Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Reflection from Bria




Hey everybody! Today was amazing! After the surprise of yesterday’s heat, I wasn't expecting to have too much energy or too much excitement, but I believe the whole group was pleasantly surprised. After an early wake up, we all finished packing our bags and piled onto the buses. We arrive at our destination, a chocolate farm, about 15 minutes later. This was where we ate breakfast. The food was amazing: Some fruits, cereal, bread, and coffee. On the tour of the farm, the whole group tried new things. One thing I had never heard of was the fruit of a cashew nut. It was an odd combination of juicy and dry, bitter and sweet. I was surprised to learn about where the fruits came from and why some they looked the way they did. The farmer explained to us that farms that work in harmony with the natural environment usually breed their fruits to be unattractive so that the animals won’t eat them. He explained that sometimes, the most attractive pieces of produce won't have the best taste. After sampling their chocolate products, we were back on the buses. Because I am one of the leaders of the day, I was constantly reminding my friends to put on bug spray and sunscreen (so yes, mom, I have been wearing enough sunscreen). From here, we went and met our home stay families. They fed us all amazing food. My home stay mom gave my group a salad and some rice with chicken. I have been really surprised with how much of the food I have liked here. I was worried about not having much to eat, but I opened up my mind to trying new things and it has been great! My home stay family didn't speak English, and my group didn't speak any Spanish. It was a bit difficult to communicate, but we learned a bit about each other. All of the locals that we have met have been so kind and welcoming. Right now, our group is working on clearing away the wood from the old school house. Although it is very hot, being together with friends has made it really fun. I’m so glad to have this experience, and it’s only the first full day.  I can’t wait for the rest of the trip.




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