A powerful delegation

Hola mi gent,

 

            Today, we had our first entirely full day! As soon as we were done with breakfast at 7:30am, we were pilled full of information. First, we learned about the impossibly complex political and economic history of Nicaragua. Although the factual information was slightly overwhelming, the emotions that accompanied it were incredible. The team at Witness for Peace expertly coordinated sessions where we were all able to share and express our thoughts on this new information. After learning about the economic and class disparity between many Nicaraguans, many of us, including myself, were feeling particularly vexed.

            After several hours of sight visits, we returned to CEPAD, where we are staying and engaged in about an hour and a half of group discussion. We broke into groups to talk about how what it is in our lives that have contributed to our own particular world-view. After breaking into pairs, we discovered not only a lot more about our team members but also a lot more about ourselves. For instance, it was only after taking part in this exercise that I realized how influential, my role as a consumer is in my take on the world.

            The remaining time with the Witness for Peace workers was devoted to understanding the extent of racism in Nicaragua. The class-divide here runs deeps and wide. The middle class is miniscule and the poor make up the largest portion of the population. We explored our own perceptions of racism and how it affects each and every one of us. We ruminated on our personal feelings and shared with the rest of the group.

            I’m personally excited to be sharing our personal reflections throughout our trip. I love all sixteen of the delegates I’m here with and I can’t wait to learn even more about them in the coming days!

 

-Kyle Peters