From Lindsey –

March 24, 2013

It is so hard to believe that the trip is over and we are back to reality in Maryland. I think each and every one of us can truly say that we had a life-changing experience, which has altered not only the way we think about businesses but also the way we think about our lives, in general. After immersing ourselves in the culture of Nicaragua and building relationships with countless new friends, we had to pack up, come home, and reflect on the irreplaceable past ten days. The work that we accomplished with our entrepreneurs was such a success, given the short amount of time we had to work with them, but there are still important steps for each group to take in order to be sure that this success continues for the entrepreneurs.

Specifically, for the coffee halter group, the UMD students need to be sure to reach out to a student at the University of Maryland Law School and inquire about filing for a patent in the U.S. The Spanish School Group, working with Myra should be sure to send over their debriefing and confirm that Myra fully understands all aspects of their recommendations. The group working with Bruno should check back in with him to be sure that he has a working laptop and that the Excel spreadsheets are manageable for him to complete on his own. Anu has kindly taken it upon herself to follow up with Richard, a former entrepreneur involved in the program, by developing a website for his taxi service. Mouna has agreed to set up a crowd-funding page for Hester J. Hodgson Libraries for All Program, to ensure that amazing experiences like our collaborative ten days with the entrepreneurs can continue in the future. Finally, all of the UMD students have agreed to participate in additional fundraisers for the entrepreneurs if this is feasible within the next few weeks. Thus, there is still work ahead of us if we want to help our entrepreneurs reach their potential!

I think I speak for all of the students on the trip when I say that this Study Abroad has been more meaningful than any of us had originally anticipated; not only did we get to experience one of the most beautiful, welcoming countries, but we also got to help change the lives of the people of Nicaragua. Thank you to everyone who made the trip possible for us, especially Jane, Professor White, Pat, Lily, UAM, and all of the entrepreneurs!