Pre-Trip Reflections: Isha Rajbhandari

As an international student from Nepal, this trip to Nicaragua is not my first trip abroad. I am very excited about it not only because I will be a part of a different culture, but also because i think that Nicaragua will bear resemblance to my homeland. I am sure the trip will be a very different cultural experience, however, I expect the problems faced by the people and the physical situation to be somewhat similar to what I was brought up in. I believe an immersion trip such as this will help me understand and be a part of the culture and the society better than if I were to visit Nicaragua as a tourist. Opportunities like living with a host family,visiting places that form an integral part of the society like the midwife center, fair trade coffee, and others clearly make the trip a rich learning experience. I believe that this visit for me will be a reminder of the hardships faced by the people of third world countries and also, help me appreciate my blessings of being in a developed country.