A Memorable Experience in Nicaragua

By Lauren Morales

I had the pleasure of interviewing Australian international student and athlete Maddison Lord. Maddison has been living in the U.S. and playing women soccer for St. Thomas Aquinas College for three years and in this interview we discussed her experience so far.

LM: What made you come to STAC?:

ML: I always wanted to live in New York. I had an agent back home post my recruitment videos for soccer and when I heard back from St. Thomas Aquinas College I knew I wanted to give it a shot.

LM: What is your most memorable moment living in the states so far?

ML: The opportunity STAC gave me to work within Bridges to Community and build houses in Nicaragua. I know it didn’t take place in the states, but the opportunity was so memorable.

Fortunately I could relate to Maddison’s’ response because I accompanied her on the class trip to Nicaragua. While we were there she repeated several times how she never wanted to leave. I continued to question Maddison by asking her,

LM: Who is the most memorable person you met in Nicaragua?:

ML: It’s hard to say just one person. I would have to say the children of the community as a whole were the most memorable. Even though they didn’t have much, they were some of the happiest kids I have ever seen. I look at pictures of them often and it always brings a huge smile to my face.

LM: If you could go back and do it all over again, what would you change or do differently?

ML: I would go back with the ability to speak more Spanish. I had the best time of my life, but if I could just communicate a bit more with the people I feel like that would have been the only thing that could have made my trip better.

LM: How has your trip influenced your everyday life back home or in the states?

ML: I used to online shop almost every day. Since I’ve been to Nicaragua I am much more conscious of what is necessary and what is excessive. I am much more grateful for the life my parents have given me and I am eager to make a difference.
       
Maddison’s experience in Nicaragua and charitable trips like hers should be widely noted if not participated in. The opportunity opens the eyes of people of any age to the realities of life outside of the United States. This class is still offered at St. Thomas Aquinas College and is recommended by students like myself and Maddison Lord.