Culture Day

Hey everyone, how’s it going?

My name is Lily T., and I had the privilege of being one of the first Líderes del Día (LDDs) in Constanza! Today was the day I was looking forward to the most—and luckily, I got it, so that’s awesome.

We started with clay mask-making with Mr. Gato. My group really locked in on our design, and it came out pretty accurate, if I do say so myself. It was an activity where everyone just clicked and bonded. But my favorite part of the day—and honestly, of the trip so far—was the dancing. I don’t dance formally, but learning the moves was so fun (and sweaty!). I laughed a lot, and I love laughing.

I also love music, and since I don’t have my phone on this trip, I haven’t been able to play my own. So dancing was a great way to really get into the music I’ve been missing. Being the leader of the day was nerve-wracking at first, but once I got into it with my fellow leader Chris, everything went smoothly.

Another highlight was meeting my abuelita in the local community up the road. She was so sweet, and even though my Spanish is a little rocky, we understood each other. I asked her for a photo and she laughed and said she was “muy fea”(very ugly), but I promise she was so beautiful—she reminded me of my own grandma.

Being called “leader” was a fun and surreal feeling. It definitely gave me a little confidence boost and made me laugh. I’m so excited for everyone else to have their turn to lead in their own unique way.

Miss you, Mom, Dad, Adam, and my baby kitty Shyla! Love you all so much!
—Lily T.

Hey everyone, it’s Chris S.!

Today was an exciting day for my co-leader Lily and me. We got started early, rallying the group and making sure everyone made it to breakfast on time. From there, we kept the group together, didn’t lose anyone, and made sure everyone had an amazing day under our leadership.

Our first activity was a clay mask workshop. We learned some background before jumping in. Now, I’m no Pablo Picasso, but I think my group did really well—we added our own creative touch, and our group artists really showed off their skills.

Afterward, we returned to the beautiful restaurant and hotel, Dilenia, which has been such a gracious host to our amazing trip. We were treated to a fantastic lunch—sancocho, a traditional Dominican soup—and it was incredible. I’ve been trying to taste as much Dominican food as I can, and this was definitely a muy bonita plato.

Later, we had some free time. I used it to practice my Spanish with locals in a nearby community. It was challenging, but I think I’m slowly but surely becoming bilingual. We talked about baseball and what life is like in Constanza. Honestly, the community is so welcoming—it felt like a second home.

Then came one of my favorite parts: dancing! Co-leader Lily and I gave it our best effort learning bachata and merengue. I had an absolute blast, and I even picked up some moves I can use in my hockey goal celebrations. I know my mom will love hearing that!

After that, our awesome Program Coordinators treated us to fresh fruit popsicles—I had a pineapple one, and it was delicious. During our next bit of free time, I practiced even more Spanish with the locals. I still struggle with word placement, but I’m making progress!

Probably the hardest part of the day was making sure the rest of the group didn’t get lost or too caught up in their own activities—we still had a full day ahead of us. We wrapped things up with a lovely dinner of mashed potatoes, vegetables, and pork. It was absolutely fabulous.

Finally, we closed out the day with our nightly meeting, where we reflected on the day and talked about tomorrow’s plans. I have to say, I’m just incredibly grateful to even be here and have this experience.

Hope everyone back home is doing well. Can’t wait to share more soon!
—Chris S & Lily T.