So…What Exactly Are We Building?

Today, our main goal and theme was getting introduced to our CAP Project, which focuses on sustainable development! But before we got into that, we had to start with wake-up and breakfast. Today, we got to sleep in for an extra hour (let us tell you, we were SOOO excited!). Binika and Gavi were our Liders del Día (LDDs), and they had the important job of waking everyone up. By 8:30, everyone was downstairs and ready for breakfast… except for one room. But they eventually managed to make it downstairs, LOL!

For breakfast, the kitchen made us sweet grilled cheese, a slice of ham, pineapple, and drinkable oatmeal. Gavi even used some of her goat milk caramel to sweeten her coffee—and she says it was pretty good!

Around 9:00, we hopped on the bus to visit , where we were introduced to our CAP Project. The students there were so happy to have us and brought so much energy and passion to the project. We also met our Speaker of the Day, Elisabeth, who previously served in the Peace Corps.

The students gave us a tour of their school, and we thought it was really cool that they were able to choose and focus on interests they were passionate about. We also loved seeing how comfortable they were with one another, especially when they would call out and greet other students walking by. Elisabeth then had the students give us a mini-presentation about the project, followed by some icebreakers so we could get to know each other better.

After that, our student guides showed us around the school and the area where we will be working on our project. Despite the language barrier, it didn’t stop us from making connections—which is sooo important when traveling to a new country.

After about an hour and a half, it was time to say our “see you laters” and hop back on the bus to get our supplies. Once again, these students were amazing (big love to them!), and we even got a picture with our CAP guides!

When we returned to the hotel, we had a delicious lunch with our Speaker of the Day. After lunch, we learned more about our CAP Project and began developing plans for how we could work alongside the Panamanian students and tackle the project together. While this definitely brought some frustration and stress to the group, we were able to work through it, communicate our ideas, and create a plan to the best of our ability.

Our Thoughts on Being Liders del Día — Day 4

Binika: The highlight of my day was definitely the seminar. It stressed me out tons, but it also encouraged me even more to embrace my leadership and help my peers develop a plan for the CAP. Although I was nervous at first, what motivated me was my interest in helping everyone understand what we will be doing.

Today, we also got to call our parents, and I had a really nice conversation with my family. In the meantime, Steph taught us a game called “Big Booty,” which is a rhythmic game, and we thought it was really fun!

Throughout the day, a lot of students were also focused on creating friendship bracelets, which we were lucky enough to have thanks to Elenore and Melina. They were a little distracting, but they were definitely fun!

Gavi: Hello again! It was really fun being the LDD with Binika! She was incredibly supportive, especially when I was having trouble being commanding (I’m more of a coach, BTW). So, give her a shout-out!

The highlight of my day was meeting the students. They were so sweet, and even though I had absolutely no clue what they were saying, we were still able to get along with each other. (Yes, Ma, I tried speaking in Spanish!) [This is GGL: Global Glimpse Leader Alx, you should be so proud] I can’t wait to see them again on Monday and get my hands dirty with this project.

To Ma, Ethan, and Loki: I loved our call! Don’t worry, there is more to come. I know you’re excited. I love you all!

I agree with Binika—the friendship bracelets were pretty fun. Even I got scooped up into it! They were a little distracting, but don’t worry, we’re still being respectful and staying on top of things.

So parents, if you’re having trouble getting teens to bond—or teachers, if you’re having trouble getting your students to bond—try making friendship bracelets. That’s all I have to say for now.

“In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night.” — The Truman Show