the trip of a lifetime
My group and I traveled by private bus to the Complejo Agroindustrial de Teguise. When we arrived, the staff welcomed us and gave us a short tour of the area. They explained how to properly clean and prepare the land where we would later plant our seeds. After the instructions, we began working together, clearing the soil and getting it ready. While we worked, we chatted with the other group, learning about their hometowns, daily habits, and what life is like where they come from. It was fun, interesting, and a great way to get to know each other better.
After about an hour and a half of cleaning the land, we finally finished and took a well-deserved break. We sat down to eat, drink some water, and rest for a bit before continuing with the next part of the activity. Once the break ended, we moved on to planting the seeds and learning about how to take care of them. We were taught that because the terrain in the area is different—mainly made up of volcanic rock—the plants actually need less frequent watering. The volcanic stones help hold moisture in the soil, allowing the plants to stay hydrated for longer periods of time. This was something new for us, and it made the whole process even more interesting.
Then, as we finished our task, the instructor informed us that, if we wanted, we could join the other team. They were planting potatoes and learning how to install an irrigation system that waters the plants automatically, without the need for someone to do it manually. This system helps ensure the plants get the right amount of water at the right time, making the whole process more efficient and less dependent on human labor. It sounded interesting, so many of us decided to join and see how the irrigation system worked in real life.
Before we left to return to the hotel, all our teachers gathered together and surprised us with a fun activity for all the groups. They had told us earlier to bring a plain white T-shirt, but they never explained why. Now we finally understood the reason: we were going to decorate our shirts using natural paint made from flowers. We crushed the flowers and used wooden sticks to tap and press the colors onto the fabric, creating unique patterns. It was creative, relaxing, and honestly my favorite part of the entire day.