BIOCULTURAL DIVERSITY AND FUN DAY

Hi families, friends, and supporters. It’s today’s “Liders Del Dia” Angel and Gianna (again). Today was such an amazing day to recap with many eye-opening moments and lifelong memories. We started our day bright and early and headed straight to the strip of beach (Pablos Barrios) we learned about on Saturday. We met with Margarett who walked us along the coast and over a dune to see the beautiful vegetation and also the heartbreaking amount of trash on the shore. We also saw so many crabs scurrying around us, hiding in their little burrows. On our walk back, we collected 2 bags of trash to separate and study. There were plastic drinking bottles, plastic containers for oil and cosmetics, bottle caps, shoes, rope, glass, microplastics, and thick foam that was densely polluting the shore. Margarett explained the cause and effect of the trash- how none of it comes from people enjoying the beach but purely coming from the ocean. She taught us that it’s better to find the root cause of the problem and work on fixing it instead of putting a small band aid over the wound, and how with lack of education or enforcements, every day the trash is piling up.

After we helped Margarett, we went to the Biocultural Museum in Pedasi until it was time for lunch. In the museum we learned about local wildlife in the area and learned about traditional clothing for dancers. The women wear a dress called the pollera and the man wears a shirt made of cotton fabric called cotona. We saw the materials used for the outfits and the culture and tradition that comes with them. After some group photos we headed to El Chichamento for the fourth time for some roasted chicken, rice, and beans. Everyone ate pretty quickly for maximum beach time. We spent an eventful 4 hours at a beautiful resort with a small and warm beach. Both of our GGL’s and PCs hopped in, and we all played volleyball, jumped waves, and swam around with the lifeguards. We saw beautiful birds, lizards, iguanas, and played soccer and took many pictures. After convincing our amazing bosses, we got 30 extra minutes on the beach. Everyone was super exhausted and almost all of us fell asleep on the hour-long bus ride back to the hotel. We finished the night with an alfredo dinner and an eventful nightly meeting thanks to Simone and Luis.

Hello from Gianna!! I am beyond honored to serve as LDD for the second time of the trip, I feel so fortunate to have worked with Angel, who stepped out of his comfort zone and led everyone with a big smile and a big laugh. As we approach the end of the trip, I get emotional thinking about our time ending but I’m so grateful to have met so many compassionate and hard-working students like me. I want to give a very quick shoutout to all my new friends. First Simone, my mellow and peaceful roommate, the best person to share a room with and to talk to after a long and rewarding day. My buddy, Andrew, always taking fire pictures and keeping up entertaining conversations on long rides. Ella and Mary, my hilarious friends that I shared so many laughs with. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to know Mary better after going to school together, and Ella for immediately offering sleepovers and insightful deep convos. My first fellow LDD, Fabian and then his evil twin Luis for helpful translating and many laughs. Of course, my current fellow LDD, Angel-big shout out for frequent check ins and always offering hugs and pictures on his camera. Angelica, your bright ideas for our CAP really carried all of us. Also, I stole your makeup remover last night so big love. Next is Nathan, I now know how to play blackjack, and I loved teaching you and everyone else scat. So much appreciation for Avery for always being so down to learn anything and everything. He’s always offering his goods and trying to speak Spanish to communicate with everyone. Morgan, smart and conscious, always sharing fun facts and upping the ante and who found a piece of coral at the beach today for everyone. Huge shout out to Jacob for being a youthful learner while also having an old soul charm, excited to try new things and always bringing along his camera. Judson, I have loved to watch grow into an outgoing and brilliant person. He has stepped out of his comfort zone and made sure to be well acquainted with everyone on the trip. We all appreciate your hat collection as well. Finally, Ethan. I have known Ethan since 7th grade and bit by bit have watched him grow into a hilarious and smart person. I’ve found so much entertainment watching the surprise on everyone’s faces when you pop out with so much energy, particularly when you redid all of LeBron’s celebrations for our talent show. And of course, endless appreciation for Steph, Silvia, Luz, Ariel, and Paco for making this trip possible. Forever in our hearts for contributing to our best memories. Big shoutout to our bus drivers Ramiro and Winnie for long rides and even joining our headcounts. Global Glimpse, I am forever in your debt for such a wonderful experience. I will forever carry in my heart LT2C. To my mommy, I love and miss you so much and I can’t wait to see you and Ralphie<3

Also, I heard that I’m expected to share last night’s talent. I recited about 70 digits of pi. I think Angel’s was much more exciting, but I’ll let him expand on that.

Hello from Angel! I was nervous to be a LDD “Lider Del Dia.” I never liked being in charge or leading anything but my experience as a LDD was a good and fun experience. Having Gianna as my Co LDD was much easier as she was an LDD on a previous day and she was fun to be around. I want to give big love to the boys I’ve met on this trip. Luis, Fabian, Ethan, Nathian, Andrew, Jacob, Judson. You all were easy to get along with and made this trip super fun and got me to step out of my comfort zones. Sharing conversations and laughs made this trip very memorable. Luis was first person outside of the people I already knew. You were funny and easy to get along with and every picture I took of you always came out nice. Fabian, you are a very fun person to be around, exchanging looks and randomly laughing will be very memorable to me especially with Me, Fabi, and Luis always randomly winking at each other.

Nathan, you also been fun to be around and our conversations will definitely be funny and very memorable. Andrew great guy to be around easy to talk to and 3rd best mogger after Luis and Fabian. Your photography skills are amazing and seeing and using your camera makes me want to upgrade my own. Ethan another great guy to be around always making funny jokes while keeping a dead serious face. I was impressed when you did all of LeBron’s celebrations for your talent. Jacob, our short conversations were great, and I got to know you more from those conversations, and your photography skills were also amazing, again making me want to upgrade my camera. Judson this whole trip you greeted everyone whenever you see them without fail and you were always willing to share and get people stuff and put smiles on people’s faces. Morgan I always liked our conversations on FPS story-based games, and I appreciated you teaching me a card game. And your laughs will always be memorable. Avery our conversations will be memorable. Big love to the girls as well. Gianna my Co LDD you were fun to be around and always pushing yourself even when you’re tired. Marry always checking up on me and always making people smile and always very nice. Angelica you were goated throughout the CAP days! Your drawing skills are impressive, and you always put a smile on people’s faces too. Simone you were always a vibe to be around and I always find it funny how you’re always chilling and looking serious, compared to when someone goes up to you to make a conversation your face lights up with a smile. Ella also chill to be around and although we didn’t talk much, being around you was funny, especially with you and Marry as a duo. Big love to the GGLS Silvia and Stephanie. First, Silvia for your first trip as a GGL and as the health coach you were always fun and amazing to be around. You always checked up on me and everyone and made sure we all were ok and drinking water. You were one of the first people in the group to help me take a big step out of my comfort zone and I’ll be grateful for that. And you also made the trip very enjoyable with your energy and always keeping the mood up. I was very JAZZED like you always say with a big smile! Also, you put up with me and some of the groups shenanigans like bothering you when you’re chilling in your room and talking to us through the door, and being chill about putting lizards under your doorway and in your room. It was always funny when you joined in UNO always competitive and I will miss your energy and your presence. Stephanie you were also fun to be around, and you were very helpful especially helping around a lot and helping the LDDs and always made sure people were ok and drinking enough water. Big love to the PCs Luz and Ariel. Ariel, you were always fun to be around, I loved talking to you, and joking around with you. As much as you don’t want to admit you are strong when I called you out to arm wrestle for my special talent you knew you could’ve won but let me win instead. I will miss your laughs and smiles and definitely will miss our talks on Monster Hunter, I will Hunt with you soon! Luz you were always funny to be around making everybody laugh and very positive. Whenever we had tours, you were funny but serious making sure we were all safe and didn’t get hit by cars. I loved joking around with you epically when you make a funny “angry”face. Special big love to Paco being the boss you were really funny and chill to be around learning about your traveling journey was interesting and how it started your Pokemon Go journey. The whole group always greeted you when you walked in a room. I will miss your smile as well. Big love to the bus drivers for always driving us to destinations.

For my talent show I had Luis, Fabian, and Ariel apart of it. First, I had Luis go on my back and did one push up with him laying on me, and then did one jumping jack with him still on there. With Fabian, I did one squat with him on my back. Then for my final act, I called out Ariel for an arm-wrestling match in front of everyone. I should’ve lost but he gave me the win. I thank you three for helping me with my act.

Mom, Papi, Tio, Paris, Kayla, Remmy, Romeo, Mateo, Yaneli, I miss you all, but I wasn’t homesick once I was having the time of my life. I know you guys miss me, I know it wasn’t the same not having someone as amazing as me in the family around, but I can’t wait to see you all again. I love you all!