How does one prepare to move to another country? To live with a new
family? To communicate in another language? Or to be seen as an
outsider? How do you prepare yourself for the unknown? You study the
language, you speak with those who carry experience and you bring your
unfailing passion and sustain your open mind, learning to expect the
unexpected.
This is what has given me such a positive experience in Nicaragua
thus far. Nothing really could have prepared me better than the
education I already had. I will be a senior next year at the
University of San Francisco, majoring in International Relations with
a focus on Global Politics and Societies in Latin America.
Moving to Nicaragua for my summer vacation and interning with the
Foundation for Sustainable Development, one of the most drastic
changes is being placed into another culture, and another already
established family. Being accepted with open arms and a traditional
kiss on the cheek is amazing. To know the reputation the United States
has had, especially in the last couple of years, and to be accepted
and unjudged by Doña Maura, the matriarch of my new home for the next
two months, and by Don Lorenzo is beyond anything I could have
imagined. They do what they can to get by, with a little wood selling
business and the income from my stay. One of the first sentences I
heard from Doña Maura, while receiving her brief tour of her humble
home was, "we have a poor home, very poor but clean." Cleaning and
caring for the kids is a full time job that often goes unnoted and
tends to be only half a days work for the women here.
My little host brother, Osmar who is 4 years old.
I find myself wanting to spend more and more time with my
Nicaraguan family, listening to their family stories (which are always
so interesting and dramatic) and all the biblical names the children
have, since it is typical in Nicaraguan culture to give your child two
biblical names. Here is Osmar again reading with Doña Maura, unfortunately it is not a common practice.
It is incredible how often, three or four generations
will typically live under one roof, and when one mother has seven
kids, you imagine how chaotic it is. Between all those mouths to
feed and all the noises the family makes it is quite a challenging
lifestyle. One of the first things I noticed upon moving to Ciudad
Sandino, is how noisy everything is, it is great. From the loud buses
and motos, to the roosters, music and voices of your neighbors, there
is always something or someone to keep you busy even when you are
doing nothing.
Going on my fifth week in Ciudad Sandino, I have learned the Dos
and Don'ts of daily life. While walking alone at night is not a good
idea, many of the same city norms apply even though Ciudad Sandino is
far from what we would consider a typical city in the United States or
other developed countries. The majority of the roads are dirt roads,
which turn into
rivers when it rains after the extreme heat and humidity. The
sanitation is definitely not what it should be either, but with
education and health as higher priorities, trash and recycling seems
to be a first world luxury.
I am working at an integral education organization that operates
a private school as well as a lot of kids programs for the local
community. Some of those programs include, dance, art, guitar, and
crafts classes in addition to vocational skills training. The
organization was founded by Sister Maura Clarke with the mission based
upon education including human rights and social justice bettering the
community. I am working to create a resource room with audio-visual
documentaries adn materials at the school called Maura Clarke, where
many of the students need scholarships to pay for their education. I
hope to create better and more diverse forms of teaching and learning
on campus through the new materials. Much of the teachign here
consists of copying what the teacher writes on the board into the
kids´notebooks. From Kindergarten early in the morning, and Primary
school in the morning and Secondary school in the afternoon, there is
so much energy, hope and joy in the kids faces. I am also working with
the English sections in the Primary and Secondary levels to increase
participation and
interest through sharing my experience and culture and by enriching
their classes with additional resources to promote further learning. I
love coming to class and having the kids be excited just to hear my
speak. They are so curious as to what my life is like, and I love the
exchange of culture that takes place.
When I tell the students in the English classes that I am only
twenty years old, they are in awe. I asked the English professor, Ana
Celia why they reacted that way, who I was pleased to know actually does speak
English (well with a hard accent), and she said they cannot believe you
are so young, educated and that you do not have any kids, in addition
to being in another country volunteering. It is very normal in
Nicaragua to see twenty year old with two young kids, who has dropped
out of school, is at home taking care of the kids and helping around the
house. Many still live with their parents as well, the family ties
here are extreme here, it is incredible.
Analyzing my situation as a twenty year old American and then that
of a twenty year old Nicaraguan, I am driven even further and that
much more passionate at working towards creating the same
opportunities as I had as a kid and continue to have. A very smart man I look up
to told me once, "luck is when you are smart enough to grab onto an
opportunity." I am very lucky to be a part of the Foundation for
Sustainable Development and be a student at USF and I believe the kids
I am working with feel the same.
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