Brandon's Bat Cave Adventure with the Last Delegation!

Delegation "SJA3/CH" (the third group from St. Joseph's Academy which was made of seven girls and six guys from their brother school, Catholic High School) came a short two days after I returned from my trip to the States.  The group was always to jump in and get their hands dirty--at the farm, in the rural community, and (of course) with the kids. They helped Nicaraguan teens design and paint a mural on the Cantera campus in one of the neighborhoods where we work. They mural represents our theme for the SJA groups this year: solidaridad (solidarity).

Brandon and I at the overlook of the lagoon and forests :) 

The group particularly enjoyed playing with the kids at the Cantera centers, but they had some special adventures with a couple other Nicaraguan kids, as well.. I don't usually prefer the 'tourist days', but this time I had the idea to invite some of my little friends. First was our trip to the Masaya Volcano (where I went with Amy), and I invited Brandon (our neighbor and Naomy's brother) to go with us. He was anxious to go, as he has never been very far outside of Managua (transportation is expensive for families), and of course no one in his family has ever been able to do the night-time volcano tour (entrance fee: $10 per person).  Well, he really no idea what he was getting himself into...

He had the whole group wrapped around his little finger - here they're all rocking his signature pose :) 

At the side of the active volcano.. he wasn't sure what to think of it! 

Brandon (with his pose) at the top of a ridge on one of the volcanic craters. 

He was pretty proud he made it all the way up on his own.. and in hole-y sandals, nonetheless!

Naturally, he was completely STOKED when he found out we got to wear hardhats 

and go INTO the volcanic caves! Definitely not something he even dreamed about doing before!

INSIDE the bat cave with Michael, one of the delegates.

To enter into this cave, you had to squeeze through the small entrance.. 

he loved the head lamp that one of the delegates shared with him.. he was a real cave explorer!

Soo, the cave was (naturally) pitch black. I snapped this picture because he could touch the ceiling of the whole thing.. couldn't have planned it better with the bat flying by! This may be his favorite picture of his entire life.. he has showed everyone in the neighborhood his "pet" bat! haha :) 

Anyway, I think it's safe to say my last delegation was a success, but returning to the house after dropping them off at the airport left me in a weird state of--wow. that was it. last group. now I have just one week left to... say good bye.  


More to come on that...