Tiffany’s Rocky Mountain

This is Tiffany, the only one who attends Independence High School from E1B. I first heard of this program from my French teacher so I had no idea I was going to speak any Spanish, however, to my surprise, I learned some Spanish but that was not the main dish of the this trip. The things that I have learned will reflect my future because I discovered a big part of me.

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From this trip, I have gained so much knowledge about the world. I never thought I would think the way I do now, since before, I thought just being grateful was enough. Today I would like to share that it is not about just seeing a vision and understanding situations, it is about taking action……..which leads to today’s activity, the continuation of the Community Action Project.

I would just like to start off saying that of course this project will not solve all the bigger issues we have in Nicaragua or specifically Esteli but I imagine it as if a person has done a small action that has affected someone and inspired them to do the same. I would probably be saying “I don’t know if I make much sense right now” but I’ve also learned not to belittle myself. Anyways back to what I was saying, I was trying to say the purpose of this project in my point of view is to inspire the community and to bring a positive impact to the students. It’s like bringing somebody flowers when they are hospitalized, it’s not going to fix their broken legs but it will definitely brighten their day and I believe that is what we are doing. Another thing I realized on this trip was that the world is like a plate of food, not every ingredient comes from the same place, it all may come from different places, for example our coffee might not come from our country which leads to my point of that we all need each other. If we did not help each other at all, we would not develop.

Today, the second day of the project which I led made me feel like I have been productive and benefited in something that made a small difference but created a big impact. I knew that every leader had their struggles but I didn’t think I would have any at all because I did not see what was in front of me. In the end, I actually thought I struggled at some points but that’s okay because I realized that my thorns are not thorns but contributors to the stem that makes my rose grow. Every one of my mistakes and my hardships build me and nurture me to grow as a leader. I might not be the best leader today but I know I will improve and have better leadership days in the future.

I felt like today we achieved a lot within the time that we had, we finished the fence and painted it in lovely pastel colors and also decorated the tires with creative designs and made it a plant holder. I was just so surprised we got that much work done considering how tired everyone was. I am just really proud of everyone today because they really showed determination along with the children from the school who helped us. I found it remarkable how I don’t know any Spanish but could still get along with them. I then realized (I need to stop using the word “realize”), that if you know your destination, you will expect the unexpected and not be stunned by what is coming ahead because you know what is ahead. I did not know what was on top of that mountain when I climbed it so then I was amazed by its scenery unlike others who already heard of its description. The situations I have faced today are just only the rocky parts on the mountain. I know there is still a long way to go until I get to see the scenery and this time I will be motivated and use all my effort to see it, to see that scenery on top of that mountain, the mountain that I am still climbing. Until then, wish me luck! I just wanted to say I am so grateful for this experience and the people that I have met. E1B Fam for life!DSC00935