Hey everybody!
Time has flown since the end of your Sports Service Adventure program. I’m sure you are all busy and back to your routines at home, so I wanted to take a minute to recollect some of the awesome times that we had. If only we could do this over a delicious meal of chicken, rice and beans. But maybe you all had your fill of La Bandera for a lifetime.
When you think back to your program, I hope you remember all the challenging work you put into the basketball court and fun time we spent on the beach surfing and enjoying the Dominican sun. Each time I return to Caño Dulce and see the final product, it makes me so happy to think about the effort that you all put into your project as you set the tone for the rest of the summer. Can you believe how much cement you all mixed? You were such a hardworking group and set a high bar for the following groups. And don’t forget the awesome relationships that you cultivated with the members of Caño Dulce. Despite the language barrier, you found ways to connect and communicate which meant a lot to those that we were working with. Samuel still asks about you and hopes that you are doing well! You completely surpassed our expectations with what you accomplished. Now, the youth of Caño Dulce have a painted basketball court and rebound wall to contribute to healthier and more active lifestyles.
We shared some fun times during your two weeks in the Dominican Republic. You started many of our program days out early surfing at sunrise and seeing the marvel of the sky over the ocean. We finished our days spending time together playing endless games of cards, eating snacks, hanging out at the “chill spot,” and singing to Walner’s ringtone every time it played. You were fearless on the zipline and never missed a chance to play a pickup game of soccer. We jumped through beautiful waterfalls at 27 Charcos with an authentic pica pollo lunch. Remember on our way back when you guys insisted on going to the sporting goods store after lunch that was a place to buy things for little kids’ parties? I won’t forget the last night when we shared our guardian angels on the beach around a bonfire, and we saw the authenticity of how each of you had impacted others on the trip.
A lot of quality time was fit into 14 days as we stepped out of our comfort zones to embrace the Dominican Republic and support each other in our service and watersport adventures. Thanks for making our time together so special for our staff. We didn’t know exactly what to the expect with this being the first summer for the Sports Service Adventure program in the Dominican Republic, so kudos to all of you for being the pioneers. Colin, Walner and I had an unforgettable summer and learned so much from you. We hope that you stay in touch with us and consider returning to the DR for more adventures!
Saludos,
-Alex and the SSA Staff
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