Week 1: El Lagartillo, Nicaragua
When I landed in Managua, Nicaragua, I had no idea what to expect. I was flying alone out of Nashville into a country and group of people completely unknown to me, so I was excited to begin the experience. First, I met up with a group of 15 other students from around the country at a hotel in Managua and began preparing for the trip. 
We started off the experience with a 5 hour bus ride to the rural Nicaraguan jungle town of El Lagartillo. When I arrived in El Lagartillo, I was shocked to see how poor the community was in comparison to the United States. The buildings were barely held together by wood, tarps, metal sheets, and old nails.
My homestay in El Largartillo
The idea that I would be living here with a host family for the next week made me a little nervous, but when I was placed with my new family, I knew it would be a great experience. My host family consisted of a very religious father and mother, an energetic 13 year old named Oliver, and his little 4 year old sister Francella.
The week was spent helping my family around the house, farming, and attending Spanish classes during the day. I left having a newfound appreciation for family and happiness, as materialistic things do not lead to true joy.
Week 2: Havana, Cuba
The first thing I noticed when I landed in Havana, Cuba, were the large amount of cameras in the airport watching all tourists entering the country. Some cameras were always recording the immigrations area, while others were thermal cameras, scanning to see if any incoming immigrants had fevers. Because of this first impression of the country on top of the things that I had heard about Cuba, I was not sure what to expect for the upcoming week. As soon as I left the airport, I was amazed. Everywhere I looked I could see vintage cars from the 1950s, and as we drove deeper into Havana, the architecture was a sight to behold. Even the buildings had a 1950s look to them.
I was placed in a host family of two host mothers who cooked for me and took care of me when I wasn’t in class during the day. One of my host mothers was a dentist, but they both used their home as a bed and breakfast in order to earn some extra money. Even though they lived in a communist country that has been restricted by the United States, they were some of the happiest and most caring people that I have ever met.
Because we had to go to Cuba on an education visa, the government forced us to have proof of at least seven hours of educative activity each day. These activities included meeting up with young Cuban artists, going to museums, and sitting in a classroom learning about Cuban history or Cuban-American relations.
At the end of the week, I was very sad to have to leave such an interesting country, but I also learned to never take the freedom we have in the United States for granted.
Week 3-4: Managua, Nicaragua
The return to Managua was very interesting after experiencing Cuba because Managua is much more Americanized. One of the first things I noticed was that the buildings are a lot shorter. This is because due to the amount of earthquakes in Managua many people are scared to build structures above 5 stories tall. When I rode to the community of my new host family, I noticed that most structures were just one story tall and all buildings were very close together and colorful. I arrived in the community in Managua and was greeted by my host mother and my two host brothers, Angel and Oliver, and their two little twin sisters.
Living with them was a very unique experience due to the differences in Managua and Tennessee. The city was less safe, so it was more difficult to go out at night. Even crossing the streets at night were more dangerous because of the speed that drivers went and also the increase of possible drunk drivers as more people drink in the community than in Nashville.
In my homestay, the food was almost exclusively rice and beans. After a month of rice and beans, I lost about ten pounds during the course of the trip. My house also did not have running water, so it was difficult to shower and use the bathroom. During the days in Managua, we went to various locations around the city to meet up with artistic groups that encouraged social change. We met various bands, poets, singers, painters, and filmmakers who all have interesting and inspiring approaches on making a difference in society peacefully.
The two weeks flew by, and before I knew it, I was on a flight back to Nashville concluding the trip. Through El Lagartillo, I learned to appreciate what I have and that family and love are the most important things a person can obtain. Through Cuba, I learned that freedom is not free, and just being able to speak your mind is something that I take for granted everyday, and through my homestay in Managua, I learned that one person can make a difference by leading by example and peacefully protesting. I will never forget these lessons or the experiences I was given by the Wilson family and MBA this summer. Thank you for this unforgettable experience!
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