From Yecenia:

Today was the culmination of all of our hard work here in San Juan del Sur. A beautiful city with beautiful people deserving of our help. Roxana made our delicious breakfast, as she has done our whole stay here, before getting to work on the finalization of our projects. We were then joined by our entrepreneurs for a moment as we gathered for a great pizza lunch by the beach. This was the first time that we were all able to sit at the same table together and the size of our party was truly visible. It was a great opportunity to really get to know the people we were working with on a personal level. There were definitely friendships made that will be intact for years to come.

The most rewarding part of the trip materialized during our presentations however. As we spoke of our ideas and plans of action you could see in the faces of these small business owners the appreciation and new found hope they had. Certificates were presented as a thank you and many hugs exchanged. Yessenia, the entrepreneur I had the pleasure of working with, was even brought to tears with gratitude. I hope to maintain communication with her as her business flourishes, a sentiment I am certain is shared by my fellow classmates. Past entrepreneurs joined the meeting to share their continuing gratitude and stories of their continuing success. It really showed how what we are doing in San Juan del Sur makes a difference in the lives of these people.

With all the hard work behind us it was later time to enjoy ourselves as a group over a fabulous dinner. The wonderful Jane treated us to dinner at one of the best seafood restaurants in all San Juan del Sur, and probably one of the best seafood restaurants I had ever been to. El Timon is an open setting restaurant right on the beach with a live band playing a mix of American and Latin classics. We enjoyed each other’s company over lobster tail, freshly caught fish, savory clams, and exotic octopus dishes. There is nothing better than being rewarded for hard work with a delicious meal and great company.

The festivities continued as we got the opportunity to discover the night life and take part in all that the town had to offer. We bounced around the dance spots, got a chance to relax together under the clear night sky on the beach, and really bond over our shared experiences. As the night went on we mingled with the locales and heard stories from those that came from far away and fell in love with the town. Folks came from all over the world, from Germany and Sweden to Canada and Australia. Each person with their own unique adventure and reasons for staying and not wanting to leave. Perhaps we all have a little soul searching to do, but this night was cut a bit short. There was surfing to do in the morning, and we were determined to be ready for it.