thought, for example, Crayons, or numbers were a lesson plan. It took some work, but now they realize how to set goals for each class, use materials to scaffold their lesson, think about time management and differentiation, and use groups to better manage the class. Those classes the boys thought were impossible have now become successful – not easy, mind you, but successful.

Donating clothing to students and families in need

The look on this student's face says it all.

Tomorrow we will visit Padrón as well as donate some more equipment to a local school before heading to Aldea SOS.

Day 17 La Quinta Rivera

2011-06-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

La Quinta Rivera

Yet another CASA alumnus wants to send a message to CASA 2011 members, and I thought I would post it here:

"I have been following the blog regularly and am happy to see a new group having as much fun as mine did last year. Tell the guys to enjoy their last couple of weeks with their host families because that is an experience that is hard to come by anywhere else. I hope you all enjoy the last weeks of the trip as much as I did.
Brandon"

This morning the boys had free time, and after lunch we met up at Sr. Rivera’s home. At least half of the oral presentations exceeded the three minute mark, and the boys continue to make progress with their fluency, vocabulary, and grammar. We had a torrential downpour in the middle of the presentations, but shortly thereafter, the skies parted and we were able to get in the pool.

Preparing for the presentations

Rallying for Marco Polo

After playing chicken including a few rounds of “every chicken for himself”, we turned to the classic pool game Marco Polo, which lasted until our cookout was ready. The boys enjoyed chicharones, mango juice from Sr. Rivera's mango trees, tortilla, and carne asada (grilled meat).

Futbolin

Once the boys dried off, we hit the Futbolín table (Foosball) where we had some incredible games with some unbelievable goals and close comebacks. For the record, the official rules can be found here.

Tomorrow the boys will resume class and community service.

Day 16 Hang 10

2011-06-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

At the base of Cerro Negro

Gearing up for the hike

Admiring the view from the top

This morning we were up early so we could get to the volcano Cerro Negro. After hiking about 30 minutes and exploring the various views from this active volcano (including seeing Estelí off in the distance about a 2.5 hour drive), we suited up and took the plunge down the side of the volcano. This was the first time in CASA history that we tried sandboarding, and needless to say, this is the start of a new CASA tradition. Once we got back to the hotel, we were able to shower and get as much of the volcanic grit off so we would have a more enjoyable trip back to Estelí. The boys were exhausted from getting up early, hiking at high altitude, and sandboarding back down, so they are sure to enjoy their time off tomorrow.

CASA 2011

Looking over the edge

All suited up and ready for action

While we never got action shots,

we like to think we looked something like this.

We will start the week with free time in the morning, and then, since our community service site is closed tomorrow, we will go to Sr. Rivera’s home for poolside oral presentations.

Day 15 Lions in Leon

2011-06-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

One of the many lions of Leon

Esteban getting friendly with one of the locals

The plaza

We started the day with a walk to the middle of León where the boys were able to experience first hand the traditional city layout of a park with band-stand in the middle and the church and town hall on either end. After a brief history lesson by Sr. Rivera, we entered the cathedral where the boys were able to walk around. Of particular note is the tomb of world famous poet, Rubén Darío. After thoroughly exploring the cathedral, we went to the famous outdoor market of León where the boys tried their hand at bargaining.

The cathedral of Leon

World famous poet Ruben Dario's tomb

Paying homage

The market

For lunch we headed back to the beach where the boys were able to eat on the beach. After riding some waves and throwing around the football, we got invited to play fútbol on the beach. Needless to say, we had great communication, good communication, superior field awareness, and solid defense. It was a great game in which WFS beat Nicaragua 5-2 before having to head back to the hotel.

Lunch on the beach

Hitting the waves

Tomorrow we are up early to go sand boarding down the black sand of an active volcano.

Day 14 Hitting the Waves

2011-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

A late lunch in Leon

Our trip to León took a little longer than expected because road conditions were poor, but once we arrived at our hotel and grabbed a late lunch, we spent the rest of the day at the beach where the boys were able to enjoy the Pacific Ocean (a first for most of them). Aside from warm water, the waves were towering and strong: at times about 10ft tall and able to pick guys up and toss them head over heels onto the shore. We body surfed for most of the time and then played an epic whiffle ball game in the rain before coming back to the hotel to change for dinner.

The colonial style in Leon

Hitting the beach

Dinner in El Convento

Dinner was in a deconsecrated convent that is one of the oldest buildings in León. The boys enjoyed French cuisine and fresh sea food. Unfortunately, by the end of the meal, we had torrential downpours that prevented us from completing our night tour of León.

Tomorrow we will spend another day at the beach and tour León.

Day 13 Song and Dance

2011-06-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

Joaquin and Reid taking a page from Emily Post

This morning before class the boys took some time to email Pedro from Drew Estate to thank him for our VIP tour. In class the boys worked on their journal entries as well as prepared their speeches. The result was solid presentations that were well organized and informational and averaged over two minutes each in length. You will notice that the boys presented individually and without notes.

One of the rooftop views

Sr. Rivera and I switched groups for the week.

Nothing like a nice rooftop breeze to inspire your work.

Joaquin adding hand gestures for extra credit

After a second day of lesson planning, the boys were pleased to be as successful as they were in class. Even what had proven to be the toughest class to teach succumbed to Reid and Case singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” as a duet. Once the boys had their class’ attention, teaching their students shapes, numbers, animals, colors, and days of the week was so much more productive. The boys are anxious to get back to class, but with our trip tomorrow to León and another teacher work day coming up, the boys will not get back to class until Tuesday.

Sound learning at work

Day 12 Baseball Has Been Good to Me

2011-06-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hanging out in a local cafe before lunch

We worked with the boys today on lesson plans for community service. They incorporated informal assessment, Teacher Led Presentations, group work, differentiated learning, visual aids, and student centered learning. While some groups have a good handle on their planning and their class, others need a little more help, so we will continue to work with them before community service each day.

Master planners Guillermo and David solidifying the lesson

Brian on the patio looking for inspiration

Reid and Case thinking up a song and dance routine

to teach 3 year olds how to count.

Joaquin and Guillermo working on age appropriate assessment.

Guillermo and Joaquin plan on teaching colors in Spanish and English

Case and Reid plan on using "The 12 Days of Christmas"
melody to teach numbers

Tonight we donated our baseball equipment to the local little league at one of their organizational meetings. One of the problems we encounter every year is that many people try to make personal or political gains out of our donations. We work hard to try to get our donations to the people and groups where what we give can make the most difference. By donating this equipment to the local little league during their organizational meeting, we helped ensure a fair distribution of what we brought since all of the directors and coaches could see all we brought and help ensure that each team gets what it needs.

Guillermo donating several pairs of cleats.

Brian helping to donate a bat and over 100 baseballs

as well as some gloves, a bag, and a batter's helmet.

Tomorrow we will have class in the morning, oral presentations before lunch, community service in the afternoon, and then boys will pack for our trip to León.

Day 11 Hear Ye Hear Ye

2011-06-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for class

This morning we had class on the rooftop patio of the hotel. The boys had a few grammatical lessons as well as time to make corrections on their entries and work on their speeches. After class, the boys presented speeches about: the history of coffee, the coffee making process, the economic effect coffee has on the economy, and their personal experience. The boys certainly surprised themselves since none of them thought he could talk for at least a minute without notes, but almost all of them spoke for at least a minute, and at least a couple spoke for over two minutes. Needless to say, the boys have good fluency and content but now need to work on their organization and grammar for tomorrow’s speech on the cigar factory.

Taking notes, editing, and writing journal entries

The other class getting set up

An inspiring view helps

The first group about to present speeches

The second group

After lunch we donated some more athletic equipment to Aldea SOS as well as some kids clothing. We will spend some time after lunch tomorrow to work on lesson plans with the boys since it seems like a few of our groups are easily distracted when they get to their community service and are not creating effective lesson plans. If all goes as planned, tomorrow will be one of our most productive days.

Some of the donations

Day 10 Donations

2011-06-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

A little rural school

Since Aldea SOS had a teacher's work day today, the boys would not be able to get in any community service, so we switched from free time in the morning to free time in the afternoon so that we would be able to go out and donate some of our athletic equipment. Thanks in great part to the Woodberry Athletics department and former and current CASA students, we were able to collect almost 300lbs of equipment to donate where it will certainly be put to good use. Even the Domino's Pizza guy, when he heard the boys were going to Nicaragua to do community service, donated three bags of balloons when he dropped off pizzas the night before we left.

The front of La Ceiba

Donating some soccer balls, base balls, baloons, and kites

to La Ceiba

The patch of grass where they play soccer

Donating soccer balls to Sor Maria Romero

Students outside of Sor Maria Romero show their excitement

Tomorrow we will present more donations to Aldea SOS as well as have class on the roof top patio where the boys will do their oral presentations about the coffee making process and its economic effect in Esteli as well as Nicaragua and Latin America.

Day 9 The Big Jump

2011-06-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Ready to rumble

Today we drove to Somoto where the boys hiked for about 30 minutes before getting to the canyon. Once in the canyon we were able to float down river and jump off of some 20ft cliffs. I had to be careful with my camera and tried to take as many pictures as I could, but I just did not have a wide enough lens to capture the magnitude of the canyon. After what the boys called one of the best days yet, we had a typical Nicaraguan lunch in Ocotal before heading back to Estelí.

After floating down the river

Fording the river

About to take on the rapids

To jump or not to jump, that is the question

Taking the plunge

Where did he go?

Making our way out of the canyon

Tomorrow is a teacher work day at Aldea SOS, so we will get our community service time in by donating some of our sporting goods to various sites around town.

Day 8 Going to the Country

2011-06-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

A Tiger lizard sunning himself

The boys were able to sleep in a bit since we met up at 9AM this morning to go to la Garnacha. After a light hike to a mirador where the boys could see for miles, we toured a Swiss style cheese factory. The boys could not help but comment on how similar the processes are at the various “factories” including their lack of automation. One of the highlights of the tour was sampling the cheese and then being able to buy some.

Hiking to the mirador

Enjoying the view on a clear day

Watching the cheese get sifted after the culture has been added

The cheese is salted to give it a uniform flavor and consistency

as well as to preserve it.

The aging process takes an additional three months.

Sampling

We came down from the mountain and went to a local restaurant that sells typical Nicaraguan food. While the boys had certainly eaten quite a bit of cheese as well as mango when we stopped by Sr. Rivera’s house, they were not shy about ordering lunch.

Boys chose from dishes like chancho con yuka, nacatamales, and gallo pinto.

!Buen provecho!

Our next stop was to la Estanzuela where the boys were able to swim under a waterfall and jump from the cliffs before heading home. This afternoon was excellent practice for tomorrow when we will do significantly more hiking and jump from 20-30 foot tall cliffs before tubing down the canyon of Somoto.

Swimming under a 50ft waterfall

A great way to cool off

The perennial challenge of climbing up the cliffs

Looking for the best route

Where is Waldo?

Day 7 It's All Hand Made

2011-06-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

Where the boncheros and roleras work together to roll cigars.

Because of high demand, Drew Estate is able to employ a room full of

employees rather than lay them off to save cost as other manufacturers

have had to do on account of the economy.

After the market, we went to Drew Estate for a VIP tour of the cigar making process. Our perennial guide, Pedro, was an incredible host who taught the boys what makes Drew Estate not only one of the best cigar manufacturers in Estelí but also what makes Drew Estate one of the most unique as well.

Pedro answering some questions

One of the sorting rooms. The art on the wall is all done by the employees.

One of the many infusion rooms that make Drew Estate so famous

One of the packing rooms. All of these rooms are temperature controlled

In the art studio. Any employee interested in becoming an artist is

welcomed to take classes here. All art is done in house by employees

trained at the in house art school, and most of the designs

come from the employees as well.

Silk screening boxes.

Part of what made this a VIP tour was that we were allowed

to check out the penthouse where the owner lives

when he is in Esteli.

The boys made themselves at home on leather couches with

wall to wall HD flat screen TVs.

The view out the window looks out onto the tobacco fields.

David with our gracious host and guide, Pedro

The boys were almost unanimous in declaring this tour the best part of the trip so far, which knocked the long standing canopy tour out of first place.

We then dropped by La Casa de las Fajas for the boys to buy custom made leather goods. Most of them bought belts and wallets and had them engraved. Guillermo decided to get the ultimate souvenir by getting a custom made pair of cowboy boots. From here the boys went home for lunch and got ready for their afternoon community service.

So many options!

Is that Indiana Jones?

A new purchase

Guillermo chose the leather as well as the style of boot

he wanted. They will be custom engraved too, of course.

Here he is having his foot drawn for that custom fit.

Tomorrow we will start the weekend off with a traditional trip to the country where the boys will learn about cheese, eat a typical meal together, and go swimming under a water fall.

Day 6 Wake Up and Smell The Coffee

2011-06-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I would include a note from a former CASA participant to this year’s CASA participants:

“Buenas Sr. Sydnor,

Just took a peek at this year's CASA blog and it looks like lots of fun! I'm glad to see you returned to Aldea SOS, and please remind the guys to sacrifice themselves completely and selflessly for the benefit of the kids. Also tell them I said to cherish every moment and speak as much Spanish as possible to fulfill the full immersion process.

Continue to have fun!

Jonathan”

Yesterday after class, the majority of the boys were so exhausted that they stayed at home, but some were able to muster up the energy to hit the gym with their host families and get in a good workout in preparation for earlyball later in the summer.

Joaquin has become one of the group's biggest coffee fanatics.

He approved of the coffee this morning.

This morning we met up to go to learn about the coffee making process. Unfortunately, one of our boys did not pay attention to the time, and after waiting for him for 15 minutes, we left without him. This happens at some point every year and proves to be an effective immersion experience. We believe that all of them (especially the boy we had to leave) will pay more attention to what we say, make sure they can tell time correctly in Spanish, and ask clarifying questions if they think there is something they do not understand from here on out. With that behind us, the boys not only learned the intimate details of harvesting and making coffee hands on but they also got to taste and buy some excellent coffee.

The boys got to see what the coffee plant looks like.

While it takes up to 5 years for a plant to mature and produce fruit,

mature plants flower and

produce fruit about three times a year.

The fruit is known as a cherry and turns bright red when it is ripe.

Picking coffee must be done by hand since any damage to the small green stem

will kill that part of the plant.

Although these are beans, this is the same cement patio used to dry the coffee beans

once they have had the red pulp removed.

Dried beans come to the thresher where the grey casing is removed.

This machine uses vibration to sift the beans and separate

the whole beans from the others

Only once the beans come out of the toaster

where they will toast for about an hour and a half the first round and

will endure one to two more rounds lasting an hour each depending on humidity

will they look like the dark brown coffee beans most people recognize.

The hosts of our VIP tour were the owners who not only offered us coffee

but also gave us mangos, Rosquillas (traditional home-made cookies),

and juice. All of which passed Reid's detailed inspection:

"!Muy bueno!"

The boys took advantage of this opportunity to buy some souvenirs at a great price.

This afternoon the boys returned to Aldea SOS to continue working with their class.

Tomorrow we are meeting up extra early to be able to take advantage of the weekly outdoor market where the boys will not only get to experience what they have read and studied about in class but also get to try their hand at some bargaining as they stroll through stands of handmade goods including crafts, toys, and clothing as well as stands of fresh fruits, nuts, and other produce. After the market we will go to the cigar factory Drew Estate where the boys will be amazed by the facilities, and then finish the morning with a trip to the boot store where they will be able to buy some custom made leather goods.

Day 5 The Student Becomes The Teacher

2011-06-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

In their free time yesterday and this morning, our boys played some pretty competitive games of basketball, Brian got a haircut, Reid went with his host father to see where he taught class, and a couple of boys went to the family farm. The boys cannot stop talking about how great their host families are.

We had about 6 full bags of school supplies that were donated

After lunch we met up to go to Aldea SOS. The boys divided their school supplies among themselves based on what each class needed or could use. They then took some time to work on lesson plans for the day. As you can see from the pictures, the boys had fun, worked hard, and were certainly challenged by the task at hand.

Lesson planning

Sr. Rivera offers his planning experience

The playbook

Brian and Guillermo’s students left class at the end of the day still reviewing the colors they had learned. Brian and Guillermo taught two hours straight and did some great work. They did some informal assessment of the class, and then used visual aids to help teach the colors and give the students a reference.

David and Guillermo work the tag team approach

Guillermo at his makeshift board

The board they made

This is how you know you did well

Even though Guillermo taught, he learned so much

The students just didn't want to leave

The highlight for Reid and Case’s class, aside from coloring pictures, was Case reading a children’s book he had translated from English to Spanish.

Reid waiting his turn patiently

Sr. Reid hosting story time

Guillermo and Joaquín applied the Napoleonic tactic of divide and conquer for success in their class. They split the class up and then each one worked with one of the groups. They were surprised how much their students learned by the end of the day.

Guillermo teaching class

Joaquin with the other half

Joaquin waiting with his students after class

Esteban and Brian were amazed by how challenging teaching is. They got their students to color pictures and ended the day with an indoor soccer variant.

Setting up the game

Tomorrow we will visit a coffee plantation where the boys will learn all about the coffee making process as well as the economic effect its production has on the economy and the environment. They will then prepare oral presentations. We will have class after the visit to help get them ready for their first big project. In the afternoon, the boys will head back for more community service.

Day 4 Community Service

2011-06-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

Meeting up in the morning

The boys review the program schedule

The boys spent yesterday afternoon with their host families and cannot stop talking about how welcomed they feel. One of our boys went to the gym with his host brother while others chatted with their host family, and some went to San Francisco, the local high school where the host brothers and sisters go to school.

Pumping up just a fraction of the basket ball and soccer balls

Not even half of the donations we brought

This morning, after organizing all of our donations, we met on the rooftop patio for class. The boys worked very hard on applied grammar. The four I worked with learned the difference between Possessive, Direct, Indirect, and Reflexive pronouns and their uses as well as how to use Gustar verbs.

Observing one of the classes

Touring the grounds

Outside one of the classrooms

The boys introducing themselves to the founder of Aldea SOS

After class the boys went home for lunch and then met up again at the hotel for their first day of community service. They are working at Aldea SOS, which is an organization that provides daycare and education for single parent low income families. These kids range from infants to 12 years old, and they would fall victim to illiteracy, drug use, alcoholism, crime, and sexual abuse if they were left at home without anyone to care for them. Thanks to Aldea SOS, these kids get to socialize, get four meals a day (probably the only food they get), and get free schooling while their mothers work about 10 hours a day making Nicaraguan minimum wage or less. The work our boys will do in terms of teaching and socializing with these kids will be invaluable. The teachers, many of whom have degrees in psychology, will work with our boys to help them with daily lesson plans and implementation. All of the school supplies we were able to collect will go to good use here. Today the boys are getting oriented and meeting their charges, but tomorrow we will divide our donations according to each classes needs, and the boys will actually get to teach.

This afternoon the boys have free time with their families, and we gave them some soccer and basket balls so they can play some pickup games to help them practice their Spanish and learn some technical vocabulary.

Day 3 Amazing Race

2011-06-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

This morning we met the boys at 9AM, and they were all in great spirits. Most of them had walked with their host family to the hotel, and all of them were eagerly conversing in Spanish with each other about their home stay.

Our first order of business was to take the guys to a cyber café for them to call home. They noticed quickly that the international call rate was $.05 a minute for almost perfect call quality. From the café we then exchanged money and sent the boys off in pairs to complete the Amazing Race. While two groups did not pay attention to what time they had to finish and get back to the hotel, every group spent valuable time getting to know Estelí, and they were all richly rewarded when they got back with multiple dishes of Paella (a traditional Spanish rice dish). The winning pair was the most dedicated pair, and that was Brian and Esteban. They won several packages of cookies, candy, and two bottles of Fanta.

The loot

The winners of the loot

After lunch and announcing the winners of the Amazing Race, the boys had free time to further explore the city and spend time with their host families. Many of the boys have already made quite a connection with their host family.

Tomorrow the boys will turn in their first journal entries and we will have our first day of class based on those entries. After class in the morning and lunch with their host families, the boys will start their community service.

Day 2 Meet The Family

2011-06-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

Ready to take on the volcano

After sleeping in a bit this morning, we headed to the Masaya volcano. We stopped in at the volcano museum where the boys learned all about the different types of volcanoes, tectonic plates, and how Nicaragua's topography and rich natural resources are all a result of about 30 volcanoes (many of which are still active today).

Learning about human sacrifice

Tectonic plates and the ring of fire

Inside a volcanic tunnel

A quick geography lesson

What interested the boys the most, aside from Masaya being an active volcano, was the indigenous practice of human sacrifice to the volcano as well as the Spanish obsession with El Dorado that led many to try to explore the depths of the volcano.

From Masaya we went to a traditional Nicaraguan restaurant where the boys tried such local delicacies as: chicharones, maduros, tostones, gallo pinto, and brochetas. What amazes the boys the most is how fresh and flavorful the food is since it is raised without hormones and prepared without preservatives.

Once the boys filled up on food, we took the two hour drive to Esteli where they met with their host families. Some of the boys were more nervous than others, but by the end of the evening, they were all chatting and getting to know their Nicaraguan families.

Getting to know eachother

Last night we had some power outages, which are typical. Tomorrow the boys will meet up with us to exchange money, call home, and start the amazing race.

Day 1 More Than Just Traveling

2011-06-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

The boys were so excited about our travels that most of them were not able to sleep at all. At best, some of them were able to catch a couple of hours on the plane.

In the airport

Fortunately, the weather was perfect for every leg of our trip, and we all made it safely to Managua. After dropping off our bags at the hotel,

Lunch at one of the nicest restaurants in Managua

Coming in for a landing

Look, Ma, no hands!

Just hangin' out in Managua

wearing the original toe shoes

We went out for a big lunch before hitting the zip line. Our guides were great about showing our guys some crazy tricks.

A bloody history lesson

Sandino

Sr. Rivera then taught a brief history of Nicaragua when we visited the old torture chambers in the basement of what used to be the president's home.

The boys had a couple of hours to relax and change before we went out for an elegant dinner on top of a mountain overlooking the capital.

Dinner under a thatched roof

If it weren't raining, we would have taken a picture overlooking the city

Tomorrow we will visit the active volcano Masaya, learn about the human sacrifices that went on there, and then drive to Esteli where the boys will meet their host families.

Days 19 and 20 The Goodbye

2010-07-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

Before leaving Esteli, the boys had a goodbye party with their host families where they were able to thank their host family for an excellent stay. Each boy talked about his immersion experience, which proved to be rather comical at times.

In the morning, the boys met up at the hotel and packed up the bus to go to Granada for the last leg of the trip. Upon arriving at Granada, the boys went to the Isletas (little islands) where the boys got on a boat and toured the islands.

The boys had some free time that evening and enjoyed the hotel pool.

Days 16, 17, and 18 Holidays

2010-07-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, you may have heard that tropical storm Alex hit Nicaragua on it's way up the coast, but our boys are safe and doing well.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were a series of academic holiday's, so the boys consolidated their community service work into to sites that did not close on those days.

Ross, Amos, Brandon, Roberto, Enrique, Guillermo, and Jonathan worked at Aldea SOS, which is a program that educates the children of single mothers who work in the tobacco industry. After school, the kids participate in an experiencial learning program called "Juegue y Aprenda", Play and Learn. Our boys have really appreciated their work with this program, and so have the kids.

Ricardo and Taylor have been working at Sor Maria Romero and helping out at a nursing home.

On Monday and Wednesday, the boys had class in the afternoon with Sr. Rivera preparing presentations on their service work. The boys have all commented on how, after such community service work and interacting with people who clearly need their help, that they (the boys) feel very grateful for all they have back home. This is exactly why we designed the CASA program with such an emphasis on community service early on in the boys' WFS career, and with people in such need, and we could not be any more pleased with CASA 2010 and the great work they are doing!

Tomorrow is their last day doing community service, and then they will say good bye to their host family and take off for Granada, the oldest city in Nicaragua.

Day 15 Colonial Leon

2010-06-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

Today the boys toured colonial Leon. The city's name, like it's architecture, is Spanish, and the boys picked up on that almost immediately. After breakfast, they toured a museum of the revolution with Sr. Rivera as their tour guide.

From there they headed to the cathedral of Leon, which is also one of the oldest in Nicaragua, where they saw Ruben Dario's (one of the most famous Hispanic Poets of all time) tomb.

From there it was off to do some bartering in Spanish at the various street-side shops.

For lunch, World Cup USA was on the menu.

After lunch, the boys went back for another afternoon on the beach.

And at the end of the day, the boys enjoyed a Fritanga, which is a restaurant that serves traditional Nicaraguan meals. Tomorrow the boys will have some free time in Nicaragua before heading back to Esteli.

Day 14 Sun and Surf in Leon

2010-06-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

We stopped by the leather shop this morning on our way to Leon so that the guys with custom made boots and shoes could pick up their souvenirs. From there we took the two hour drive to colonial Leon where we checked in to our hotel before going to a restaurant on the way to the beach where most of the boys ordered fresh pargo rojo (red snapper).

The beach is beautiful, but the best part are the up to ten foot waves that make it perfect for body surfing. Even once the waves had broken, they were still strong enough to knock the boys around. The boys spent about two and a half hours battling the waves and getting tossed around by the surf.

Taylor negotiating some local goods with some savvy young merchants on the beach.

For dinner we went to a former convent, an appropriate place for our last supper together as I fly out for grad school early in the morning. For the last week, Sr. Rivera will be in charge of the boys, but I will be updating the blog daily from England.

Day 13 Coffee and Beans

2010-06-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

After a morning of community service (the boys have completed over twenty hours so far), we met back up after lunch for their oral presentations on the cigar factories. These presentations were even better than before, and Roberto is our big winner for having the best presentation.

After picking up their official CASA 2010 polos, we went to a small international bean and coffee plantation. The boys learned the intimate details of bean and coffee production and sales thanks to owner and tour guide Don Castillo.

"Beans? Don't get me started on beans."

Don Castillo was very excited about our visit. He explained the various coffee tree species, the harvest, season, and the techniques involved in each step of the process.

The fruit of the coffee tree is best grown in the shade, and turns red when it is ripe in November. It is carefully picked by hand, and the red pulp is separated from the bean. Once the white coffee bean is dried in large cement patios and raked regularly, it is taken to a machine to de-hull the beans which is gray.

From there, he took us to the toaster where the gray bean gets toasted until it is brown. The boys were able to see and taste a freshly toasted batch of coffee, about 120 pounds, that they were then able to buy.

Tomorrow we head to Leon, one of the oldest colonial cities in Nicaragua. There, the boys will present their oral reports about beans and coffee on the beach.