Meeting My Superstar!

I was born to a father who grew up in the world of entertainment, that is of West African Folkloric dance, drum and theater, so without even meeting the world yet, I was destined to land on a stage. In my early childhood, I would accompany my mother and father to the dance classes he taught in Boston. As the adorable five year old that I was, I would shyly follow his footsteps until I noticed an adult watching me and then I would scurry away in fear. Around the age of eight, my father began to incorporate me into his shows and I started performing, usually only short pieces of his choreography. The cool thing was that I always got an immensely positive reaction from the crowd because my father would use my entrance as a surprise factor. It was genius.

Growing up on the stage led me to acquire an interest in learning and performing other styles of dance; I have always felt relief and joy from movement and music. However, in the recent couple years, with a heavy class load and internships taking up all my time I have not had time to dance even for fun aside from going out on the town and taking Zumba.

Studying at UAM gave me the renewed opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities and this October I danced in the musical Chicago at El Teatro Ruben Darío. Being on the stage, apart of a team of hard working students, alumni and UAM staff reminded me how much I love to dance and perform. I was not the star of the show, but I sure felt like a celebrity and that is a feeling that I don’t ever want to let go. It wasn’t just the fame that thrilled me, but also the feeling of feat that came along with achieving the full choreography in unison with my fellow dancers. Maybe dancing won’t lead me to a career, but it will fulfill my need to feel spectacular, adored and accomplished. Not only that, but dancing allows me to express myself creatively which I believe will contribute to my effectiveness in the workplace and even in relationships. 

Everyone has a unique creative ability; it is the exact quality, which differentiates humans from animals. Finding what makes us shine and feel successful, skillful and experienced can help increase our confidence and self esteem in all areas of our lives. I am so grateful for the experience of performing in Chicago and for the reminder it provided me; I hope I never forget how much joy it brings me to dance on a grand stage no matter how busy I become in life.

- Kine Camara

Nicaraguan Street Art

 

- Pictures by Meghann Oskins

Studying Abroad in Nicargua

 The Top 5 Things I Don’t Want to Leave Behind in December!

  

My experience in Nicaragua has been a thousand times more rewarding than I ever could have expected!  Although I miss my home in Colorado, there are number of things about my study abroad experience that I am not looking forward to leaving behind!  

#1 FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!

   

I have come to love the Nicaraguan classics – tostones con queso, plátanos maduros, and I definitely would not have survived here without gallo pinto!  But even more than these delectable dishes, I will miss the sweet, sugary treats from my host-mom’s bakery.  Every day I am forced to try cakes, donuts, breads, cinnamon rolls, and an endless number of other snacks.  I would leave all of my clothes in Nicaragua if I knew I could get away with packing my suitcase full of her pastries.

#2 Adventure: An Everyday Experience

Every day in Nicaragua seems to hold surprises for me.  Some of these surprises have to do with natural phenomenon – unexpected downpours, earthquakes and tremors during class, and exploding volcanoes that postpone field trips.  Other surprises include meeting strange people on the street, coming face-to-face with dangerous situations, and dealing with sudden losses in power or water.  Even driving on any given road, at any given time can come with surprises!  I love that I wake up every day here, and never know what to expect.  Sometimes it is fun to live on your toes a bit.

#3 Tank Tops, Flip Flops, and Swim Suits!

I will never forget spending the weekends being tossed head-over-heels by the waves of San Juan del Sur and the feeling of my skin, raw from the sun and sand of the beach.  These beach towns make it hard to look forward to the Colorado cold that waits for me at home!  Some of my best memories in Nicaragua, so far, have occurred on the beach with my friends.  Who doesn’t love the beach, really?

#4 Tranquilo!

The laid back atmosphere of Latin American culture has really grown on me.  Back home, my life is busy and my to-do list is always growing!  I have enjoyed the opportunity to relax a bit and put my feet up (but not too much to forget about studying!).  I don’t think I will ever get used to ‘Nica time’ but the overall feel has been a good change for me.

#5 My Partners in Crime

There are some things and feelings that I will be able to take back to Colorado in December and some that I cannot.  I would love to squeeze all of my new friends into my luggage and get the chance to spend even more time with them.  Even though I cannot squeeze dozens of people into a suitcase, I am thankful for the moments, the memories, and the souls that I have had the privilege to encounter.  The friends I have made in Nicaragua -- from strangers on the street, to fellow students, and even a couple of Europeans -- have made my stay in Nicaragua irreplaceable and I am excited to take my experiences and memories home with me.  I am excited to see what the future holds for all of us! A return trip to Nicaragua? Future trips to other countries? Maybe a visit to Colorado?  Either way, I cannot say thank you enough to the friends that have been by my side through all of the crazy adventures here in Nicaragua!   

- Kayln Madaris

UAM Students Dressed-up in Green - Reforestation Campaign

Students from UAM dressed-up in Green the past Friday October 19th. As part of our leadership class, Gustavo Salinas and I, Adriana Diaz, organized a reforestation campaign within the university. We had the support of thirteen students from the faculties of CUSE, Industrial Engineering, Diplomacy, and Design.

The campaign was a complete success. With the support of UAM’s employees and my father, Miguel Diaz, we worked from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. in order to plant 25 Guayacan trees and 15 Mosaico bushes. The following were located in the parking lot in front of the university’s lobby.

As part of our project, we chose a local endemic tree. The Guayacan can be found from Mexico down to Venezula. This tree remains green for most of the time except for a period during the year were this tree’s beautiful and colorful flowers bloom. The following can either be purple, pink, or yellow.  

We would like to thank all of those who supported us during this campaign including my mom Ruth Maria Rizo, the company Nuevo Carnic, and INAFOR for helping us obtain and for donating the plants and the trees. We leave you with some pictures, the list of all the students who supported us, and with the hope that this becomes a yearly event!  

List: Idania Flores, Denis Pérez, William Lemus, Celeste Castillo, Diana Shihab, Oscar Gómez, Ramiro López, Román Santamaría, Reyna Boza, María Roberta Mejía, Zenelia Boza, Issa Hurtado, Stefan Buitrago, Marisol Moreira Ponce

 

 

 - Adriana de los Angeles Diaz Rizo

Eco-club UAM: "The Green Change Starts With You"

Taking care of the environment has now become a way of thinking and living. Here at UAM, we are happy to see that our own students have adopted this kind of lifestyle and are seeking to inspire others. The Eco-club UAM is a group created by UAM students who have the desire to inspire others and ignite a feeling of responsability and conciousness regarding environmental issues. This group just recently started, however, they are already attempting to change the way of thinking of their fellow classmates and influence them into adopting habits that are in benefit to the conservation of the environment. For instance, one of their future projects is to influence other students into recycling the products they consume inside the UAM campus. However, this willl occur once the recycling bins, which the DO! group donated, are approved and allocated inside the university by the UAM's administration. If you would like to find out more about this group or participate in their activities, click on their name which is the link to their facebook page.

- Adriana de los Angeles Diaz Rizo

My Experience at #2 on CNN’s 50 Things to Do Before You Die

 

On September 30th, ISEP students along with a few other CUSE students set out to Leon to try our hands at #2 on CNN’s “Thrill seekers bucket list: 50 things to do before you die”. We were set to leave UAM on route to Leon at 7:30am, but our trip slipped our bus driver’s mind and we weren’t able to depart until 9:30. The bus ride was close to two hours, but seemed much shorter due to the great company. Upon arriving at the Bigfoot hostel near the city center of Leon, we boarded the Bigfoot monster truck and were on our way to Cerro Negro!

The ride to the volcano was about an hour, but felt much longer due to the constant barrage of tree branches we had to avoid. If you ever take this ride to Cerro Negro, pay attention to the trees along the roads! Once we reached our destination at the base of Cerro Negro, we received our gear and began our ascent up the volcano. After 25 minutes of carrying out suits and board on our backs, some of the fellow adventurers began to slow their pace so the rest of us found a nice spot about half way up the volcano to rest and wait for the rest of the group to catch up.

After reuniting with the rest of our group, we set off on the second, less intensive, half of our hike. Although the hike wasn’t as steep or treacherous, fatigue caught up with some of the group once again and we had some time to snap some pictures from the peak of the volcano looking into the active crater. We even had enough time to attempt to take a mid-air picture at least 10 times. We finally got it though!

Everyone eventually made it to the top of the volcano and that’s when we were instructed to gear up and get ready for the real adventure. I must admit, I was a little intimidated by the tattered orange jumpsuits that almost looked as though the holes had been burned into them, but we were already at the top and it was too late to have second thoughts. We posed for a group picture in our gear, and started forming lines to slide down.

Looking down from the peak was a little intimidating, but the actual descent was manageable. By that I mean if you wanted to go fast, pick your feet up and lean back. If you felt you were losing control or wanted to slow down, you could take your feet off the board and drag them along the loose rocks to reduce your speed. It’s an exhilarating experience, but there is also an element of safety. There is a Bigfoot employee at the bottom of the hill with a radar gun clocking everyone’s speed. I managed to reach 54 km/h, nowhere near the Bigfoot all-time record of 90 km/h, but I was still more than satisfied with the experience. We reached the bottom, covered in ash and waited for the rest of our group to finish. 3 of us felt that we could have reached higher speeds and that we were being a little too cautious, so we attempted to climb up the slope of the volcano and try again. We didn’t make it too far before tiring out from sinking through the rocks with every step and decided that was far enough. We definitely weren’t high enough to surpass our previous speeds, but it was still a nice bonus attempt.

By the time we made it to the bottom, the rest of our group had as well. We then boarded the Bigfoot monster truck to head back to the hostel for complimentary mojitos and cookies. It is there that we received certificates with our names and speeds to help document the trip. After everyone washed the ash off their faces in the sinks, we boarded the bus and went for quesillos before returning back to UAM around 7pm.

I would definitely recommend that anyone looking for an adrenaline rush try volcano boarding at least once in their life. It was a great experience and I feel that it brought our group even closer together.

- Victor Bejarano

UAM's Architecture Faculty's 15th Anniversary

On Thursday October 11 of this year, the Faculty of Architecture celebrated its 15th year anniversary! The event was a complete success and a pleasant surprise for not only UAM's college students, but for outsiders as well.Various schools from the city of Managua were invited to become part of this great celebration. The event took place at Metrocentro where we were greated by a sea of expectators. As part of our event, we carried out detailed discussions of the different types of  tasks that students in the first year of the career face. Similarly, in order to encourage and entertain the audience, there were various acts such as dancing (belly dance, folklore, hip-hop), runway shows where students of the faculty modelled clothes and accessories for both men and women, and games and puzzles that the students from the faculty themselves created. After this years celebration, it became clear the gratitude and dedication that these students have towards their faculty. Moreover, it became evident how willing they are to support it. Their hardwork and involvement towards this celebration was unquestionable. We can happily say that this event was a celebration of all the creativity, determination, and skills that these students have developed over the years in this carrier.

- Jennifer Silva

Leadership and Social Programs at Their Best

This week the first DO! official meeting of the semester took place. Initially, this group was created and composed of only CUSE faculty's students. However, we are glad to see that more students from other faculties are starting to show interest and are getting involved in this student organization. This leadership group has several sub-groups which support different causes such as Bibloko which was created by the CUSE faculty, and Orphan Network which is a part of the international social group found in the states. Furthermore, other student groups such as Blaze the online newspaper and IMAS which is a newly formed group that seeks to present seminars and talks imparted by professionals so that students learn from their experience, are all part of this organization. If you want to find out more and join one of the causes and groups, click on their name, contact the CUSE faculty, or stayed tune for we will announce the upcoming meetings on the International Programs facebook page. We extend the invitation to students from all faculties of UAM and exchange students to become part of and participate in DO!, because this isn't a CUSE organization, it is a UAM organization!

- Adriana de los Angeles Diaz Rizo

Professors' Voices Are Not the Only Sounds Heard Coming From UAM's Hallways

UAM definitly has talent! While many students walk through campus listening to their favourite artist's or humming one of their tunes in their head, there are several students from UAM's Industrial Engineering and Design and Visual Communication faculties that are making their own music. Their band is called Téléviser and they are gaining momentum in Nicaragua. Take a listen to their music which is a mix of several genres with a base of instrumental rock. Also described by them as spatial and atmospheric. If you want to find out more about them click on the name of the band which is also the link to their homepage.

 - Adriana de los Angeles Diaz Rizo

UAM Supports Young Local Entrepreneurs

 
UAM takes their goal of developing young and new entrepreneurs very seriously. What better example than taking a glance at the CUSE faculty’s class Principles of Management imparted by Professor Roger Conrado. As the project for this semester, the class was divided into three individual groups- each one allocated to support and help newly formed businesses in Nicaragua. Two of these new companies are owned by CUSE students. They are the following: Sweet Bouquet - a company dedicated to making candy arrangements- founded and managed by Maria Andrea Reyes, and La Casa de los Alimentos along with the food company's branch Leche Agria Vacas Gordas both owned by Emiliano Enriquez. Last but not least, they are also helping out the mountain bycicle-selling company represented by another CUSE student Gabriela Vanegas called Tecnobici. We are proud to see that the entrepreneurial talent of the country and the university is being fostered. If you would like to find out more about each respective company and their products, click on their name which is also the link to their page. 

- Adriana de los Angeles Diaz Rizo

Nicaragua, You Are Beautiful!

- Pictures by Meghann Oskins

La Isla de Ometepe – “Camine el Sendero Bajo Su Propio Riesgo”

September 14 and 15 mark Nicaragua’s independence and vacationing for lots of people, especially students! This weekend, myself and several other students went down to San Juan del Sur for one night (see my previous post on San Juan del Sur here) and then four of us continued on to Ometepe Island for two nights.

I really enjoyed Ometepe and I desperately want to return before I leave Nicaragua because there is a ton of outdoor activities and natural beauty to explore! We stayed from Saturday evening to Monday early morning, and that was simply not enough time to get my bang for the buck.

I have a lot to say about Ometepe, but instead of blabbing on and on about it, I’m just going to offer a few pieces of information that I would have found useful before vising the island:

1. The island is huge! Not the type that you would walk around in a hour or two – oh no!
2. There are two volcanoes: Concepción (active) and Maderas (inactive). If you are going to visit Maderas, note that you will have to travel about an hour and a half in a car (or three hours by bus) from the main port in Moyogalpa (the car ride from Moyogalpa to Mérida will cost about $25-30).
3. The ferry from San Jorge to Moyogalpa takes about one hour and a half (C$40-70/$1.70-3).
4. Expect to pay a little more for “taxi” style transportation. The chicken bus is a cheap option to travel long distances around the island as we payed under C40/$1.70 each to travel from one side to the other; however, to have anyone drive you somewhere will cost more than in Managua. Some tours come with transportation, just be clear if you have to pay before you leave!
5.  Expect to wake up early if you plan to do any hiking – many of the hikes are lengthy excursions. For instance, it takes about 8-10 hours (total trip) to hike to Crater Lake located on the Maderas Volcano.
6. It costs C$70 per person to enter the San Ramon Waterfall Hike.

Enough tips: here are some pictures from the weekend!

 - Kine Camara