It amazes me how rice and beans are served with every meal, every day. For breakfast at the Casa Blanca Hotel they were served along side eggs, fruit and toast. Although it seems out of place, I have to say that it is the best rice and beans I have ever had.
After breakfast we started our day at 8:30 with yoga on the beach. We were all expecting a relaxing hour of relaxation and meditation, however our yoga instructor has something else in mind. I worked muscles that I did not know I had and sweated more than during our weight lifting sessions! Yoga proved to be more of a workout than a session in relaxation. Yoga on the beach was a first for many of us and afterwards we all jumped in the ocean.
One of the most rewarding things about bringing massive amounts of donations materials is witnessing the faces of the recipients. Our first stop for donation deliveries took us to a local women's protection center called "Casa de Mujeres". The leader of the group explained to us the history of the women's shelter and promised to put the donations to good use. The leader spoke so passionately about protecting women from becoming victims and teaching them new skills to become independent that it inspired us all. After the women's shelter we visited a resort called Pelican Eyes that funds a local education foundation in town. Once again we were received with overwhelming gratitude. We also got to see monkeys (Meg was ecstatic!) In addition to supporting a local educational foundation, the resort was also home to a veterinary clinic that protects abandoned, unwanted and injured animals. They had everything from monkeys and pelicans to chickens and cats.
After dispersing donations to various local groups and non-profit organizations we finally got to go shopping. All I have to say is that shopping in a third world country is a whole new experience!
Finally that night we played our match against the Nicaraguan team outside in an amphitheater. Although we lost the match, it was a very fun experience to play in front of a large crowd of foreigners with Nicaraguan music blasting throughout the match.
