Nicaragua

First Year Study AbroadDecember 2016

Program Overview 

This program is offered to first-year students who have an interest in agricultural and environmental issues on an international level. During fall semester of 2016, I was enrolled in a course to prepare for my trip to Nicaragua. We spent December 16-23 traveling throughout the country to visit agricultural businesses, farms and spent three days on a home stay in the rain forest. We were able to learn about the entire process of how coffee is made and even had the chance to pick coffee beans! We spent time learning about their culture and engaging with the people in the country. We discussed agricultural issues within the country and the relationship between the United States and Nicaragua. We also looked at Nicaragua’s level of development and their role of in the global economy.

FAES 3797.03

During the pre-departure course we researched and learned about news events happening within the country. In Nicaragua the language is Spanish so each week we practiced Spanish vocabulary to prepare us for this language challenge. It was great to spend a semester with the people we were getting ready to study abroad with. I had been out of the country once while in Spanish Club in high school where we traveled to Costa Rica and studied biology and Spanish. I was most excited that this program focused on agriculture and the environment. Before we left we studied the culture, history and environment of Nicaragua.

Traveling in Nicaragua

      Coffee berries

While in the country we traveled through Managua, Jinotega, Matagalpa, and Masaya. The highlight of the trip was spending three days with a host family. We stayed in Penas Blancas, which is this small community in the rain forest. I was paired with one other student, Kady, and we spent time learning about their daily life and developing a relationship with the family.

While in Nicaragua we were able to see the whole process of coffee from the plant to the store. We visited and talked with many agricultural business, one being Lala. Lala is a dairy processing plant. They make milk products, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

One of my favorite moments was seeing the active Masaya volcano. We were limited in the time we could spend at the top of the volcano because of the fumes it was releasing. When you looked into the volcano you could the bubbling, orange and red lava. This was one of the top 10 coolest moments of my life.

After Return Reflection

This education abroad gave me a wholesome look at the impact agriculture has on a country. Although, Nicaragua is an underdeveloped country, their people rely on agriculture for their livelihood. I was grateful for the experiences and people I met and realized the impacts political corruption can have on a society.