From Minnesota to Nicaragua: My Peace Corps Experience: July 2014

We have nearly reached one year in country and I cannot believe how time has flied. I was reflecting upon how much I’ve learned and the skills that I have gained while being here. One year ago I was stressing about what to pack and remember stressing over many decisions ahead of me. Here is some of the advice I would now give to others packing for PC Nicaragua:

First and foremost: SHEETS. I stressed about whether or not to bring sheets for days up until the moment I left. Of course if you are a sheet freak and need your silk sheets, pack them. But they are common and easily available here, do not waste the space in your suitcase!
A computer is absolutely necessary. Some of my friends have tablets, but with the reports that we do your life will be so much easier if you have your own actual computer. I use mine to Skype home, do our work reports, and write my blog.
Bring as much underwear as you are lazy. You will most likely be hand washing your clothes on a washboard so the more underwear you have the less frequently you are forced to wash your clothes. That being said, I wash my clothes once a week because things will get dirty quickly.
For girls, buy clothes that are of the see-through, non-stretchy material. (I do apologize for that description but cannot for the life of me remember what it’s called in English). Nicaraguans will tell you that clothes don’t stretch, you’re crazy etc, but every cotton shirt that I brought is too big and full of holes. That is not to say that I don’t love my t-shirts because they are very necessary for garden work.
Yes, jeans are practical. Jeans are professional here and completely accepted. Shorts that go to your knees are acceptable in most sites that are not extremely small, but not for school. While skirts and dresses are nice for the heat (what I had in my head that I would be wearing all the time) jeans are much more practical for our job. Between biking everyday to school and garden projects, skirts are just not feasible to wear on a daily basis.
Nicaraguans love to look good. I joined the Peace Corps so naturally I left all makeup except the basics at home, came with no hair products, and parted with my straightener. Turns out those were bad decisions. Women wear makeup to go out to any party and teachers even wear some makeup to school. Perfume or cologne is a must. Finally, heals are on every Nicaraguan teacher’s feet (though I find them crazy personally because they are standing to give class).

While I do not feel ready to train the new group that will arrive in August, there are certain moments when I realize that I am capable of doing my job. I have learned a great deal about what works in a Nicaraguan classroom, how to deal with Nica teachers, and strategies to keep my garden alive. The skills I have obtained range from tying fresco baggies to hand-washing my clothes on a washboard to planning activities to assure that my 3^rd graders understand the science topics covered. Without knowing it, I have gained valuable knowledge that will serve me for the rest of my service and beyond. I am not ready to think about what I will do when I go home, but I am ready to share some of my skills with the new group that will arrive.

Everyone boasts about Costa Rica. It is the developed country of Central America, it has made so many advances, and it has a booming tourism industry because of its beautiful landscape. All of these tidbits are true and I can attest to that. But just like many other stories, there is more than meets the eye to

Costa Rica

It was fun to visit after the national team made it further than they ever have in the World Cup. The country was full of pride and excitement. What a wonderful feeling and a beautiful thing to see.

Arriving in San Jose one can see what development has done in Costa Rica. The high rises, American restaurants, and modern city streets make you feel like you could be in any city in the world. Managua has a lot of catching up to do in terms of becoming a city with such draw. But luckily, I had a wonderful tour guide who showed me the real Costa Rica. I love to see other countries with nationals because it gives you a whole different perspective on the country. Gabriel, a friend I had met in college, gave me the history, geography, political, and social perspective on Costa Rica. Though he has traveled all over the world and has an interesting identity in terms of nationality, he is pure Tico at heart. He assured me that the whole country did not look like a small colony of the

United States

Sure enough, as we passed into the towns surrounding San Jose we began to see the similarities with Nicaragua. Though we saw a bigger proportion of nice houses, it reminded me a lot of my Nica home. We visited a volcano, seeing the view from above the city and got to see another friend I had met in college in the first day of being there.

Once we entered the region of the coast it was notable that we were in the rainforest. Again, you could clearly see the difference in infrastructure between the city and this region of Limón. My friend recounted the story of Costa Rica, explaining that the money put into development is largely focused on the Pacific side of the country while where he lives they have seen little improvements in terms of development. This includes the areas where tourists have what I would call “gringified” Costa Rica with the large resorts and American style of travel. On my part, I was happy to see the Atlantic coast partially untouched by the chains and big corporations.

We arrived in a small beach town and stayed at a cute hotel owned by a local couple. Close to the beach and restaurants with Caribbean food such as spicy chicken and rice and beans made with coconut, we were in the perfect spot to relax. We noted that most tourists who arrived on this coast are Europeans, an interesting commentary on the affect that Americans have had versus tourists from other parts of the world.

The rest of the trip was full of volcanos, cloud forests, ziplining, and hot springs. I always look at the tourist industry with a critical eye, knowing that the people truly gaining from our visits are not locals. How do you successfully create a tourist industry without crushing local opportunity? We justify our tourism interests in other countries by saying that it is creating jobs for many where there weren’t any. But does that make it right that a foreign investor is making a fortune using (and often abusing) the resources of another country while locals are making a fraction of that? What can we actually do to stop big resorts and promote small businesses in other countries when locals don’t have the money to make the initial investment?

Costa Rica

gave me the sense that I was happy that Nicaragua remains largely “untouched” in many regions. I can’t help but feel guilty that it is “my people” who are changing the face of tourism in other countries, but what can I do? Boycott visiting other places? Look for only locally owned businesses? Will that actually affect anything?

I do not mean to say that I did not enjoy Costa Rica because of my analytical criticisms of tourism. Costa Rica is a beautiful country and like many places I have been it is enriched by people who make it a warm and welcoming place to be. To the surprise of Nicaraguans, I loved the gallo pinto with black beans instead of red and the rice made with coconut. Most of all I loved the “Pura Vida” lifestyle! Hang in the hammock and enjoy life.