Nicaragua: A Tourist Perspective

The following entries are guest entries submitted by my parents, sister, and brother-in-law after their 8-day visit to Nicaragua. I wanted to have the opportunity to present Nicaragua from a tourist's eyes, to give you all a little bit of a different perspective. And keep in mind if you decide to visit me, I'll let you have your own entry, too ;).

Entry by Matt Klentak

How we ultimately remember our trip to Nicaragua will vary dramatically depending on the lens through which we choose to remember it. For me, that lens changed right in front of my eyes on several occasions. When we first landed, the lens revealed a hot and humid climate, a few too many strangers who didn’t seem to respect the idea of “personal space,” a lot of bumpy roads, the smell of burning garbage and the unsettled feeling that resulted from so many people at home telling us to “be careful” because they had heard about all of the dangers associated with the country. Suffice to say, that first lens was the same lens with which I had left New York City on Christmas Day, thinking about work, traffic and why our flight wasn’t equipped with WiFi.

But as our trip progressed and we ultimately left the hustle and bustle of Managua, the lens in front of my eyes began to shift. The views out the window of our van as we traveled through the country revealed a gorgeous landscape, countless workers busting their tails on the coffee plantations, kids excitedly playing baseball in empty fields with broomsticks and balls made of duct tape and the occasional traffic delay as we (slowly) passed herds of cattle that were entitled to the right side of the road just as much as we were. The organized simplicity with which the folks at Selva Negra lived their lives demonstrated to all of us the limitless potential of people when they are driven and have a well defined plan.

The lens that produced the greatest memories from our trip, however, was the lens through which we saw Matiguas (the town in which Carolyn lives) and met so many of Carolyn’s wonderful friends. The extreme poverty that was evident at every corner was overshadowed only by the love, hospitality and welcoming nature of Carolyn’s many friends and neighbors, many of whom rescheduled their days for the chance to meet us, show us their homes, prepare a meal for us and welcome us into their lives. To play with their kids, share their smiles and see the hope and pride in the way that these people all regard Carolyn was by far the most rewarding and memorable part of our trip, as it revealed to us the profound impact that Carolyn has had on this community. And while she remains humble, what Carolyn is doing for the village of Matiguas is having a dramatic impact on people’s lives – an impact that I have no doubt will extend well beyond her departure date in November.

After departing Matiguas and enjoying a few days of swimming, volleyball, relaxing and seeing life through our UV-protected lenses on the Pacific coast, we headed back into the country for further exploration. Seeing the world through our adventurous lenses, we hiked up a volcano, soared through the jungle on zip lines and snapped photos at a beautiful lagoon – solidifying the images of one of the greenest and most beautiful terrains I have ever seen.

The final lens through which we saw Nicaragua – and yes, I am consciously avoiding the details of the “toilet lens” through which I stared down the bottom of the bowl on our final night in Managua after Montezuma exacted his revenge on me and my adventurous eating habits – was the rich historical lens through which our terrific tour guide, Fernando, provided us with a detailed history of this remarkable country. To see the lone remains of the 1972 earthquake or to hear the history of how the Panama Canal almost became the Nicaragua Canal were reminders of not only how interesting history can be, but also of just how powerful history can be when it is learned in a hands-on way as opposed to through heavy, hollow textbooks.

Before we left for this trip, I remember telling people back home that I didn’t know what to expect but that I was certain it would be interesting. As it turned out, it wasn’t just interesting… it was fascinating. And humbling. And inspiring. And through my Gringo lenses I was reminded for nine straight days of just how caring and giving and thoughtful and patient my sister-in-law is and how lucky both she and the people of Nicaragua are that the Peace Corps played matchmaker and produced this wonderful combination for all of us to see through our own personal lenses.

"Gringo in Nicaragua", By Jim Smalkowski

I think that the best thing about Nicaragua is the people. Their warmth comes across loud and clear. I was impressed with their kindness and friendliness to us "gringoes."

The country itself is beautiful and has much diversity. Rain forests, volcanoes, lakes, an ocean and a sea coast, cattle ranches galore, coffee plantations, many different fruits and animals, cocoa plants, sugar cane, many small towns all make up the character of Nicaragua and its people.

You put together a fantastic itinerary for us and I'm glad that Fernando accommodated all our changes and adjustments. I was happy to see Matiguas and get a feel for it through walking its streets and through your narrative pointing out its different sights. I was glad to meet your many friends in the town and it seemed that all of them cared for you very much. Human relationships, the psychiatrists say, are what make us happy.

I was happy to meet Norvin and was glad to see the affection that you share with him. He has a nice family and the land that we saw was beautiful. Our visit to the farm was a good learning experience.

Meeting Matt's family again was also enjoyable since they are warm and friendly. Denise and Daniel went out of their way to make us feel a part of the "clan." I felt very relaxed and at home with them.

The travel arrangements that we had made all turned out beautifully. This, without a doubt, added to my enjoyment of our time there because I can look back at the days there and see nothing but good times.

And, lastly, but most importantly, the reason that we made the trip - you. I am very proud of you and it makes my heart feel good to see how you've grown up and matured. I'm happy to see that you've adjusted very well although it has not been all roses for you. You've dealt with the ups and downs and that will make you stronger. I hope that your remaining time in Nicaragua is a happy and fruitful experience. I know that you do your best.

"Nicaraguan Experience", by Lorraine Smalkowski

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience Nicaragua! I probably wouldn’t have chosen to go there otherwise. I can’t really pick a favorite place, but the whole cultural experience is my favorite thing:

Seeing all the different markets – the creative Masaya craft market, the hammock “factory,” the man weaving bamboo baskets in front of his house, the wooden furniture workshops lining both sides of the street; stopping at the many fruit and vegetable markets and sampling all the delicious fruits -

Staying at Selva Negra - the organic coffee farm tour and the amazing sustainable agriculture techniques -

Experiencing the farm at Matiguas, meeting all the different families and friends at Matiguas and Masatepe and everyone’s warm hospitality –

Seeing the breathtaking views at the Masaya volcano and the different lagunas, especially the Laguna De Apoyo -

Enjoying the warm, clean water of the beach, and also seeing the newly hatched turtles making their way to the ocean –

Having an unbelievable driver/guide, Fernando, who not only drove us around, but provided some history and introduced us to some amazing foods -

Just driving around observing the people, all the animals on the sides of the road, the “cattle drives,” and the beautiful views of the mountains in the background –

The only thing that was a little disappointing was the zip line, because the road to and from it was too long and much too bumpy, and the zip lines were too short – not measuring up to the great ones in Costa Rica. But nevertheless, I still had fun!

So all in all, the culture - the people, their way of living, the land – all the new things I saw and experienced, was rewarding and memorable, and I will look back at my pictures and remember an amazing time.

"The roads are bumpy…but coffee, chocolate, and rum make life much sweeter", By Lauren Klentak

Its been 3 days since returning to the states following our incredible trip to Nicaragua. When I look back on all we saw and did during our 8 day stay, I am amazed. I believe we covered more ground in that time than most tourists (and natives!) ever get to see – all to the credit of Carolyn and our guide Fernando. Oddly enough, most of the cities and towns seem to start with “M” but for the first time since Carolyn started her service, I believe I have Managua, Matiguas, Masatepe, and Masaya all straight.

So what did I think? Well, for one thing the roads are indeed quite bumpy. I mean this both literally and figuratively. Much of the country’s infrastructure is either underdeveloped or in terribly rough shape, which made for some challenging car rides, both on actual roads and off-roading through the woods, countryside, etc. It gave us the opportunity to take in a lot of the landscape, and to be honest some of it was hard to look at. There is poverty, garbage strewn about, and people sitting around with seemingly nothing to do. And lets not forget the frequent cow crossings that held us up more than once along our journey. As an outsider, I got the sense that life was difficult and motivation to change was severely lacking.

But to focus on these obvious, negative first impressions is to miss out some of the true beauty and joy within the country. Objectively, the country is beautiful with its abundant mountains, forests, lakes, and beaches. And who couldn’t love a country with some of the best coffee, chocolate, and rum in the world?! There is obviously a great sense of pride in not only Nicaragua as a whole, but also individual towns and regions, as well as their chief products and exports. There is a way of life that is revered and fiercely protected, including strong ties to family and tradition. I was amazed by the warmth and hospitality of so many people that have been touched by Carolyn’s work and friendship. No matter how little they had, we were welcomed into their homes and charmed with smiles and conversation (at least attempts at the Spanish / English crossover)! One lesson I will take with me is a reminder to take pleasure in the simpler things in life…like being with family and friends, drinking good coffee (and rum!) and treating yourself with some quality chocolate. A sunset swim in the warm Pacific ocean, an invigorating zipline through the forest, and shaking your hips to some lively music won’t hurt either :)

I am also extremely impressed with the work that Carolyn is doing and the obvious impact she is making on her community. As someone who has a background in organizational development and change management, I know how difficult it is to transform the undesirable aspects of a group’s behavior or culture from a corporate perspective. Carolyn’s challenges are no different. Environmental awareness is a relatively new concept for Nicaragua, and change is not going to happen overnight. However, the ability to influence even a small handful of children and townspeople will make an impact for generations to come. And amazingly enough, communities like Selva Negra are gold-star examples of the sustainable development and food production that even the most advanced countries are recognizing the need to emulate.

Overall, I am grateful to Carolyn for the opportunity to experience a country that I probably wouldn’t have sought out on my own. It was a fabulous trip and I hope she continues to feel the progress that she is making…and doesn’t forget to have some fun along the way :).