ABOUT SERVICE TRIPS

​“My trip to Nicaragua through Compas was the most incredible, life-changing experience of my life.”
-McKenzie Hicks, Univeristy of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.
Supporting Projects and Building Friendhips
Compas offers service trips to universities, high schools, organizations and church groups. Personalized trips and internships are also available to groups, individuals and families.  The main goal of our service trips is to build friendships and promote cultural exchange while working together with our Nicaraguan friends to help improve the lives of impoverished people.  Trip participants live with host families, work on community projects, participate in a variety of activities, and enjoy the natural beauty of Nicaragua.  Groups live with host families and work side by side Nicaraguans on community projects.  Service work includes projects such as, chicken coops, backyard gardens, and bio-gas systems. Enrichment activities include English and Spanish classes, arts and crafts, soy food preparation, and workshops such as reproductive health, inter-family violence and organic farming. Participants also meet with schools, health centers, and organizations and take trips to volcanoes, lakes, and the Pacific Ocean.
​
Compas de Nicaragua Service Learning Trip
 
Day 1  Group arrives. Debriefing/Orientation Meeting.  Meet host families, Dinner
Day 2   Morning: Managua Tour (Revolutionary Plaza, National Museum, Nica history.  Other options:  Meeting with organization about deforestation, Nicaragua inter oceanic canal plans, climate change
Afternoon: Welcome at Women in Action (WIA) project (learn about WIA’s programs, ice breaking games).
Day 3  Morning: Work projects (WIA home repair/light construction at ABC School).  Other options: English/Spanish lessons w/WIA, gourd art and crocheted bags workshop
Afternoon: WIA Shadowing (each trip participant will spend rest of day with a WIA member--prepare food, washing clothes, etc)
Evening: Meeting and music with Paul Baker, ex-monk turned environmentalist
Day 4    Morning: Work projects continued.  Other options: Visit local health clinic and public school
Going away gathering with WIA
Afternoon:  Leave Managua for Masaya Market (Nicaragua arts and crafts, souvenirs)    
Excursion options: 1) Masaya Volcano (drive to top of volcano, crater overlook, 2) Laguna de Apoyo (crystal, clear volcanic lake—swimming!), 3) Mombacho Volcano (ride to top of volcano and hike the cloud rainforest), 4) Granada (Spanish colonial city, boat ride around islands)
Evening:  Arrive in La Paz, go to host families
Day 5   Morning: Visit and tour of organic farm/meeting with youth environmental group. 
Lunch w/potter, Herman Alguere (visit Herman’s gardens and art gallery, short nature hike in search of howler monkeys.
Afternoon: Work projects (Options--bio-gas system installation, reforestation work, gray water systems)
Evening: Pizza party with host families
Day 6   Morning:  Work projects continued            
Afternoon:  Work projects continued.  Other options: 1) Guided nature hike in La Paz,  2) Trip to Jinotepe (capital of Carazo, 3) Visit to herbalist and wine maker, 4) Visit Makina waterfall (swimming!)
Day 7   All Day: Trip to Pacific Ocean                    
Evening: Going away celebration
Day 8   Leave for U.S.
​“I  want to give my immense gratitude for the experience Compas gave me.  I knew going in that any amount of time in another culture would be profound, but I had not expected to fall in love so deeply with the people, and the language, and the land.  I was not prepared for its lasting effects on my life, for the depth of human connection and relationships, for the at homeness I felt, for the eye-opening, to the complexity and interrelatedness of social, political and environmental issues.  I look forward to continuing to support compass incredible work any way that I can.” 
-Amanda Vaine, Compas Intern, Summer 2014.