Hola! Matagalpa is treating us well so far. We have spent the week doing construction work at a local school, and doing crafts and activities with the students. So far we have made octopi out of paper plates, bracelets, hand puppets, played with bubbles, and done lots of coloring. At the construction site we have been assisting in mixing cement, laying bricks, digging trenches, and bending rebar.
We usually work until noon and then our afternoons are filled with speakers and visiting local community leaders to gain more perspective on what life is like in Matagalpa. Our second day we went to a jewelry workshop in a community called Plomo where a group of women made pieces out of dried seeds.
Yesterday we listened to a presentation from a local surgeon about public health and the revolution in Nicaragua. We were all really inspired with the struggles and perseverance of health care professionals like him during the revolution.
Today we visited a mountainous community called El Progresso where we got to see some previous work of UP students, learned how to make tortillas, played with local school children, and got to meet some more community members. Tonight we prepared for a farewell performance to the community of El Tule where we have been doing construction work and helping out in the classrooms. We’re really excited to get to show our appreciation to the community that has been so welcoming and kind to us!
