Frontier Goes To Nicaragua 2017!

Hello!

You are receiving this email because you are someone who I think may be interested in this service trip that I am organizing for this summer.  I have organized similar trips in past summers with Frontier students that have been tremendously successful, and I am excited to help plan another trip for this summer in June-July 2017, however I will not be able to lead the trip this year. Amped's staff on this trip will include two Frontier alums!

Amped For Education (ampedforeducation.org) has been increasing their efforts over the last 5 years to change the educational outcomes of Nicaraguan students. Thanks to Frontier students and their meaningful work with Amped in the past, Amped now facilitates trips year-round like this one for groups based across the US! On the last trip, my Frontier group helped to build a learning center that offers academic support for secondary students in an impoverished area outside of Granada.

If you are curious in the meantime you can scroll through my blog of our 2013, 2014, and 2015 trips here:

frontiergoestonicaragua.blogspot.com

The cost of the June-July 2017 trip will be $1399 excluding flight costs.  This figure includes all meals, ground transportation, some cultural excursions, housing costs, and program/project costs for 9 days in Nicaragua.

A non-refundable deposit will be $350 made out to "Amped For Education."  Amped is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization and any contributions to Amped are tax deductible.

Next steps:

--Confirm with me that you will attend this trip this summer! Get a deposit to me ASAP!

--Research flight times and costs to determine the actual trip dates and times. The aim is to leave shortly after school is over in June and return in the beginning of July.

--Reach out to the community to promote this opportunity.

Please contact me with any questions!

Joe Costello

508-944-7917

Here are some links to check out if you want to explore some more:

Amped For Education's Youtube page with tons of media from past trips, including a lot of video of the Frontier trips!

https://www.youtube.com/user/ampedforeducation

Amped For Education's Facebook page.  Lots of great pictures and updates!

https://www.facebook.com/ampedforeducation

July 2015 trip reflection

Our July 2015 group had an amazing experience. Jim and his granddaughter Angela were major contributors then, and they continue to make a difference since. Angela organized a fundraiser for Amped at Frontier in the fall, and Jim has shared numerous photos and insight. 

Check out some of Jim's insight, on familial relationships and leveraging privilege, that he gained during the July trip:

http://www.grandmagazine.com/news/2016/01/what-happened-when-my-granddaughter-went-to-nicaragua/

Learning center update!

Here are some pictures from the finished project at the Learning Center!

Day 9

Last day before we leave. Tonight we met as a large group and shared some of the key memories from the trip. Tomorrow will be a long travel day, and a return home to our normal lives, but some memories will stay with us for longer. 

Here is some reflection from Raili:

"The time I spent in Nicaragua was among one of the most inspiring, wonderful, and interesting weeks of my life. During the past nine days I learned a lot about myself, the world, and the people who inhabit it. Although I have been fortunate to have traveled a bunch prior to this trip, I have a hard time trying to compare my experience in Nicaragua to any prior experiences in other vastly different parts of the world. I had only small amounts of knowledge about Nicaragua prior to our arrival, and of course was aware of the extreme poverty that a majority of the country faces.  However, on the bus ride from the airport to the hostel I was struck by just how little money the Nicaraguans really had. There were small children in the streets with hardly any clothing, there were ill looking stray animals all over the place, trash nearly everywhere you looked, houses with no roofs, dogs and even one or two people picking food out of garbage cans, and people who appeared to not have eaten a substantial meal or showered in weeks. It seems crazy to me that in a world where there are people who are making hundreds of thousands of dollars a week, there are also people who are forced to survive on less than ten. Regardless of what the people down there do or don't own, it seemed to me that a majority of them were happier than a lot of people I know back in the U.S. It's really beautiful and fascinating to me that people who have close to nothing can be so genuinely happy purely because they appreciate their lives and everything single thing they have. Moving forward I intend to be much more appreciative of what I have, to focus more of my energy on my schoolwork and to be more aware of how lucky I am to have an education, and to try to give back as much as I possibly can to people in need."

The last sunset was the best one. 

At sunrise we like into the bus to go to the airport. 

Day 8

Days at the beach house are long. Lots of time spent in the water, on the sand. Dinners are a community event with everybody pitching in with cooking or clean up. When the sun goes down, there are a variety of games to play in the house or by the pool. 

We had several animal visitors at the beach house. This seems to be a squirrel?

Passing time when not at the beach. 

Sunset views from the deck. 

Day 7

(The wifi at the house is spotty so blogs for the next 3 nights might come out at random times.)

After leaving the hostel, we went to Apoyo Lagoon for the day which is kind of a hotel resort on a volcanic lake. The water is mineral-rich and unusually warm due to thermal activity deep under ground. We enjoyed bocce, ping pong, pool, smoothies, kayaking, and lunch before we left for the pacific coast. 

When we reached Bahia Gigante, we all made a beach trip at sunset and took in a different part of this beautiful country. A community effort for a great dinner and clean up, then it was time for bed (in air conditioning!)

Here is Michael with some reflection:

"Leaving is always the hardest part. But leaving knowing that you have accomplished something, and that it will go to good use makes it better. A part that surprised me was noticing how happy the people of Pantanal where with what they had, and how thankful they were for what they have. We played with some of the kids who had a flat soccer ball but seemed to have a blast. I feel that sometimes we aren't thankful for what we have, and that we always want more. But leaving this trip I think I will definitely be thinking about being thankful for what I have.  I think I can speak for everyone when I say that this trip will benefit and maybe change the way we think and do things. Before we left, last night we had a big group discussion about the trip and one of the main topics was our comfort zones and that you can't accomplish something with out going outside your comfort zone. And all of us at least once had to go outside our comfort zone to get the job done. You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take. I think we can all agree that working and helping build this learning center was TOTALY worth it. We might not see it finished but at least we know that it will create more opportunities for the kids in Pantanal. Even the little things can make a difference. And you can do anything you set your mind too."

Ready to leave the hostel.

Beach view at Apoyo Lagoon!

Ben and I got cevice.

Everyone in for a sunset swim once we got to the beach house. 

Gaming!

Day 6

Today was our last day in Pantanal and we worked to make the best of it.  Putting up walls takes a coordinated effort of cement mixing, dirt sifting, and block lifting.  By lunch time we had made noticeable progress but we only had a limited amount of time scheduled in the afternoon to work.  We did our best and are proud of the result.  We wish we had more time!

After lunch, we split into two groups and had the option of a zip line trip or a chocolate factory tour.  Then we had a pizza dinner out, our last in Granada.

Here is Angela with some perspective:

I never thought that having air conditioning was a privilege. Or that I was lucky my parents salary was over three dollars a day. Back in the states we take things that are "normal" for granted and this trip has helped me to see how truly lucky I am to be born in the place I was. On the other hand I've seen things that I wish we could carry back home. For instance I observed two kids kicking a soda bottle around having more fun than I thought was humanly possible. When we hear of countries like this we immediately pity the inhabitants and wish we could completely turn their lives around. Instead, we should empower the people and learn how to improve their weaknesses, but also incorporate their strengths. As I begin to wrap up my stay in this beautiful country I will continue to try and attempt to see how my privileges have "changed" my life compared to a native inhabitant of Nicaragua.

And here is a reflection from Brandyn:

After six days in this developing country, it's a big thing to comprehend when you think of what your privilege is compared to what these people do. It is very different to see kids hanging on electrical wires as a hobby and then being so fascinated by something as simple as a frisbee. In America, you see people always on technology or in front of a screen. My perspective on how to look at the world has definitely been altered by interacting with and seeing the activities of the people in Nicaragua and I appreciate the opportunity of being in this country for this time. As I head to the next day of the trip, I keep the ideas in my head on what I have encountered and what I am here to learn.

Mixing cement is physically taxing.

Raili and Jill putting up a wall.

Jasmyne and Mike helping to sift dirt for cement.

Walls going up.

Last lunch at Ramona's! She was incredible for us all week.

It's getting there.  After our classroom time with Niçaraguan students yesterday we saw how necessary walls are for the learning center.  They will help to block out noise and distraction and give a more permanent feel.  

Group shot with the contractors that worked with us!

Getting ready for zip lining.

One of the zip line guides captured this giant cicada before we started the tour. He put it in his pocket and it was buzzing loudly throughout!

Wonder Woman!

Scotty upside down!

Zip Liners!

Last supper redux.  Da Vinci would be proud.

Aftermath.