Part I: Introductions
Part II: Managua Part III: Cinco Pinos Part IV: León Part V: Tuapi Part VI: Granada Part VII: Reflections
Our Wonderful Chaperones Nicaragua, though still considered a developing country, is changing rapidly. Over the past few years, Dawson students have seen farmers’ markets become supermarkets, quiet roads become highways, and a burgeoning tourist industry appear seemingly out nowhere. This is the reality in some of the larger urban centers and beach destinations, but North-South Studies strives to ensure that students experience the parts of Nicaragua that retain a more traditional lifestyle. This year we returned to the rural villages in the western part of the country that have changed very little over the decades. We also visited, for the second time, the Caribbean coast that has maintained its rich indigenous Miskito customs and language in the Northern Atlantic Autonomous Region. Though access to running water, electricity, internet and cell phones has become commonplace since my first trip with the profile in 2009, the landscape, homes, and character of rural Nicaragua take us back a simpler time. What has not changed is the welcoming and generous nature of the host families and locals that truly make the Nicaragua fieldtrip an amazing experience for students and teachers alike.
-Geoff Kloos
We are very proud to have been able to accompany once again the wonderful group of North South students on this year’s field trip to Nicaragua. We have been doing so fairly regularly since 2006 and every time it is truly a learning experience. It certainly never gets boring nor repetitive, and this is mainly because our main focus is on the student’s experience. It is a rare honour indeed to be able to watch over each one of you and see first hand (and participate in ) the transformation taking over all of you. Rosa had had to miss a couple of trips, due to caregiving duties with her elderly mother (now 92) , so for me it was especially gratifying to have her accompany us on this years’ trip. Along with Geoff , Rosa and I, have a great synergy going when we accompany groups together which makes the experience all the more amazing. In closing I would like to remind you all of the quote of Historian Howard Zinn I put in the foreword to the Cuaderno de Estadia. Here is part of it , go back and read the whole thing: “…And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvellous victory.” Fight for mother earth and social justice for all. Thank you , we love you all, and wish you the fullest of productive and happy lives. -Tio y Tia (David Olesik and Rosa Valdes)
Touchdown The so long-awaited day has finally arrived and I am beyond excited! I could not hide the huge smile on my face and the goosebumps on my skin while I was on my way to the airport at 4:30 a.m. After a year of preparation, I could no longer wait for this day to come and meet my family in Las Pozas. However, I also had mixed feelings. I did not know if it was the outcome of a lack of sleep, but I felt tired, nervous, anxious, and sad all at the same time! We were all so excited to finally be there and still could not believe that in a couple hours we will be Nicaragua! I was particularly happy to be able to share my excitement with my peers. Despite being eager to leave, I won’t hide that I also felt nervous and preoccupied. I was nervous because I did not know what to expect. I was scared that it will be hard to communicate with my family because of the language barrier. I could barely speak Spanish and I do not particularly enjoy awkward situations… However, I am still looking forward to meet my family, the locals and spend a whole month in Nicaragua. It’s about 13h30 and we just arrived in Managua, Nicaragua. As we got off the plane, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach as an outcome of my excitement. While on the plane I was trying to imagine how the country would look like and now that I am actually seeing it with my own eyes it feels oddly familiar. There are a lot of cars, which are probably taxis and street vendors who are trying to sell us local products that were purposely made for the tourists. All this mixed with the hot weather make me feel nostalgic for my childhood in Haiti. The country resembles a lot to Haiti, which made me feel happy and welcomed. Although the bus tour was short, what we saw was enough to open our eyes to the reality of the country. We could see both the touristy parts of the city and the poverty in which people live. Even though we were all exhausted, the bus tour of Managua was amazing. One thing that stood out to me and surely to most of the other students too was the huge influence of Christianity in Nicaragua during the holiday season; there were nativity decorations everywhere and biblical passages written on the buses. Story By: Francesca
Bus Tour Of Managua
Ruins of Leon Viejo
Meeting The Families After a couple hours on the bus watching the beautiful landscape and green vegetation of Nicaragua, we finally arrived in the municipality of Chinandega, specifically in El Carrizal. I was so excited and nervous at the same time that I could not even stay in place; I was literally shaking. The whole welcoming ceremony was awkward, but also lovely. We were sitting on white chairs in front of the different members of our families and were staring at each other with a huge smile on our faces. As Don Paco and David called each students’ name along with their respective families, we were all trying to figure out whose family was who. The process seemed to take forever before they could call my name and finally meet my family! When I heard my name, I immediately got up from my seat and I ran toward a young lady, called Marybel Calix-Martinez and gave her a big hug. After the introduction, we all went to sit next to our family members. They gave to each students a plate full of Nicaraguan food and we sat to eat and started to converse with our new family. I was so happy to finally meet my sister that I couldn’t hide my huge smile and my body was still shaking with excitement. I always thought that I would be too shy to communicate with my family the first time that we will meet, but I was wrong. I was very comfortable with her and we started talking as if we knew each other already. Story By: Francesca
Life in the Chinandega Region
Life in El Carrizal Quiero a todos mis ninos Today was so much fun. We played all day with the children and I had so much fun. My kids’ father came back from where he works in Costa Rica and the look on their faces was priceless when they saw their dad get off the bus for the first time in a year. ). I love having little kids and being a big brother; it makes me so happy being with them. I am understanding people better now when they speak and I love El Carrizal and how everything is a little community. I realize how privileged I am living in a first world country. I’m not living in a game right now; people really live a completely different reality than I am used to and they manage to have a pretty happy life despite the many challenges they must face because of economic issues. The children are so well-behaved and wonderful and happy and full of life and I’ll miss that a lot. I had an amazing day today. Story By: David
Work Project and Youth Conference December 27th 2017 Today we started off the day by doing the work project. We basically painted the fence, the walls of the Chancha and painted the poles of the shelter over the water pump. I felt so bad because I got paint in some guys eyes that was holding my chair and the paint was basically made with gasoline and antirust paint. It must be super toxic and we got to paint all over ourselves and to get it off we used more gasoline (which probably wasn’t the best idea). After we had a conference with our siblings about the dreams and fears. It was really interesting to hear the careers they hope to have (ex. architect, doctor, journalist etc.). They’re fears were so much more sever then the fears then the ones we had. They fear not being able to get a job or to not be financially secure enough to go to school. Yet our fears were things such as not being able to get into our dream school. It really made me re-evaluate what my fears are and how silly they might be. I shouldn’t be scared about going to the best school. I should just be thankful that I can go to school in the first place. When I get home I really want to re-evaluate my life and lifestyle so that I only have things and do things that make me happy. I want to rethink what I find important and what I decide to do with my time. I feel like I live too much of a consumerist lifestyle so I want to get back to a simpler way of life. I am super grateful that I have a life that I can do literally anything I want with it. I have so many opportunities and I can chose what I want my life to be like. It wouldn’t be fair for me to just waste my life not being happy and helping others. I need to change the way I am because I have been given the best gift anyone could ever have, a life of privilege. Rather then ignoring my privilege I’ll try to acknowledge it with whatever I do. I’ve decide that from now on I’m not going to waste it anymore. I feel guilty for the life I have and the way that I’m deciding to use it. I don’t know how but I’ll find a way to change the way I’m going through my life. When I got home Marilyn (my oldest sister) taught me how to dance cumbia and bachata. The happiness that I saw on her face made day. We even got Fanny (my other sister) involved even though she’s shyer. We had such a good time! Later we also had conversations about so many things including religion, the drinking culture in both countries and the differences and similarities of our cultures. It ended up being one of the best moments up to this point on the trip.
Story By: Michelle
Life In Las Pozas December 27th 2017 I started off my morning by sleeping in (oops!) until around 7am. I was supposed to wake up at 6:15am but I always sleep through my alarm, because there are so many animals right outside the window of my room and they start making noise around 5am. I got so used to sleeping through all the noise of the animals I feel like I can sleep through anything now. Then I got up and had breakfast, for breakfast I had eggs, gallo pinto and a banana. I sat at the table and looked out the door of my dining room while I talked with my mom. We talked about the rest of my trip and we also talked about how sad we both were for me to leave. During this conversation I watched my brothers herd the cows into the yard. I love this part of my morning so much. Even when I am running a little late I love to take the time to do this every morning, I find it so relaxing. Today at the work project we were bringing buckets of water from the river to the road that they were building. The buckets of water were to mix with the cement that they were going to cover all the rocks that were in place now. The work project was fun, but it was definitely hard work and a lot of walking because the river was not that close to the road. After that we went to the elementary school to meet with youth from Las Pozas, this was our conference today. We talked with them about all of our and their hopes, dreams and fears. I thought this was very interesting, to be able to hear their dreams and fears and see the difference but also see the between our goals was really cool. A lot of their dreams was to attain a good education and a good job. Most of their fears were family related, or to disappoint themselves or their families. We also spoke about the best part of our lives, mine is definitely all of the opportunities that I have had so far, like this trip as well as all the support that I receive from my family. For some reason today, I just kept thinking about how happy and thankful I am to be in North South, to be in Nicaragua and to be in Las Pozas. We have done so much in Las Pozas, we are always doing something new and I love it. I can’t believe that we’re leaving so soon, I really don’t want to go. I am going to miss everything about Las Pozas, I am going to miss my family, all the animals, the weather, El Pilon, and of course the amazing sense of community here. It’s all so special. Story By: Ashley
La MontaĂąa December 25th 2017 The hike to La MontaĂąa was long, but peaceful. The weather and the scenery of mountains, green vegetation and the horses eating the grass was just too fascinating! When we finally arrived there, we were greeted by a lady called Agustina. Each student were given a seat while the kids were seated around a table in the middle of the room. Agustina and Marisol, whose an elementary teacher there introduced themselves to us and Marisol read over a letter she had wrote in the name of the teachers of the school to North-South students, us specifically. The kids looked all shy and curious as soon as they noticed the big hockey bag. After about twelve minutes of speech, Agustina started taking the materials out of the bag. The look on the children faces when they saw Agustina taking the school supplies and the toys out of the bag made me feel a deep-seated joy. Then, Agustina took us around the school and showed us how each class looks like and the materials they are missing to make this place a better place for the children. Unfortunately, we could not stay longer because we had to return back to Las Pozas. I said goodbye to the kids hoping that I could come back here in a near future to see their happy faces again. On my way home, I was thinking about the incredible generosity and kindness of these Nicaraguan who had welcomed us to their little village and homes with open arms and loved and treated us as an actual member of their community. I will be forever grateful for the amazing opportunity that North South granted me to meet these people and make unbreakable relationship. I felt a deep-seated sadness and joy at the same time while walking silently next to my sister. I could just not believe that in 5 days I will be leaving for LeĂłn and would probably never see them again. Story by: Francesca
Conference in Santo Tomas
Santo Tomas is a municipality of Chinandega on the Honduras border, it is made up of ten comarcas and two neighbourhoods. The main economic activity of Santo Tomas is agriculture and the second is cattle. The area has been involved in North-South for many years and this relationship has helped them with their technological advances. -Santo Tomas is in charge of providing many essential services to its numerous comarcas and neighbourhoods. These services include hygiene, education, the environment, and roads. Some of the bigger projects that they have put in place include a mother house, the center for early childhood education, and elementary schools. The Wi-Fi parks throughout Santo Tomas cost the municipal government $2 000 a month which comes from the federal government. With increasing globalization and technology throughout the world, Wi-Fi parks help people to have access to information which has now become a necessity. It also allows the country to stay connected among themselves and the rest of the world, allowing them to stay up to date with an ever-changing world. It also provides many training courses for professionals through the country. Since I am doing my Integrative Seminar project on technology, I was really happy that we got the opportunity to talk about it, and specifically about the Wi-Fi parks. It was also nice to hear how appreciative they are of Dawson and how our contributions have had such an effect. Story by: Hannah
Dona’s Finca Tour I found learning about Doùa’s farm very interesting as I am very interested in environmental and agricultural topics, and especially sustainable farming. I also loved that we got the chance to see many of the different crops that she grows and the things that she makes with them. It was also very fascinating to learn about the seed bank that she is involved in especially since we had watched the documentary SEED in one of our seminars the previous semester. The four farms in the area that take part in the seed bank are enabled to protect their heritage crops and to save seeds, which means they do not constantly have to buy more. By joining a seed bank, one must give a loan of seeds. The government helps by providing training for agriculture technology and by giving knowledge about seeds. Farmers who grow in this way are constantly receiving visits from large corporations who try to get them to buy their products. Although genetically modified seeds offer higher crop rates, they do not last and come with many negatives. The seeds that were collected for the seed bank were not producing at first, causing the number of farms involved to drop from eight to four. The idea of saving seeds for future years has always existed, but a seed bank allows different farms to share and work together. Story by: Hannah
Sending Love to Cinco Pinos
Goodbye Cinco Pinos Michelle: Today was the day I left my family. It isn’t setting in that there’s a high possibility that I’ll never see my family again. The amount that I’ve gained from these people is un-real. They have thought me about having patience in regards to relationships. At first I thought that they would be more closed off based on when I met them. I got really nervous but after I got to their home and I met Marilyn I became a lot less nervous. After I spent time with them we started to develop a stronger relationship. I feel like I had one of the best experiences and I think it was in part due to the patience that both my family and I had for each other. They were understanding when I didn’t understand what they said the first time. I also realized that they were just as if not more nervous then me about meeting each other. It made me realize that when I’m first meeting someone I have to realize that they have their own emotions and feelings towards the encounter so I can’t judge if they didn’t act the way that I expected. It was really sad leaving our families. We all created such a close bond with our families and it’s weird that we’ll actually be leaving them.
Shannon: I genuinely feel like I left a piece of my heart in Las Pozas. As much as you can think about your experience somewhere, leaving is the hardest thing in the world and makes you realize that your life is not the same anymore, because you’ve impacted these people’s lives and they’ve impacted yours. Like I told my mom right before I got on the bus, I can never thank them enough for taking me in and becoming a real second family. I understand now why it’s often so hard for people to talk about and explain their experience, because how can you explain that after 10 days, you have an entire family in a tiny village in Nicaragua. I feel like my heart is broken leaving them and I really do hope that one day I can come back here, or that they can come to Canada. All the other beautiful people I got the chance to meet and know. All the people who have to leave their families to try to find work somewhere else. All the people struggling, because they can’t find work for any number of reasons. We learn about this country, and about privilege and what it means to share culture and show solidarity but I still find it unreal how incredibly lucky we all are to be able to come here.
Maya: Today has been one of the most difficult days that I’ve ever had to go through mentally. . I did not really expect to have reacted the way that I did, nor did I expect my family to react the way that they did either. I didn’t think I was going to cry. I didn’t think I was going to get attached. There’s no way to express or define the feeling that comes with leaving something you never really had a complete hold on. It was almost like doing a 180. One day I was entering a new city and barely making it by on broken Spanish, the next I’m crying and not wanting to leave their arms as if they are my real family. I developed relationships that have impacted my life. I’m grateful for their endless love and direction. Saying goodbye to people I met 10 days prior has never been so difficult. I know one day ill plan to come back, I won’t leave home forever. I now have a family in El Carrizal, forever.
New Years in Leรณn
Cerro Negro Volcano It’s 2018!!! Today was the best New Years day that I have ever had, it is a day that I will remember for the rest of my life. Once we got to the volcano and started climbing it, I was just silently climbing in awe. I know I say everything is so beautiful, but this is definitely the most beautiful and amazing sight I have seen so far in Nicaragua. The volcano was all completely covered in dark black ash. All I could see around the volcano was mountains surrounding it. Being surrounded by this much beauty for some reason just made me so happy and made me begin to reflect on what I have experienced on this trip so far. I thought about how special and unique my experience has been. I realized that travelling around and learning about how other people live is what I truly want to do in life. I also realised that a big part of the trip and not only this one, but all of my future trips as well is being uncomfortable. Because I’m constantly experiencing new things that bring me out of my comfort zone. In the moment it’s not always fun to be a bit uncomfortable but it makes me grow as a person and be able to learn so much about different people and cultures and about myself. Story By: Ashley
The Long Trek To the Atlantic Coast
Welcome to Tuapi January 2nd: Meeting the families The bus ride here was crazy – after waiting around for water and shopping to be done, we were on a crazy bumpy “road” in complete darkness. Getting into Tuapi was exciting and there were tons of kids and people all around the bus waiting for us. Everyone seemed super nice, friendly and excited. Tuapi already feels really different than Pozas and I’m excited to explore in daylight tomorrow. I didn’t talk that much on my walk to the house but my mom seemed really sweet. It was about a 10-minute walk (maybe) to my house, but almost all the other students are on the other side of the community January 3rd: First day in Tuapi I already think it’ll be easier in some ways here because I’ve already experienced integrating into a family, and there’s a lot less people in this house. It’s very different that we have no chance of understanding a lot of what’s said around us because it’s in Miskito but it’ll make for an interesting and different experience than the one we just had. Even though part of our trip is to compare and contrast life here with life in Las Pozas, I think it’s important to try to not be doing that constantly in order to still get the most out of this experience, and later really look at how the two differ and are similar. There’s already music playing (I think it might be in the kitchen, which I haven’t really seen yet), but I like waking up to it. I can’t wait to see what the day has in store. It’s so pretty here – a lot more bright colours and an overall different vibe than anything we’ve seen so far. Story by: Shannon
Life on the Coast January 4th: Morning in Tuapi After breakfast I sat on the porch and talked with my mom while I was drinking my coffee. We spoke about the life that she lives her and the struggles of being indigenous here in Nicaragua and how the Sandinista revolution affected that situation. The revolution did not help their reputation at all, she said it made their situation worse. I sat on the porch and talked with my sister about machismo here. She explained to me that it used to be much worse here, but it is getting much better. I enjoyed this conversation and was really happy that she brought it up even though it can be somewhat of a sensitive subject. This trip is so special because you get to experience so many different things, today I learnt a lot from my host family, but then I also got to go swim in the ocean with my friends. Today was everything that I could have asked for and more. Story by: Ashley
January 4th: Day 2 Tuapi Today I woke up at 6:30 a.m. It feels weird to not have the roosters making noise in the mornings. They haven’t got as much chickens, roosters and pigs here as in Las Pozas. After dinner, I told the entire family that I had photos and suddenly everyone was crowding around me in a big circle. My other uncle and his kids were also here. They especially loved the skiing pictures I brought. After that they asked if I had any Canadian money. Luckily in my wallet I had the full set of coins. It took me a while to try and explain what a beaver was. Ended up just saying a rodent with a fat tail and big teeth that lives in the water and cuts down trees to make its house. I felt that I really bonded with my family today and I look forward to bonding with them even more over the n ext couple of days . Story by: Anita
Beach Day January 6th 2018 The food here is so good, I want to live at the dinner table and eat all day long. We met at the Rio at 7:30 and started working at 8. I had the same work position as yesterday. Mario’s cousin helped me dump the buckets of sand on the big pile. My job is one of the physically harder jobs. Mario passes me the bucket from the bottom of the hill and I need to bend my knees and lift it up and pour out the sand onto the pile. I’m extremely happy in Tuapi and I have to thank my host family for it. I’m really taking advantage of every opportunity and always spending my free time talking with my mom in the kitchen. When she’s at church I’ll write or take a nap. I feel so well rested here. I love that my mom always asks me what I want to eat, she loves cooking for me and seeing my reaction to her recipes! My sister Isa and her boyfriend Luis are around my age and that makes it really easy to talk to them! Story by: Jenna
Work Project January 4th 2018 The teachers prepared a surprise for us and there was a little boat waiting for us on the bank of the Rio. We all embarked and sailed across the river. We first went to the mouth of the river and were allowed to swim and play in the sea. We stayed for about 30 minutes before turning back and going to the part of the river called Rio Dulce in order to remove the salt and sand of our bodies. There was a small cliff and, following the locals, we jumped from it. Navigating the Rio was a wonderful experience that will remain etched in my head. Story by Mario
King Pulanka I am sitting on the bleachers of the Tuapi baseball field waiting for the start of the “King Pulainka” a traditional Miskito celebration. Supposedly it's a sort of re-enactment with the local youth dressed up to mimic Kings and Queens and battles. Right now I’m sitting with my host brother and his son, two year-old Bayardo. There is traditional Miskito music playing over the loud speakers and a man is coming around selling ice cream. The immediate area around the diamond has been roped off, separating it from the outfield. The rest of the place is filling up quickly and I don’t think many of the spectators are locals. The festival starts as two elderly folks come out from the stands and onto the diamond to dance, with much applause erupting from the audience. Then the announcer called the Canadians up. Fortunately for me, they only asked for two volunteers and I am far from being the go-to pick when it comes to dancing. Maya and Mario went instead, having practiced the traditional Miskito dance during the conference this morning. Now to be fair I don’t know much about dancing, let alone this traditional dance, but from the applause I am pretty sure they killed it. After the dancing, the announcer finally brought out the Queen and the Princess; two teenage girls in bright flowy prom dresses. The Queen was paired off with Geoff for a dance while the Princess went with Mario. They danced to much laughter and applause. Then the two couples were ushered off the field as two masked youths on horseback charged through the outfield carrying flags. Following the horsemen was a hollering hoard of masked teens carrying a variety of fake guns which ranged in quality from vaguely gun-shaped sticks all the way up to real firecracker launchers. Fireworks were launched at varying intervals as the men filled the diamond, dancing and pantomiming a scene I didn’t really understand. When they cleared, the couples were lead into the field to be “married”: two pairs of local teens along with Geoff and Mario with the Queen and Princess respectively. A “priest” (unsure of his legitimacy) came out and began reading out marriage rites. From the laughter I also assumed he was cracking wise at Mario and Geoff's expense but since he was speaking Miskito I could only guess. The festival ended promptly at 5:30, like all festivals in Tuapi. Nobody in this town stays out after the sun goes down. Once it gets dark, the doors are locked and there are no parties. It’s the only timing consistency I’ve experienced during this entire trip. Story by: Aniela
Women’s Conference Today might have been my favourite day in Tuapi. The perfect amount of everything. Work project for the last time ever, followed by lunch and laundry with my new-found laundry washing skills that I acquired from my sisters back in El Carrizal. A wonderful conference with all the ladies that hosted North South students as well as their daughters for a conference about women in Nicaragua and some questions and answers specifically for Tuapi. It went for about an hour and a half and despite knowing most facts from other conferences in Cinco Pinos, I got to see their opinion on the matter, which made those past conferences mean that much more. Their stories and opinions on the matter made it more personal and more real. I got to see their opinions on certain laws. The women who spoke to us at the conference talked about abortion laws in Nicaragua and they agree with the government that it should stay illegal. I was intrigued by this, seeing as this is also a big debate in North America, those who identify as pro-choice or pro-life, and so I proceeded to ask questions regarding the issue of abortion in regard to rape cases. When I asked the women what happens, they told me that most women will do it illegally, because that is the only option.
Story by: Maya
Bread Making 10 de Enero, 2018 “En la noche de ayer, a eso de las 8 hubo un terremoto en el mar caribe, a proximidad de Honduras. Fue alejado de tierra firme afortunadamente (70 km) así que a pesar de su gran potencia de 7,6 en la escala de Richter no hizo ningún daño material ni resulto en pérdidas de vida. Yo lo vi por televisión una hora después de que pasó, estaba viendo la novela del Sultán con mi papá cuando se interrumpió la programación para pasar las noticias. No le presté mucha atención, pero hoy nos contaron que algunos alumnos estaban aterrados y que los profesores estuvieron comunicándose con la directora de Dawson, con Gisela y hasta Jeff Barnes que está en Costa Rica. Les enviaron a los padres un email. Me siento muy bien por el hecho de que se movilizaron para asegurarnos. Bueno, por eso no fuimos a la playa hoy (aunque suene muy superficial). Nos invitaron entonces a hacer empanadas con todas las madres de los estudiantes. Fue divertido porque había varias etapas de la confección de estas. Yo platiqué un rato con Anita, Aniela y Michelle y trabajé en la estación de rayado de queso, pero mi compañera Irsa (hermana de Mario) se cortó y pude ayudarla a desinfectarse y cubrirse la herida gracias a mi pequeño kit de primeros auxilios (que bueno que lo traje). Después doblé las orillas de las empanadas con Anita, nos quedaron bonitas y preparé la masa en la mesa con algunas mujeres, se rieron de mi porque no lo hacía como ellas, como cuando hice tortillas con Marlene en Las Pozas. ¡Muchos participaron en la actividad y nos divertimos bastante! Más tarde, varios estudiantes fuimos al rio a bañarnos. Este mismo día también ayudé al hermano de Frankie, Elian, a limpiar su herida y mi mamá se lastimo la pierna y como no le dieron pastillas en la clínica, corrí con Alejandra a casa de Rosa para buscar unas pastillas para el dolor.”
Story by: Abril
Final Farewells to the Coast
LAST DAY IN TUAPI Day 25 in Nicaragua Its my last full day in tuapi today. To start it off I had breakfast which was coconut bread fruit and coffee. Over breakfast I sat with my mom and sister and just talked with them for a while. Then Meghan came over for a bit. She joined the conversation and sat with us for a bit then we went outside. In my backyard there was my neighbor who had 6 day old puppies, they were so cute and so tiny, they literally fit into the palm of my hand. After that we got ready to go to the beach, we left around 930. All the students went with our family members I invited my two cousins and artel who I had been playing cards with last night. The ocean was really calm today, actually one of the most calm oceans I've ever been in, it was really relaxing. We found a lot of sand dollars in the ocean which was really cool, we thought about taking some but they were alive so we didn't. Instead we found some shells on the shore to take home. After that we played volley ball on the beach which was really fun. It was a really nice time at the beach for our last visit to the ocean Nicaragua. We went back home around 12 to have lunch. I took a quick shower, I love the shower at my house so much and I'm so sad that it will be my last time using it, I want a shower like this at home in Montreal. For lunch I had bread, beans, rice, and beets it was a really yummy and filling lunch which was nice. Then I went to a conference, it was with a guy named Jerume he spoke about the LGBTQ situation in Nicaragua. He also put on a drag show. This presentation was truly amazing and eye opening about the struggles which he and many other LGBTQ members must go through when living in Nicaragua. Finally we went to the despedida party where we heard the leaders of tuapi speak and David speak, while we enjoyed empanadas and juice. After that we all danced it was actually not that awkward and pretty fun. After that I went home and just sat and talked with my mom. We both talked about how sad we were that I was leaving tomorrow and that the time had passed by so fast. I gave her some gifts that I had brought and she was so thankful. It's finally sinking in that I am leaving tomorrow and now I really don't want tomorrow to come. The time has passed by so fast in Tuapi, my mom has really made Tuapi feel like home and I'm going to miss that feeling. I could really see myself coming back here in the future, because I know I'll miss my house, the village, and most of all my host family here who has made this experience so amazing for me.
Story By: Ashley
A Fitting End January 13th, 2018 Hannah, Michelle and I visited a barrio where a girl named Rachel’s NGO is. We met her at “Pan de Vida” restaurant yesterday. She is only 19! I had such as great time with Rachel this morning. We went to the barrio and planted vegetable seeds with the kids, and then we took a taxi to visit her house with her cousin and her friend, Marcelo. I spent the rest of the day walking and laughing. We finally found a Subway! David, Hannah, Maya and I laughed in the middle of the street for so long, for absolutely no reason and it was such a great moment. All day today I have been laughing at absolutely nothing, I think I might be sleep deprived but I feel great. I learnt in our talking circle just how great North South is. I had no idea that we specifically ask for women leaders to work with when we come stay in a comarca. I think that it is a great way to promote women’s power in the comarcas. I also was not aware that my teachers speak up about the hushed corruption in the villages while we are there. Apparently many members have quietly thanked them. I don’t think I could have ever lived this experience another time in my life. It is so unique. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I am so thankful that David, Rosa, and Geoff put all of their effort and time in to do this for us. On this trip, I’ve learnt that a change in perspective goes a long way. Being compassionate, respectful, patient and especially considerate are amazing features in a person. I’ve learnt through living with a group for a month that going slower with the ones you love is always better than going fast on your own. You have time. You always have time. I have learnt about patience and expressing honesty in a proper manner. I have learnt that whom you surround yourself with is so important. I have noticed that egos are very strong things, but overcoming that makes people so beautiful. This trip has underlined the importance of health for me. Taking care of your physical and mental well-being should be a top priority for everyone. Having access to such educated and experienced doctors is such a blessing.
Story by Sarah
Last Day in Nicaragua January 14th, 2018 There’s so much to process trying to wrap up and think about the trip that it’s definitely overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. Sarah asked what we think we’ve learn about ourselves this trip and it was interesting to start trying to think of specific things and put it into words, and to hear what they had to say. I realized that something I saw on Facebook really resonated with me about the trip in general, and that’s the difference between being happy and whole. I definitely wasn’t happy the whole time, but especially in Tuapi I spent a lot more time thinking about and being aware of all my emotions (instead of pushing the bad ones away). I think it’s a really important thing, because you can start to understand a lot more without pretending nothing’s wrong or wallowing in negative emotions. I think I really saw a difference writing in my journal in Tuapi (since I regretted not writing in Pozas and made it a point). Story by: Shannon
Reflections Sarah Anton (El Carrizal), Families: Rocha Hernández and Manzanares Favourite memory: Gallo pinto and coconut bread. Advice: Embrace every new experience and remember to be considerate of others! What the trip has taught you: Do what makes your heart happy and surround yourself with positive people.
Francesca Sandarly Colas (Las Pozas), Families: Calix Martinez and Escobar Anecdote: The teachers warned us about how much the locals love to gossip, but I never knew the extent to which they actually do so until I experienced them doing it. During my time in Las Pozas, I accidently curled up my ankle. One night, I went to Abril's house and her mom massaged my foot to soothe the pain. The next day, as I was walking around the village, every one kept asking me about my ankle... I guess that in less than 24 hours Abril's mom already had the time to gossip about my it ! Favourite memory: My favourite part of the trip was to meet all these great people that I would never met if it was not for that trip. Our conversation and the moments of laughter we shared together will always be engraved in my heart. Christmas day was the day that impacted me a lot, especially when we went to La Montana to give the toys and school supplies to the kids. When I saw the look on the children faces I had felt such a deep seated joy ! Also, for the rest of the day, I spent quality time with local friends and my family.
Jenna D’Alessio (Las Pozas), Families: Martínez Cruz and Wilson Favourite memory: Living life in Tuapi. Climbing the volcano was the best day of my life. Also the last four days in Granada was amazing. Advice: Embrace every moment, never be discouraged, always look at the positive, ask questions and don’t be shy! What the trip has taught you: I have learned how doing things that are out of your comfort zone and that scare you are not that scary. To embrace the awkward moments. To always stay true to yourself and that the most important thing in life is to follow your dreams.
David Gerchicoff (El Carrizal), Families: Lopez Pastrana and Zacarias Leuy Anecdote: I remember one day in El Carrizal, my backpack was super heavy and I thought, "hmmm... that's weird", but I didn't think too much of it and just walked home anyways. So then, I got home and opened the bag and I counted 7 rocks that were placed in my bag. I was so confused and my host mom kept screaming, "que barbaridad!!!" as I took out each stone one by one. Anyways, David (Olesik) and I then carried out an investigation to try to find out who was at the bottom of this practical joke. At first, I was sure it would be the mischievous Jania and Pati, but sure enough, Dona was all behind it and got Alejandra and Maya to do her bidding. I played dumb and Dona followed me on the bus as we were leaving just to confess to her plot. I thought this was a classic Carrizal Telenovela story.
Shannon Greisman (Las Pozas), Families: Calix Zepeda and Pinock Mateo Favourite memory: One of my favourite days on the trip was the day we went to Santo Tomas. I loved every part of it, from the conference with the mayor to hanging out in the Wifi park to getting my feet wet crossing the river to hanging out all afternoon in the sun, jumping off rocks and laughing and enjoying a pure moment of bliss. Advice: The advice I would have for anyone going on this trip is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and make the most out of every single moment. Try to put your worries aside and just be present and enjoy everything this beautiful trip has to offer. What the trip has taught you: This trip has taught me to be much more connected with all of my emotions and to appreciate them for what they are, good or bad. It has also taught me that it is worth embracing every new experience because you never know what you might get out of it.
Anita Hulley (Las Pozas), Families: Aguilar Martínez and Pinock Levy Anecdote: On the second day in Las Pozas, my little brother Danis showed me a book another student had brought a couple of years ago. It was a workbook for learning English. We spent the entire morning going over every single picture: I would read it in English and he would tell me what it was in Spanish. Favourite memory : Walking to La Uva and seeing the sunset, cooking coconut bread with my family in Tuapi, trying turtle and shark in Tuapi. Advice: Integrate with your family, study your Spanish, don’t be afraid to try new foods! What the trip has taught you: Be more positive, open-mindedness, eating beans for a month can wreak havoc upon one’s digestive system.
Maya Joncas (El Carrizal), Families: Martínez Andrade and Snaider Castro Favourite memory: Meeting my family in El Carrizal, having late night memorable conversations with my siblings, and watching the stars with all the kids. Advice: Practice your Spanish, push yourself to go out of your comfort zone (try not to rely on your classmates and the comfort of the English language, engage with the locals, again, practice your Spanish!). Always ask questions, make the most of the experience, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity! What the trip has taught you: It’s taught me to appreciate and reflect, to be more aware. You learn more when you separate yourself from the comfort of your own mind. I've learned to take advantage of every single opportunity that crosses my path and fully immerse myself in moments that are new territory.
Alejandra Lopez (El Carrizal), Families: Rocha Gonzalez and Favio Davis Anecdote: This trip was incredible and I’m glad I did it with these people. I just loved how everyone started to say “quelle horreur” after me, this was very funny, we had a great time. Favourite memory of the trip: When we met our families in El Carrizal, this was amazing, the love that we received that day was priceless. Advice for people going on the trip: Este viaje me ha cambiado la vida! You should go to value how amazing your life is right now! What the trip has taught you: Thanks to this trip now I know what I want in my life and what I don’t, my time is very valuable!
Reflections Michelle Malnasi (El Carrizal), Families: Umaña Jiron and Alfred Mairena Anecdote: I had such pure experiences with families in both regions. In the first comarca I had spent my whole time with my sister Marilin. We shared some of my favourite experiences on my trip as a whole. We would just talk about everything and everything and we both opened up to each other about some things that I haven't even told some of my friends at home. I didn't think this would happen but I care for her like a sister. It was crazy to me how we were living such different lives yet we were the same. We had this connection that is sometimes rare. My favourite memory with her was when I told her something about myself that in general the community was against. I was so nervous to tell her but when I did she completely accepted me and if anything after that we opened up to each other about much more significant things. In my family in Tuapi my best relationships had been with the kids. The unconditional love that we shared almost automatically is something that I find so special. The joy for life that they all had and the fact that we would just run around the community for most of the day just made me realize that the simple moments are really the only things you need to live a happy life. These types of relationships I developed in Nicaragua is really what made my trip as special as it was.
Mario Molhem (Las Pozas), Families: Rivera Ocho and Ortega Personal anecdote: Every morning I started the day with a short walk around the comarca, I would talk with the inhabitants and help them with their chores. I really felt like I belonged with them, like a second family. These sensations and experiences will remain engraved in my heart forever! Favourite memory: When we visited the volcano in Leòn, the Cerro Negro, seeing the sun set on one side and the moon rise on the other is something no one can forget. I particularly enjoyed going down, running through the black ashes with the amazing view all around me was on of my favourite moment on this trip. What the trip has taught you: I have witnessed a totally different lifestyle, making me understand better the inequalities around the world. But seeing how these people were so happy with the little they have was amazing and opened my eyes; maybe we became too materialistic and are slowly forgetting what is really important in life.
Abril Obregon (Las Pozas), Families: Martínez Mejía and Lerbina Carlos Anecdote: Confession time: The truth is that, I burned my face in Tuapi because I was tired of my pimples and decided to put toothpaste on them because apparently it can help remove them or something (S/o to Michelle for the beauty tip :’)). I felt a fresh sensation but had no idea that my face was burning overnight. I washed my face in the morning, without looking in the mirror and hoping to find flawless-looking skin. When I looked, it was like that moment in Shrek II when Fiona was horrified to see that she had become human again, except that it was the contrary for me. YOU THOUGHT HAHA, no, it was not flawless or anything close to it. I was the most narcissist and annoying girl that day, I cried all morning, thinking that the scars would never go away. Ale, Frankie and Michelle came over and tried to comfort me. I thought it was funny when they lied and told me that I did not look so bad. Well, after putting like a thousand cicatrisation products for the next month and a half, most of it went away. So basically, I beg you to double check them YouTube beauty hacks on your arm before messing with your face.
Meagan Sabourin (Las Pozas), Families: Ochoa López and Pinock Kingsman Favourite memory: My favourite memory would be my first night in Las Posas, playing games with my host family and communicating with them in the only way I knew how. Advice: Try to critically analyze everything that you do on the trip and create your own opinions on the activities/ work that you do on the trip. Try not to look at Nicaragua as a poor country that needs your help for you are not any better than these people are. What the trip has taught you: The trip has benefited how I view life in many ways but the most significant way is to live life to the fullest and not to feel the pressure of conforming to the society we live in.
Sam Singerman (El Carrizal), Families: Mendoza Ochoa and Delfina Carlos Favourite memory: Being immersed in the culture and singing and dancing with my family and friends. Advice: Take everything in, be patient. What the trip has taught you: I’ve been having a much more positive outlook on life since I’ve come back and I try to make the best of every situation.
Ashley Sutton (Las Pozas), Families: Martinez Carrasco and Artales Teafilo Favourite memory: A memory that I had of the trip was climbing the volcano. I really took the time to appreciate the beautiful scenery and take this time to reflect on my experiences so far. In the moment I just felt so thankful and I felt like I was truly happy. I sat on the top of the volcano with Jenna and David and watched the sunset. It was such a beautiful moment not only because of the view but because of the company that I was surround by and because of the experiences that I had on the trip so far. What the trip has taught you: The trip has taught me to embrace the awkward moments in life. On this trip I was faced with some pretty awkward and uncomfortable situations but when I decided not be scared and turned off by these situations the trip became a completely different experience for me. It became so much more fun and really allowed me to grow and experience everything instead of being scared away by these situations.
Hannah Vanhaelen (El Carrizal), Families: Martínez González and Lopez Personal anecdote: The trip really made me re-examine what's important to me in life. Simplicity is so nice, do not always be surrounded by some much stuff, but only what you need. This can truly make you happy. Favourite memory: Some of my favourite days were the simplest ones; just living life in the communities. Advice: Don’t worry! And try to stay in the moment as much as possible. What the trip has taught you: To make more time for myself, do little things that make me feel good.
Aniela Walewicz (El Carrizal), Families: Leiton-Hernández and Escobar Personal anecdote: How can I even describe this trip? There is no description I can make that would do it justice. Even now I'm still processing and reconciling what I learned there and how it changed me. This trip left a mark on my personal development that I hope to carry with me throughout the rest of my education and career. What the trip has taught you: This trip gave me a lot of hope. I now believe that poverty is something that can be conquered through the compassion and solidarity of people and that real change is coming in the world.
Farewell Nicaragua!
ยกHasta Luego!
Acknowledgements This field report is dedicated to the incredible Nicaraguan families who hosted us during our stay. Their hospitality, patience and companionship left a lasting mark on all of us and helped make this trip so impactful and unforgettable. We would also like to dedicate this book to the experts and community leaders who took time out of their schedules to present us with seminars that further enriched this learning experience. Furthermore, none of this would’ve been possible without our chaperones David Olesik, Geoff Kloos, and Rosa Valdes. Thank you so much for your leadership and support during this adventure. Special thanks to The Dawson College Foundation, Comite Carlota Van Schouvern, Dawson College's Student Success Action Plan, Les révérendes Soeurs de la congrégation de Notre-Dame, Dawson College’s International Development Office and to all those who supported and/or donated to the trip. You’ve given us an experience we’ll never forget.
Nicaragua, you will always be in our hearts, - The Field Report Team (Shannon Greisman, Anita Hulley, Abril Obregon, Hannah Vanhaelen, and Aniela Walewicz)