I had the incredible opportunity to travel with the university to Bosawás, a national reserve that takes up a large part of northern Nicaragua. The reserve mostly consists of rainforest. It is home to tons of plants and trees. While we trekked, our guides pointed out bamboo (that grows at a rate of 1 meter every day!), pine trees (in a tropical rainforest?!), maple trees, and trees from prehistoric times (we’re talking dinosaurs). And those were just a few of the hundreds, thousands, maybe millions of varieties that grow in the reserve. Suffice it to say that it was green everywhere and always interesting. Bosawás also has crazy cool animal life – jaguars, sloths, birds, snakes, frogs, bugs (large ones), and plenty more. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any jaguars or sloths. I’d imagine it would be an incredible site for wildlife biology research.

While we were in this world of LIFE in so many forms, we stayed at an educational center that had a few small houses and rooms for guests. It was so tranquil and lovely! There was a short path that led to a waterfall. We learned about some of the environmental problems in Nicaragua, such as the water shortage in some cities. We also learned about the bees that they raise at the center and tried some of the pure nectar which has a crazy flavor – it’s bitter, tangy, sweet, sour, kind of everything!

Each morning, I woke up to the sound of rain. It felt great to stay under a blanket and listen 🙂 Then we ate an incredible breakfast – beans with lime and chili flavor, fresh fruit, coffee from the nearby farms, freshly baked bread (I think I ate 5 pieces), pancakes with their own honey, and granola. What a way to start the day! Then we went on hikes. On the first day we took a fairly short hike to a waterfall. Along the way we stopped often to learn about the plants and such. The waterfall was gorgeous. It fell quite a distance onto a rocky area and formed a pool that trickled into the rainforest. We adventured along the rocks underneath the falls, swam across the small pool, and got to a high rock where there was a great view of the rainforest and the hills in the distance. We were all wearing our hiking clothes and rainboots that the center had provided, so we got completely soaked. We stayed cool on the hike back! We were welcomed back by a lunch that did not disappoint. I stuffed my belly with fresh juices, the best gallo pinto I’ve had yet, handmade tortillas, juicy chicken, and tons of flavorful veggies. Naturally, we all napped after lunch, explored a bit more around the center, then had an equally impressive dinner. That night, we took a quick hike to a clear spot and stargazed. The skies were clear and absolutely sparkling.

On the second day, we took a more intense hike. This time, we summited the mountain and arrived at the top of the waterfall! The path got pretty steep and they’d constructed ladders for us to scurry up at points. Between the intensity of the hike and the humidity, I was literally dripping with sweat by the time we got to the top. Fortunately, there was a natural swimming hole which cooled us right off 🙂

Bosawás was amazing. I got to see a type of environment I’ve never seen before and be blown away by the diversity of creation. God is quite the artist. 🙂 Swimming under the waterfall and hiking through the rainforest will definitely be some of my fondest memories of Nicaragua.

One of the most common things I’d heard about studying abroad – along with “It’s the best!” “You have to do it!!” etc. – was that you learn a lot about yourself. Now, I’m not one who naturally stops and reflects on stuff like, “Who am I?” But as I’ve been here in Nicaragua, surrounded by the unfamiliar, that’s a question I keep finding answers to. For example, living in Montana, it’s super common to claim what you like to do as hiking, skiing, and other nature-focused activities. I usually say those things too, but these last couple weeks really solidified that I love nature. I spend my weeks in Managua, a decently large, busy, modern city. It’s not until I get outside of the city until I realize how much I miss seeing countryside, forests, mountains or small towns. The last two weekends I’ve gotten a healthy dose of nature and am feeling rejuvenated.

Last Friday morning, the 6 of us girls from the U.S. hopped into a mini bus to go on an ISEP-sponsored weekend outing! Hooray! We drove about 3 hours towards the north/central part of Nica. Along the way our driver played love ballads from the 80s. They got old pretty quickly, and I had “My Heart Will Go On” stuck in my head for the next couple days. The city gave way to open, hilly countryside. This time of year it’s all brownish/yellow, but I still find it beautiful. We drove by coffee plantations, farms and ranches. We entered Matagalpa, a small city among forested hills. A few kilometers up, we arrived at our destination: Selva Negra (Black Jungle). I think it’s described as an ecolodge. I didn’t exactly know what that meant, but I’m now thinking it’s an environmentally-focused campground sorta thang. There are cabins for the guests connected by little roads and trails with gardens, ponds, and swings dispersed throughout the area. It’s all very tree-y and green. There are a bunch of trails that start right by the cabins and wind through the jungle and up the mountain. I loved it. It is so tranquil, the air is so fresh, everything smells good, I wanted to take a picture of everything I saw, I didn’t want to go inside, I told the girls I may not go back to Managua, and so forth. When we arrived it was sunny but not hot, later it got foggy, then it rained [all night]. I had this odd feeling…I don’t know if I remember how to describe it…I almost felt chilly! Haha it felt so good to wear a light jacket and pants and to sleep with a blanket!

On Friday afternoon, we did this sweet hike up a mountain that overlooked the valley and Matagalpa. At the top, they have constructed a huge cross and statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The clouds moved in as we reached the top, so it felt like we were in the clouds! It was raining, but a very soft, mist-like rain. It felt lovely. On Saturday, we took the trails from the cabins into the jungle. The rain had cleared up but it remained nice and cool. We were just surrounded by green and these great big trees. Some of the trees have these crazy roots that are above the ground and wind into loops. Others have trunks that look like they’re made up of dozens of smaller vines that have wound together so tightly that they’re now one being. It’s a magical world J We didn’t see any creatures, which is probably good. If I would’ve seen a monkey I don’t know how well I’d respond. Those things are creepy! Anyway, Selva Negra is beautiful and I am so glad I was able to spend the weekend there.

I’m learning another important lesson about myself (and the world). I’m seeing firsthand how good I have it as an American. Life is so easy. Not for everyone in the US, I realize that, but wow. I am incredibly blessed and it is hard to see how the majority of the people in the world live. It legitimately hurts my heart. And it makes me think – how should I be using my time here? Yes, there are definitely wonderful places to see and adventures to be had, but there are also so many people in need! I can’t just be here, living the rich Nicaraguan life and ignore these people’s realities. Feeling convicted, I asked Mary Helen (who works at the International Office and basically knows all) how I can volunteer. The next day, I was touring an elementary school, and two days later I was teaching English classes. The school is called Brazos de Amor (Arms of Love). It was created by this Nicaraguan couple in a poor neighborhood on the edge of Managua. The neighborhood has rutted dirt roads, lots of stray dogs, trash all over, and small houses that always have laundry hanging on the clothesline. The school has a couple hundred students or so, from kindergarten to 6^th grade. They wear uniforms (blue pants and a white collared shirt) and look adorable. But they come from tough situations. The director was telling me that the majority of students come from a single-parent household or are raised by step-parents. Many are abused and/or malnourished. There are behavior problems. They don’t have to come to school, but they do. The school is an amazing place. I am so grateful that I can meet these kids and the teachers who work there. When I taught on Thursday, the classes were so good! They were engaged and received me warmly. When I was leaving the 2^nd grade classroom, a couple girls came up to give me a goodbye hug. Promptly, the entire class was on its feet, mobbing me as they tried to give me a hug. Their teacher was nearly prying them away. Holy cow. I think that’s how it feels when your heart melts. I will teach each class, 1^st-6^th, for one hour a week. I don’t know how much those few English classes will help them, but I will do my best. And I will love them and pray for them. These children, because they were born to a certain family in a certain country, have a reality that is foreign to me. It’s not fair. But it can still be beautiful. I believe they have more to teach me about life and joy and perseverance than I can teach about the language.

So, my fellow Americans, enjoy what you’ve got.

Greetings from Nica,

Ellie Hoffman

January 6th, 2015 11:37 pm

One night, as I laid to rest in my mosquito net covered bed, within my open air host family’s home, in the lovely city of Can Tho, Vietnam, I pondered the idea of “How the hell did I get here?” Lets rewind to a couple months prior… to when I made the decision to take on the endeavor of travel halfway across the world to spend my winter break.

November 7th, 2015 4:01 pm

Vietnam. That was the decision. I had applied and been excepted to the College of Forestry and Conservation’s winter session trip to Vietnam to study climate change and the effects on the Mekong Delta. This program would be 5 weeks within the southern end of the Vietnam. I began to think if I had made the right decision? I wanted the freedom of travelling by myself. Exploring. Adventuring. Really immersing myself in the environment. I worried with such a organized itinerary and supervision that this would not be the case…but only time could tell. Lets flip back to my experience to see how it turned out to be.

December 31st, 2014 11:58 pm

I have never been in a crowd of this many people. Literally, I cannot see where the constant stream of people ends. Spending New Year’s Eve in Ho Chi Minh City will be a night to remember. As our teaching assistant, Nyi, takes us around the packed streets of vendors, children, families, and the random stray dog or two who have come out in the masses to reign in the western New Year. As the count down began, this crowd of hundreds of thousands fell completely silent. I could have yelled at a friend a 500 yards away and he would have heard me loud and clear. It was one of the strangest experiences I have ever witnessed. As the fireworks erupted into the smog filled sky of Ho Chi Minh City I realized the night was just getting started… but the rest of that story might be saved for another time.

January 15th, 2015 1:14 pm

The people of Vietnam happen to be come of the most generous and welcoming people I have ever had the chance to meet during my twenty short years on this planet. I was welcomed into the home of a silk weaver today who were members of a Khmer Commune outside of the city of Can Tho. As I sat down upon the bamboo mats outside of their home I was immediately welcomed with tea and the offering of Hero Cigarettes. I declined the cigarettes but did indulge on some of the best tea known to man. My host was a elderly man, probably close to the ages of 60 or 70. He spoke no English and I spoke no Vietnamese. He began the classic game of charades to attempt to converse while enjoying the tea. After about 30 min of this I came to the conclusion that his wife was the one weaving silk, he had three children, he owned 5 cows and used them for milk and meat, and that he was fascinated by my amount of facial hair. This was the best conversation that I had since the trip started, and we did not even speak a single word to each other. I was beginning to see that this trip to Vietnam would mean more to me that I could have ever imagined.

 By: Dani Howlett

Today was my last day in Thailand.  This past week has been filled with school (2 papers and a final) and random outings each afternoon and night.  Today, our professor threw us a going away party at

his house, which was INCREDIBLE.  He lives about 45 minutes out of Bangkok, and his place is so awesome.  The landscape design is incredible, and the house is full of very expensive antiques.  Our professor, Anucha Thirakanont, is an amazing person.  First of all, he is very smart and was a great teacher. Also-he is a mini celebrity in Thailand, which we didn’t really know until recently.  He has worked on numerous cultural projects, doing things like preserving the royal ‘Khon’ dance and working on other projects for the Queen (who he knows personally).  He dresses amazingly and has impeccable taste-which was reflected in his house. I could go on and on and on, haha 🙂 He’s been a really great part of my summer experience. I’ve also grown close to our program coordinator, Jane.  She goes out of her way so much to make sure we are all happy, safe and comfortable, and she is HILARIOUS. We went out to a couple of clubs with her last weekend, which was really fun:) Everyone loves her to death.

The last couple days have been filled with so many emotions, and goodbyes have been very difficult!  I have grown so close to my new friends, and it kills me to know that we probably won’t be seeing each other for a long time. Each and every one of us are wishing that we had done a full semester program-the summer program feels like such a teaser!

Despite a few tears and the difficulty to leave, I wouldn’t have changed anything about my summer.  I have learned so much about such a beautiful country and culture, and it has truly changed my life. Every local person that I’ve gotten to know has been exquisite-friendly, personable, and exceedingly helpful. We have seen numerous parts of the country, from the rice fields and rain forests to the bustling city and gorgeous beaches. My flight leaves at 5:50 AM, and I’m getting picked up from Amarin at 2:30 AM! (which is about 2 hours from now).I feel SO incredibly fortunate to have had this experience, and I really hope that I will be able to come back at some point in my life. Thailand is an amazing place, and the connections I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned here will stick with me for a lifetime.

By: Dani Howlett

This weekend, nine of us travelled from Bangkok to Ko Samet, an island off the southeast coast of Thailand. It was a crazy, beautiful, and eventful weekend to say the least! We arrived Friday evening and explored the beautiful beach that we were staying on (in a hotel for $14 a night once we split it!) Saturday morning we rented kayaks and went out on the ocean and explored around the island, it was gorgeous. The water was so warm and clear. That night, it started POURING rain. We ended up walking down the beach to a bar that was playing music, where people were dancing out on the stage in the downpour. We danced here for hours! It was such a fun time.

The next morning, four of us rented motorcycles an drove them around the island. This was kinda scary, because the roads on Ko Samet are terrible and people are whizzing around on ATVs and motorcycles everywhere. It was a good time though-lots of adrenaline! After that we went and got facials and massages (super cheap here!)

The last day (today) was a little crazy. We had to catch a boat back to the mainland, then a van back to Bangkok, witnessed in my life. Our boat pulls up right on the beach, so we ran out into the waves and pouring rain. Our clothes and all of our stuff was immediately soaked. We were all laughing and full of adrenaline at first, but after we had to make two more stops and our friend started throwing up off of the boat, the novelty wore off. After a slightly scary boat ride we finally made it back to the pier. We were dripping wet but so happy to be back.a cab to our hotel, but things ended up getting a little more complicated. To start off, one of the girls had really bad food poisoning and couldn’t hold anything down. And it was monsooning, as in the hardest downpour I have ever then

We caught our van, but then 2 hours later he dropped us off in an extremely busy square and we had no idea where we were. We didn’t even know if we were in Bangkok yet. So after struggling through some directions given to us by a cop, we made it onto the skytrain. After the skytrain we caught a cab to our hotel, now here I am!! Finally!

Despite a couple hitches, it was a fantastic weekend. We met some amazing locals, including a young Thai girl who came and sat in the ocean with us while it was raining one night. She just wanted to talk with us, even though she didn’t speak much English. That is a moment I will never forget 🙂 Her family ran a little crepe stand right on the beach, and we saw her and talked to her all weekend after that. I am learning so much and having so many experiences here, I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip will bring 🙂

By: Danielle Barnes-Smith

I never learned how to ride an elevator.

Now don’t judge, just listen.

You have to understand where I come from. Eureka, Montana. Go ahead, Google it. You’ll discover that the name Eureka (Greek for “I found it”) is meant to be ironic considering how few people have found themselves living there. But one of the characters in The Host is from Eureka, MT, so what does your town have?
Our town was once know as the Christmas Tree capital of the United States. Once. Now it’s all Border. And it is small. There are no elevators. Correction, there is one elevator. In the clinic. I don’t know if it’s ever been used. But when it went up in 2007 (guesstimation), it caused an upset. It was believe that Eureka was Modernizing at a rate equatable to China (I’m taking a Chinese history class, so I know that that is very quickly).

Having grown up in a town without elevators, I had few opportunities to use such a contraption. Also, I am generally anti-elevator unless carrying luggage. So, other than when at a hotel, I hardly ever ride elevators. I have been able to avoid them.

But not in the Boole Library.

In the Boole Library, the stairs are hidden. I saw them once in a dream, but I can’t find them in real life. And so I have to ride the elevator. And I don’t know the etiquette.

Often I find myself waiting for the elevator to arrive to the second floor (which would be the third floor in the States). As soon as the elevator dings and opens, one person will appear from the rafters and get on. Now I don’t want to get on with one person. It’s weird and unnatural to ride in a small box with a stranger. It’s not because I distrust them. It’s just because. So then I hesitate. Well you can’t get on once you’ve hesitated. They’ll wonder, “Why did that girl just hesitate? What does she have to hesitate about?” So, naturally, you have to put on an expression that says, “Oh, I don’t need to leave this floor. I can live here,” and walk away. This, unfortunately, leads to me being trapped on the second/third floor. Once, when I finally got on the elevator, someone got on after me. I once saw in a TV show that you’re suppose to watch the numbers above the door. So I fixed my gaze there. There were no numbers. The numbers were on the side. But I was committed to staring at the perfectly blank space until the elevator stopped. When the elevator stopped, I realized I knew the person I was on the elevator with. So, to the guy in my Shakespeare class who is also in the Dramat society where we talked that one time, I’m not really that rude.
I just don’t know how to ride an elevator.

Which brings me to my point (yes, this was all leading to something).

Studying abroad is this very peculiar thing for many reasons. It’s a little strange to be like “hey, I’m almost done with

school, I think I’ll move for a year,” but it has it’s benefits. Sure, you learn more about another culture/country/way of thinking, but you also learn more about yourself. Most people study abroad their junior year, and good thing, because that’s the year you fool yourself into thinking your ready for the looming “real-life.” Studying abroad makes you vulnerable again. And it isn’t always just being in another country. For me, studying abroad has put me in a place where I can no longer avoid the elevators in my life.

So if you’re considering studying/volunteering/working abroad, I suggest it. Highly. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be googling elevator etiquette.

Check out this link for fun Irish sayings! Top 50 Irish Sayings 

Also, here is a picture of roses from my husband in a Guinness glass that may or may not have been taking from a nearby pub.