Global Education

"I was really impressed. From the big picture development, building blocks, community involvement issues to the small details. I valued that there were three communities involved" Goyena, Leon and Drew school. Amanda, teacher, school group, March 2007

VivendasLeon offers school groups a unique travel program that brings students to an uncommon destination and combines experiential learning with academic enrichment. These components are tailored for each trip to fit the group's needs.

School Program

The centerpiece of ViviendasLeon's travel program is direct service. Students spend every morning working alongside community members in the actual construction of schools and family housing for the agricultural community of Goyena. In helping to construct these buildings, students set in place the cornerstones of sustainable development: education and stable housing. The structures themselves are the product years of research and experimentation, and they reflect ViviendasLeon's commitment to sustainable architecture and to Nicaragua's cultural heritage.

The afternoons can be arranged to fit your group's academic needs. We currently offer formal Spanish language classes as well as lectures and seminars in four topic areas: the economics and politics of international development, the culture and history of Nicaragua, the arts of Nicaragua and Latin America, and sustainable/green architecture. All of our teachers/lecturers are either professionals in their field or professors from Nicaragua's premier university, UNAN. If your group has an interest not reflected in the list above or if you have a specific aspect of your curriculum that you wish to have supported by this trip, please let us know; it is more than likely that it can be arranged.

"The program was a perfect balance between helping the community and seeing the sights of Leon. I had an amazing experience. [It is] something that will influence me in the future and change my outlook." Mollie, student group, March 2007

Leon

The afternoons are also the time for exploring Leon and its environs. Leon is a Spanish colonial city, founded in the early 1600's on its present site, after moving from its original location at the base of Momotombo, an active volcano near Lake Managua. Le&aocute;n lies to the northwest of the capital, Managua, in a broad agricultural plain bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the east by a string of volcanoes, some active and others dormant. Le&aocute;n has earned and kept its reputation as the intellectual and progressive center of Nicaragua; the city is home to both the National Autonomous University--UNAN--which offers degrees in sciences and economics leading to higher degrees in medicine, pharmacology and economics, and the National School of Law. The city's main attractions are its Cathedral--the largest in Central America, museums of local folkloric culture, a revolutionary history museum and a new art museum in a recently restored Casa Vieja near the Central Plaza. Le&aocute;n also has a thriving cultural center that offers classes in dance, music and fine arts. In addition to sight-seeing, students enjoy one of the great the pleasures Nicaragua's warm, tropical climate affords: swimming in wonderfully warm water.

We can also arrange for guided trips farther a field. Nicaragua has miles of beautiful beaches, numerous crystalline lakes, volcanoes, tropical forests and nature reserves. In fact, Indio Maz Biological Reserve is considered one of the finest rainforest reserves in Central America. Unlike that of many other tropical areas, Nicaragua's beautiful geography and environment have not been compromised by overwhelming tourism. Depending on the length of your group's stay, you may choose to visit one or more of the following: Volcan Cerro Negro, Poneloya beach, Salinas Grande estuary and Juan Venado Wildlife Reserve; Masaya/Granada, Laguna de Apoyo, Volcan Mombacho and Las Isletas.

Home Stay

Program participants live in a neighborhood with Leon families within a 30 - minute walk of the city center. Families host between one to three students or teachers, provide breakfast and dinner each day, and a very comfortable place to stay. These families have been hosting visitors from around the world for ten years or more. This is a testament to their commitment to provide a memorable experience for their visitors and their desire to foster good relationships between Nicaragua and the world. Most families are middle class, professional families, and, as most Nicaraguan people are, extremely warm, gracious, and well informed. (Typically, we also include one or two nights with families in the village of Goyena.) It is not surprising then that the time spent with host families always turns out to provide some of the fondest memories participants have of their time in Nicaragua.

"We really appreciate that the delegates try their best to understand us, and our culture. It is satisfying to see how they enjoy being with us and doing their best to make our home theirs. We know they have comforts at home and that they could go to better places, but we feel happy that they choose us to be with. We also like to see the enthusiasm they have going out to the community to work and returning happy and excited. We have great experiences with them." Hortencia, host family mother, 2007

Getting started

School group travel programs are available in January, during the "Spring Break" period, or in June. Click here to learn more about specific dates. To get started, contact Executive Director Evan Markiewicz in our San Francisco office who will help design an educationally enriching and socially meaningful experience that meets your group's needs. Once in Nicaragua, your stay with ViviendasLeon will be coordinated and facilitated by Lindsey Walker and Indiana Garcia.

Lindsey Walker is our U.S. Program Director. She is fluent in Spanish, and has a master's degree in International Development from the School for International Training. She has been working with ViviendasLeon since 2003. She lives in Petoskey MI, with her daughter and family. Her passion is teaching construction to women.

Indiana is our full time program director in León. She is responsible for daily operations, coordinating travel groups and communication between San Francisco and Leon. Indiana has been working with ViviendasLeón since 2003. She is fluent in English and Spanish and holds a degree in Tourism Administration from UNAN in León.