The story begins here
I'm Kelsey. I'd like to inform you that this is a nontraditional study abroad blog like one you've probably never read before. Blah, blah blah, I'm a college student, I'm 21, I'm from New Hampshire.... I'm recreating my ideal study abroad program. That's right. Missed the boat when it came to settling on one I wanted to do, instead decided to create a program that I couldn't find anywhere else... in Nicaragua *cue eyebrow tilt*.
But Kelsey, are you getting academic credit? Who are you going with? Why not do a program in the Summer instead? Where is Nicaragua? There's a war there or something! Oh and I think I heard somewhere that Nicaragua is the least safe place in the entire world, why would you ever choose to go there? Go to Europe. Aren't you scared?
It's okay, it's okay! Take a breather! No academic credit will be given, I consider this more as life credit (which should be more worthy than academic credit anyways, we're all human). Ideally, it would have been nice to be recognized for what I am doing by my transcript, but in reality, creating my own curriculum, on my own time, with my own interests and better yet, in the country of my own choice is a better alternative. This is personally a ten times better move than settling on an expensive program from a small list of choices in the study abroad office. Plus, it only happens to put me behind on two classes, which I will gladly make up later in my college career for this experience. While I'm here, I will be writing, studying, interviewing, taking spanish classes, immersing myself in an entirely new culture, and completely stepping outside of any type of comfort zone I may have ever set for myself. I will be bringing back enough of my own information and research to present at Keene State's Academic Excellence Conference Spring 2014. Summer would be a nice time to go except that it's the rainy season for many of the places I would like to study.
Within the last forty years in Nicaragua, there has been a lot of hardship from revolution, enviornmental issues and misleading U.S. involvement. For many Americans, the perception of Nicaragua is one of turmoil, anger, corruption, poverty, and war. Unfortunately in some and many ways this can be true. Fortunately, major efforts have been made in the last forty years that has transitioned the country into a better state. Like any assumption made about another country, when you hear one bad thing, you believe that every single person that walks that land agrees and supports that one piece of information... Think about how others perceive Americans (No, the entire American population shouldn't be directly affiliated with some of the scoundrals in our government's past or present that give us a bad name). I will be doing my own assignment later on all about Nicaragua's history, for now, trust me that I'm not walking into a war zone.
Why Nicaragua? Why not Europe? "Kelsey you're going to get killed." NOPE. Again, you're jumping the gun.
Being a community health major with a strong interest with international studies, global health and Fair Trade, I saw Central America as a great spot to zone in on. I know plenty who have gone on the route of studying in Europe, looks great! Honestly, I had the chance to travel the canals of Burgundy, France and wander through gorgeous historic villages within the back country. I Loved it. Now is the time of my life to experience something completely different, to go to the source of my interests and see if it's really something I want to pursue. I hope to see things that people write about in textbooks instead of studying it from thousands of miles away. I can Euro-trip at any point in my life.
Bad things are unavoidable (in some respects). You are as much in danger in New York City as in any other city in the world. Being aware of your surrounding, being smart, being with the right people, and keeping a keen eye are the basic necessities in safety training. If it makes you feel any better, I've been getting amazing lessons from Exeter Martial Arts on how to defend myself.. and choke & punch others. Hope I never actually have to use what he tells me but I'd feel like SUCH a bad ass if I had the chance to. I will be doing this trip "solo" but have been in contact with others for months now who have their foot in the door with quality businesses and organizations.
But Kelsey, are you getting academic credit? Who are you going with? Why not do a program in the Summer instead? Where is Nicaragua? There's a war there or something! Oh and I think I heard somewhere that Nicaragua is the least safe place in the entire world, why would you ever choose to go there? Go to Europe. Aren't you scared?
It's okay, it's okay! Take a breather! No academic credit will be given, I consider this more as life credit (which should be more worthy than academic credit anyways, we're all human). Ideally, it would have been nice to be recognized for what I am doing by my transcript, but in reality, creating my own curriculum, on my own time, with my own interests and better yet, in the country of my own choice is a better alternative. This is personally a ten times better move than settling on an expensive program from a small list of choices in the study abroad office. Plus, it only happens to put me behind on two classes, which I will gladly make up later in my college career for this experience. While I'm here, I will be writing, studying, interviewing, taking spanish classes, immersing myself in an entirely new culture, and completely stepping outside of any type of comfort zone I may have ever set for myself. I will be bringing back enough of my own information and research to present at Keene State's Academic Excellence Conference Spring 2014. Summer would be a nice time to go except that it's the rainy season for many of the places I would like to study.
Within the last forty years in Nicaragua, there has been a lot of hardship from revolution, enviornmental issues and misleading U.S. involvement. For many Americans, the perception of Nicaragua is one of turmoil, anger, corruption, poverty, and war. Unfortunately in some and many ways this can be true. Fortunately, major efforts have been made in the last forty years that has transitioned the country into a better state. Like any assumption made about another country, when you hear one bad thing, you believe that every single person that walks that land agrees and supports that one piece of information... Think about how others perceive Americans (No, the entire American population shouldn't be directly affiliated with some of the scoundrals in our government's past or present that give us a bad name). I will be doing my own assignment later on all about Nicaragua's history, for now, trust me that I'm not walking into a war zone.
Why Nicaragua? Why not Europe? "Kelsey you're going to get killed." NOPE. Again, you're jumping the gun.
Being a community health major with a strong interest with international studies, global health and Fair Trade, I saw Central America as a great spot to zone in on. I know plenty who have gone on the route of studying in Europe, looks great! Honestly, I had the chance to travel the canals of Burgundy, France and wander through gorgeous historic villages within the back country. I Loved it. Now is the time of my life to experience something completely different, to go to the source of my interests and see if it's really something I want to pursue. I hope to see things that people write about in textbooks instead of studying it from thousands of miles away. I can Euro-trip at any point in my life.
Bad things are unavoidable (in some respects). You are as much in danger in New York City as in any other city in the world. Being aware of your surrounding, being smart, being with the right people, and keeping a keen eye are the basic necessities in safety training. If it makes you feel any better, I've been getting amazing lessons from Exeter Martial Arts on how to defend myself.. and choke & punch others. Hope I never actually have to use what he tells me but I'd feel like SUCH a bad ass if I had the chance to. I will be doing this trip "solo" but have been in contact with others for months now who have their foot in the door with quality businesses and organizations.
Goals and Prospects
What I am looking to do on my alternative study abroad:
-Understand the Fair Trade system from the perspective of farmers and artisans
-Discover health challenges that are specific to communities and what they have in place to overcome them
-Have the ability to thoroughly speak and understand the Spanish language
-Understand the Nicaraguan health system
-Understand the political and revolutionary history of Nicaragua
-Have a better understanding of the education system and hopes and goals from students
-Find women empowerment programs
-Understand the ins-and-outs of how a nonprofit organization is run
-Understand how environmental factors effect the daily lives of Nicaraguans
-Meet new friends
-Surf brah
Personal Goals:
-Gain a stronger focus and interest in international work that will strengthen my understanding for what I would like to do when I graduate
-Use what I've learned to benefit the KSC Fair Trade Club
-Continue what I've done in Nicaragua after I've left
-Help educate and inspire readers on my topics of interests to help broaden their global perspective
-Find an interest or focus in Nicaragua to collect information to present at the Keene State College Academic Excellence Conference 2014, Fair Trade National Conference 2013, and as a presentation topic for the Keene Regional Hospital.
-Make the best out of any challenges I come across while I'm there knowing that I will be faced with hardship, culture shock, poverty, bowel complications (tmi?), and missing the comfort of home. "Sometimes you just have to enjoy the challenges put in front of you" -Matthias Brown
Educational Aspect:
-Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua by Stephen Kinzer
-DEPENDING on my access to internet: edX online college course: The Challenges of Global Poverty
-Two weeks Spanish course at Casa Xalteva in Granada, Nicaragua: CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE
-Updated blog posts
-News report reviews from La Prensa
-Interviews with community members
-Research and paper write-ups on various topics
-Volunteering with Global Brigades: CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE
-Planning other educational excursions to: La Garnacha, Miraflor, Emergency Response System Latin America (ERSLA), Pro Mujer
Read My Blog HERE
-Understand the Fair Trade system from the perspective of farmers and artisans
-Discover health challenges that are specific to communities and what they have in place to overcome them
-Have the ability to thoroughly speak and understand the Spanish language
-Understand the Nicaraguan health system
-Understand the political and revolutionary history of Nicaragua
-Have a better understanding of the education system and hopes and goals from students
-Find women empowerment programs
-Understand the ins-and-outs of how a nonprofit organization is run
-Understand how environmental factors effect the daily lives of Nicaraguans
-Meet new friends
-Surf brah
Personal Goals:
-Gain a stronger focus and interest in international work that will strengthen my understanding for what I would like to do when I graduate
-Use what I've learned to benefit the KSC Fair Trade Club
-Continue what I've done in Nicaragua after I've left
-Help educate and inspire readers on my topics of interests to help broaden their global perspective
-Find an interest or focus in Nicaragua to collect information to present at the Keene State College Academic Excellence Conference 2014, Fair Trade National Conference 2013, and as a presentation topic for the Keene Regional Hospital.
-Make the best out of any challenges I come across while I'm there knowing that I will be faced with hardship, culture shock, poverty, bowel complications (tmi?), and missing the comfort of home. "Sometimes you just have to enjoy the challenges put in front of you" -Matthias Brown
Educational Aspect:
-Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua by Stephen Kinzer
-DEPENDING on my access to internet: edX online college course: The Challenges of Global Poverty
-Two weeks Spanish course at Casa Xalteva in Granada, Nicaragua: CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE
-Updated blog posts
-News report reviews from La Prensa
-Interviews with community members
-Research and paper write-ups on various topics
-Volunteering with Global Brigades: CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE
-Planning other educational excursions to: La Garnacha, Miraflor, Emergency Response System Latin America (ERSLA), Pro Mujer
Read My Blog HERE
First Stop, Maderas VillageJanuary 16th- January 21st
Website link Maderas Village is a travelers paradise hotel located twenty minutes outside of San Juan Del Sur. They provide rooms and cabanas for single travelers, double, group or those on a budget. With it being 2 minutes from one of the best surf beaches in the country, it is no wonder why so many venture down to visit. They welcome people to stay for days up to months. They provide work for locals who prepare meals and construct areas of the resort. |
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Next stop, Casa XaltevaJanuary 21st- February 4th
Granada, Nicaragua Casa Xalteva website! Casa Xalteva is a Spanish school located in Granada, Nicaragua. They were founded in 1995 and have been aiding travelers with excelling in the Spanish language, helping the surrounding community by hosting English classes with the Spanish students and by creating programs in and around the city which help alleviate community members out of poverty. The student volunteers help by participating in clean-up projects, creating and painting schools, organizing sports events as well as eye exams and other health programs with children. The video provided gives a great description of what goes on here everyday. |
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UCA MiraflorDates to be announced
Esteli, Nicaragua UCA Miraflor website UCA Miraflor is a cooperative of 45 Fair Trade coffee farmers and an eco-tourism project located in the Estelí region of Northern Nicaragua. Along with coffee, they farm many things such as a variety of citrus fruits and vegetables. Visitors usually go to learn the coffee growing and picking process involved in farming. The eco-tourism project helps improve the housing and living situations for the members by providing tourists with a home to stay in while they visit in exchange for a small fee. Miraflor is also a national nature reserve filled with an abundance of different plant life. They have made efforts to be more socially conscious by installing solar panels and building improved stoves with chimney and flu systems to keep smoke out of the houses. They also provide funds to children within the community to go to school. The list goes on, this beautiful community has flourished in the hills of Estelí. |
Global BrigadesDates to be announced
Esteli, Nicaragua Global Brigades website Global Brigades is a student run nonprofit organization that focuses on a holistic approach to empowering communities in developing countries. They do this by developing solutions to environmental problems and quality of life within a community while also respecting the local culture. They believe that in order to do this, there is not just one area to focus on but nine: 1. Architecture 2. Business 3. Dental 4. Environmental 5. Law 6. Medical 7. Microfinance 8. Public health 9. Water Students and professionals from 70 colleges have come down to participate and use their knowledge and skills to pass on to community leaders and members around the world. They work not only within Nicaragua but Ghana, Panama and Honduras as well. |
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