As our group of nearly 30 awaits a flight back to Columbus in the Atlanta, Georgia airport, there are many differences in comparison to our last nearly 6 hour layover I the same city. After 10 days in various Nicaraguan cities, new friendships and memories have been made. Furthermore, our minds have grown after submersion in an unfamiliar place and culture.

Photo by Kaitlin DeSimone

Throughout our 10-day experience in Nicaragua, our group was able to learn a few Spanish phrases, gain an understanding of the way in which agricultural commodities are grown and marketed, experience the daily life of a rural Nicaraguan family, discover how coffee is grown, picked, processed and marketed, and visit a beautiful historical cathedral in the city of Leon, among other escapades. Nicaragua became our classroom, and, needless to say our minds welcomed the new knowledge and experiences.

Photo by Abby Motter

As we return to Columbus it’s safe to assume that each individual will begin his or her 2016 spring semester with a refined sense of purpose, an appreciation for interpersonal relationship, and a love of learning. As a group, we are looking forward to being back in Columbus while looking back fondly at our memories made in Nicaragua.

As we departed from the Managua airport it was hard to say goodbye, although this program has created many wonderful long lasting memories and friendships. While on the plane, I worked on the last few journal prompts and looked back at the time we spent in Nicaragua. It’s amazing to look back and see how much we accomplished in 10 days. Our experiences ranged from creating bonds in the community of Garbo to swimming in a volcanic crater. At times it was exhausting and maybe we all weren’t feeling the greatest but not once did anyone regret participating in an activity.

My favorite aspect about this program was how I could gain such a vast range of knowledge within 10 days. We traveled to a country with some prior knowledge but we had so much to learn. The things we learned were only things that could be learned by experience. The words and opinions of the people helped shape our own thoughts about the country and all it has to offer. I learned so much about the coffee process and how much work it takes to produce a single cup. I honestly had no idea a coffee cupper even existed until this program.

It’s one thing to go through a life changing experience, but to do so with amazing colleagues and professors makes it even more special. Over the past 10 days I have learned so much about myself and my friends. I have learned that people are people no matter where you are in the world. Also that socioeconomic status doesn’t define who you are, and that friendships can be made even without speaking the same language.

Today was certainly one of the busier days! We had one our earliest mornings today and after breakfast we took the trek to begin our activities. We had the opportunity to speak with farmers and representatives from Prodessa about agriculture, differences in our production systems, and cultural/societal differences and their role in all of these things. After that, we had the opportunity to talk with two Nicaraguan veterinarians about the differences between methods of certification and studying between our two locations, the culture of animals in Nicaragua, and other general questions we still had about the agriculture industry here. To finish out our events for the day, we went to a local cattle operation where we got a special look at some very centralized cattle issues, we got to investigate a specific Nicaraguan cattle system, and we got to ask questions about livestock production. All of these activities, and all of things we have taken part in while here in Nicaragua thus far, have been truly amazing and eye-opening. However, we are very fortunate to be on this trip with our professors from The Ohio State University who guide us through all the changes and realizations we are making on this trip, in addition to guiding us through the learning experiences. We ended today in reflection led by our study abroad instructors and I am so grateful for The Ohio State University and the extraordinary faculty they have, who challenges us as students to grow and learn and think everyday.

After we got back from our tours we had dinner and then we began our evening meeting in an open space at our beautiful hotel. The meeting began with our professor expressing gratitude for the group and our willingness to participate in the program and bond with each other. After that, he posed us all some questions and encouraged us to answer. First, he asked us why we decided to go Ohio State. The answers ranged from things like “it was affordable”, “it was close”, and “there are so many opportunitites” to “the agricultural reputation”, “it’s a family tradition”, and “I just knew.” In your first year at Ohio State you get to hear a wide variety of reasons for why people picked the university, and you yourself have to justify your decision often, as well, and this makes you pretty aware of all the reasons why someone would decide to go here. He then asked us why we chose to go to Nicaragua through this trip. Some people mentioned that they heard about it and orientation, some said that it was one of the opportunities that they always wanted to take advantage of in college and specifically at Ohio State, some said because it was a good way to get credit and travel the world while also being financially reasonable, and some said that they just “winged it.” Since the trip is nearly over and we get closer and closer to beginning our second semester, it was kind of nice to reflect on and remember why we are where we are in the first place.

Photo by Abby Motter

The last question that he asked was why we all selected the majors that we did. On this trip, the majority of the students are Animal Science majors, however, the following majors are also represented: Meat Science; Forestries, Fisheries, and Wildlife; Agribusiness and Applied Economics; Agricultural Education; Entamology; and Environment, Economy Development, and Sustainability. That being said, many of us had different reasons for picking the majors that we did. However, what was challenging about this question is that our professor pushed us to answer the question “why?” five times after we gave our reason behind our choice. I personally am so grateful for this trip because it has allowed me to reevaluate my life, the things I value, and things I want to do. Studying abroad and going to a different country, especially through a program like this, genuinely is life changing. During this meeting it was very evident that I was not the only person that has been affected by this trip in such a deep way; during the meeting we all thought deeply about the things we wanted for our lives, why we wanted them, and how our time at college and this trip have both affected all of this. All of us on this trip have the amazing opportunity to travel the world, to travel the world with friends, to grow closer to professors, to learn about international agriculture, to see cultural differences, and (maybe most importantly) to challenge ourselves to grow as professionals, leaders, and individuals, and we could not be more grateful.

On the afternoon of Jan 9th a small group of us went to visit with a Nicaraguan village that is known for their pottery. While we were there, we got to actually watch one of the villagers make a piece of pottery. I was amazed that he was able to spin a fairly large piece of pottery in less than 5 minutes. It was also very interesting learning about the different tools they use in the pottery making process. For example, their polishing tools and colors were from various rocks, minerals, or even seeds that are native to the land. Also, the paintbrushes were made from old pens and the hair of some of the women in the village and the detailing tools were made from bicycle spokes. It was truly an amazing process and the resulting lives of pottery were fantastic.

Photo by Abby Motter

There was so much we learned from this visit especially about culture and tradition. It was amazing that these people were able to continue using the same process for hundreds of years and keep creating the same incredible pottery. I also think it’s awesome that the whole community was brought together towards the common goal of preserving their tradition and culture. 95% of the villagers are involved in the pottery making process and it is their main source of income. We were only there for a short time, but they definitely taught us a lot.

Photo by Abby Motter

Before coming to Nicaragua, I had a goal of making some sort of personal growth during the program. The visit with the pottery making village definitely stuck some chords with me. After the visit and while I was journaling I realized that I hope to preserve the rich tradition and even the culture that I have had in my life. This could be anything from baking the same famous cookie recipes as my grandma and great-grandma to continuing to keep in touch with my huge extended family through family reunions or other events. The village really showed me the importance of tradition, culture, and family.

Today in my opinion, was the best day of the trip by far. The plan for the morning was to head over to Laguna de Apoyo. I was looking forward to this day the most because I did a lot of research on it because it was the subject of my final. This beautiful lake was once actually a volcano but about 2,300 years ago a huge explosion left a crater which eventually filled up with rainwater and became the lake it is today. Fun facts: the lake reaches depths of 656 feet, is considered the the lowest point in all of, and is the cleanest water in all of Nicaragua.

After waking up very early and eating breakfast the group drove about 45 minutes to lake, arriving at around 8 a.m. Let me just tell you, driving down into the crater to the lake is one othe most beautiful experiences you could witness. The first thing all of us noticed is how big the lake actually is in person. By the time we reached our hotel/resort destination, the excitement of the group was palpable. It only grew even more as we walked through the hotel, seeing all the gorgeous trees and flowers, cabanas and huts, and hearing all the beautiful tropical birds chirping away. What makes it even better is that because we got there so early, we had this paradise to ourselves. After placing our orders to prepare for lunch and lathering on sunscreen (because as I’ve learned the hard way the Nicaraguan Sun is not something you want to mess around with), we walked past the beach shore, to the water, and jumped right on in. The water was just the perfect temperature for the day, cold enough to be refreshing but warm enough so that it wasn’t too cold. It was also so clear and blue, almost as if it was one of those picture ads for the Bahamas come to life. About 10 feet off the the shore was a steep drop forcing all of us to actually swim. We all spent hours here swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, and soaking in the sun on a floating dock about 50ish feet off shore. After awhile lunch was served where so,e of had pizza, others had fish, and the rest a good old hamburger.

Photo by Abby Motter

All in all this day was definitely very enjoyable for everybody. It was a much needed R&R day after several days of constant traveling, and not only that but it was also a wonderful way to solidify the friendships we’ve made on this trip; making it a very good way to spend our final day in Nicaragua and wrap up the trip.

Photo by Abby Motter

Tonight, we had another amazing dinner at our hotel. We all had a great day hearing from Cargill and seeing the Masaya volcano. After coming home for dinner, we staring the evening discussion and activities. Our activity tonight examined socioeconomic status and how we relate to a typical Nicaraguan family. As Mr. Hornsby read statements, the students and Dr. Hattey (representing a Nicaraguan family) took steps forward or backward depending on our answer to the question. “Good” answers moved forward and “bad” answers moved backward.

This activity showed us how truly blessed all of us are with everything that we have. At the end of the activity, many of the students had a few steps in between. There were groups toward the front and some groups toward the back of the pack. However, Dr. Hattey was miles behind us. I think that some of us had never really realized how much more we have than Nicaraguan people. Even though people do have hard times and do go through a lot, it is difficult to grasp how far ahead each one of us is from a typical Nicaraguan family. I think that this activity showed us that we should feel blessed to have been dealt the hand that we were in life and humbled to live so easily.

I think that this activity will leave an impact on everyone that went on this trip. Many points of our pre-departure course encouraged us to view the difference between Nicaraguan culture and communities and those of the U.S.A. This activity highlighted those differences and allowed us to learn and grow from them. When we arrive home, each one of us will all be better people because of this trip. Another part of this activity that I loved was that it taught you not to judge a book by its cover. I never expected some of my peers that were in the back to be in the back and vice versa. Another thing that I learned was that no matter where a person stood, they are going through their own personal struggle. This thought allowed me to realize that every single person you meet is fighting a battle that you know nothing about. This program helped me to think that if everyone realized this, the world would be a much better place.

I am so excited for everything else that this program has to offer. Looking forward to learning from another eventful day, I wish everyone here in Nicaragua and back home the best of luck.

After the Cargill presentation, we went to a local artisan market to buy souvenirs. There was so so much stuff there-hammocks, maracas, wooden carvings, jewelry, and tons more. It was awesome to walk around and see all the crafts from local Nicaraguans! After shopping, we got on the bus to drive to the Masaya volcano. The volcano was incredible, the view was amazing and the pictures were great. The sulfur dioxide was a bit irritating to the lungs, but it was definitely worth it to be able to see into an active volcano. After the volcano, we headed home, but stopped by a local supermarket. It was interesting to compare prices of products to the ones back home.

Photo by Abby Motter

When we were at the supermarket and artisan market, the main observation was the comparison of prices. A lot of products in Nicaragua are cheaper than in the United States, but but are really expensive for Nicaraguans, since the average monthly income is 400-800 cordobas, 400 being the extreme minimum necessary to living, which is equal to about $15 a month. The poverty in Nicaragua is extreme and kills many people every day. Going to the volcano was really cool because volcanos are a huge part of the Nicaraguan history and culture. They form many parts of the land, such as the lake we are going to swim at on the 9th.

I really enjoyed the activities we did today because they focused on a more cultural, day to day lifestyle of Nicaraguans and what shapes their history. I was very excited to see the artistic part of the Nicaraguans culture, such as their crafts and the artistic representation of volcanic history, like the ones we saw in the Masaya Volcano museum. There are always two sides to a story, the indigenous Nicaraguan’s side is often overlooked, although it’s a beautiful and rich story.

First, it was really nice to sleep in a little bit this morning! We had a great breakfast and were soon joined by two representatives from Cargill Corporation. One gentlemen was a vet, the other one was a manager of production. They shared with us some of the companies history, it’s work in Central America and how it operates here in Nicaragua. Cargill owns Tip Top Chicken, formerly a Nicaraguan company, and owns a feed mill, hatcheries, and processing facilities. Here in Nicaragua Cargill not only processes for stores on a large scale, but also delivers their product to mom and pop shops which allows them to form strong connections with their consumers.

The company focuses a lot on social development programs, for example, here they assist 21 different primary schools in providing mid morning snacks and improving safety. The health and safety regulations, as well as environmental laws are followed in every country Cargill operates, some countries like Nicaragua has lax laws so Cargill will follow its own stringent regulations. The company also works in providing small farmers with resources and training on how to form cooperatives and produce a higher quality product. This helps Cargill receive more of a quality product to process as well. They have 2,500 full time employees and are very dedicated to their poultry receiving the best care. The vet insures the animals are provided with the appropriate vaccinations, housing, and feed. He oversees over five million birds!

Talking with Cargill was extremely beneficial for our group because we all have an interest in animal sciences. The company also offers great internships and career opportunities for students studying agriculture. It was interesting to learn about the large scale production, but also the care and attention they provide to the communities and product quality.

“Why did you choose Ohio State?”
“Why did you choose the Nicaragua study abroad program?”
“Why did you choose your major?”

At first these seem like fairly simple questions. We’ve all been asked them at one family function or another. And for the most part, we have pretty sound answers. So tonight at our discussion when Tim asked us these questions, we were confident with our answers. It was only a problem when he asked why again.

“What so you mean, why?” We asked. “We just told you why”.

“I’m not asking the same why. I’m asking why you choose to answer your first why the way you did.”

This ‘second why’ lead to questions like, “why do you like animals” and “why do you care about the environment”. These lead to a ‘third why’, questions like “why do you want to help people” and “why do you want to be happy”.

The thought process, and the purpose of this discussion, is basically that you can start with a seemingly simple question, an ask yourself “why” five times. By the fourth or fifth “why”, you will be reaching your deepest motivations and wants and fears.

This kind of self questioning and introspection can be used to evaluate some major life decisions, and to learn more about yourself.

It was also an important step for us to be so personal, so open, and so honest with each other. It was a show of trust and closeness that speaks to how we all are growing as individuals and a group.