Written by Reid Mason ’18 and Eliza Dixon ’18 to recount Friday, June 16, 2017:

Beginning at our with a breakfast of eggs mixed with tortilla and the usual pinto gallo, we departed at 8:30 for La Cureña, a black pottery co-op. After a quick bus ride we arrived and split into two groups. Each group learned about how the 12 women retrieve the clay and make the black pottery. Then Liza, Greer, and Adavya were able to create a simple plate, guided by two pottery makers. We also enjoyed holding a brightly colored parakeet, especially Ridge, throughout the visit. Everyone had the opportunity to purchase handcrafted items including jewelry, key chains, mugs, and much more. We briefly stopped back at the Outreach360 house before heading to our second destination, Selva Negra. There we enjoyed a delicious homegrown lunch with sweet dessert cakes and coffee. Yes, more and more of us are enjoying Nicaraguan coffee! After the lunch, cake, and coffee, we all piled into a van with our tour guide, Manuel. He took us around the grounds of the organic farm and coffee plantation of Selva Negra. He showed us the coffee beans that would not be ready to harvest until November and then we went up to see the animals on the farm and as we headed back we also got a glimpse of a sloth. We saw cows, baby cows, baby pigs, and even a 450-pound pig! After the tour, we went back to the main building where we had our closing and they played us a slideshow of pictures and videos from the week. Next, we got back on the bus and returned to Jinotega. We packed before our last dinner of chicken and rice, cantaloupe, vegetables, and soda. As we go to town for our last night in Jinotega, we are thankful for our opportunity to have hopefully made an impact on the children we tutored throughout the week. While it was only for 4 days, we feel we have made the most of our time here and embraced the Outreach 360 slogans of “Jump Right In” and “Poco a Poco.” Busy day of travel tomorrow!