Well, our trip to Nicaragua has come to an end. As we are sitting in the Houston airport waiting for our next flight to Columbus, all of us can’t help but relax and reflect on the past 2 weeks we have endured. Everyone on the trip is exhausted (and rightfully so). We had our final group session last night in Managua at the San Agustin Hostel, our home away from home during our time abroad. We found ourselves getting emotional, and despite that there was so much to reflect upon, it was difficult to find the words to describe everything we were feeling. 

Our extraordinary tour guide, Cesar, posed the question, “what will you be leaving behind in Managua and what will you be taking back with you?” Perhaps, a simple question on the surface, it was so much more complicated than we realized. A reoccurring theme was leaving behind the notion that the “American way” is the right way. We came to a consensus after our home stay that we wished the families and citizens of Nicaragua should have/certainly deserved all of the luxuries we had in the United States (the luxuries we consider necessities and even take for granted on a regular basis… air conditioning, for example). But, we had to put ourselves in their shoes and understand that maybe that isn’t what they want. Just because Americans think certain things define happiness, does not mean that other people, countries, or cultures agree. We realized that simplicity in an individual’s lifestyle or culture goes an incredibly long way. With a focus on community, family support, hope, and commitment, almost anything can be accomplished.

As a group, we also discussed how each of us would try to make a conscious effort to be aware of the consumer we were exuding. For instance, instead of shopping at our typical stores or buying a Starbucks coffee everyday, we would intentionally purchase fair trade products in the U.S. We have seen the harm that can be present when a middle man is (or multiple middle men are) involved in the production of a specific product. Meeting and interacting with coffee farmers or jewelry makers has impacted our mentality of consumption greatly, as a $10 difference can go a long way for a family living in Nicaragua. 

Each of us reflected on the idea that we left behind hope and encouragement to the organizations we had the honor of meeting. They gave us their time in order for us to become more aware of the struggles/efforts taking place in the community. We promised to advocate on behalf of their mission and to also keep a look out for the same social justice issues occurring in our own country. We discovered a new/altered perception of the United States through these meetings and interactions. Beginning with our first speaker, Mark Lester, many of us were not only learning new things about Nicaragua, but about the United States too. Unfortunately, the information that was being presented was not brag-worthy. A country as developed and economically sound as we are, we have so much work to do considering how many resources we have available to us. We left being aware of how much power and control the U.S. really has – whether that be through consumption, imports/exports, war, trade, etc. Foreign relations are crucial and should be a two-way relationship, but sadly that is not always the case. 

While we made an effort to leave a lasting effect on the Nicaraguan people as American citizens, we also hope that we left an impact on them as college students from The Ohio State University. It was important for us to be attentive and show genuine interest in the topic being presented. All of us acknowledged how proud we were of the group’s efforts to stay involved and ask questions to learn as much as possible in our short time abroad. This eagerness to learn really showed as the speakers were so thankful for our travels and effort given. 

A few of our personal answers included: continuously pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones (in anything we do in life, especially during a program or stay abroad), to immerse ourselves in every culture we encounter, and to make a conscious effort to enjoy the differences that a country has from our own. For example, in the U.S., it is very uncommon to have anyone selling their products to you during a meal or outside of a bus. However, in Nicaragua it was an everyday norm. At times we had to evaluate our patience, as it was easy to get frustrated or feel as though our space was being invaded. We frequently reminded ourselves that many of these individuals are getting their sole income from the money they received on the streets or as a result of selling items to tourists. A simple “no gracias” sufficed if we were not interested, because in our opinion, being rude was not the appropriate route to take in such a situation.

Another thing we were going to bring back with us was the abundance of support given to each other from coworkers, neighbors, family members, and other organizations. In order to be the most successful, people realized that they must have a strong network of support. Nicaraguan society puts an emphasis on utilizing collective efforts to be successful, versus the individualistic mentality that often describes Americans. We truly feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to have observed a country with so much love for one another (they even welcomed us foreigners with an overwhelming amount of gratitude)! 

We will forever have a new perspective on poverty. As many of us have said, spending two short weeks here gave us a chance to put a face to a country that previously felt distant and unknown. It is difficult to understand the gravity of a situation or fully sympathize with the impoverished as there is no direct correlation for many people. Coming on this trip helped us humanize people in developing countries and make connections that will stay with us for many years to come. While we walked and greeted several communities who had so little, they had such big hearts. Not only were these families and individuals lacking economic wealth, they were also facing issues such as violence, labor disputes, or lack of government assistance. So on behalf of them, we hope to always be aware of the poverty around us and to take action whenever an opportunity presents itself.

As a group, we mentioned bringing back with us a newfound/stronger passions for human rights. The two of us talked about how there is a “high” or significantly strong feeling for a cause immediately after an experience like this. Since both of us have been on a trip centered around social issues before, we know the feeling that comes post-study abroad. However, we hope to continuously feel a tug on our hearts and heads in our daily lives when it comes to fighting for what every individual deserves. 

This trip has offered each of us so much knowledge, as well as lasting friendships. Although it may be obvious, study abroad trips can be really tricky due to the dynamics of strangers working together. Our group had a significant amount of achievements and lasting memories that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. We worked as a team, allowing our passions for human rights to lead us on an unforgettable journey. 

In conclusion, we want to thank The Ohio State University and the organization of CGE for conducting such an impactful trip. Dr. Davis and Professor Beth Ann were remarkable additions to this student program, as they offered unique perspectives and encouraged the independence of each student (but also a motherly hand when it was sought for). We will forever be grateful for the above and beyond efforts that were put in to making this experience such a success!

Lauren Jesch: Political Science, Nonprofit Management, and Middle East Studies Student going in to my third year!

Abby Wocher: Third Year Student in the John Glenn School, majoring in Nonprofit Management with a minor in Leadership Studies… and also now considering a Masters in Social Work :~) 

There is a special place in our hearts now and forever for the men, women and children of Nicaragua.

“Mucho gusto Nica, y adios por ahora” 

We have been in Nicaragua for a little over a week now, and as a group we have certainly been able to develop a small understanding of the culture that Nicaraguans live on a daily basis. Individually, these days abroad have given way to a variety of emotions. We find ourselves reflecting upon each agency, speaker, community member, client, or child, after every encounter. In this blog, we would like to emphasize the importance of community development, which was found to be central in the majority of the organizations we visited.

This idea of community development or family support, as some of the agencies called it, is crucial when it comes to seeing success in the programs that are implemented. Below we chose four organizations that not only impressed us, but also functioned very well due to the focus on community.

NicaHOPE, is an organization where community development was very prevalent. This organization offered a variety of programs and services to individuals who lived in the community of La Chureca. La Chureca is also known as the Managua city dump. This program was very inspiring in that its educational programs helped to motivate teenagers living in the impoverished neighborhoods to stay in school and learn techniques that would enable them to create an income for themselves, as well as their family. Since many of them are living in very poor conditions, they face the reality of drugs, prostitution, and domestic violence. This program allows for their clients to learn technical skills in their computer lab, be fed a hot meal provided by the foundation, and even learn how to craft jewelry of their own. Our group was able to interact with a woman who was previously on the streets and now serves as a teacher at the organization providing other young teens with skills that could alleviate the cycle of poverty. We even had the opportunity to purchase some of the jewelry that they created.

Casa Alianza is an organization that was founded on the premise of housing, feeding, rehabilitating, and reintegrating teenage victims of abuse, addiction, homelessness, or often all of the above back into society. The shelter thrives under individualized, long-term programs to not only protect at-risk youth, but aid in the process of their recovery for years to come. Casa Alianza is a branch of The Covenant House that promotes community development in more ways than one. Counseling services between the child and family are a large factor in to successfully transitioning the victim back in to everyday life after their program has completed. Various staff members go out in to the neighborhoods to rescue endangered children and give information to those in the community.

Los Pipitos is an organization made up of parents, relatives, and friends of children with disabilities. They work in solidarity in order to help improve the lives of the disabled and to protect their rights and dignity. They strive to integrate these children into the community and to be self-sustaining. In Nicaragua, there are a limited number of organizations that focus solely on aiding citizens whom have a physical handicap (the government itself provides very little support/funding to these programs as well). Los Pipitos emphasized how providing services to a child with disabilities was not just a responsibility for them, but mainly for the family or guardian. The organization would first assess the child and then begin immediately working with the family on ways to provide for their child. They offered the client support group sessions where they could grieve and also celebrate together as they did not want these families to feel like taking care of their child was always such hard work. If a child was also capable of functioning independently, they would teach them how to cook, how to clean, how to cooperate with others, and even would help them not only get a job but maintain it.

Community development at La Casona is a key factor in to the success of the societal reintegration process for the inmates at this facility. The stigma associated with men or women that have been incarcerated is an incredibly difficult obstacle to overcome emotionally and in the workplace. Social work students at UNAN in León along with the coordination of the Juvenile Issues Office of the Police Department partner with La Casona to work with people that are going through the program to help them transition back in to everyday life without falling victim to former criminal activities. The inmates have long days involving various therapeutic/stress-relief sessions and even interact with the young children at the educational program the facility offers. It is important to recognize that this type of arrangement is only offered to men or women that have prison sentences of less than 5 years, as anything more would probably not be possible. This organization promotes the art of theatre as a means of expression and a way to help the inmates feel as though they are doing something positive. The theatre group goes out into the community and performs for various groups. This not only benefits the incarcerated men or women, but helps alleviate the negative connotation often tied to those in prison.

Although the infrastructure of these organizations differ between Nicaragua and the United States, the same principles prevail. Human rights and community development are necessary sectors in today’s society. It is disheartening to see social workers or social justice advocates in this country have such a passion for change, but simply do not have the resources to reach the scope that they desire. When returning back home to Ohio, we can only hope that we can further advocate on behalf of these organizations’ missions to promote social justice.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Theresa

Until next time, adios!
– Lauren and Abby