Day One- Roadrunners Travel from Denver, Colo. to Managua, Nicaragua

Day Two- Sophomore, Tristyn Massey (Amarillo, TX/Randall High School)

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua- "We started our day with a buffet breakfast and then headed to the National Nicaragua training facility for our first practice in Nicaragua. After our practice we picked up some sandwiches from subway and headed to our next destination. As we passed through the city I noticed how everything was bright and colorful and there's graffiti almost everywhere. There are also vendors in every free space even walking between cars.
 
Once we passed through Managua about half way we stopped at a view point to look over a volcanic crater overlooking and in the distance Lake Nicaragua. After about a two hour trip we made it to San Juan Del Sur, a more tourist city right by the beach. Later that night we had dinner by the beach and learned how to dance. It was a great way to end our first full day in Nicaragua."
 

"Today started off with the team serving for the first time on the trip. The first group, who were working at a local preschool, were up bright and early. They left the hotel at 8:15 with donations for the kids in hand. The second group, the group I was in, got to leave a bit later to go work with Manos Unidas. This non profit is one of the most amazing things I have witnessed and feel very blessed that we got to be apart of it. At Manos Unidas their mission is to foster friendships, individual independence, and improve quality of life for people with disabilities through the making and selling of goods. Manos Unidas was only a few blocks away from our hotel. It was located in the back room of a local library. We walked into a small partially covered room. There were chairs that were already placed in a circle. We were greeted by big hugs and smiles. As we sat in a circle to have "circle time" where we passed around a blue soccer ball and in very poor spoken Spanish said our name, age, and answered questions like what our favorite color was. Needless to say we learned a lot of simple Spanish words. Bastin who is the program director of Manos Unidas then explained to us more about the program and why it was needed in San Juan Del Sur. Usually in countries like Nicaragua people with mental disabilities are treated like they are sick. The parents will tell people they have a sick kid and Bastin told us a lot of the time they just hand them the remote, feed them, and that's about it. They have no help from the government either so it is really an issue that is not addressed just pushed to the side. Today we saw how Manos Unidas is changing the social norm. They are showing the parents of these amazing people that they have so much more potential then they think. They can come to Manos Unidas Monday-Friday 8 to 12 and make these beautiful bags from recycled material, bracelets, placemats, and earrings. To make it even better they also are proving to themselves that they can make money and have a steady income. It was so nice to be around these vessels of light today who may not have much but are happy with the opportunity that they get.

After we got done serving at Manos Unidas both groups met up at the hotel to hop into three trucks to go up into the jungle for an authentic Nicaraguan lunch and play with some children. We had the most fantastic lunch prepared by native women. After our lunch we got to do arts and crafts with kids and also got to play some football aka soccer. It was so cool to see how sports and bring people together.

Right after our lunch we came back and got ready for our first game. We walked only 3 minutes to a cement court were there was music playing and a crowed gathering. It was a great experience getting to play on an outdoor court next to the beach. We had to tackle the elements a bit but played a great 3^rd set. Even though we didn't win this time it still was a match to remember. After the match we walked over to dinner and at dinner it started to poor so we all decided to go cool off in the rain. It was a great ending to the day. I can't wait to see what else we have in store. "

To find out more and to help the non-profit organization the Roadrunners have worked with in their time in Nicaragua, The Cassallanta Fund visit http://sanjuandelsur.org/casallantafund. 

Day Four- Kayla White ()

"If I could describe this day in a sentence, it would be that everything about it was a blessing. We started off the day with surfing, and even the locals were saying how perfect the weather was. I would have never thought that I would get the chance to learn how to surf in a cove in Nicaragua. This whole trip I have been focusing on humbling myself and becoming grateful of my environment in the United States; however, throughout this trip I feel like I am becoming spoiled because of all the richness I am finding in the little things.
 
Later on we got to zip line through the jungle. The view was amazing, like the type where you have to speak out loud how thankful you are to witness the scenery. We had teammates who overcame their fear of heights. I describe this day as a blessing because I constantly have to remind myself that I am in Nicaragua and how many people get this opportunity. So everyday here in Nicaragua is a blessing, but all of the beauty today made me realize that everyday anywhere is a blessing. I know reading this is a handful, but what I am trying to say is everyday is an opportunity and that is a blessing. Today made me witness that lesson and that I should be speaking into existence how grateful I am everyday.
 
One thing I would also like to point out about Nicaragua is that the culture is very different than back home.  The Nicaraguan's hospitality is warm and there are many hostels to provide shelter as well as many church services in the town on the side of the road. Both of those really stood out to me. However, there are also many stray dogs and cats. This is a struggle to witness because our loving animal team can not touch them for safety of our health. There are a lot of strays because the Nicaraguans do not believe in neutering the animals because they would not like a life without their reproductive organs. That definitely is different than how Americans look at it, but it is understandable as well. I would like to think of myself as a person with an open mind, but this experience has expanded it even more."

Day Five - Alyssa Svalberg (Aurora, Colo./Grandview H.S.)

" Today we got to experience a new city. We left San Juan del Sur early in the morning and had a bus ride to Granada. Usually in any bus or car ride I always have my earphones in listening to music, but this trip we have all been off our phones. This has given a unique experience because we get to see the lives of people that live here as we are driving. San Juan del Sur had so many small houses together everywhere you looked – there were cats, chickens, and a ton of dogs that were strays running around the town. However, in Granada, there are as many. One of the most interesting aspects for me to look at when we are in the bus, is the different sports fields there are in Nicaragua. Baseball, basketball and volleyball fields and courts are the most popular. Today in the bus, one of the baseball fields we saw had no outlines, and makeshift bases. This is so different than the turf fields we are blessed with in America.
 
Our tour guide Brook explained how all the cities we visit would differ, but Granada is my favorite out of the three we've stayed in. Granada is a colonial city in Nicaragua, and all the buildings are so beautiful. I was not expecting the city to look how it does: the buildings are all so colorful, and attached to one another. They definitely have the colonial look that Brooke described them with.
 
Our activity today was extremely moving. We attended a cooperative for those with hearing disabilities. As the owner of the foundation, Tio Antonio (uncle Antonio) explained, over 99% of disabled Nicaraguans have no job. He told us of how he migrate from Spain to Nicaragua, and had so many life altering situations with the people he met. He wanted to make changes in many people's lives, especially those who have disabilities.
 
Thus, the foundation was born. Not only does he employee deaf workers to make hammocks to sell, there is also a coffee shop called Café Sonrises where the deaf workers make coffee and sell it visitors. He explained how he was at the airport and saw so many tourists with hammocks and that is how he got the idea – however, he had never made them before. The first round of hammocks they made were not very good, and he felt like visitors only bought them because those who made them were disabled. Antonio described how he wanted to build an "American Enterprise" – learn how to do something great that you have an idea off of, and live with it.  Through trial and error and the internet, Antonio described how he and his team begun to master making hammocks, and now have such a beautiful collection. One of the most important aspects he talked about was how the local businesses in these countries need our help to survive and have a better life for themselves.
 
After the talk, we split into two groups: the first group got to make part of a hammock out plastic bags to recycle them. Because Nicaragua has a huge trash issue, the plastic bags can be recycled into making a hammock. I thought this was such a unique and awesome idea. We all got to participate in making part of the hammock. Next we got to interact with one of the workers who is deaf. We told him our names and he showed us how to sign our names in sign language. It is so crazy to me that sign language is a way to communicate – I could not even  imagine not be able to talk or hear others. It was very sad to see that this is how their lives are, however, they are happy at the foundation.
 
The cooperative also prepared lunch for us. We had chicken burritos, rice, and a veggie coleslaw. We also got a banana desert which was delicious! While we were at lunch, however, something moving happened. They handed out little packages and told us to open them, on the front in Spanish read "Welcome to my life" and inside the pack were earplugs. We were asked to eat the remainder of our meal in silence with our earplugs in. This was extremely moving because I couldn't imagine never hearing again. It was emotional for our group, but a great learning opportunity. We then got to take a picture in a huge hammock that held our entire team, it was amazing!
 
Today was a day where exhaustion and travel played a role in how we felt, and some of us were under the weather. We used our afternoon to nap which was much needed, and those that felt good got to travel in the town and explore. However, we had our second match against the Nicaraguan national team today, so it was nice to get some rest beforehand.
 
For this match, we were in a similar building to our practice facility, but we were still on concrete. This floor was not as hard as the floor on the concrete outdoor court, but it was still different to play on. We had a great match against the Nicaraguans and won in four games! It is amazing to see how fans to come to watch no matter what facility we are at and cheer both us and their home team on. Afterwards, we definitely got a treat as we got pizza for dinner! This was a nice break from the typical Nicaraguan foods we have been having. Although the food has been delicious, it was nice to have a taste of something familiar with us.
 
The restaurant we went to was very interesting as it had all American bands and singers on the walls such as Elvis and ACDC. They played American music as well, which our team loved. The best part of the meal was when the pizza came out! Not only were the pizza's huge, they were so delicious, and we got every kind: pepperoni, cheese, veggie, Hawaiian – you name it!
 
Today was another awesome day in Nicaragua; it is so amazing to see how different cultures live and how different they are from us back in America. My favorite part of the day was spending time with the team after a great win doing what we do best – joking around and having fun!"

Day 6- Mikaela Kubiak () 

"Another day in Nicaragua, with another amazing opportunity to see something beautiful. Today we all woke up feeling a lot better than the previous days, and had a great breakfast in our hotel in Granada. For our day ahead, we were all really excited to go to a lake that we all saw when we made a pit stop in Granada while traveling to the city of San Juan Del Sur. And later, we were even more excited to have the ability to teach and play volleyball with children from Nicaragua.
 
We all got on the bus to travel to this lake for the day, and were super excited for it because it was some time to just look at some of the beautiful nature Nicaragua has to offer. As we were driving, we were driving down a mountain that was steep, and basically in the jungle. Once we were at the bottom, we got off the bus and walked through "The Monkey Hut" which was sort of like a little mini resort and hostel for people that were staying there. We had to walk down some stairs that led us to a ledge that overlooked this giant lake. We learned that this lake was made from a crater, and is located closely to an active volcano. The crater lake was surrounded by mountains, and you could hear howler monkeys howl from the trees. There were hammocks everywhere there were trees, and the lake itself was gorgeous. As soon as we walked down towards the lake, everyone instantly took off their clothes and headed to the water. There were kayaks, inner tubes, and paddle boards for anyone to use…along with a floating raft that you were able to swim to. Once we jumped into the water, it was the most refreshing feeling, and the prettiest deep blue water I have ever seen. It was so clear and smooth that nobody left the water until we had to eat lunch. When it was lunch time, we all got out and sat at this little picnic table, and had delicious thin crust pizza. It was funny because the waiters kept constantly bringing out pizzas, and we obviously had no control because we ate every inch of every pizza. After we were eating, it started to rain, but a light rain that was bearable. We all were so full from our pizza, but we couldn't not go back in the lake. The team all swam to the little floating dock, and were just goofing around trying to push people off without them knowing…but as soon as I was swimming up I see Alexis try to push off Santaisha but Santaisha just slipped and fell straight on her butt. Then later on, Claire tried to show everyone how to dive but completely slipped and just ate it. It was a weird day full of laughs, and memories that we all will never forget.
 
Later on, when we got back to the hotel most of us showered and got ready to work and play at this volleyball camp. We got back on the bus and headed to the gym that we played in last night against the Nicaraguan National team. Once we arrived at the gym, we all put on our bug spray, filled up our water bottles, and started getting ready to run this volleyball clinic. We were all talking in a huddle about what the plan was for the time there with the children, like what drills and games we were going to do, so they could practice their skills but also have fun. Once we were done talking, we talked with our tour guide Brooke, and she told us to be extra friendly because they think we are intimidating, and it's a first time to some of the children for really seeing Americans. Something that Brooke told us all, that really made my heart sink was that for a lot of the kids, that was the first time ever seeing a gym floor. They're just used to playing on the dirt. It really made me think about how little all of these people have, but how happy and thankful they still are everyday. It's amazing to be brought together with these people/children from something we all love and enjoy doing, even if there is a language barrier. Working with this kids made me and my heart happy, to see them having so much fun together with us. It is definitely something I will never forget.
 
When we got back to the hotel, we all wrote in our journals and met with our mentors for a short period of time before leaving for dinner. My mentor and I always have good conversations, and I really just want to point out to everyone that I am in love with how amazing everyone is on this team! So welcoming, comforting, and fun-loving. We had an amazing dinner where people could either choose from spaghetti, a hamburger and fries, or a garden salad. I had the spaghetti and it was delicious…plus everyone who got spaghetti got a little salad as an appetizer…so everyone who had the burger or garden salad was pretty jealous.
 
After another long day in Nicaragua, it was another day that millions of people can't say they've seen or done. I continue to thank God for this amazing opportunity, that is one hundred percent life changing for any individual."
 

"Day seven… our last full day in Nicaragua! Today we had to veer ever so slightly from our itinerary and started our morning by jumping back on the bus to travel back to the capitol city of Managua. This change in travel plans was due to us trying to get ahead of traffic as there was parade or festival that was happening in Managua later that day. Brooke, described it as a city holiday that happens all over Nicaragua, but the days of this festival vary. She had also told us that at one point she had joined in the celebration where they had done a running of the bulls. However, instead of placing the bulls on the correct side of the barricade, they had accidentally released the bulls on the side of people that were there to just observe. Could you imagine?

In Managua, we played our final match against the Nicaraguan nation team at their training center. This was for the series title! Up to this point we were 1-1 with them. The gym is brightly colored in red, yellow, and blue. The gym itself is concrete, but where in the U.S. we would have windows, it was open, making the gym have an indoor-outdoor feel. Mid-game, a bird flew in and landed on the rafters which was super cool until it almost pooped on me and we had to bring out the mop! We battled back and forth with the Nicaraguans. After 5 sets, we came out on top! It wasn't just an amazing experience being able to see how the game is played in another country, but it was also neat seeing how the game can bring people of different backgrounds together.

Following the game, we traveled to a neighboring city and got lunch. Our waiter came out with a steaming plate of freshly cooked veggies, meat, and a tortilla to make fajitas. It was delicious! This entire trip I can't say that I have one complaint about the food here.

We were then able to go shopping in a market square directly next to the restaurant. Here we found all sorts of trinkets and souvenirs. At this point, we are all beat from the game and walking around and ready for some down time so we went back to the hotel.
An hour or two later, we met as a team and debriefed our trip. Here we shared our favorite moments, what impacted us the most, who impacted us the most, and how it brought us closer together as a team. It was really interesting hearing everyone's perspectives as well as reminiscing on moments that we all enjoyed and will never forget!"
 

"Oh my, this trip has been quite the experience. I can't even begin to describe the beauty, emotion, service, and color of Nicaragua. There were so many memories and impactful experiences that we all had this last week. From service projects to the bus rides around the country, we were exposed to so much we weren't used to seeing. We worked with kids that have so much less than what any of us grew up with and yet they were always so happy. It put my life into perspective. How is it that I can complain about what I don't have when these kids have so much less. Driving from city to city was where I was exposed most to the conditions of the country. We saw how the people of Nicaragua live. Most homes were basically brick buildings, tin or thatched roofs, with whatever materials they could find to cover the windows and doors. I mean, don't get me wrong, there were some homes that we were accustomed to seeing, but they weren't nearly as common. It made me emotional knowing that this was so common.
 
Along with this perspective and emotion, I was overwhelmed by the color and joy that was felt by the people and the country. I've never seen so much color. Buildings were painted all kinds of colors, sculptures, statues, and even rocks on the side of the road were painted a color of some sort. They weren't neutral, earthy tones either. They were bright pinks, yellows, blue, purple, reds etc. It was lovely seeing all of these colors everywhere we went. In addition to the colors, everyone we worked with or came in contact with were so happy. All of the kids and supporters always had a smile on their faces. They may have started off a bit shy and timid, but by the end we were all friends. It was so much fun trying to communicate with the kids and having them help us along the way and trying really hard to understand what we were trying to say. We probably looked crazy to them act out what we were trying to tell them all while saying words in Spanish wrong. I'm pretty sure half of what I was saying I made up, even after asking someone how to say things correctly.
 
Needless to say, this was an experience I wouldn't trade for the world. Not only did I learn more about another country, but I grew as a person. Seeing how others around the world live has given me a lot to think about. I've learned to be more conscious of what I actually need and what I want. I've learned that I can live off of much less than what I think. This trip was something I've been looking forward to since my visit to MSU Denver and it did not disappoint. It was a long time coming and well worth the wait. Thank you to everyone that had a hand in making this tip possible. The memories and life lessons I've received on this trip wouldn't have been possible without the help of many." - Senior Vasati Fiatoa
 

"It seems somewhat surreal to be heading back to Denver today…I've seen and experienced so much that it's hard to believe we were only in Nicaragua for a week. I feel like now we are starting the debriefing process as we are getting ready to go back home and reflecting on everything we have seen and heard. This trip was one that was saturated with beautiful colorful moments: much laughter, joy, and new experiences. I would say overall this trip was incredible and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to go outside the U.S with such a great group of young women.
 
I think this trip was big moment for our team. I can honestly say we grew closer as we got to experience a new culture together. I enjoyed getting to know the new girls and learning more about the returners-especially as we talked and enjoyed each others company during the bus rides.
 
 One of the takeaways from Nicaraguan culture is appreciation for the simple things. We witnessed people with very little and yet they were filled with genuine joy and happiness that burst out from within them. One of my favorite moments was when we visited Manos Unidas, an organization that partnered with disabled residents. I don't think I've ever seen anyone as content as these people were-their smiles were infectious.
 I can't remember a time on the trip where things were much different, we were always welcomed with kindness and hospitality where we went.
 
I think we all gained a new perspective-especially when it comes to appreciating how much privilege we have. I believe this trip allowed us to be able to be more grateful for the opportunities and resources we have access to. I also think it made us recognize that no matter what you have (even if it is very little) you always can give to others whether that be time, energy, focus, resources, or support. I think it was especially impactful to see how volleyball-a sport we all are passionate about can be a platform for empowerment and we saw that during the clinic we ran.
 
One thing I really loved about the trip was that our guide, Brooke, always took us to local businesses and restaurant's. I loved that were were supporting actual people when we ate or purchased things. As an American I feel as though we are very disconnected when we consume. Tio Antonio at the hammock collective talked about the power that we have as consumers, Americans, and strong women. It was cool that for a change we could see the direct sources and talk with the very people who were growing and preparing what we were consuming. It opened my eyes to the impact that conscious consumption can have on a community.
 
Overall this trip was filled with beautiful sights like pristine beaches, lush jungles, and colorful bright buildings. It was also filled with delicious Nicaraguan food and a rich culture. Most of all it was made complete by the people we were blessed to be able to spend time with and the relationships that were built and strengthened. I feel as if we are leaving Nicaragua filled with pieces and memories from the trip; little reminders and experiences. What I am most excited about is how this trip will transform each and every one of us (in big and little ways) and how that will transfer into the team that we will be on the court this season." - Junior Stephanie Laraway (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood H.S.)