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Student Trip Blog

✨ Welcome & History Day + Community Welcome Party 🇩🇴

Constanza – Día 2Wow, Day 2 flew by like lightning! ⚡Getting used to the jam-packed schedule of the Global Glimpse excursion can be a bit of a challenge at first, but everyone rose to the occasion!

☀️ The Morning Hustle

We started the day bright and early with cheerful wake-up knocks at 7:00 a.m.—some soft, others more like police sirens! 😅 Surprisingly, the troops were up and ready, and by 8:00 a.m. everyone was at breakfast, enjoying a delicious meal of toast with eggs and fresh fruit. 🍞🍳🍉

🌍 Culture & Safety Seminar

After breakfast, we jumped into our first seminar focused on Culture and Safety. We kicked off with a fun name activity where everyone shared their name and something they enjoy doing. Then came a memory game to help us learn each other’s names—it was filled with laughs and really brought the group together.

🏙️ Exploring Constanza

Then it was time to hit the streets for our official walking tour of Constanza, and it did not disappoint!

We dove into the rich history of the Dominican Republic, starting with the Plaza de los Padres de la Patria, where we admired the awe-inspiring “Trinity” statues.

Next, we headed to a nearby military fort, where we were greeted by smiling troops and even took some group photos. Our “private security” for the day? A super friendly 12-year-old local boy who followed us on his bike, making sure we were safe and sound the entire time! 🚲

We continued on to the Casa de la Cultura, where we met talented local artists, writers, and painters—and got to admire some of their beautiful artwork. 🎨✨

Then, we visited the Firehouse, where we learned about the heroic work of local firefighters and toured the station.

Our final stop was the Municipal Park, a special place where the community gathers, plays, and enjoys everyday life.

🍽️ Lunchtime & Free Time

Back at Hotel Delinia, we feasted on a traditional Dominican lunch: rice, beans, sautéed beef, and tostones—absolutely delicious! 🍛🥩🍌

After lunch, we had our second seminar, preparing students for their upcoming CAP Discover—a community-focused project where they’ll engage in meaningful, sustainable work. 🌱

Then came some well-deserved free time:

• Some students stayed at the hotel to relax.

• Others went on a short hike to enjoy Constanza’s breathtaking views.

• And a few joined in a spontaneous pickup basketball game with local youth

(final score: 11–5… we’ll let you guess who won 😉).

Meanwhile, a trip to the local stores turned into an unexpected adventure. The students stocked up on snacks, fruit, and Dominican candies, and our amazing GG, Ms. Mango, even jumped behind the register to help check people out. What a moment!

🍝 Dinner & Night Meeting

We ended the day with a hearty pasta dinner, and then gathered for our Night Meeting. This is where we reflected on the day, shared highlights, and passed the torch to our new Leaders of the Day. 🎤👑

✨ Final Thoughts

From culture and history to community and fun, today had it all. The students connected deeply with Constanza, its people, and each other—and that’s exactly what this experience is about.

So from your trusty PCs: “¡Nos vemos!”

Goodnight and good luck!

📬 We always love hearing from our readers, so feel free to drop a comment or send a shoutout to your loved ones below!

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Comments (12)

Kara Bachand

on June 28, 2025 at 3:34 am

Sounds like an excellent day! So many smiling faces already! Cannot wait to hear more details!!

Ky – te extraño y te amo muchísimo, y espero que te diviertas mucho! Recuerda practicar tu español también!

Love, Mom

Hillary Bucs

on June 28, 2025 at 5:24 am

Loved the detail of this blog! Very fun packed day. I want to know where Marissa was headed in the car. Please tell her I miss her!
Leaving London this morning with my students from Western New England University.
Take good care,
Hillary Bucs

Hillary Bucs

on June 28, 2025 at 5:25 am

Loved the detail of this blog! Very fun packed day. I want to know where Marissa was headed in the car. Please tell her I miss her!
Leaving London this morning with my students from Western New England University.

Hillary Bucs

Carmen Osorio

on June 28, 2025 at 12:23 pm

Hello! I am Gio’s mom. Nice to see everyone enjoying their time in DR. I knew Gio was going to play basketball when I read the blog. Hope you all enjoy the food, the beautiful weather and make new memories. Gio we miss you.

Aimee Satkowski

on June 28, 2025 at 1:35 pm

Hola a todos!! I’m so happy to see all the smiling faces, especially from Westfield! Enjoy every minute of this trip. Gio and Joey, I knew it was you when they mentioned playing basketball with locals. Looks so fun! Can’t wait to hear all about it when you get back ☺️

Joey Thibault

on June 28, 2025 at 3:33 pm

Joey ,

Sounds like you are having fun. Keep practicing your Spanish and being me back some Dominican candies love you

Mom

Kirsten Bringardner

on June 28, 2025 at 4:57 pm

Sounds and looks like a beautiful day! A special Hi to Ella! Rest assured the Duolingo streak is alive and well 🙂

Jennifer

on June 28, 2025 at 5:24 pm

Looks like a great start to the trip! Are they letting you drive Lauren?! Have fun!

Grisel & Chamil

on June 28, 2025 at 6:43 pm

Sounds like an amazing time. Bet the food was everything.

Janiya we are so happy you get to have this cultural immersive experience. We miss you and can’t wait to hear the stories.

Melissa DeLorenzo

on June 29, 2025 at 1:05 am

Lily and Ella, it is so good to see your faces! I can’t wait to hear about your adventures! Miss and love you, Mummy

Jeffrey Bucs

on June 29, 2025 at 2:42 am

Beautiful country! Great food! Friendly locals! Can’t beat that! Shout out to Marissa from Mom and Dad.

Nicolas

on June 29, 2025 at 2:33 pm

Hi Y’all Nick the GG alumni intern here.
Yes!!! Keep up the winning against the locals… I remember on my trip in 2022 we went 5-0!!!
Sports are one of the many ways to bridge cultural and language barriers!

Also I recommended this to the last Constanza delegation, but at the super market near Dilenia, try and find some Carne Asada flavor chips… easily my favorite international snack!

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