Boots

Now that I am finally home, I can reflect on my trip. The CENAC Spanish School and their instructors were excellent, the police officers, prison officers and lawyers I meet were very professional. I respect the Nicaraguan people as they are resilient, resourceful and have purpose in life, that is to make a new and productive society. Most of the 'norteamericanos' and Europeans I met were nice, some misdirected, but had most had good intentions, others had an excellent sense of Nicaragua and the people, kudos to them. The university staff from Michigan were doing an excellent job of innovation and assistance, I liked what I heard and saw. Unfortunately some of the people I didn't like were overbearing, full of themselves gringos who could not make it in their own country so they came down here to try to be a big fish in a little pond! My only advice is - 'go home'. Things that work in the first would may not be suitable for the 3rd, Nicaragua needs Nicaraguan solutions.

As I sit hear in my kitchen drinking organic Las Diosas coffee I reflect on what I saw and heard. Nicaragua has a good future, education will help, the children and young people are their future, I guess I do have to go back to see how things will turn out. For now I have to clean and blacken my combat boots, find my uniform and get ready for training on the weekend. At least all summer I will have the best coffee on base!