I can’t tell you how many times I thought about the way I wanted to start off my blog or the way I’d like my words to come out. Blogging is new to me and the way blogging works is me expressing my thoughts and feelings.

My number one goal for Nicaragua is one long list. The fact that I am going on a journey outside of the country with the purpose of helping others is a dream come true. I envision my future being full of joy and changing the world. Ever since I was a child, I’ve had this big picture in my head of me helping those in need. I saw myself interacting with strangers as if I knew them already. In ways I’m shy, but when the time comes to get out of my comfort zone, it’s the real me. I have so much love to offer, when I get a chance to spread that love around, there’s no wasting time. One of the things I sincerely hope will happen is me making a difference in a child's life. Accomplishing my goal is important to me, because so much negativity exists in this cruel world, I’d love to see a positive environment around the world. Knowing that I am being remembered in another country for a good cause makes me believe that I went to do what I wanted to be done.

Nicaragua is located in the center of Central America, between Costa Rica to the South and Honduras and El Salvador to the North. It borders both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. A theory of how Nicaragua earned its name was coined by Spanish colonists. Based on the name Nicarao, who was the chieftain or cacique of a powerful indigenous tribe encountered by the Spanish conquistador Gil Gonzalez Davila during his entry into southwestern Nicaragua in 1522 is a theory of how Nicaragua gained its name.

The oldest city in Central America is Ruins of Leon Viejo, Nicaragua, it is over 1500 years old. Nicaraguan culture has many influences from their European, African and Caribbean roots. The Caribbean coast of the country was once ruled by Great Britain, and therefore they speak English and have traditions similar to what you could find in Great Britain. Nicaragua is considered the poorest country in Central America and has high rates of poverty, poverty stands more than 80%; 43% of the Nicaraguan population lives in rural areas and 68% of them are trying to survive off just over $1 per day. Unemployment across the country is at 12%, but among the poor rural families, it is over 20% , which is why many families are migrating to other countries or urban areas within Nicaragua to find work. In the year of 1821, the country gained its independence from Spain and became part of the Mexican empire.

    Almost three quarters of the Nicaraguan people live on only $2 per day and nearly half live in poverty. Nicaragua may be the largest country in Central America but it has the lowest density of population. Nicaragua’s population is equivalent to o.o8% of the total world’s population. Nicaragua has a population density of 52 per square kilometer. The current population of Nicaragua is 6,254,559. The currency in Nicaragua is the Cordoba. 1 Cordoba is worth 0.032 dollars here in the United States. Much of Nicaragua’s politics since independence have been characterized by the rivalry between the Liberal elite of Leon and the Conservative elite of Granada. “In 1978, a short-lived civil war broke out, resulting in the formation of the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas, who came to power in 1979. Although they were defeated in free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, the Sandinistas regained control after winning the country's presidential election in 2006.

    Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy was a hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 they have been slowly rebuilt, but democratic institutions have been weakened under the Sandinistas.” (https://www.compassion.com/about/where/nicaragua.htm)

    The fact that there are people in Nicaragua who survive on less than two dollars a day was the most surprising information I learned. There are so many questions that came up. How do they provide food to eat? How do they provide a roof on top of their heads? $2 isn’t enough for one single individual. What happens to their families? I’ve been aware of how difficult the situation has been in Central America, because my family is from Honduras and my family from here helps them out in ways they can. But what can we do to help? In situations like these I feel powerless. It upsets me, because I want to do something, yet I don’t know how. 

My parents fled from Honduras at a very young age. My father fled from the poverty and the violence that was around his hometown El Progreso, Honduras 27 years ago. My mother fled from the poverty that occurred in her hometown Olanchito, Honduras. My mother told me something that made me change my perspective about my life. We were sitting down and she told me a story that occurred to her as a kid. She told me that whenever she was little, they went days without eating. She had a neighbor that was around her 60’s, the elder lady didn’t have much either, but she always gave my mom and each of her brothers a banana with milk because that’s all the lady could’ve afford.

 I realized how hard people have it in other countries. I realized how fortunate I am to have food on the table and a roof on top of my head. I realized that I want to be helping me and making the world a better place. I realized how much I want to impact people's lives in a positive way. I realized that I was going to be able to meet my goals with Children’s Global Alliance.