School Groups

I learned so much from the (Bridges) experience, I don't know where to begin. In the classic sense of learning, I learned about Nicaragua--it's history, music, culture...The most significant realization of cultural difference for me came when  E and I were curious about how people with so much compassion and love for one another could treat starving animals with such neglect. Jacob (Bridges' international volunteer coordinator) told us about a Venezuelan song called "Casas de Carton" (Cardboard Houses) with a verse about, "How happy, the dogs live, in the rich exploiter's home. You won't believe this, but there are schools for dogs and they educate them, so they don't tear the newspaper." Basically explaining that people in poorer countries don't understand places like the USA, where dogs go to school and get surgery, when they can't even afford those things for their children. Suddenly I completely understood. read more

April 6, 2010-Sent to Bridges by the mother of a high school student volunteer

My son, who began to clam up as soon as puberty hit, has talked more about this trip to Nicaragua in March than any other high school experience.  He, too, is talking about doing it again, and is re-searching his college acceptances to see which might have a similar program. read more