Recently, I returned from an alternative "voluntourism" winter break trip to Nicaragua. It's hard to explain just how moving and incredible it was when people ask but I'm giving it a try. In one week, I learned more about myself, my fellow travelers, the people we met, and the world as a whole than I ever have before. I think sometimes you need to leave everything behind for a little while in order to grow and refocus on what's really important.
Traveling in itself is such a cool thing. I'm far from an expert- this was my first time leaving the country (and realizing the tortures of customs)- but having the ability to explore a new place and get to know it is such a special experience. My decision to be a part of this trip through my school had a lot to do with wanting a change of scenery and an adventure. As much as I love New York sometimes you need to get out for a little while.
This trip was unlike anything I had done before. First, I didn't really know anyone that was going on it. We met once a week for a couple months before leaving but it wasn't like we were all close friends. I highly recommend going to a foreign land with new friends if you want them to become best friends fast. Getting to be with them all day everyday for a week, sprinting through the airport together (there were 12 of us with carry ons it was quite a site), struggling to understand a place we didn't know, and working to try and make the world just a little bit better, it brings people very close. We're all so different but somehow we fit together perfectly.
I think the thing that made this trip so unique was that we left everything behind; cellphones, headphones, all forms of social media, the English language, and anything else that couldn't fit into a carry-on backpack. As a chronic over packer it was an extremely challenging experience, but leaving most of the things we typically rely on behind, allowed us to really be in the moment and concentrate on what we were doing. The trip had two parts, volunteering and touristing. Everyday we woke up early and went to "the worksite" where we assisted a family in building their home. Working alongside them was incredible and even though our Spanish failed us many a time, they taught us not just how to build a house but how to build a home. It may not have looked like much, stacked cement blocks and a tin roof, but the love they have for one another and the hard work they put into it are what matter. By the end, us amateur builders learned not only the most efficient way to mix cement, but also just how powerful lending a hand can be.
After working at the house each morning, we would go explore. We got to see the beach, mountains, volcanoes, caves (I didn't overcome my fear of bats in fact I think the cave expedition made it worse), lakes, artisan neighborhoods, restaurants, and schools all around Nica. The natural beauty of the country is absolutely incredible. Every sunset was breathtaking and there were more stars in the sky than I, a Jersey girl, had thought were even possible. There was also beauty in the faces of the families that opened their homes to us, in the children that proudly read us books out loud, and in their teaches who continue to fight for their kids and make sure they are getting a quality education in a place where many children don't go to school. Their lives are so different from ours and yet all it took was a game of futbol (played with a basketball on a cement court) to bring us together.
With a trip like this, it's easy to fall into the trap and concentrate solely on the service aspect. I hope with all my heart that the people we met and the work we did makes the world a slightly better place. That the house we helped to construct will stand for years to come and allow the family to continue to sell their tortillas and make a living. I wish it was possible to build houses for all the people that are in need, to send every child to a private school because they deserve to have teachers that care and come to class. Unfortunately, change is slow. It's possible but it takes time and there are so many factors and moving pieces involved. For now, trips like these are meant to change ourselves. Upon return, the goal is to take away from the experience and bring everything back with you. The challenges, problems, setbacks, self realizations, beautiful images, new Spanish vocab, and the smiles.
The take away: try things that are completely different. Do not be afraid to leave and learn and return changed. Put the phone down and start seeing what really is important. Be vulnerable to let your heart be broken so that when it's refilled it's even fuller than before. Always be kind to people, even when communication isn't possible, everyone knows what a smile is.
