It is a very historic day for me, for many people. First of all, I want to say thank you. People who came from far away, just to share this little moment with you. All the teachers who came from the United States, a round of applause for them. Nothing would be possible without them. Thank you very much for giving the best gift to the foundation and for our students: education. And here I want to give special thanks to the parents, the masons, led by by Don Marco, because each building on that property has been built by their hands. More than ten years ago, I found myself running in the streets of Progreso, thinking of an idea. I called my best friend, Pastor Bob, the man who is responsible for bringing me to Honduras over fifteen years ago. I told him that I had an idea: I want to open a bilingual school in Villa Soleada. He says, tell me more. I know that the children come from a low income community, and what if they learn English and graduate from high school and can get the best jobs in all of Honduras? And he told me, let's see how it goes. The vast majority ridiculed that idea. They said, the children of Villa Soleada, come from a riverbed shantytown. With the lowest high school graduation rate in the entire country: ZERO PERCENT. Not one person in the community had graduated from high school. at the time. They didn't have potable water. They didn't have electricity. And they told me, how do you think these children are going to be able to graduate from high school? Children who don't even know how to read in Spanish, how are they going to read Spanish AND English? Most people, when I presented that idea, they considered the idea ridiculous, except for a small group of people. The first families who believed in that idea. With forty-eight children, and nothing more, and the four very crazy teachers who arrived when the school did not even exist. We started and the friends of Towson University, they raised the seed funding for this school. We inaugurated the project on a very sunny day here in Villa Soleada, Yolanda, Pastor, Doña Reina, many from Villa Soleada. My best friend from Villa Soleada, who I carry in my heart, Wilson Reyes, was also present, and I said, my promise to you is that all the children who are here are going to graduate one hundred percent bilingual, ready for college, and Villa Soleada will be the most bilingual village in the entire country, and it will have the highest academic rate in Honduras. My inner voice told me, How can you promise something so big when just a few years ago I was a floor mopper at the University of Mary Washington in the United States, earning minimum wage? But that's how we started. Unfortunately, only a couple of months after that statement, well, at that time Honduras was the most dangerous country in the world, and in the city of El Progreso, Villa Soleada was one of the epicentres. Within weeks of opening the school, all the teachers left the country. The Peace Corps evacuated from the country. The violence did not stop, unfortunately we had to close the school. I said to myself, wow, this is the biggest failure in my life, and I did it very publicly. I said to myself, what do I do? What I do? Should I close the school (permanently) or should we go to war against the gangs? I remember when I closed the gate with a padlock that day, I sat there by the entrance and my best friend Wilson Reyes came and told me we are not going to let the gang members beat us. Let's win TOGETHER. You have to show courage, and that's what we did. At that time it was Sergio and Lourdes, our only teachers. And since we didn't have English teachers, I taught first and second grade English classes. I was the only English teacher for these months. We sang A is for Apple, A-A-Apple! I think a million times, yes or no? Boys and girls. Here are the kids really excited about the trees. They're very excited. I also want to acknowledge Santiago Sueiro and Meghan Sherman. When everyone was leaving the country The two of them came to teach Together with Maxie Gluckman and we were able to resurrect everything that I thought had died The Bilingual School In those times the students wrote me letters of motivation, and I have a letter that someone very special in my life wrote to me and said "Dear Mr Shin Fujiyama, I love you" and I said to myself, at least someone loves me. It says "you are very smart." Well, it's not just my mom who thinks I'm smart, then. I want to be like you That person wrote. "Love Estefany." And here I have the letter in my hand. a round of applause for a girl who showed so much courage in the face of violence that no one in this world had ever experienced. Along with all of you who are here, we triumphed against violence. I want to thank the Honduran air force and army. And the police here from Honduras who arrived with fifteen men patrolling day and night to battle the gangs. It was like we were in a movie, but we decided to continue with school. To keep the dreams of our young students alive. Thank God, the volunteers and teachers returned. And believe me, it wasn't easy. We had outbreaks of dengue, Zika, chikungunya, salmonella, and remember when all of your eyes were very pink, with conjunctivitis? We lived through very crazy moments, but we triumphed and we had some very happy years, planting flowers, decorating the classrooms. We said that from here on, everything is going to be easier. And well, the political crisis began and we had to close the school again, we couldn't get to school, the streets, the bridges, they were all shut down, I even think there were times when you had to cross a bridge where everything was under fire. Clashes at all hours, we had to close the school, I said, there is no way out here, there is no way out here. But in those times, a foundation called Brighter Children found us, a foundation that supports schools in many countries around the world, and I don't know why, but they saw something in the youth here in Villa Soleada, that among the entire country of Honduras , they chose to support the Villa Soleada Bilingual School. I have a letter here from the executive director, Nicole Calandra, who sends you a message. Let's give a loud virtual applause to the friends of Brighter Children! Many thanks for believing in us here at Villa Soleada. Here I have... how do I call this..? Like a brochure, right? A brochure from them that they publish once a year. Remember that they support students and schools in many countries of the world. But this year they chose a student from here in Honduras in Villa Soleada for the cover of their magazine..! It's the infamous Victor! Before I cut his hair at the barbershop, as you know, he was still very hairy here. But here is Victor, now world famous... Villa Soleada! Well, then, in those times peace returned for a while we were able to build the middle school classrooms and then the basketball court. That night the masons are here as witnesses. What time? What time was it that we finished that day of construction? Don Pastor? Like at six in the morning. Like at six in the morning the next day, not the same day. A great achievement. Once again a round of applause for all those who built the buildings here! We put those classrooms to use. Because in those times our students began to compete in the Spelling Bee tournaments here in the city of El Progreso. We began to compete, but it wasn't easy because you know the wealthiest students of El Progreso from the other bilingual schools come to compete in their big cars and we with many children with shoes all torn and in that little green van that we had that didn't even have a door. I remember how we arrived, many times without breakfast. Right now we are going to go to Daniela's house, one of our students, she is going to graduate right now. Excuse me. All All good? How is your sister behaving today. All good? Good! What is that cat's name? Billy. Billy, he's called. Why are you in a towel? I was just bathing. Doña Reina, what were you cooking there? Lunch. Rice. Let's see, what else? What do our students eat? Hey, how delicious. You eat like the Italians here, right? And here? Little beans. Here we were celebrating Paola 's graduation. The four brothers. When she was a little girl here when we were building Villa Soleda. When I was studying the virtual classes, I usually sat here with the chair. With the computer. We are going to see your room. Daniela. Here we are. With your permission. Look at the view you have here. You can see Villa Soleada. The soccer field. Very organized. What do you have here, Daniela? This is the graduation gown and photos. How did you feel when you put on that hat for the first time? Very happy and very happy, since we are already at the final goal. Look, what else? How cool! The logo. Wow. This is what we will wear in the ceremony. You're not going to cry, are you? During the ceremony? I don't know. But hey, are final exams over? Yeah, we finished today. Today, how did you feel when you handed in the last exam of your high school career? No, well, very happy because the truth is that it has been a very long and difficult process, but thank God and that's it. A great relief. Yes. Look at it. How does your heart feel when you look at that photo? Very excited, proud of my girl. She's going to finish, she's finishing the (final) semester of school. She grew faster than the banana tree back there, right? So fast, hehe. Tell us about this shoe. Some salsa shoes. How many spins at once? Like about five. Like five or six, at most. Why would we need a radio when we have a musician? Let's see what the brother says. I'm a guitarist too. Applause. Thanks. This is from right now. All your dreams can come true. If you have the courage to pursue them. After graduation, what is the plan? If there is the opportunity to go to university and continue studying. Yes. What major? I have always liked like working in banks and so on. How is the situation for young people who want to study at a university? Is it very easy or difficult? What is it like? No, the truth is that it is very difficult, there are young people who have to work and study at the same time to be able to pay for their own studies. Well, sometimes it's complicated and it's very sad at the same time you want to study but you simply can't. I remember when I met Daniela and Doña Reina, I met them in the community of April 7th, when they put something on my hands. I thought it was a papaya. But it was baby Daniela! How is your heart going to feel on graduation day, Doña Reina? You're not going to cry, are you? Constricted, right? Emotional. Thanks. Dang, Mrs. Reina, thank you. Wow, how yellows. Yes. Good, ripe. Tell us how the Spelling Bee competitions works here in Progreso. It's a spelling competition, five thousand words. Five thousand words, all in English! Everything in English. It is a competition between different academies and high schools. Different, schools. All bilingual schools. The first was during third grade, I was in third grade and it was like that to me... You were like the size of Jaffet. Yes, I was very small and the truth was, I was very scared, very scared, I cried, I cried because of the adrenaline. Yes. Feeling that adrenaline while you're competing and they are testing you, the nerves of seeing the judges in front of you. And the preparation before. And to be prepared to study, well, that year. If I'm not wrong, it was only like a thousand words that they gave me. But those were words that I had never seen in my life. They were new. They were new. That was the year when you were ill with malaria. The first year. Daniela had contracted malaria a couple of days before the competition and still continued studying. I remember that her mother gave her a tortilla with cheese for breakfast that day. Yes. As far as I remember the word they gave her at the end was FORMLESS, right? Good. And with that word. I won. And they gave you a medal, right? I have won four competitions. And the first place goes to Daniela Reyes of the Villa Soleada Bilingual School. But here, they are still here. That's a lot. And this was the one I won first place. The first place. How was the feeling of returning to Villa Soleada on the little bus? With that medal on you? I was crying with happiness. Many times in previous years, people when they thought of Villa Soleada, they even feared the community, because of gang violence and poverty. Then the image of our community changed, with that victory, with that medal. Tigers, forever. Tiger forever! Daniela, and what is this machete for? In case they come to rob me. Samurai. Yes. How delicious. The soup for dinner. Here in Villa Soleada what is most abundant is spinach. Let's eat one for good luck, Daniela What do you say? One for you. All that look. One for me. All that is spinach, my people, once Doña Reina surprised me by giving me a whole bag of that spinach! With this she has fed that very large brain of our Daniela, we are going to celebrate for graduation. Daniela Reyes, our champion, stand up Daniela, in a city of two hundred thousand inhabitants, we have a champion present here, in Villa Soleada, a pride, medal after medal, she has brought here to the community. After the victories we enjoyed, just a few weeks later... a terrifying message arrived: Extortion. The gang members knew names and addresses of all of our employees. And we had to close again the school, after so much struggle. All the teachers left the country too. And the parents who are here today called a meeting together with our team. We are not going to give up. We of Brisas de Libertad (name of village). Primero de Enero (name of village), Villa Soleada. We're going to form a patrol committee. Twenty four seven. You already know, the most important thing I have learned here in Honduras is: courage. From the catracho (Honduran) people. I was still afraid. I told myself, should I go to the authorities and risk it all? Or should I stay hidden here in a school classroom where no one is going to find me? When I went to the children's home, I saw something, I saw all the little children, with shovels, stones, and cardboard A shields, saying that they were going to patrol the children's home, to protect the dream of the community, and I said to myself, seeing the children, all the parents, all the students, doing their best, I prayed to God asking that he gives me a drop of courage that those people were showing. And I went to the authorities and we solved the problem. Facing it face to face. Thank you very much, a round of applause for that moment, to those who showed incredible courage. Soon after, thanks to our friends from Sacramento and volunteers like Katie. When she was a high school senior, just like you, she came to Honduras to start this building. Two years later, we celebrated because we finished the construction, and we cut a blue ribbon. Jade and Daniela gave a moving speech. to our donors. Where is Haley? Haley was there on that very special day but we all know what happened because five seconds after we celebrated, the pandemic came and we had to close the school AGAIN. Can you believe it, on the very day we celebrated and we couldn't put that building to use. At that moment after closing the school five times, I said there is no way out with this pandemic... The party is over... the foundation is dead... the dream is gone, for everyone here. I went to the children's home and broke the news to the children. Sons, daughters... possibly this is the end of our family. I felt so helpless. I know, like every father and mother who is here, who had to look at your children, their eyes. And not have an answer as to how we were going to find a way out. We all lived through that together. I walked to the campus, all alone. There was no one as I thought about the future. Just a few days after the call for an emergency response, the giants activated. The eight thousand volunteers who have come to Honduras in the last fifteen years through our foundation. Volunteers who were in the United States, in Mexico, in France, in Italy, in many countries of the world, in Japan... In a matter of weeks, we raised enough money, when they were also suffering problems, to be able to sustain the foundation during the pandemic. For food rations—we calculated for the families of Villa Soleada, we served ninety -one thousand plates of food during the pandemic, Electricity and water paid for two years for every family. Wi-Fi in fifteen different hotspots throughout the community. All thanks to the volunteers who believed in us during the pandemic. Applause for them and the donors who are not here, but will see this virtually. Also thanks to the four hundred donors who are supporting us monthly through the Tigers Club giving program. Many of them give each month to our school so that school costs are covered. So thank you very much. Here below, I'll leave you a link. So, you know, the teachers rose up by giving virtual classes for the first time, getting up at four in the morning in the dark. I know that many, some of you, lived alone in those days. The students too, away from their best friends, struggling with blackouts and many challenges. I went to Didier's house during the pandemic. I went there to Camalote (neighborhood) because he wanted to show me his little desk that he had with a laptop and a fan. Two years there. He studied there, while giving motivation to his little sister. In her eyes, he is a hero. In the eyes of many people he's a winner. A role model. Heyy, you've grown a lot! Here we are, with our new vice president. Let's get to know his home. Yes. Come in. Yes. Well, thank you. Here. Here I can see how Didier takes virtual class. That's not your chair, is it? No. That's for the little sister. Yours? Hey, what about that photo? Reggaeton singer there. You also study here. Yes. So when it's her turn. Aha, she studies like this with the tablet. Right Alondra? What grade are you in? In third grade. And Didier here. Supervising. And when you have questions, when you don't understand something and you ask your brother, how does he help you? By explaining to me. Is he very strict? Just a liiiitle bit! With the teacher Mallory who taught English who was from the United States. This baby with these cheeks, who is it? You all fought like this. Shortly after the triumphs, you know, Hurricane Eta hit us here in Honduras and I said to myself, wow, what is going to happen to the dreams of our students? They, instead of being worried about themselves, something legendary happened here. The day Hurricane Iota hit us here in Honduras, all the students and families of Villa Soleada arrived at the gate of the bilingual school. With mops, mattresses, with whatever they could find to convert, Julia, not yet, I haven't told the story yet. Even little Julia came and other little students to turn our school into the most well-equipped and most recognized and professional emergency shelter in all of Honduras during Hurricane Iota for more than one hundred and fifty people. Can you tell us a bit about the history, how you got here. I saw the announcement on the internet. And where do you all come from? Campo Las Flores. We can't go back right now because there is no road access, the streets are horrible. And we built the school there in Las Flores. Well, we live right in front of it. In front of where our foundation has worked. Yeah. We're practically family, then. Here you will have a roof, you will have shelter, food, everything you need, right. You can count on our foundation. Thanks. Thanks. We are going to place them in a room so that they can have a meal, a place to sleep, clothes. We're doing a clothing collection, yes, bathrooms. Of course, here we have many bathrooms, fifteen showers, two refrigerators for you, a mattress for each person. And how is the room right now? Any needs? Yes, very good, very good. Yes very good. Excellent, well, with permission. Javier, bring me the kit for them, soap, water. Have you already had lunch? Not yet. OK, let's go find food. Yes. Good, good. Welcome to Villa Soleada. And then, thanks to the help of our volunteers, we were able to pay for the costs of the shelter and help many students who were affected, half of our students affected by hurricanes, we were able to give them scholarships for school. I remember, I went to Natali's house, I went to Raquel's house. I thought those two girls were going to give up. When I got to Nataly's house, half her body was covered, she was cleaning out the mud in her house. Despite all that they lost, they did not lose faith in themselves. A round of applause for them, they showed so much courage, and I also want to recognize the students because they went to clean houses, at Rio Chiquita, at Las Flores, Chamelecón, and many places in Honduras to help. Last week we were able to go hiking up the largest mountain in San Pedro Sula, in Merendón. When we got to the base of the trail, I remember the face of and Mercedes and Yanet, as if they were looking at Mt. Everest. And going down we had a problem. Yanet hurt her foot, we have a motto here at the foundation. That is: not one person is left behind. Not one person is left behind. Our youngest volunteer, Jordan. She carried Janet on her shoulder the whole way down, alone. Representing our motto, no one left behind. We are all going to cross the finish line together. A round of applause for Jordan. Why did we do that walk, boys and girls? There is a reason, many of you thought, you were not going to be able to complete that hike, but in the end you all did, just as Ronald Quintero, the first Honduran to climb the mountain. You are among the first from Villa Soleada to climb the Merendon mountain. Then we went to Copán, thanks to the donors who financed that experience because they said, we want the last memory of their childhood to be happy, and that they be together with their best little friends. We had two wonderful days and with a very important message that I want to remind you of from the day of the Ruins, Don Marvin, who asked us, Why did it collapse? The Mayan civilization. He told us that this happened because they did not take care of the environment and could not work together. They began to fight, divide, polarize and that is why what happened happened. What a great lesson, that I know that each one of you will carry in your hearts. Stefani, what do you think? I think it's very disappointing that there are still these kinds of problems today and even if there is overpopulation, that means there are more hands to make a change and if we all did our part, we could make a change. An applause. A hug for my great student, what a great student I have, a lot of pride for Stefany and everyone. Do you believe that we can learn from the lessons of the past? Yes, we can learn, but unfortunately it is also being repeated, and it is a great shame, really. But we are learning today, here in Copan. We are learning. Great students I have, Manny. Manny, I don't know if he's going to fit in the same shot because of the difference in height, but great pride. From Villa Soleada. That trip was getting organized many months before, with many details. And there was a very special person who couldn't go with us because ahe was making this moment today possible where you guys are getting your degrees and everything. It would not have been possible without that person who went so many times to Yoro through those pothole-ridden streets, day and night, day and night, day and night. I have a small present. I have a small gift that is the best coffee in Copan, artisanal chocolate. She was not able to see the famous macaw with us that we saw in Copan, but on behalf of the foundation... Come on up, Silvia. This week we went to our most recent project. From our bilingual school, our young students participated in the construction of school number sixty-three of the foundation in the community of Buen Samaritano in the city of La Lima. We have a problem. Jade got so excited that she overfilled the bucket. Now it's too heavy to lift. What are we going to do? Let's see. Let's try to get some out. You had a good breakfast, yes? With what breakfast, Estefan? With coffee. Only coffee? Just show us all your hands, all cut up, and you know, laying blocks, all those calluses are for a cause, yes? Students, but I hope that this is not the last time that you participate. I want you to continue in the future as university students, as parents, invite you own children and grandchildren in the future, because that journey towards our goal is long. And I also invite you, for those who are interested, to join the foundation as employees as well. We have a very special young woman here for everyone, who, as of Monday, is the new spokesperson and director of communications for the foundation and her name is Jade Aranda. Jade. Hey, welcome to the foundation. Welcome to the foundation. Great leader here from the school, Jade. A pride of El Progreso and of Honduras. She's going to do great things. I already have a new MacBook Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max ready for her to have the best equipment she needs. You know, when we opened our school, we had the lowest high school graduation rate in the entire country with a level of violence that was way too high, but I have good news. Because now I believe that Villa Soleada is the most bilingual village in all of Honduras! But I have bad news too, because we didn't achieve the other goal, what is it? That Villa Soleada is the village with the highest education rate in the entire country. There are other villages where there are young people who are in university, and not here. We have some, but no one is a graduate. I know that all of you want to go to university, but you know, the expenses, you know, just to go to Unah (the public university) on the bus from here to San Pedro, I don't know, that is like more than a thousand lempiras ($40) a month, right? or not? Books, tuition, there are many expenses that make this dream impossible for many young people here in the country. Although the Villa Soleada bilingual school, I believe from our YouTube channel, is the most famous bilingual school in Honduras. Thanks to my video team, who is filming. Hey, thanks to you, applause for those who are here. I also want to congratulate a young man who, starting Monday, is going to start full time with us as a video editor. Welcome to the team, Didier. We're so proud of him. In these months I went to the United States several times. I went to the city of Sacramento to mount a secret campaign. A campaign that I didn't want anyone to know about. That campaign... we called it: The dream continues. Hi my people. Right now I am in Sacramento, California, here at a church that is hosting an event for Villa Soleada. Let's see how it's going inside. The volunteers are preparing dinner for tonight that we are going to serve to the people who are going to arrive at the event. Let's see how the menu is. Look at our volunteers with the foundation's shirts. Hello hello. Delicious. Look at the food we have ready. We're still a bit early. We have an hour, but here everything is almost ready with the tables. Look, many Honduran flags this table has. How nice. A map of Honduras of where we have built schools. So many memories. Many people from this church, several people have gone to Honduras, as you can see here. El Progreso, to Lima, apparently I am going to speak here, look what we have. How nice. What do we have for dinner? Salad, says Lynn. Tamales. Tamales. Black beans. They tried to cook Honduran food . Chicken. Delicious. And our friends are having dinner. Honduran food. Here's Sharon, cleaning up here after a big event. They ate a lot. They donated a lot... to support our students in Villa Soleada, Honduras. Well my people, we are approaching a charity event for Villa Soleada Let's see how it goes We are with my great friend Ken, he lives here in California. Several times he has been to Honduras. Four times, three times. We're with my friend Mike. OKAY. No no no no no. Not too Much. And we are with our friend Ken and his wife Lynn They are going to try to cook baleadas here in the United States! Very small American Baleadas! Let's see how Mrs. Lynn has made the beans. She has good technique, Jacky. Let's see what she says. Honduran baleadas here in California. Very good Special. We are eating a baleada with corn tortillas, it is not a flour tortilla. Yeah. But we ended up with the flour tortilla, so, okay. Corn tortilla. Let's see what Dwayne says about the baleada here from California. Very good. Very good. delicious! First baleada. did you like it? then later I returned to the United States again at three in the morning on another weekend to San Francisco to seek the support of Brighter Children. I took too long to eat and I have to catch the flight. Here, a very tasty dish. Let's go because the flight will leave in a few minutes. Thank you very much, it was very delicious. Yes, thanks. I have to fill out a sheet because they didn't give me a sheet from customs. I have to go find it. Interesting, here I see some girls in some uniforms. They're from the national team. Hey you guys, where are you going? To Costa Rica. Costa Rica. Good luck, you will win. Look at those legs. Wow. I hope you score many goals. Thank you very much. That's what I was missing. I have to fill out this sheet to be able to go upstairs. Well, the page is already full. Well, let's go where I have to go up. The airport is full today, but we're going to make it, as I have a surprise for my students. Right now I'm going to Brighter Children's charity event. Let's see if it goes well. They're giving me five and a half minutes to convince them that those students, those children here in Honduras deserve that surprise that we want to give them. Hey guys, how do I look in the mask with the H for Honduras? Well, we're done with the checkin. My friend here has just dropped five hundred lempiras. Here it is, my friend. Here we are back. With my great friend. I never leave Honduras without buying this delicious coffee from here. Americano, please. Look at the products. Honduran products and my friend's technique. Twenty five lempiras. Excellent price, from here on, as you know, everything we have to pay in dollars. The last Honduran coffee for a little while. Yes, yes, I will miss this. First layover to Houston, then to San Francisco, there are only two flights right now, but when I come back, things will be quite stressful, my people, as I'll need to catch three flights. Here we are walking with the knee, look at the knee brace that I have. Very thick Very interesting, I found something. Two sweets stuck together. I have never seen that. I don't know if this is for someone or, is this yours? Oh, these are gifts. Oh, so I can have this? Ah, so can I have this? So. Thank you very much. Gate number three, we're going to board the plane here. The flight is very packed. One last look at catracha land. Bye. Well, see you later, better said. Let's see what seat we have. Well, let's go inside. Hello. Thanks. Look at what they just gave me, to clean my hands. Greetings to those of El Progreso. How big (the leg space). For my very long legs that I have. I think I grabbed the seat with the most leg room here. Look. Some new little friends here from the plane, they just gifted me this. Thank you very much. Thanks. He just gave me this cookie. Hello. Very delicious! Thanks. Rica Sula, this is called, the plantain chips they gave us. Look, plantain chips. The last plantain chips for a little while. what do you say? Very interesting that it comes with a yellow candy. We'll see. A mysterious sweet. Hmm. Delicious. Well we arrived in Houston my people, I slept a little, I have two hours for the next flight, so I have to hurry to get there on time, well, let's find our gate. American soil, once again. You know, I'd like to walk all that, but right now but I can't because of my knee , I can't exercise much, I have to walk a lot, but my knee is already giving me difficulties, but we will get there, well, we have to look for the connection flight, and I know that it's this way, let's see, we don't have checked suitcases like that. I have just this, then we're going to look for the flight, now, there's not much time. let's go. Now we have to go to security to have our bags checked. Again. Better said, this doesn't end. There is another line. OK. We're out of the security checkpoint. So let's go find our gate. I have no idea where it is. But let's go find it. One eight five three. C thirty-six. An Asian restaurant. Look. Cool lanterns. Japanese alcohol. Here everything is Japanese. Look. It looks like Japan here in Houston. Everything that is Japanese is fashionable nowadays. Look. That is to bring luck. Fortune. There are quite a few restaurants here in this sector of the airport, so I have to choose and eat quickly. I'm going to take a risk and eat something even though I don't have much time. I think I'll pick a sandwich. Super sandwich. No cheese. Wow, my sandwich was just delivered, but there are two. It's Super, it means there are two. I already ate both sandwiches. I have to hurry up. It took me a long time to eat, so the flight is already leaving. Let's go. I got carried away eating two sandwiches. I hope I'm not at the wrong gate. The people are boarding. All these people are going to San Francisco. This is going to be a very packed flight. They're already boarding group number one. We are from group four. I already entered the line to go to the final destination, San Francisco. Goodbye Houston. Thanks. See you. Let's go. They are saying there is no longer room for suitcases. I have one on hand. Let's see if I can carry this in. If not, we're not in trouble. Well, I already found my seat, but the mother of the child says that she wants to change, no problem. They can sit together. Let's sit here. OK, my people, we are already in our seat. Well, we're here in San Francisco. 10:45 in Honduras, but here I think it's like nine in San Francisco. We are tired. I want to sleep. I'm hungry again, but you know, here there is no Baleadas Moy (a famous baleada restaurant in Honduras). We are back in San Francisco to see if we can get that surprise for my students, you know, looking for support is not easy at all, it's neverending. After an event, the next event comes. It's the only way we're going to achieve our goals, here's the way out, I don't know if that is our bus... let's go let's cross here there it is I think this is it. let's go up. Look at how that light looks. It's like for a disco here but no. It's just a bus. Look at how big this airport is. okay we're here let's go down it looks like there's a Latin party, I don't know if it's a wedding or what, but look there is action there with reggaeton. I feel like I'm still in Honduras. Well, my people. I think that in Honduras it is one in the morning, here a little earlier in California. I'm tired. Tomorrow's a big day to give a speech about the Villa Soleada Bilingual School here in San Francisco, so we're going to rest for a bit. See you tomorrow. Good morning my people. It's time. We're going to go to the event. We're here at the hotel, I even ironed my shirt real well. The director of the Brighter Children's Foundation is coming to pick me up. Brighter Children is a foundation that helps us a lot in Honduras at Villa Soleada. Many years of support. They are doing this charity event for many schools in the world. We are one of those schools. Villa Soleada. Food is served here. You know, it's very expensive, so I decided not to eat breakfast at all, too expensive, that a plate of food has to cost about five hundred lempiras for a few eggs. There will be a lot of food at the event, so I decided not to eat, no problem. I ate some nuts. We'll get to the event, very hungry. About sixty donors will arrive for the event and different school representatives. I am a representative of Central America from Honduras. I am going to speak about Escuela Bilingue Villa Soleada, in front of them here in California, to convince them that it is worth supporting our children, since they are going to be great people and leaders in the country. I'm a little nervous, but last night I was getting ready at the hotel for a bit. Well, I've already made so many speeches. I hope that this goes well as always and I know that many of you are giving prayers and thinking of me, I know that you are following my Instagram stories. I know that I am not alone. I know that I am here with many people who are with me spiritually. Hello, here she is! Now we are with Nicole. Well, right now we're with Nicole, the CEO of Brighter Children. We are going to ask her how she feels as she is in charge of the event. Well, we have arrived at the event, my people, they are preparing the tables. How beautiful, Los Altos, California. People are already arriving . To put on this event look at the amount of detail Jenna and the team have to cover... Just for this event it's amazing the amount of details oh wow you got changed. Very very nice. Which (shoe) do we like? that's a great question! She wants to know which shoe. Which one do you like, my people? She has to decide on one Let's see how I do in today's speech Nicole has nice handwriting, look! A nice message to the students of Villa Soleada. Well, since we still have an hour for the event, we are going to dance a salsa to relax a little bit. with one knee! Let's see what we have here. Spicy Tuna on brown rice squares with California caviar and avocado. Wow, amazing. Delicious. I have never tried that, until now. Wow. Very good, very good. Incredible amount of food. I don't know how to start. But here is everything. Well, my people, I have to speak in a few minutes. I am nervous, but all for the children of Honduras, for the children of Villa Soleada. OK, my people, I gave my speech, I was a little nervous, quite nervous today, but I think it went well. And now, we know what time it is. It's time to eat. Look, my people, I have no idea what's in this dish, but let's try it. Very interesting. It's my dinner. The event is already ending... people are going home and here we have food to go. There was a lot of food left over. So I have dinner and breakfast here. Well my people, we're going to the hotel. A big success today! Right now with my friend Wigger, he's Dutch. He's going to give me a ride to the hotel, so... Ajax! Champions. I fell asleep my people, I fell asleep, I have seven minutes for the taxi to arrive. We're leaving, we're leaving. It's three in the morning. We're leaving, we're leaving. I only slept for about four hours. We are tired, look at my eyes. Eyes. Hey, the elevator isn't moving! The car is already arriving. Look, can you believe this, I have to fly on Alaska Airlines. Here it says while checking in that I need to wait for someone to come check my vaccination documents and things like that but I see that there is no one here yet. They already gave me the tickets, we're going to Honduras. What I like least is security. Taking off the sneakers and everything. How embarrassing! there's a hole in my socks, I hope no one notices here at the checkpoint. I freaked out for a second. A loud noise scared me. I didn't know what it was but it was a man sleeping here at the airport. That big noise scared me quite a bit. Also here sleeping. We have a little surprise. Look what we have my people. That's why I like to stay until the end of an event to see what food is left over, so we don't waste it. And look, I have a free lunch, because you know, in those places they cost fifteen, twenty dollars. An incredible breakfast, healthier than this, you won't find. A healthy and free breakfast, look, my people, we're eating very well here. First to Los Angeles, then to Miami, and to Honduras. Well, we're already on the plane. Hello. Here we are in Los Angeles, my people. Now we go to Miami. Oh, I need coffee urgently, my people. I have like thirty minutes to board my next flight. I panicked a bit because my flight wasn't on the list, but it turns out that I have to go to another terminal, since it's another airline. The first flight was with Alaska Airlines, now in American, so I have to go to another part of the airport, to see if I arrive on time to catch that flight. I'm here I see no one. Terminal four. It says here we're almost there. Here it splits into two. The path. We'll see. It says to the left. This way. How crazy here. Look at the ceiling. I have no idea why it's like that. It says this way. It looks like one of those scary movies. This part of the airport. This... my people... is bad news. It goes down, but it doesn't go up. It means that with this knee I have to walk up all this. Let's see if I can. Well, my people, I did it. It's been a great adventure so far, here in Los Angeles, but we're going to find our flight. They are already boarding. Right on time, I almost missed the flight. You know, I have to get to Honduras on time to be at the graduation of my students in Villa Soleada. I was able to get the surprise I wanted to gift them so I can't miss my flight. So close to the coffee shop there, but I couldn't... I didn't have time, I have to board the plane now. The flight is very full. You will not believe this, my people. I have THE LAST seat on the plane. The very last. Getting off that plane is going to take me a long time. Well my people, we have arrived in Miami, right now we only need one last flight to Honduras. It was five hours on the flight, I slept the whole way, I can't believe it. I opened my eyes and we were already here in Miami. We are going to enter the airport. We have to find dinner. That airport does not end. There's the gate, my people, D six, maybe the plane hasn't left yet. Ten years ago I opened the Villa Soleada Bilingual School in El Progreso for many children. Well, we only started with forty kids, but the student population grew. There are already three hundred students. In a little while, the very first students of our school will graduate, the first fifteen, and we will celebrate that day. That is why we have traveled like this for ten years, as you have seen, talking to people from all over, about our students. On graduation day, I know it's all going to all be worth it. Well, our last flight, we're only a few minutes away from arriving in Honduras, the baleadas are already waiting for us. Here we are, greetings greetings. Hello. Well I already found my seat and I meet my friend Samir, he's going to El Progreso also. Greetings to his mom and dad. Oh yes, greetings to my mom and dad and I'm going to Progreso the same with him. They are there waiting for him. We landed now, let's get up. Here we are back in Honduras, in the land of the baleadas. We are back in San Pedro Sula, at night. Look, I'm exhausted. Since three in the morning, we have been traveling and it's already nighttime here. There is little left to get to Villa Soleada. To be on time for our graduation. Well, my people, I am literally the last person in line for migration, since I was in the last seat on the plane. Here we are already arriving in San Pedro Sula, where there are a lot of people, waiting. But not waiting for me. They're waiting for their families. So see you at graduation, my people, we arrived in Honduras. THE DREAM CONTINUES. Because through this fundraising campaign, we achieved the goal. Those who want to go to university, as long as you pass the entrance exam for the Unah (public university)... Our organization, we are going to give each of you twenty-five thousand lempiras ($1,000). So that your dreams can become reality. Also, we're going to fund a two-week prep course with our top teachers just to help prepare you for that exam this summer. I had the privilege of meeting a student from Harvard University. When we were in Copán, one of the first Hondurans to enter the best university in the world. I asked her, excuse me, I want to ask, how many hours did you study for the college entrance exam? Nicole, tell us, where did you study? And now, what are you working on? I graduated about two, three weeks ago from Harvard University, with a degree in biology. Some advice for the university entrance exam? I think it takes a lot of time, but also a bit of balance between studying and then going outside, enjoying the fresh air. How many hours a day more or less did you study? Eight. Eight hours. Eight hours. Eight hours of studying... Yes. Right. Incredible. Thanks. Thank you, thank you, Nicole. Thank you very much. Eight hours a day, the girl told me. So you have to hit it hard. It is not easy at all. I consider the high school degree in science and humanities, respectively, for the record that is given on the eighteenth day of June, 2022. Congratulations for graduating. You know... with the help of each one of you We are going to build those 1,000 schools And Villa Soleada is going to be the village with the highest education rate in all of Honduras So thank you very much to everyone who is here today Adios Goodbye and Sayonara! Congratulations to all the students, congratulations!
