Full Circle: Social Media Connects!
As a high school student in 2004 I stayed with a family in Nicaragua for two weeks as part of a student exchange for our sister island assoication (BOSIA). That trip has opened so many doors in my life not to mention led me half way around the world to study spanish, fall in love, and get married, to mention a few. And the most amazing part is that in three weeks I return full circle. This time around my husband and I will be leading a group of students and staying in a town called Sacramento, only a 15 minutes bike ride from my original town of La Paloma. Students from Bainbridge take two weeks to serve, build community, and make friends disconnecting from the world of ipods and cars. Day in and day out they connect with local, geuine people, spend evenings chatting in Spanish, sit on neighbors porches exchanging culture, and see a life truely beyond what they know and expect.
And now the world of Social Media jumps in!
I have kept in touch with my family through letters here and there. My host mom calls my parents house at random moments. Unfortunantly I have never been around, which leaves my mother trying despertly to utter some gibberish to let my Nicaraguan mother know where I am. However, BUT, HOLD the PHONE, STOP me dead in my tracks...my host sister Marcela, the beautiful girl who hovers at the top of my blog, Facebook friended me about a month ago. And the other day we chatted. Seven, I repeat SEVEN years later, through the world of social media my family reconnects with me. Now to clarify power, computers, and INTERNET are all very new to the Island some parts are still without. They would be lucky to have a stero in the house let alone a computer. But schools and internet cafes have opene the doors for students to communicate with the world. I won't insert several paragraphs of exclamation marks. However, I will end by saying this is a dream and a promise coming true.
And now the world of Social Media jumps in!
I have kept in touch with my family through letters here and there. My host mom calls my parents house at random moments. Unfortunantly I have never been around, which leaves my mother trying despertly to utter some gibberish to let my Nicaraguan mother know where I am. However, BUT, HOLD the PHONE, STOP me dead in my tracks...my host sister Marcela, the beautiful girl who hovers at the top of my blog, Facebook friended me about a month ago. And the other day we chatted. Seven, I repeat SEVEN years later, through the world of social media my family reconnects with me. Now to clarify power, computers, and INTERNET are all very new to the Island some parts are still without. They would be lucky to have a stero in the house let alone a computer. But schools and internet cafes have opene the doors for students to communicate with the world. I won't insert several paragraphs of exclamation marks. However, I will end by saying this is a dream and a promise coming true.
Nicaragua HERE WE COME!
(My 18th birthday with my Nicaraguan family: Marcela, Michelle, Jarolito and me.)
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