Student Travel
Homestays
"My most memorable experience would be talking to my host family every evening on the porch. The host family aspect of it was my favorite part of the program. You get so close to this family in 2 weeks that you treat them and they treat you like their own. They welcome you with such open arms; it's incredible."
Danyal, high school student delegate, summer 2004 and 2006
A central part of any travel to Leon includes the experience of home stays with families. This is an opportunity for students to hone their language skills and develop a close connection to the people of Nicaragua. Students consistently return saying the home stay was the most significant part of their trip. The homestays are in a neighborhood of Leon known as Fundeci. This neighborhood was built for families who returned to Leon from Managua after the earthquake of 1972. One of the key features of this neighborhood for students are its internet cafés and ice cream shop.
Hortencia Espinoza is a homemaker and grandmother, and lives with her husband Arnulfo Vásquez and her mother Cristina Hernández. Her youngest son, José Alberto Vásquez lives at home and is a college student. Hortencia has 3 dogs, 2 cats and a bird. Her house has a large patio where we often gather for activities, or in the mornings before traveling to rural communities.
"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 to be with us. 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
Cayetana Blanco is a widow and homemaker. She has one son and two daughters. Her son Eddy Díaz is a dentist and lives in Matagalpa. Her daughter Karla Díaz is also a dentist, lives in Le&iocute;n and works for MINSA, the Ministry of Health. She lives with one of her daughters, Claudia Diaz, her husband and three children. Her husband, Enrique Paladino, is a college professor and is 47 years old. Claudia is a college history professor at UCAN-Leon. During the 1980's she was member of the Juventud Sandinista and worked in literacy campaigns in rural communities. Claudia's first child is Marvin Cerda who is 20 years old and a college student. He studies psychology and likes folkloric dances. Claudia's two daughters are Claudia Cerda, a 17 year-old high school student who likes basketball and dancing, and Alexandra who is in primary school. They have a dog named Riki.
Dania Blanco is a homemaker and is 34 years old. She has a small business where she sells merchandise like clothing and shoes. She lives with her husband who works as sales person for the Parmalat company He is 36 years old, plays baseball and softball. They have a 16 year old daughter who is in 10th grade and likes to play basketball and to bake.
Sayda Solorzano Sandoval works at home and lives with her 2 daughters Julissa, a high school student and Yassica, who is a dentist. Yassica has a daughter, Sarahí and a husband Erwin, who is a civil engineer. She has a two story house and lives two doors away from Hortencia. She has dog named Killer.
Martha Lorena is 35 years old and is married to Mario Benito Téllez, Martha is a homemaker and likes doing things with her hands like knitting and cooking. Her husband who works in the United States on cruise ships likes to play football, basketball and ride bikes. She lives at home with her two children, Jonathan Téllez who is twelve and likes to play basketball and football, likes to draw and listen to music. His sister Stefani Téllez who is eleven likes to listen to music, play football, ride bikes and drawing. Both are in primary school. They have two dogs named Duque and Duquesa.
Petrona Fosenca is a seamstress and lives with her daughter Luz Marina who works as a housekeeper. She also lives with her three granddaughters, Marina's daughter; Katherine who is in college studying biology, and Laura and Neyri who are in secondary school. They live in one floor house.
Mirna Lizeth Echavery is married and has three girls. She is a doctor and her husband Edy Vásquez is a teacher at the law school at the National University of Nicaragua in Leon. Lizeth, the oldest daughter is studying in Managua to be an architect. Alisson is in High school and Anneth is in primary school. (type of house or apartment and location) She lives in a second floor apartment. They have a cat and a dog.
Esmeralda Villalobos is a homemaker and is married to Carlos Palma, who works on cruise ships in United States and he likes to read. She lives at home with her 6 year-old daughter Allison Denise who is 7 years old and is in primary school; she likes to skate, go the movies, play dominos and play video games. Her house is one floor house.
Nidia Vázquez works as a sales person for a big company AGROSA, they produce cooking oil, flour and soap for laundry; she is a single mom. She has one son Bismark Roberto Medina Vásquez who is 24 years old and lives with her, he studied law but works as a sales person in the same company his mom does. Bismark has a 5 year old son who only visits them on weekends his name is Carlos Medina.
Tomás Donaire is an architect with his own business. He is married to Sonia Chamorro Bonilla who also has her own business. Sonia is trained as an accountant. They have been married for 34 years. They have 5 children. Sonia Frinee is the oldest and is a dentist. She is married and has 3 daughters. Tomás Erniee is married; he and his wife are doctors and have a daughter. Ana Veruska is single and lives with her parents. She studied law at UNAN-Le&iocute;n. Carlos Roberto is a systems engineer and is married to an attorney. They live in Managua and have 2 boys. Their youngest daughter is Francis Carolina Díaz who is a business administrator and works in Managua for a non-profit that works with handicap people. Tomás and his wife say they feel proud that they could raise all their children with a good education.
Nuria Cortez is a home-maker. She used to be an accounts assistant and lives with her husband Alfonso Reyes who was a driver, now both are retired. They have 6 children. All of them live out of the house except Jacqueline who is disabled. She also lives with a nephew who is studying to be a Dentist at UNAN. She has a dog named Guayma, two cats Cleo and chino and two parrots Moncha and Pipo.
María Georgina Centeno is a widow and lives with her twenty-five year-old daughter Zuleyka Delgadillo and her daughter's husband, Zuleyka has a degree in Tourism administration and her husband is an indusrial engineer and works in Managua. He comes home on weekends. They have two dogs
Xiomara Reyes is a pre-school teacher and 48 years old. , She likes to read and watch TV. Her oldest son lives in Miami and is 22 years old. Her daughter is 18 years old and likes Folklore dances and teaches dance to kids at a Pre-school while finishing High school. Emily is her third daughter, 14 years old, who likes to dance and is in a dance group at school. There are 2 cats at home Cleo and kiaro. She lives in an apartment on the second floor.
Rosario Gurdian is married to Francisco José Lopez and runs her own business: the Eskimo shop across the street from Hortencia's house. She has two boys one is 24 years old William Felipe Gurdián Rocha and the other is 6 years Iker Duan L&iocute;pez Gurdián, both of them study, the oldest one is in college and the youngest will start primary school next year.
Gloria Prado is a seamstress and has three children. She is now a single mom. Her children are grown and are now living out of the house except for Prfiro José Paíz Prado who helps support her by working during the week in Managua for a private lab that makes medicine. He returns home weekends. The other two children are Gloria and Denis Paíz Prado. Gloria lives in a second floor apartment and has dog called Tomy.
María Castillo Centeno is 71 years old and lives by herself, but raised 8 kids of her own, Carmen, José Antonio, Francisco, Marvin, Bernardo, Elionora, Eguenia, and Eliza Cerda Castillo. They all live outside of Le&iocute;n and visit her once in a while.
Mercedes Canales is 58 years old and is a home maker she is married and lives with her husband who works as administrative accountant. They have 4 daughters, Brenda the oldest, is a doctor and works in Chinandega. She has two children, Jorge and Brisa who live with her; Reneé is a teacher in Le&iocute;n Viejo, Jeanethe is married and has 2 kids of her own and works as a Social worker. Her youngest daughter is a veterinarian and an accountant, but right now she is working more in politics.
Regina Mejía is married to Eduardo Cardoza Narvaéz who is a driver and works for a refinery company in Managua. She is a psychologist and lives in an apartment building in Fundeci. She is married, has 2 boys and one girl, the oldest boy is 19 years and is in private University studying to be an architect. He likes to play football. The second child is a girl, Solansh Yamileth Cardoza Mejía who is 17 years old and is studying Business Administration. She likes to watch TV, listen to music and dancing. Her third child is Anthony Javier Cardoza Mejía who is in 10th grade in Colegio San Ram&iocute;n. He is 16 years old and likes to play football.