We drove through what felt like a monsoon to arrive in El Sauce around midnight on May 23rd. I remember hopping out of the van with my luggage, and walking to the door of my host family’s home with Kellan- all in a failed attempt to not get wet. My host mother, Sara, greeted me- it was clear she had been awoken from the knocking. She handed me an umbrella and walked me back to my room. She asked me a few questions, and that’s when she and I both had a similar realization: the language barrier was going to be extreme.
I knew ZERO Spanish upon arriving in Nicaragua. After three days there I found myself constantly wondering, “What was I thinking?” I left my air-conditioned house in upstate New York for the muggy, rainy season of rural Nicaragua. I was uncomfortable, I was sweaty, and I had practically been debarked by this language barrier. In short, I realized very quickly that I was in over my head. On the fifth night I emailed home to my parents. What began as a quick “hello from Nicaragua” soon turned into a panicked letter requesting a plane ticket home. Before I could send it, however, I was interrupted by my young host siblings and their friends from across the street. I will be forever grateful for that interruption.
Instead of sending that desperate plea of an email, I closed the Internet window and joined the kids for a game of kickball out in the street. My mood and perspective was forever impacted on that night. I have a handful of kids between the ages of four and eight to thank for that.
My work in Nicaragua included creating promotional materials for Enlace’s “Sauce Tours”, fixing up the patio behind the office, and working to build hiking trails for the “Los Altos De Ocotal” initiative. Of these tasks, I learned the most from my time in Ocotal. Living in the mountains of Nicaragua was unlike anything I could’ve ever imagined. My photos document the beautiful sunrises, and my journal remains littered in dirt from the blind puppy who was all too excited by my offer of a granola bar. It’s those memories that made Ocotal such an amazing experience. It was tough- I’m in no way an “outdoorsy” person, but when I look back on it, I appreciate those days so much. It was a break from reality, a time to live off the grid, and reflect on my life- where I had been, and where I was going.
Working in the English class was truly a great opportunity, as well. I’ve never interacted with such a genuinely kind group of people. Regardless of whether or not I knew their language, they welcomed myself and the other volunteers with open arms. They wanted to learn more than just our language; they wanted to know about our lifestyles, our families, and where we came from. On June 17th, the night before my birthday, the English class surprised me with a party complete with cake, ice cream, and all the fixings. That night I remember thinking, “What lead me here?” I would’ve never expected to celebrate my 20th birthday in a small Nicaraguan town, but I had, and I am so grateful for it.
Our final two weeks in El Sauce flew by. Before I knew it, I was loading my luggage into the van for our trip back to the capital city. As we pulled out of town, I kept turning to face out the rear window- as if trying to get that last image of El Sauce engrained in my memory.
It’s rare that a day goes by where I don’t find myself thinking of my six weeks in Central America. Nicaragua has taught me how small we truly are in the scheme of things, and just how much the world has to offer. I’ll be forever grateful for the people I met, and all that they have taught me.
In Front of Enlace Office:
- Bennett Morano, Summer 2010
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