LEAD Group XXIX International Study/Travel Seminar
Nicaragua
Wednesday, January 12
Today the LEAD XXIX fellows met in Omaha to start a journey of a lifetime to Central America. The group traveled from Omaha to Houston and Houston to Managua, Nicaragua. Everyone arrived safely and made it through customs with no problems. It is 11:11 p.m. and we are all ready for bed. We will meet for breakfast at 6:30 a.m., board the bus at 7:20 and travel to our first destination - the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua. We will then travel to Grenada with several agricultural industry stops along the way.
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| On the bus in Managua, traveling to the hotel |
Thursday, January 13
Hola! Greetings from Nicaragua. This morning started with a informative briefing at the United States Embassy followed by lunch at a local restaurant "La Finca" where we learned about a company named Technoservice. This company is a non-profit that aids farmers in developing better production methods. We then took an educational tour of the city of Managua where we saw the town center and the effects of the 1972 earthquake, We also spent some time at the local market where we had an opportunity to experience the different artisan offerings available from all of the regions, followed by a tour of a handmade cigar factory in Grenada.
The evening ended with dinner and festivities on the shore of Lake Nicaragua at the home of Richard Mazour of Deweese, Nebraska. Richard along with Craig Buescher and John Miller, brought in a feast of local cuisine for us to experience. The highlights of the evening where all the local kids wanting their pictures taken, a man climbing a 30 foot tall coconut tree and all of us partaking in fresh coconut milk.
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| Old National Cathedral in the Managua Town Center |
LEAD Fellows at the cigar factory examining tobacco leaves |
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| Scott W. showing the local kids their pictures | ||
Friday, January 14
Salado! This morning during breakfast we listened to a speaker who moved from the States to Nicaragua to work with troubled youth. She has started a school, vet clinic and restaurant. After breakfast we boarded the bus and drove to San Juan Del Sur, which is a small fishing village along the Pacific side. Along the way, we witnessed several banana and sugar cane fields and "free range" cattle, horses and chickens. Our first stop was at a fishing cooperative collection terminal where we learned about the fishing industry and land encroachment. We then traveled to a cattle ranch where we visited with the owner and watched the vaqueros (cowboys) perform an "old fashioned" cattle branding.
We have returned to San Juan Del Sur waiting supper at a local seafood restaurant. So far not one LEAD member has been affected by the food or water!!! Tomorrow we will venture to the Costa Rican border - we hear customs could take up to 4 to 5 hours.....I guess we will see!!!
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| LEAD Fellows along the Pacific Ocean in San Juan Del Sur with Roberto - the director of the fishing terminal |
Keith, Keith & Vernyce at the cattle ranch | |
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| The cowboys branding & dehorning | Deanna and Zoe eating along the Pacific Ocean in a grass hut |