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GIVE: The Part of Nicaragua I Kept

Written by: Hilary Daniels

10/3/2013

On June 21st, I boarded a plane in hopes of helping a community in Jiquilillo, Nicaragua, with GIVE, but honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never completed a service trip, I knew little about the country I was actually traveling to, and certainly didn’t think I had the physical strength to build a school with my hands. In a matter of fourteen days, everything I thought I knew about myself, about my values, my beliefs, completely changed. Four months later, this trip still stands behind me, whispering reminders when I’m down, cheering me on when I’m scared, and giving me that extra push just when I need it.

The reality of this program is within fourteen days, something clicks. It may have been on day one when I met these strangers that would become my family. It may have been on day three when I spent hours digging a sandy hole. It could have even been on day five when I climbed a volcano and conquered my fears. Or, maybe it was day eight when I taught Shana English just because she wanted to learn for herself. Most likely it was a piece of each day that stuck with me, but it wasn’t until day fourteen when I had to leave these amazing people and this amazing place that I noticed something inside me changed, something inside me just clicked.

I didn’t lose anything during my excursion. I didn’t walk away realizing I was some horrible American girl or feeling any worse about my character. Instead, I grew a little more. I was pushed so far out of my comfort zone that I had no choice but to grow. That’s what this trip does, it pushes you, it asks you to be better, to be more, to grow, to change.

I realized what I truly valued in those fourteen days. Most of these values I thought I already had: I preached about valuing family, friends, and education day in and day out. But throw yourself in a small Nicaraguan village with twenty-something other strangers, and you start to realize maybe you don’t know how much you value these things, trivial things even.

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You don’t go to Nicaragua and walk away the same person.

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My Family  

I now understand just how important family is. I watched families in Nicaragua, which by my society’s standards would have nothing, laugh together, pray together, learn together, help each other, and love each other. These families thrive on simply being together.

Driving through Jiquilillo, most of the families live in nothing more than huts, surrounded by plastic or cardboard. But as we drove through each day, the amount of love I saw between them astounded me. I recognized the love I saw because I’m fortunate enough to have it in my own family, I’m fortunate enough to have experienced it my entire life. I didn’t realize how lucky I was to share in a value such as family, until this trip. It truly opened my eyes to the power of family.

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My Friends 

I won’t lie and pretend I make friends easily. I am an extremely guarded person and it’s a rare exception that I allow someone close to my heart. In fourteen days, I gained twenty-nine friends that will forever have a mark on my heart. The stories we shared, the experiences we took part in, the work we did, made for the closest group of people I’ve been a part of in a long time.

I don’t go a single day without talking with someone from my excursion. We send Facebook messages constantly, Snapchat like fiends, and Skype as often as we can. The states and even oceans that separate us become trivial. The fact is, you spend two weeks together, two weeks that will change your life, and a bond is created between us that is unlike any bond you will create with other friends.

Education 

Education has always been my passion. Since kindergarten I told everyone I could I would someday be a teacher. At age twenty-two, I’m finishing my Bachelors in Education and have had my fair share of classroom experiences. Nothing will top the educational experiences I had in Nicaragua. I am a firm believer that we are always students, always learning.  This couldn’t have rang more true than in Nicaragua. I didn’t go a single day without learning about myself, the people around me, the community, the program, something. But most importantly, I learned about education.

With my concentration in High School English, I have witnessed an abundance of outcries in the classroom. I never experienced that in Nicaragua. These students want to learn, they love it, and they thrive for it. Any bit of information you can give them, they eat it right up. Education is everything for a lot of these children; it’s the stepping-stone they need to grow. That pure love and passion for education was something I’d never seen in children. It was something I desperately needed to see. I can’t count the number of times I complain about going to class, or waking up early for class, or walking through the snow to get to class. I said I valued education, but I got schooled on what that really meant in my fourteen days in Nicaragua.

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Plain and simple, I wish I could bottle this experience and give it to every person I encounter. The things I saw, the things I felt, the memories, the laughter, even the tears, it’s all invaluable to my growth. You don’t go to Nicaragua and walk away the same person. Four months later, Nicaragua is still with me, still shaping me.

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