Hola parientes! Today is Friday April 13, and we have finally made it to Nicaragua! We would like to extend a personal THANK YOU to all parents that brought us to the airport at 2 a.m.. Although the flight was early, it was smooth sailing and gave most of us the opportunity to catch a few hours of sleep. After a lengthy layover, we were able to finally board the plane leaving for Nicaragua; however, we do not have Maria Sofia (Bailey) anymore, but we are hoping for a recovery and return!
  After landing in Nicaragua and going through customs, we were able to meet our driver and head towards Mariposa to become acquainted with our home for the next 10 days. As we drove toward Mariposa, we were able to see the living conditions of people living in Managua. Unfortunately driving through the area made it more apparent that these people are living in extremely poor and dirty conditions, and their struggle to find money.
  Although we witnessed sad scenery on our way through Managua, as we got closer to Mariposa it became obvious that our home for the next 10 days would be absolutely beautiful. When we arrived, we were greeted by young, happy children, and an extremely friendly staff. A women named Hazel gave us a general introduction to what we would be doing. After we set up our rooms, we all sat together on the hammocks and talked. Soon after, dinner was ready to be served and we all sat down and began to feast! Dinner was AMAZING, consisting of rice, vegetables, and dessert. This place is beautiful and we can’t wait to see what the future holds!