Student Travel

"[With Viviendas León] I was given the chance to give myself fully to something that is so much bigger than me, something that matters so much more than anything I have ever done... Thank you so much Lindsey, Indiana, and everyone else at VL for making this the absolute best two weeks of my life. "Alex, high school student delegate, summer 2006

ViviendasLeon offers summer travel to high school and college students, that provides the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors. Since 1993, ViviendasLeon has brought students to Leon, Nicaragua as part of our Rural Community Development Program. Born out of a commitment to improve lives in our hemisphere's second poorest country by working with rural communities to build schools and stable housing, ViviendasLeon is an organization equally committed to providing students with a unique experience that combines community service, cultural exchange, and fun.

Why Go to Nicaragua?

Nicaragua lies in between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean to the west and east, and between Costa Rica and Honduras to the south and north. Nicaragua is one of the United States' closest neighbors. And yet, despite the fact that the US and Nicaragua occupy the same hemisphere, most students from the US know little about it.

Time and again, the thing we hear most often from students who participate in our volunteer delegations is how much they enjoy getting to know the people of Leon and its surrounding rural communities. Although many students come to Nicaragua with some familiarity of an Hispanic culture (usually that of Mexico), in Nicaragua students learn that there is not one, monolithic Hispanic or Latin American culture. They begin to understand some of what is common to the countries of Central and South America and what distinguishes them. This is true linguistically as well. For those students who come to Nicaragua having studied Spanish language, they are able to put in practice what they have learned and to experience the layered richness of living Spanish language. Being in Nicaragua, talking with Nicaraguans from both the city and the country, students learn not only about Nicaraguan history but also, because Nicaragua has had a significant role in United States Latin American policy in the last half century, to learn more about their own history from a different vantage point.

Joining a ViviendasLeon volunteer delegation not only provides students the opportunity to expand their cultural and historical understanding of an important neighbor, but it also gives them the opportunity to discover Nicaragua's unspoiled geography. Nicaragua's warm, tropical climate has an average temperature of 85 degrees. Nicaragua is not only blessed with beautiful beaches but also great nature reserves, 78 in all. Two of the largest rain forest reserves in Central America are found in Nicaragua. What makes Nicaragua's geography so dramatic, however, is the spine of volcanoes that run from the northwest and the many crystal lakes and rivers surrounding them. Nicaragua is also home to abundant tropical flora and fauna, including howler monkeys, deer, iguanas, and toucans. Nicaragua's natural beauty has yet to be discovered by mass tourism.

"Our daughter learned a lot in the short time she was there thanks to Indiana and Lindsey, and the wonderful family she live with. In particular, she learned about Nicaraguan history and geography, and could compare the language and aspects of the society to Mexico, where we had lived for a year. She enjoyed the work each morning — especially mixing cement by hand! She also really loved interacting with the children of Goyena, as well as the kids in her host family. Another highlight was the hike on the volcano and the nights out dancing. She also became very attached to the group of teens she traveled and worked with in Nicaragua." Linda Dallin, delegate parent, Summer 2007

Our program

VivendasLeon offers two types of travel programs: individual and school group. (If you are a teacher or administrator interested in taking a school group to Nicaragua with us, click here to learn more about our school program.) An individual student between the ages of 15 and 23 can sign up for our open enrollment sessions in the Spring or Summer, 2008. Click here to learn more about specific dates. You may go for a week, or up to a month. The sessions are structured so that the longer you stay, the more you learn, and the more you get to know Nicaragua and its people. Each session has between 12 and 25 participants—students who come from schools throughout the U.S. (For a complete list of schools whose students have participated with ViviendasLeon, click here). Students form close bonds not only with the people of the community but also with their fellow program participants.

"I feel like I have a more complete view of the world. It put one small piece in place, to learn something about and directly experience living in Central America. I also feel more connected with people in general; just a bigger feeling of unity with all people." Sophia, high school student delegate, summer 2007

Leon

Our program is based in Leon, a truly special place. It 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. León 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. León 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 the recently restored Casa Vieja near the Central Plaza. León also has a thriving cultural center that offers classes in dance, music and fine arts, as well as a Spanish language school.

"I also just loved wandering around doing various things in Leon, especially going to hear live music." Zach, high school student delegate, summer 2006

Home stays

Program participants live with Leon families, all of whom live within a 30 minute walk of the city center. Families host between one to three delegates, 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. 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.

"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

Daily schedule

Every day is structured, with both morning and afternoon activities. In the morning, we take you to the rural community of Goyena just outside Leon. Goyena is a community of refugees, people whose homes and villages were destroyed in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch. In Goyena, program participants work along side Nicaraguan volunteers and Goyena campesinos to build schools and family housing. (The structures themselves, built with rammed earth, are the product of years of research and experimentation and reflect our interest in sustaining the environment and maintaining the cultural heritage of Nicaragua. Click here to read more...)

"We have had a great experience with the ViviendasLeon delegates. The youth that have visited us have been kind, friendly and very smart. Sometimes we have communication problems but they always work hard and help us. We feel that we have a magical connection." Eugenia, Goyena community leader, 2007

"It was an experience of a lifetime. I wouldn't have done it twice if it wasn't. Not only is the construction work rewarding, but integrating yourself and learning about an entirely new culture is an incredible experience. Everyday you learn more about Nicaragua and the people, and you gain a connection to the history and the culture there. I loved it." Danyal, high school student delegate, summer 2004 and 2006

We begin the afternoon with a return to Leon, where the students explore the colonial city and have lunch. After lunch, participants who wish to support their Spanish language learning can take a formal Spanish language class. (Authentic language learning occurs daily—at the work site, in the home, and in the city.) Students may also choose to take classes in four areas: the politics and economics of international development, the history of Nicaragua, the arts of Nicaragua and Latin America, and sustainable/green architecture. Students who are with the program for a week will be introduced each of the topic areas; students who are with the program longer than a week will choose one topic area per week on which to focus. These classes are taught in a seminar-style by professionals in these fields as well as by professors from UNAN. The afternoons are also for trips in and around Leon. On weekends, we take students to some of Nicaragua's most beautiful and interesting places: Volcan Cerro Negro, Poneloya beach, Salinas Grande estuary and Juan Venado Wildlife Reserve; Masaya/Granada, Laguna de Apoyo, Volcan Mombacho and Las Isletas. Students who stay for more than one week also have the opportunity to enrich their experience of Nicaraguan rural life with one or more nights homestay in Goyena.

"I wish everyone would sign up for a program like ViviendasLeon- it's truly character-building and imparts in you a sense of what it's like living in a developing country through the home-stays and visits to Goyena. I think every American should know what it's like not to be so privileged and get a feel for what hard work and community is all about. ViviendasLeon offers that as well as an amazing time learning and embracing a new culture." Grace, delegate, summer 2005

Getting started

Student travel is available during the summer months. Click here to learn more about specific dates. To get started, download the application from the sidebar menu. Fill it out and return via email as a pdf, or print it out and send as regular email.