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DAY 5-7: Back on the grid!

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Greetings families! We are officially back on the grid after 48 hours in the rainforest. We’ve experienced two incredible days of rafting — the sun was shining, the water level was perfect and everyone made it down the river safely… with the exception of some sunburnt thighs :)  After leaving the homestays, we traveled to the Pacuare River, where we rafted down class II and III rapids. Along the way, we stopped at a waterfall for a swim and the riverbank for some lunch.  After ~2.5 hours on the river, we reached the Pacuare Outdoor Center. Students were assigned cabins and spent the rest of the night hanging out in the main lodge, playing games by candlelight and just enjoying time together.  After a good night’s sleep and waking up to a stunning sunrise, the day of adventures began! There was ziplining above the trees, a hike to a nearby waterfall and the infamous Tarzan Swing. We closed out the day with some postcard painting at sunset and a yummy pasta dinner to give us the energy w
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DAY 4: Giving Back to the Community

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It’s a rainy night here after our fiesta. Today was one of my most impactful days of the trip with students visiting an nearby orphanage and having the chance to play with the kids and also clean up/beautify their space.  After everyone had breakfast at their homestay, we traveled to the closest supermarket to pick up materials requested by the orphanage. A large chunk of the money raised from the car wash and the bake sales were used to purchase things like diapers, shampoo, conditioner, baby products and other hygiene goods.  We spent the entire morning at the orphanage, which takes care of approximately 20 children ranging from a few months old to 12 years old. While some of our students played with the kids, the other half helped to clean the playground and repaint the equipment.  With full hearts, we returned to Sitio ready for lunch and a break from the hot sun. In the afternoon, we all met at the town elementary school where we were introduced to the school principal and gifted
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