Track 1: Day 7-9 - Letters from Nicaragua

Mom and dad - Thank you - For everything that I have and everything that you do for me!! 

"Esta Bien" is what Max kept saying to our little friend Josue (8 year old son of Chepita & Pedrito) as we were hugging and as tears were streaming down our faces...

I can't believe the overnight stay in Los Alvarez is over!!  Before we got there, I was dreading it... not because I didn't want to do it, but because I didn't know what to expect... Would I be sleeping on the floor? Is there running water? Would I get sick from the food they made? I don't speak much Spanish... how would I communicate? These past two days seemed like 2 hours and there is so much to tell I have no clue of where to begin...

As I came on this trip I couldn't wait to make a difference in their lives. I couldn't wait to build something or make their lives better, but after these past 2 days... man, was I completely wrong!! They have changed my life in ways that I never thought possible. They don't have much, but have more love and care than most people I have ever met... They treated me like their own family, and I couldn't have felt more comfortable and happy about it.

One experience I will share because there were so many, was this...

My friend Juan, the funny one I was telling you about, came running up to my door (my family and I were playing cards). All of us students stayed pretty close by in homes, so it wasn't uncommon to visit each other... Anyway, it was pouring down rain, and all of the sudden Juan pops in the doorway and was frantically telling us we need to come and help...something about Mandarin's and Oranges...  so I threw on my shoes and headed out on the muddy road about 100 feet away. When we got there, we realized that a large truck empty with no fruit in it sat at the bottom of a hill... and about 300 yards up the muddy road, were thousands of oranges, mandarines, and lemons that needed to be loaded up into this truck at the bottom of the hill. Because the road was so muddy, the truck couldn't make it up which meant we had to make sure these thousands of fruits got down the hill somehow, so that this family could eat this year... So we proceeded to bag  80-100lb sacks and the men would carry them down the muddy trail.  We repeated this process about 100 times...   My hands hurt so bad just from bagging oranges, so I can't imagine actually carrying them up and down the hill... Mom and Dad, our group is so awesome!! I have learned so much about hard work from not only the people of Nicaragua, but my classmates and friends from home.

Needless to say, it was an experience of a lifetime. Yes, we finally finished it, but with much more than sore hands or shoulders... possibly a greater appreciation of our own lives.  When we started it was just a bunch of oranges... which was their livelihood, But now it's a part of my soul. It became my livelihood, and now I understand... or think I do anyway.

Again, there is so much that happened, that I will share when I get home.  I'll try and write again before I see you.  I can't make any promises, but just know that i'm growing more and more everyday and that I'm safe.  Yes, I'm eating and wearing plenty of sunscreen and the hand sanitizer you bought is getting great use...

It's an experience I will never forget. One that is too special for words at this moment...

Thanks again for all that you do!!

Te Amo,

Your favorite kid in Nicaragua

Track 1: Day 3-6 Letters from Nicaragua

Hi Mom & Dad!  Sorry it's been a few days since we last talked. Glad you liked the pictures I sent in my last letter. We've been really busy here, with little to no sleep... surprisingly, I'm doing fine (At least the students are fine anyway)!

Just because you asked me to when I called you a couple of days ago from the internet cafe, here is what I have been up to:

We went to an active Volcano called, Santiago, West of Masaya. We learned that this is where the indigenous cultures were developed. The drive to the top of the volcano was about 15 Min., but here, you have the option to walk to the top if you want... so most of us decided to make the 90 minute journey. No we didn't make it to the top, we were too slow, so we hopped in the vans about half way up and rode the rest  of the way. It was AWESOME!!

After our long walk We went to the park and had fruit smoothies. The staff here want to make sure we are eating enough fruit and staying hydrated... I guess they know how to get us to eat our fruits and veggies (are you sure you haven't been calling them?!). And you would not believe it but we were break-dancing in central park Masaya with the local Nicaraguans...(another story for a different day)

We came back to the OI office and learned about tools and did dramatizations with the tools we would be using for the "Water Line" project in the community the next day.

Then to end the night we practiced for the cultural talent night, which we were invited to perform at the next evening. It was hard coming up with something as a big group but we did it. Those summer camp songs you hated so much the week after camp was over, finally paid off!!

Next day...

Breakfast was at 6am sharp. I slept alright, but the morning comes so early and no, I still didn't see the sunrise.

 We left for La Prusia (city in Nicaragua) to work on the "Water Line" project.  We spent 1/2 day trenching, laying pipe, and reburying the line. It was very hard, but such an awesome experience working alongside the community. The project was successful and we were able to complete it in less time than expected. Our group really got in there and worked hard. It was so worth it - the community was very happy with our work.

 After lunch at the OI office, we returned back to La Prusia for our cultural night talent show and it was so cool. At first we were very nervous to perform. It kinda felt like high school where the boys and girls were on different sides of the room, except it was split between us and the community. But after the talent show and by the end of the night, we were singing, dancing and having so much fun we didn't want to leave.

Next day...

Has it already been 6 days?!?!  It's gone by too fast.

This morning 1/2 of the group went to do home-stays in San Lucia, and the other 1/2 stayed in Masaya.

I'll talk about the home-stay in a few days, because we are about to have another delicious dinner,but a quick rundown of what we did in Masaya today was this:

We ate breakfast, visited the market, went to the park in Granada, and took a boat tour of the Islands on lake Managua... "Amazing" - sooo cooool!

Now we are headed back to the hotel for some "reflection" time (deep, I know!).

 Everyone is still pretty awesome!! Especially this one guy on the trip that says really funny things, and only eats peanuts for meals. I'll tell you more about him later. They call him Juan...

Anyway - Yes, I'm wearing plenty of sunscreen, drinking plenty of water, and looking both ways before crossing the street.

Hasta Luego (Until next time...)

Your favorite kid in Nicaragua!

Track 1: Day 2 - Letters from Nicaragua

Dear rents',

We started the day off with a hardy meal... Eggs, Beans and Rice (Pico de Gallo), cheese, and awesome freshly squeezed grape-juice.

We headed straight to the OI office and the training began. We started by writing down our goals and objectives and what we wanted to get out of our experience here in Nicaragua. It's kinda funny because I was nervous to share with everyone, but after this exercise, I realized we all wanted the same things... Aprender (to learn)!

After an intense day of training We went to an old fort (Prison) built in 1889 by the liberals to protect Masaya from the conservatives, called Coyotepe. It was a historic Site that taught me so much about the history of Nicaragua (I told you I would learn something...).

After that, we went back to the OI office and Bayardo (staff member) gave us the history of Alcance Nicaragua, which was really fascinating. I was surprised at how much we have grown with such little resources in such a short amount of time.

After what seemed like another long day, we played cards and dominos and headed back to the hotel to catch some shut-eye.

I heard a quote from one of my new friends Jamie that really captured a lot of how most of us are feeling, or I think anyway..."I came on this trip because  I wanted to see what life was like in a
developing nation. What you hear about and see in pictures, is nothing like being here in person. I am very much anticipating the adventures tomorrow will bring."

So with that... i'm anxious, but looking forward to what tomorrow will bring!

Hasta Luego (Until next time...)

Your favorite kid in Nicaragua!

Track 1: Day 1 - Letters from Nicaragua

Dear Mom and Dad,

First of all, WE MADE IT SAFE!! (Alright, now onto the details...)

We left Kansas City at about 6:00am this morning (Wednesday) after a night of about 30 minutes of sleep (the excitement was just too much for most of us to handle).  The plane ride was uneventful and most of us slept through the first flight to Atlanta (which meant no cookies or drink). The flight to Nicaragua was bitter sweet as we were all excited, anxious, and nervous to get there and finally experience everything we had been
preparing for. :)

We finally arrived to Managua, Nicaragua, shed the winter gear and threw on shorts and sunscreen (I know what you're thinking... rough life right?!?). After we got our passports stamped, we loaded our luggage, and our adventures on the ground had finally begun...

The 30 min. ride to the hotel in Masaya was a bumpy one (Nicaraguan drivers are fast and seldom stop for pedestrians). We saw so much, just in the first 30 minutes some things the same, but mostly all surroundings different. Don't worry...we arrived safe and sound to the Hotel Masaya, unscratched and starting to view
our worlds from a different perspective.

We got all settled into the hotel and the accomodations are more than we could have hoped for... Beds, air-conditioning, showers and bathrooms! With  low expectations of what was to come, this was a comforting surprise.

Wait.. there's more!! After a long day of travel, it didn't stop there... we went to the office of Alcance Nicaragua to meet the wonderful staff we have all heard so much about - They are great and really seem to know what they are doing. We had a great lunch, learned more about OI, went to exchange US Dollars into Cordobas and finished the afternoon off with visiting the market and having smoothies in the park...

We went back to the office and played cards and dominoes. Everyone here is really cool and we are all getting along really well - lots of laughter and divertido (fun). Yes, I am learning a little bit of Spanish... It was a lot, but what a cool and life-changing first day.

After what seemed like the longest day eveeeer, we turned into the hotel for a good nights rest.  Safe and sound!!

Hasta Luego (Until next time...)

Your favorite kid in Nicaragua!