Nicaragua Cultural Ex. & Service Adventure (Summer)

Throughout my journey to Nicaragua with Global works, there was never a moment that we weren't being challenged and inspired. There were an endless amount of once-in-a-lifetime adventures that made this trip truly unforgettable.
Our first destination was at a quiet hostel on Laguna de Apoyo in Managua. As the group and I were released from our morning activities and ventured into the warm, blue lake, we pretty much immediately became friends. Together we smiled and splashed in amazement of the natural beauty in Nicaragua. The worry-free atmosphere surrounded us and kept the group close for the duration of the trip.
I quickly fell in love with Nicaragua. Passing through small local towns, ordering delicious Mangos at street stands, arriving at another resort on the beach that had the most astounding view of the endless horizon I had ever seen- every moment was filled with happiness. But the best part of Nicaragua was the people.
Nicaragua is home to the most cheerful and amiable people I have ever met. When we first arrived at the clinics in Matagalpa, the local children loved to smile at everything. There were times when we would be doing our community service around the clinic and the children would ask to help just to be around us and laugh. Even the adults in the community tried to make small talk while we were in the doctor’s office waiting for the doctor to write a prescription. Everyone made us feel like family.
Saying goodbye to Nicaragua was one of the saddest moments of the whole trip, but I came home from this Global Works trip with a new understanding and sensitivity to the issues facing Nicaragua and its neighbors today. I had a sense of confidence in my ability to adapt to new environments. And I felt more inspired to promote cultural appreciation and social change back in my U.S. community. This trip was truly such an amazing experience and I would definitely do something like it again in a heartbeat.

We stayed at Nicaragua for two weeks. The first week was devoted to refurbishing a park while the second week was spent building a womens and childrens center on an island. The first week was especially rewarding. We saw children flood the park when it was done, and they often came up to us to help us or play with us.

My 15 year old daughter had the time of her young life in Nicaragua! She spent 3 weeks getting to know and helping the locals forge a better life for themselves as they built water wells and a school. She met teens who shared her values, passions, and the need to do more in life than self-indulging. Five months later, she has cemented what will likely become a group of life-long friends. Bravo, Global Works!

My group was amazing. Nothing was ever too much for us. Despite working 8 hour days on Proyecto Mano Amiga and putting our backs into laying concrete for the sewing center foundation, we all gathered, giggled, swam and sang every night and generally had an unbelievable time together.

Nearly everybody on this trip fell sick with something nasty, and we were all throwing up and feeling blue within the first week of the trip. However, thanks to our incredible leaders and already great friendship, we leaned against each other, found out ways to get better, and didn't back down. That was probably the best part about my trip - fighting through adversity as part of a team that I knew I could rely on.

This trip really impacted my life. It gave me a whole new outlook on life, as we walked pretty much everywhere, got to immerse ourselves in the day-to-day Nicaraguan culture, and meet amazing people. Along with the challenging work we got to to do help the community, we spent a lot of time together as a group and I made some friends that I will have for the rest of my life. My leaders made the trip even better, I felt completely safe and comfortable being away from home for three weeks; their organization skills were awesome too as we got to do so many activities whether it be the actual service projects or exploring Nicaragua as bonding activities. I would definitely go on another trip, and want to do service work for the rest of my life!