Time Capsule Letter
Ay Yo Bruh (Hey Lovebugs),
We hope you are all happily settling in to your new/old lives at home! We miss you and wanted to send you an update from Las Canas. We completed the bottle house and Alejandro’s family has moved in. Slow but sure, we finished up the walls and taught newcomer students to tackle problems. The work you did truly helped us in finishing the house.
We often reminisce on your humor, language, and ridiculousness. You all surprised us with the way you tackled new and uncomfortable situations. Your thoughtful queries and work ethic at project sites showed us the power you have to analyze your situation and respond in an impactful way. Whether we were figuring out work strategies or enjoying a coconut at the beach, you all managed to convey true personality and caring.
Our little family turned out to be quite unique. Remember the soda competition and getting your hair braided? How about the sunrise on the beach? We hope you can remember the moments you felt happy, uncomfortable, inspired, determined, and straight up silly. We hope you carry those memories with you and use them to empower you to stay globally engaged.
Reach out if you need anything!! (no balls)
With love,
Leslie, Marie, and Junior
P.S. Redbull has been banned from the lodge (thanks to you haha)
Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!
Saturday March 16, 2019
We have arrived in the Dominican Republic! We are excited to start new projects, meet new friends, and take in some sun. Stay tuned for updates!
Sunday March 17, 2019
Today was our first full day of our GLA program. We woke up had an amazing traditional Dominican breakfast, and then set out to go and support the community. On our drive to La Grua, we were able to see a good deal of the Dominican countryside. Once in La Grua, we painted an entire house of a family of 3, whose old house had burned down. Afterward, we had a traditional lunch and then returned to the Ecolodge for a relaxing afternoon at the pool and beach.
Leader of the Day,
Jack
Monday March 18, 2019
Today, we hiked up Brison. It was about 3.5 miles uphill. We met many kids/families along the way. It was hot and difficult, but we made it to the top! We had a delicious lunch and some ice cream while we enjoyed the beautiful view.
Leaders of the Day,
K & Segan
Tuesday March 19, 2019
Blog from Masimo and John:
(Read with the ’12 days of Christmas’ tune)
On the 4th day of GLA, we woke at 5:30,
Had pancakes for breakfast, went on a bus ride,
Stopped at a lagoon, in ways that were interesting.
At the beach that we visited, some locals we did meet,
We bought some bracelets, broke them shortly after,
Buried a guy named Segan, drank (virgin) Pina Coladas,
And had sand in every crevice.
When we got back to base camp, we had a bit of fun,
Learned about the climate, had a large discussion,
Had a drinking contest (soda), and held back a lot of burps.
p.s John won
Wednesday March 20, 2019
Today our group started working on the bottle house project. The house we are building is for a family of five. Each person helped to sort bottles, put on wires and concrete. Everyone was exhausted, but continued to put out their best efforts on the house. We will resume our work on the house tomorrow.
Leader of the Day,
Kylie
Thursday March 21, 2019
Today we slept in and woke up at 9:30. We then ate breakfast and made our way to the bottle house construction. We worked at the sight for 3 hours before coming back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, we continued to work at the bottle house for another 3 hours. Lastly, we finished the day off with a reflection on global citizens.
Leaders of the Day,
Jason and Alex
Today on our last day of this amazing experience. We woke up and began our day by watching the sunrise on the beach. We went snorkeling in Sosua and many of the guys got braids. Now, as the night burns, I think it’s good to reflect over the last week. From when somebody started a soda drinking contest, to building a house of bottles, this experience has been nothing but a blast. I will never forget the memories and friends I have made here.
Leaders of the Day,
Kieran and Clayton
