Lasting Memories

By: Walt Elder

My trip to Nicaragua has been both action packed and rewarding.  We have done everything from touring the country, to consulting for local businesses, to teaching seminars here in Managua.  The combination of 85 degree weather, a filled schedule, and switching between Spanish and English has left me quite tired, so my spirits were high today since it is our last day of teaching before two days of relaxation. 

The day started with breakfast at Hotel los Pinos, where fellow students traded stories of where our various nights took us, some danced salsa, some took a bus to a wonderful restaurant, and some chose to make new friends at a local bar.  Making the Nicaraguan news last night left us all feeling a sense of pride in our efforts here.

After arriving at Casa Dingledine, Miranda Dean and I were in charge of teaching networking to a group of female business owners from around Managua.  Their businesses include luxury hotels, custom made furniture, cookie production, exporting used batteries, etc.  It has been great to learn from local entrepreneurs and to apply the principles we learned this year at Wake Forest to their businesses.  In order to teach the networking seminar, we decided to expand the network possibilities and join Anthony Tuttle and Lauren Williams who were teaching the same lesson.  We started with an interactive activity to get everyone loosened up a bit, then explained the power of networking, and finished by teaching the business owners how to create their very own 30-second commercial, which we then practiced during a speed networking exercise.  The students were apprehensive about presenting their story in such a short amount of time, but after working with them, they were convinced.  The learning continued, but this was my last teaching session.

Next, I interpreted for Ajay Patel and Sherry Moss and a group whose mission is to promote sustainable practices in the Nicaraguan lumber industry.  The group is potentially interested in partnering with Project Nicaragua.  It was interesting to see Ajay and Sherry work to expand our reach here and benefit more people.  It has been wonderful to be on a project where everyone’s hearts align in trying to help others in need. 

I spent the rest of my workday on projects designed to either better Project Nicaragua or one of the companies we visited earlier this week.      

My day ended with dinner on the terrace of beautiful Casa Dingledine overlooking the city of Managua and the lake it borders.   Our celebration meal, for a week of hard work, was a traditional dish, Caballo Ballo, served on plates lined with Banana leaves and accompanied by the omnipresent Flor de Caña.

I’ll never forget my time in Nicaragua.  I have bonded with fellow students and teachers in the Schools of Business, I have experienced a culture first hand in a mutually beneficial manor, I have applied the concepts I have learned in school, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.