I had a great time in Nicaragua. It was my first time being out of the states since 1995. One thing that I learned quickly was that all of my years of taking Spanish, although handy, were not nearly enough to truly prepare me for what I encountered upon arriving to Managua, Nicaragua.

This experience has truly been an experience that I will remember for years to come! Not only did I get the opportunity to practice my Spanish, but I also got the opportunity to learn to do some hands-on business work that I did not necessarily learn in a classroom setting. Although, pretty occupied from during the day, I managed to learn how to swim during my nights when I had a bit more free time.

The people I met while in Nicaragua, were one of a kind! The people of the country were so warm and welcoming. They gave me a reason to want to come back. Moreover, the students that accompanied me on the trip (and the UMD faculty), were all so intelligent and great to be around. We had a great time learning dances, having great dinner conversations, and most of all, helping our clients in Managua, Granada, and San Juan Del Sur! Going with such great people made the experience that much more enjoyable.

Now that the trip is over, I certainly learned a lot in regards to business marketing and consulting. But beyond that, I see that I want to go back to Nicaragua! The people I met there we amazing and they so friendly. They did not let our language and culture barriers prevent them from asking me questions, getting to know me, and giving me a way to stay in touch with them. They gave me a reason to go back I look forward to doing so!

Attached, are a few pictures of my last night in Nicaragua (showing how empty it was seeing that we all were getting ready to leave) and my first day back in the U.S . Most of which are from the Camino Real Hotel and the College Park Metro Station.

From Camden:


It's hard to believe that our trip is already over and a new semester of school is about to begin. I dont think that any of us could have asked for much more out of this trip. We got to hike around volcano's, go zip-lining, and sit on the beach. But on top of all of the fun things we were able to do we also had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some small business owners. The appreciation that the entrepreneurs showed us really made us feel like the time we spent was worth it in the end.

Going into this trip I , like many others, did not know a single person that was coming on the trip. Which made many of us nervous that we would not be able to find friends on the trip. However, we could not have been more wrong. Even though many of us were very different we all became great friends and I hope to remain friends with all of these people when we return to college park.

I also could not write a conclusion to this trip without mentioning our trip supervisors. Pat and Lily were both incredible supervisors on this trip. They are both so passionate about the people of Nicaragua and they are so dedicated to helping in any way they can. I think that all of us on the trip can agree we would love to have Pat and Lily be our grandmoms. They were always prepared for anything that might have happened on the trip and I really hope that they can continue going back to Nicaragua every year on this trip. The other trip supervisor was Jane and I don't think that we could have done this trip without her. She knows everyone and everyone knows her in all of Nicaragua. You may think that this is an exaggeration but its not, she has made a difference in so many lives down in Nicaragua that even if you haven't met Jane you know who she is. She set up our meals and events flawlessly, which is no small task considering she was working with a group of over 20 people. We really couldn't have done this trip without Jane and I want to thank her for that.

Finally, I would like to thank Sue for setting this whole trip up for us. I know that it takes a lot of work to organize a trip for 19 students to go to a foreign country. But the trip was absolutely amazing and you did an incredible job setting this all up for us and we missed having you with us.

In Flight

Last night was our final evening in Nicaragua.  We said our farewells around tables at the Camino Real Hotel in Managua.  Our plates were piled high with rice, veggies and meats; some of us elected to eat Tostones con Queso, the local specialty of friend plantains and fried cheese, as well.  After dinner we gathered around the hotel pool to reflect on our experiences.  With Pat and Lily we discussed our trip, our constructive criticism for next year, the difficulties and culture shock of coming to a new country, and, most importantly, what we had learned.

            With a 5am wake up call looming before most of us, we said good night and goodbye to those with later flights and went to bed.  Rising before the sun, we shuffled quickly through the breakfast line for 10 minutes before stepping onto the awaiting shuttle.  Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the Managua airport, received the first of many customs forms and waited for our turn to check our bags with English speaking American Airlines desk attendants.  It was slightly relieving not to apologetically have to say “no Española.” 

            Once freed of our bags, we walked swiftly through the exit customs (not yet time to declare our many purchase) and stepped into the shortest security line most of us had ever seen – with a mere 2 people in front of us.  Once at the gate we separated to purchase various drinks and final sundries – my $3USD Fresca was bought from a store without a cash register, merely a large box of cash sitting on a chair protected by 4 seedy looking men – a final reminder of the interesting, and sometimes saddening Nicaraguan culture of politics and power.

            Upon disembarking in Miami we went through customs, retrieved our checked luggage, rechecked it again, went back through security and hustled onto our final bittersweet flight to Washington, D.C.  Farewell, Nicaragua, until we meet again!

When I woke up this morning, it was hard to believe that today was our last day in San Juan del Sur and essentially the last day of the entire trip. I think all of us had become somewhat accustomed to our way of life here in Nicaragua and knowing that this journey was almost over was bittersweet. This morning we ate, yet again, another delicious breakfast made by Roxanna. We seem to talk quite a bit about food but only after eating Roxanna's cooking can you appreciate our countless praises.

After breakfast, some of us decided to venture up to Pelican's Eyes, a luxury resort from which you could see most of San Juan; the view was gorgeous and was well worth the arduous climb up hundreds of stairs (or so it seemed to me). The weather was beautiful and a couple hours later, we returned to Hotel Isabella  to pack up our suitcases to leave for Managua. Our visit to San Juan was at an end and we bid good bye to all of the wonderful hotel staff and Ian who was staying back in San Juan for another day. I think all of us enjoyed the small town feel of San Juan, the proximity of the beach and getting to know the entrepreneurs we worked with. It was no doubt a great experience.

Our huge bus rocked back and forth for about an hour before we arrived at the potter Juan Palino Martinez's home. We listened to Juan describe the process of making pots: from starting with the sand and clay to ending with the painting and engraved pot. We watched one of the potters expertly shape a pile of mud on the rapidly spinning wheel and turn it into a pot while Juan let us hold pots from all different stages of the cycle. Knowing all the complex tasks that go into making one pot (and the fact that it takes almost a day to make one on a regular schedule), compelled us to buy many of his goods which he had displayed in his home. They were beautiful and we appreciated the hard work he put in even more after watching and listening to him.

After cleaning out our wallets at Juan Palino's studio, we trudged back into our big bus and continued our drive to Managua. We stopped on the way at a McDonald's at the request of Jose who wanted to compare the menu choices to the ones in the United States. We also stopped at a local grocery store in Managua to purchase some last minute provisions to take home. The ride was long (and I took a nice nap) but we finally reached Camino Real where we enjoyed our last dinner in Nicaragua--it was delicious, of course. Edwin, one our favorite people, left tonight to go back to his home in San Juan so Adios's were said and we were all given a hug (I will be posting a picture of us with Edwin!).

Later on in the night, all of us sat around the pool and reflected on the trip. We had a great deal of constructive criticism for next year's class but one thing was clear--this trip was an amazing experience that we probably won't ever forget. Pat, Lily and Jane were great and they all made our trip that much more memorable. All nineteen of us felt like we had made a difference, though at first it may have seemed to us just a minor contribution. Our final day in San Juan and Nicaragua was filled with travel but it was a good day to catch up and reflect on all that we had done in the past two weeks.

From Lily, another picture of the presentations:

From Elaine:

7:42 a.m. Hit snooze, 15 minutes more.

8:00 a.m. Roll out of bed.

8:30 a.m. Breakfast (Eating has become a favorite pastime, Roxana’s the best cook)

9:15 a.m. Off to Casa Marina for presentations

What started January 4^th (and unofficially at our first meeting at UMD) would culminate and near the end today. In San Juan Del Sur, the last city, we wrapped up our final presentations for our respective business and entrepreneurs. Each of the four groups then presented their entrepreneur/ business with grants, certificates, and additional tools that would be helpful in streamlining their business processes. Based on the work groups have already done, one for example has seen their work help the entrepreneurs. The group working with the jewelry makers, found their brochures and marketing packages helped present a potential international deal with someone in France. Not only could we see what kind of short-term impact our work has, we also got to see the before and after pictures of projects from last year’s group. That was reassuring because I felt with the short time we could not do as much as we could have. Despite that though, no matter how short the time was, it still set the wheels in motion, as clichéd as that might sound. If we had more time for each project, it leaves open to one’s imagination of

Everyone always needs more time to do the things they have always set out to do. In these 12 days so far, I’ve come to appreciate every random unexpected experience and encounter. We met our college counterparts from UNAN and UAM, retired international people still working in community development, and other random people I never expected to meet. The latest encounter was at dinner. With 30 something people piled in to sit down, I sat near strange faces. After short introductions, I learned the girl across from me hailed from Vermont and it was her fifth time in Nicaragua. She’s still only halfway through high school. (What have I done with my life so far . . .)I learned more about her and how she got involved with everything here through the Rotary Club. For lack of a better phrase, it blew my mind.

            Nicaragua has its charms and I’m really going to miss it. The conglomeration of people from all ages and countries just makes San Juan Del Sur a really compelling place to be.

Peace out San Juan Del Sur. It’s been real. Stay classy.