This week in Managua, we had the opportunity to visit more organizations revolving around issues of poverty and adolescents. Kids in this community are living in more extreme poverty compared to other areas of Managua. Their families’ source of income often came from selling drugs or digging for recyclable materials in the dump to sell to a processing plant. The average income for these families was around $2 a day and most kids were lucky to get one full meal every day.

The first organization we visited was called NicaHOPE. This was an organization that offered before and after school programs and vocational and skills training. Younger students from pre-school age to 6th grade attended regular school in the morning and went to the NicaHOPE location for the afternoon. For the younger kids, NicaHOPE offered a place to continue learning, reading, a place to relax or get help with homework, a place to play, dance, and practice other skills, as well as receive other meal. Kids in middle and high school went to NicaHOPE in the mornings to learn computer skills or how to make jewelry then attended formal school in the afternoon.

Additionally, NicaHOPE offered a co-op with single mothers to create jewelry in order to help them provide for themselves and their children. The co-op often sold their jewelry, ornaments, and bracelets to American groups like us and other delegates.

The overarching purpose for NicaHOPE was to take young kids off the streets and prevent them from getting stuck in a cycle of selling drugs or picking garbage and recyclables. This organization provided a safe place for these kids and mothers to grow and learn skills, or even graduate from high school, in order to break the cycle and achieve better lives for themselves.

Similarly, the second organization, Casa Alianza, was a transitional home for abused, homeless, or drug addicted youth aged 13-17. The home provided therapeutic services and a safe place to live in order to overcome their experiences, break cycles of violence, and become productive members of their community. Through three stages involving adaptation, recovery, and reintegration, with the help and support of the families if possible, the residents were able to develop the skills necessary to have more success than they would have without the program. The first 30 days required the kids to stay at the home 24/7 and had to follow a strict schedule of planned activities. After that time period, they were able to attend school while they continued their scheduled activities. Therapeutic activities included things like yoga, sports, massages, crafts, etc. Other sources of rehabilitation involved natural medicines for mental health, group sessions, and eating lunch with a family member once a week. Additionslly, the kids were not allowed access to cell phones or internet in order to protect themselves from their abusers and to fully commit to an environment focused on recovery.

The organization only worked when each resident truly wanted to be there and knew they needed that kind of help. One example of a successful story was of a former resident who had always dreamed of being a chef. While at Casa Alianza, he learned the skills necessary to get a job as a chef in a nationally recognized hotel in Managua.

In general, both of these organizations provided us with insight to the lives and resources available to young kids living in especially underprivileged areas in Managua.

Thanks for reading our blog as we adventured through Nicaragua these past 2 weeks. Before we go back home, we wanted to share a little about ourselves for you to take with you.

Anna –
Nicaragua has been such a unique experience for me. Choosing this program as my first study abroad trip, as well as my first time going out of the country, has truly opened my eyes more than I could have imagined. The most shocking thing to me about coming here is that the longer I stay, the more I realize we aren’t that different. The same groups face discrimination and danger when stepping outside their homes, women are a force to be reckoned with if given the right opportunity, poverty comes in all shapes and sizes, and the corruption and greed is endless. But so is hope and the willingness that people have to put efforts in for justice and human rights. And seeing the commitment here by so many different organizations and different kinds of people, all hoping to acheive the same thing one day, has shown me that we can never give up in our fight for equal rights and fair treatment. My favorite site we visited was Volcano Masaya. Standing on top of such an unpredictable part of nature made me feel the power and beauty our world holds. My favorite organizations we visited were the HIV/AIDS prevention group and Juanita, a transgender woman who told us her story and her battle with her identity in this kind of society.
I plan to graduate from OSU this December with a degree in Psychology and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. I hope to either receive a Masters in social work to work with youth in the Huntington’s Disease community who plan to test young or start my own business that connects rehabilitated pets in the shelter system with survivors of violence. We will just have to see what the future holds!

Emma – Unlike Anna, this was not my first study abroad experience nor was it my first time leaving the country. All of my experiences abroad have been very unique and immensely impactful and this trip was no different. I learned so much from the people and the culture of Nicaragua and I feel as though my world view has expanded accordingly. One of the most important things I will take away from this experience is the importance of community in making positive and lasting change. Whether it is through human rights advocacy or forming co-ops to receive fair wages, the importance of community can be seen in the everyday lives of the Nicaraguan people and I was so thankful to become a part of this community through our home stay with a family in Leon. Our family taught us so much and every conversation I had with them in my broken Spanish made me feel like I truly belonged. I have never had an experience like that in my life and I have never fallen in love with anyone that quickly. My time in Leon is something I will never forget because the bonds I formed with Xiomara, Victor, Ivan, Alexa, and Brittany are unlike anything I have ever known. I miss them so much and hope to see them again.
I have so many great memories in Nicaragua, although my time with my host family stands out, I will also hold onto my experience at the volcano and the market in Masaya, salsa dancing at the club in Leon, and all of the stories and testimonies I have heard in my time here. I will never forget the lessons I learned in Nicaragua and I will always cherish my community and be grateful for the things that I have.
Going forward, I will be traveling to Spain to hike the Camino de Santiago de Compostela where I hope to use my Spanish and meet some more incredible people. Then, I will be graduating in August with degrees in political science and international affairs before taking a gap year and applying to law school.

Mucho amor de Nicaraguita!
Emma Timan and Anna Lunsford

On Saturday morning, the group had an emotional departure from León and our host families. After a quick lunch and recoup period, we headed out to meet Julio Cesar Mena, the Executive Director of an organization working on HIV/AIDS prevention, education, and human rights in Nicaragua. He first gave us a quick rundown of the climate of HIV/AIDS in Nicaragua and the stigma around the disease in his community. Julio also shared his personal testimony about how he contracted HIV and his struggles with the disease since.

During the Nicaragua revolution in the 1980s, Julio was a 17 year old soldier in the military. He was severely wounded and dying when a friend gave him a blood transfusion to save his life. In the early 1990s, he tried to donate blood at Red Cross when they denied him and sent him home. Later, men came in hazmat suits to his home and carried him out on a stretcher, tied down. Julio mentioned that he vividly remembers all the neighbors coming outside to watch. It was obvious to them that something was wrong. That was the beginning of his constant struggle with the disease and the stigma associated with it.

It was Valentine’s Day. He was sitting alone in a hospital room when he asked a nurse for water. She came back with a disposable cup and the doctor followed her in. When the doctor came in the room, he told Julio to sit across the room and not come near him. That was when the doctor told him he was HIV positive and only had 5 years to live.

He was taking 90 pills a day. 30 at each meal.
He could no longer find a job.
His daughter ended up being infected and dying from liver failure.
She died while he was holding her in his arms.
His wife left him and moved to Miami.
He became an alcoholic and drank for 3 months straight.
He was hospitalized and in a coma for 12 days. He left the hospital weighing 60 lbs.
His family started planning his funeral.
They stored his coffin under his bed and ordered all the food.
The family served him meat for every dinner and spoiled him.
No body had any faith he would survive.

The night before the 5 year mark, he thought he would die in his sleep. The next morning, he was afraid to open his eyes because he was sure he had died. When he heard the roosters crow, he asked himself “Are there roosters in Heaven?” Then he finally realized he was still alive and he had new found hope.

It took him a while to realize how he had even contracted HIV. The common myth is that it is through sexual contact rather than drugs or anything else in Nicaragua. He recalled his family asking him first if he was gay or a sex worker. When he realized it was his friend from the war, he immediately wanted to find and kill him. He found an address for him in León. He went there only to find the man’s mother. She told him he had moved to Honduras for good. When Julio asked her to call him and tell him that he was there and needed to warn him about having HIV, the mother instantly began crying. Her son had died in Honduras from symptoms related to the disease. That was satisfaction enough for Julio.

After that, he began this organization to educate others and prevent the further spread of HIV. Today he is married and has another daughter. He now only takes 16 pills a day and has a better reason to wake up every morning. Through the organization, they have been able to test hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country. They provide education and other resources to communities at greater risk and were even able to prevent the further spread of the disease in a smaller community when one person came forward. He has built incredible relationships through his organization and his life has great purpose. You could tell that what he does now, because of his experiences, has made a huge impact in the uncountable lives of Nicaraguan people.

Take away thoughts form this experience:
1. Take a moment to know to people’s story. We never know what someone has struggled through and it is important to always take that into consideration before judging them.
2. Do your research and know your facts. Even the doctor was nervous about being close to Julio due to misunderstood myths about HIV/AIDS. It’s important to consider their feelings and show love to everyone despite, and especially be share, of their struggles.
3. Don’t fall victim to the stigmas and stereotypes around you. Specifically, do all that you can to counter them and dismantle them in your society.
4. Even through hard times, find a reason to wake up in the morning. Don’t let the world get the best of you. Use your struggles, learn from them, and make the world a better place because of them.
5. Be strong. Never lose hope.

Mucho amor,
Anna Lunsford & Emma Timan

This week, we had the opportunity to leave our hotel in Managua and have an authentic Nicaraguan experience with a host family in Leon. By living in the community of a family, we were able to integrate ourselves into a new culture even if it was only for a brief time. When we arrived in Leon, many of us were nervous because we did not know what to expect and the language barrier would surely be a challenge. Although some people spoke Spanish, others were very limited in their ability to verbally communicate but they were able to adapt throughout the week and they were interested in learning some basic Spanish.

When we arrived at the university we got to hear the perspectives of social workers and social work students and it was fascinating to hear their perceptions of Americans. When asked what they thought in terms of American culture, one student referenced the American Pie movies. They asked us what we thought about Nicaragua thus far and we responded by saying we felt very welcome. Then, we met with our host families and began the awkward first stage of what would become a very meaningful relationship. We were welcomed in their home and they went out of their way from the start to make sure that we were happy and comfortable. Xiomara, our host mom bought us cokes and moved the fans around so that we would stay cool in whatever room we were sitting in. Victor, our host dad spoke with Emma in Spanish for hours and expressed his opinions about Nicaragua. Later, our host brother Ivan and our host sister Alexa came home from school. At first, they were very nervous and hesitant to approach us but by the evening, Ivan was showing us all of his Lightning McQueen toys and Alexa was asking us to teach her some English. We were able to bond quickly with the whole family.

Beyond our immediate host family, we also had neighbors downstairs who we became very close with. Sandra and her granddaughter Brittany became friends of ours and we were eager to play and laugh with them each night on their patio. Brittany was so smart and sassy that she constantly had us all laughing. Ultimately, our time in Leon led us to new experiences whether that was salsa dancing, surfing at the beach, or just falling in love with the Nicarguan people. We are so grateful for all of the hospitality and love that we received from our family this week and we know that our experience in Nicaragua would not have been the same without this new relationship and all of the knowledge we gained from our new friends.

Some things to consider for our return to America and your life there now:

1. Be welcoming and be kind. Our host family was so incredibly hospitable. They went above and beyond to make purified ice for us, always filled our water bottles without us asking, and told us they were honored to have us when we had to say goodbye. They were extremely sweet and did more for us than we ever imagined they would to make us feel comfortable. We think Americans should learn a quick lesson from this and always remember to make others feel as welcomed, loved, and cared for as possible.
2. Be content. The family’s home was small, crowded, and perfect. The living room where we spent most of our time was probably 6 ft by 10 ft and it often had 4-7 people in it. The walls were covered in pictures of the family and the furniture was crammed where ever it would fit. Little Ivan would bring out his toys to play for a while then quietly put them back and grab the next from a bin in his room that he shared with his sister. We learned that space is not as necessary as Americans think and that we have the capacity to be happy with exactly what we have.
3. Focus less on material items and more on people. Seeing the way that our family interacted with each other and their neighbors and even strangers buying juice from their porch really showed us how important building relationships is. In the era of technology, kids are focused on IPads and Instagram, not the cute little girl next door. They aren’t playing “truth or dare” with a dirty water bottle on the patio or drawing sweet pictures of snails larger than houses. We need to realize again how important and fun having close friends can be.
4. You don’t need to speak the same language to laugh with and be accepting of others. Americans are often focused on the idea that everyone who lives or moves to the US needs to speak English and speak it well if they want to stay. Our family and everyone we have met in Nicaragua has been so patient and understanding as we struggle with the language barrier. We will definitely re-enter the US with a new perspective for immigrants and those who don’t speak English as their first language.
5. Even SPF 100 doesn’t work down here.

Thanks for reading!

Mucho amor,
Emma Timan and Anna Lunsford