The last two days of our trip were a beautiful end to an amazing trip. These days were a mix of relaxing, educational,and beautiful. On Friday morning, we visited the Masaya Volcano National Park. The volcano had a particular beauty, as it was an enormous crater filled with an abyss of white clouds. The height of the volcano allowed us to see the picturesque landscapes of Nicaragua.
In the evening, we had our last presentation with Father Fernando Cardenal, SJ. Father Cardenal heavily participated in the Nicaraguan Revolution during the 1980s, was offered to be the Ambassador to the United States for Nicaragua, and lead a nation wide literacy campaign. He was a walking, living, breathing piece of Nicaraguan history which is what made him unique from the other presentations. However, what made him especially rememberable is how well he was able to sum up the mission and purpose of social work. “One must always remember to love, self-sacrifice, and not destroy oneself through selfish actions,” was his final message to us before giving each and everyone of us a hug. He was truly inspirational.
On Saturday, we journeyed to the city of Granada. The colonial, colorful city was a stark contrast to the urban, industrial Managua. We spent our day on a boat ride on the lake, exploring and shopping in the city, and swimming in the lagoon. This relaxing day showed us the natural beauty Nicaragua has to offer that we did not get to see much of earlier in the trip. It was a perfect way to end this experience, and reminded us that every place, no matter its social problems, has a natural beauty to be enjoyed.