When I first signed up for the Nicaragua trip this past March, I was not very enthusiastic about traveling overseas. I’m a member of the Chancellor’s Honors Program, and as such, was required by the program to engage in a “Ready for the World” cultural experience, which oftentimes lends itself towards international study or project work. If I were not a member of the Chancellor’s Honors Program, I likely would never have invested in an international experience while I was in college.

My personality naturally lends itself towards being sedentary and introverted, which is a bad combination when considering international travel, not to mention the fact that I’m a rather picky eater. I remember in the weeks before the trip, checking the calendar and checking when the trip was, almost dreading the day that the plane would take off towards Managua.

While traveling towards the airport, checking in, and waiting in security lines, I was anxious. I’ve been on international trips before, but airports are a significant source of stress for me. The anxiety associated with setting aside things at security, ticket printing, and other things at the airport made me nervous from the first step I took in the airport. That’s how the trip started for me. I was nervous from the onset, and not looking forward to the trip we would engage in once we had landed.

But after we landed and started adventuring, everything changed. My anxiety waned as we were taken on city tours, volcano visits, a tour of Lake Nicaragua, and so many other experiences. I had never been to Nicaragua before and the opportunity to investigate and experience the culture of the area was excellent. Our tour guide was exemplary, always welcoming, smiling, and willing to help in any way he could. He was extremely knowledgeable of Nicaraguan history and politics, and would frequently stop and give background behind many of the things we visited while on the trip. In addition, despite me being a picky eater, the food was excellent throughout the trip and was of no concern to me at any point.

While the trip was exhausting at times, it was entirely worth it, for otherwise, we would not have been taking advantage of the limited time we had. This trip was an excellent learning opportunity for me. It expanded my horizons and gave me an experience I will never forget. Whereas at the beginning of the trip I was anxious, by the end, I was very pleased with the trip. If it were not for the honors department, or this international program available for engineering students, I likely would never have had the chance to experience the Nicaraguan culture like I did on this trip.