After leaving Terra Linda High School last night at 9:00 pm, we finally landed in Managua at 9:30 am. We continued through customs and were greeted by our bus driver, Domingo, and the teachers of El Divino Nino. It was surreal to see the teachers again after a full year. We drove to Cantera, unloaded our 90 bags, and grabbed a quick lunch at about noon. It was interesting to watch the reactions of the newcomers on the bus, as they caught their first glimpses of Nicaragua’s capitol city.

After our lunch and before our departure for the school, several of the students played catch with a football, while some of us caught up on some much needed sleep. At 3pm we drove to the school, where the teachers introduced themselves. A handful of students who were at the top of their class and received scholarships for their next year of school performed beautiful, complex, traditional folk dances.

For the next hour after the dances and the introductions, we were allowed to explore the school and meet some of the lingering students. I met a young girl named Fatima and her younger brother, Omar. Although I spent the past five years learning French rather than Spanish, I found out that Fatima is nine, Omar is two, and they both love playing soccer. I cannot wait to present the soccer goals to the school, so kids like Fatima and Omar will be able to use a somewhat realistic playing field.

We left the school at about 5:30 and stopped at a supermarket for those who left items at home. Again, the newcomers were shocked: this time, it was by the prices. A dollar is worth approximately 23 cordobas, and a packet of Tang costs only five cordobas. Therefore, the supermarket’s Tang selection was successfully wiped out by our club. We continued our drive home and had another delicious meal at Cantera, full of locally grown vegetables, freshly butchered chicken, and wild rice. We fully enjoyed our dinners, but at this point most of us were delirious and sleep-deprived. We wrapped up our first day today in Managua by planning our lessons for Tuesday through Friday. As we continue our week, I look forward to spending time with the teachers and getting to know students like Fatima.