Every day in Nicaragua, we had amazing "harvests". Each hug, each smile, each laugh, each correctly pronounced word, was an amazing victory. While these may be looked at as things we had harvested, these moments are also seeds. Seeds to know that there are people in the world that care about and love them. Seeds to aspire to know more, to learn more. Seeds to continue going to school every day with a smile. The things we did, and the things we saw will not only result in something great for the kids, but for us. After this experience, my want to do service work has increased even more than I thought possible.
I can honestly say that I am proud of what we did, the people I worked with (both students and volunteers), and I am proud to be a part of Children's Global Alliance. Not only have I grown as a person, but I have grown closer to the people I worked with. In only a week, we created unbreakable bonds with strangers, and with each other.
The minute I stepped off the plane, the culture shock began to set in. Driving miles and miles without seeing any dilapidated shacks, the lack of heat and humidity, and not waking up at 6:30am shook me. All the little things that I grew used to in Nicaragua, became little necessities here. When I got home I took my watch off (we were required to wear our watches every day on the trip), and within five minutes I had put it back on because I wasn't used to having to look for a clock rather than just lookig at my wrist. Before going to bed, I was frustrated because I couldn't find my bug spray, then remembered that I didn't need to put it on before bed anymore.
I want to thank everyone for supporting my trip, with money or with a simple "good luck", every thing helped tremendously. And I hope that everyone follows CGA through all of their journeys, because every encouragement, and every person to cheer you on, helps.
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." -Robert Louis Stevenson
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