Last Reflections

While I only spent two short weeks in El Sauce, Nicaragua, this experience had a profound effect on my personal and academic life. Even though I had previous experience abroad, El Sauce provided me with a unique set of challenges that gave me the opportunity to reflect, expand my worldview, and grow. I will always remember my time in El Sauce not only as one of the busiest two week period of my life, but also as a major crossroads in my life. Overall, I think that my participation in the El Sauce program was the most worthwhile financial and time investment that I have made during my time here at Geneseo.

It would be impossible for me to do justice to the El Sauce experience by summarizing all that I observed and learned in just a few paragraphs, so I will do my best to mention what were, for me, the most compelling parts of my trip. The first of these experiences would be my work in the rural health posts. I am especially grateful for this experience as it gave me the opportunity to explore what a future in a helping career could be like in a practical setting. At first, as a psychology major, I felt that I might be underprepared for the rigors of this internship, but I soon found that many of the skills I have developed a psychology student were very applicable to this position. The willingness to assert myself when necessary, strong listening skills, and an open and non-judgmental attitude all were valuable assets to me as I learned the basics from Yuritsa, the nurse-practitioner. Overall, this experience was invaluable as I honed these microskills and applied them in a different cultural setting. Also, I left this experience more aware of the difficulties faced by the Nicaraguan people and health practitioners in rural areas. Many of the basics we, as Americans, take for granted (such as prescription eye glasses) are virtually unobtainable for a large percentage of the Nicaraguan rural population.


Another experience that had a major effect on me was our trip to Cerro Colorado to observe the basket weaver collective. As a young feminist, I found this to be one of the most compelling aspects of the trip. As the women of Cerro Colorado explained to us, being able to produce and sell these baskets is empowering. It provides them with the opportunity to raise their children while earning a supplemental income. With this extra money, the women gain some power in their families and can better afford basics, such as prescriptions not covered by the state or school supplies for their sons and daughters. To single mothers of Cerro Colorado, this income is invaluable as it allows them to feed and clothe their families. The experience is empowering in another major way – through involvement with the collective, the women gain a social support network. The more experienced artisans coach the younger newcomers while offering support when necessary. I am proud to have been part of the program that has organized this economically sustainable and socially invaluable program.


That is not to say my trip was not without challenges. Unlike my experiences in Europe, in Nicaragua I was exposed to a setting that was a great deal less Westernized. On a cultural level, I felt that it took more effort for me to adjust to life in Nicaragua than it had taken me to adjust to life in Spain. What I took away from these challenges was the realization that, as a foreigner, it is “okay” to make the occasional social faux pas. That is to say, I lost my cultural self consciousness relatively quickly in El Sauce.

Overall, I feel that I left El Sauce more confident in my Spanish speaking abilities, my psychology microskills, and my ability to orient myself to new and challenging situations. Most importantly, I believe that this program helped to foster my sense of independence. What surprised me most about El Sauce was the sense of community the program engenders. The saucenos welcome Geneseo students into their community and, likewise, those who have traveled to El Sauce share a common bond.