Central American Studies

When we planned our trip to Central America I knew almost nothing about Nicaragua. I had a vague notion of a dangerous war torn country. I was too young in the '80s to understand what was happening in the news, but I was aware enough to have my image of Nicaragua shaped by cold war political pundits and media coverage of controversy.

It's now impossible to marry my pre-arrival conception with my in country experience. Nicaragua is astounding. It is a breath taking ring of fire. Volcanoes rise up shoulder to shoulder across its surface. The austere peaks and dry jungle are tempered with vast lakes, many now filling extinct volcanic craters. Aside from its natural beauty, Nicaragua is full of proud, kind people who are quick to laugh, easy to engage in discussions and unerringly helpful to wandering travelers.

Surprises ruled our travels in Nicaragua. Our first night on Isla Ometepe in the middle of vast Lago Nicaragua, we ran into Alyssa Martin, Pomegranate's Vista volunteer who we haven't seen in a few years. We spent the next days catching up, climbing Volcan Concepcíon and eating our hearts out. Together we booked into the best hostel in Granada, Oasis Backpacker's Hostel. As we slipped our hot sweaty selves into their postage stamp pool we realized that our splashing companions were a trio of Mastatal folks we'd said goodbye to just three days before. That same night the seven of us, eagerly led by Alyssa, made a mad dash to catch the second half of a local baseball game. We sat on the dry grass to the side of the stands, drinking beer, cheering for the Granada Tiburones and entertaining a gaggle of giggly admiring kids.

We escaped the mind melting heat of Granada to Laguna Apoyo, a jewel of a crater lake where we planned to dive and spend one night. We were so seduced by the cool rippling waters lasso of bucking body core temperatures and a star lit night dip that we couldn't leave. We stayed a week studying Spanish with Lorenzo, the most adept language teacher I've ever studied with. Our short two week visit to Nicaragua yielded too many good experiences to keep my blog short... A sunset volcano tour, crawling into a cave swirling with bats, talking politics with Lorenzo, asking directions from a family in Ocotal during a blackout only to go on a town tour in their car and share dinner in their home. Where to stop...

Nicaragua is working hard to recover from a century of bad governments and American Foreign Aid. The Samoza family cruelly ruled Nicaragua from the 1930s through 1979, stealing from the populace and sending its people deeper into poverty. In 1979 the popular Sandinistas rose up and ousted the dictatorship. Quickly American "aid" began flowing, not to the new left leaning governemnt, but in the form of clandestine, subversive support of the Contra fighters working to put Samoza back in power. For ten years the Contra tried to overthrow the Sandinista government using U.S. training and arms. The Sandinista's potential to reform their country was hobbled by U.S. Interference. Thousands died in the struggle before the U.S. backed out when the Iran-Contra fiasco came to light.

Our role here is disgraceful. When we should have been helping the people, we were hindering. Luckily the Nicaraguan people are strong and resilient. It gives me hope for the future to see what a country can overcome, and is still overcoming. I leave Nicaragua with a better understanding of Central American history and much thanks for its many lessons and warm embrace.