[ lifestyle ]
Service in Central America
Matagalpa , Nicaragua , which is known as the “ Land of Eternal Spring .” Photo by Blair Dowler .
BLAIR DOWLER
Riding along the winding roads , the scenery was majestic . There were rolling mountains and deep valleys , and the rows of green trees seemed to go on forever . It would have been easy to mistake my surroundings for the beauty of Appalachia . This was not familiar territory , though . I was traveling along the mountainous terrain of the beautiful country of Nicaragua .
In March 2018 , as a member of the faculty and staff of West Virginia University ( WVU ), I joined Christine Jacobs , Rachel Nieman and Daniel Brewster , an associate professor in sociology , in leading a group of 57 students on a study abroad service trip to the land of lakes and volcanoes . With the nature of this large group , I knew we would have an impact on the places we visited , but I did not realize the impact Nicaragua would have on me . The correlations I found between this beautiful country and my home among the hills took me by surprise .
The students on this trip varied in majors from journalism
and biomedical engineering to occupational therapy and Spanish , but they all had one thing in common — a passion for helping people . Each student was enrolled in Brewster ’ s sociology of health and medicine course . They were also involved in the WVU Global Medical and Dental Brigades , a student group that works with community partners to achieve sustainable health and economic goals and has collaborated with the national organization Global Brigades to facilitate work in Latin America .
When we arrived in Managua , Nicaragua , I knew I had stepped outside of my comfort zone . Everything from the language to the heat was different , but the most exhilarating part was the intense feeling of possibility that rushed over me . The next day , we traveled to Maria Cavallari , a beautiful facility in Matagalpa , where we would eat our meals , spend our free time and reflect on our work each day .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE