Central America Gap Year: Connecting the Americas

This is a sample itinerary. No two Dragons courses are the same. Every itinerary considers the unique strengths of the instructor team and interests of the student group.
Weeks 1-3 We begin our Gap Year on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. Once a haven for pirates and contra rebels, the Caribbean coast is located on the furthest edge of the country's Autonomous Regions and is extraordinarily diverse. There are six distinct ethnicities and five languages that make up this cultural melting pot. Here we acclimate to the cultural, linguistic and socio-economic institutions of the country and outline our goals for the course. Mirroring the rhythms that surrounds us, the first days of the program are slow and deliberate, serving to allow students the time and space to orient themselves to their new realities. Here on the Caribbean coast, students are introduced to central thematic threads (sustainable development, economic inequality, regional power structures, environmental conservation, and the influence of the United States on continental politics) that are interwoven throughout the experience and begin to examine the historical and cultural diversity symbolized by “The Americas.” We explore region through a case-study of Nicaragua -- from its indigenous heritage to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors to the ghastly legacy of the African slave trade.
Weeks 4-8 After moving on from the glistening tropical coastline, we settle into home-stays in Matagalpa, where we build a deeper understanding of the term “home.” In Matagalpa, we spend quite a bit of time getting to know our new families, meeting friends, and engaging with NGOs, community leaders, social activists, politicians and academics. Students focus on increasing their Spanish fluency through both formal instruction and daily conversation. The Program House serves as a hub for group studies, such as guest lectures, films, workshops and lectures, as well as for community events and meals. During this time, students develop an Independent Study Project (ISP) of their choice and dedicate much of their time to researching their particular interest. Topics may include studies of local dance traditions, interviews with local politicians, community art projects, or engaging in a comprehensive learning service project.
Weeks 9-12 Using Matagalpa as our home base, we explore the surrounding regions, including an extended stay in El Lagartillo, a town tragically affected by Nicaragua’s civil war. El Lagartillo is a town uncommonly populated by charismatic, radical individuals who are dedicated to furthering human rights, peace and justice, and reconciliation. We are welcomed into their homes to share in their life stories, hopes and ideas. Here in El Lagartillo, students participate in an integrated permaculture learning service project, and in the evenings spend time with their home-stay families in humble solar-powered homes. Students also have opportunities to play music with local bands, attend plays performed by a socially-conscious theater troupe, build a cob home, and take walks to swim in a breath-taking waterfall.
Weeks 12-14 From El Lagartillo, we travel to San Marcos, where we meet with the inspiring workers of Los Quinchos. Los Quinchos is a socially-engaged organization that provides viable opportunities for kids living in La Chureca, the largest city dump in Central America. The volunteers work in three sites where kids are moved through a progression of emotional development and skill-building, wherein they are able to boost their self-esteem and self-love, become more integrated into the community, and attain skills required for employment. We visit the children’s home and learn about the troubling history of the LA Chureca dump, as well as the motivations and methodology behind Los Quinchos outreach program. After establishing personal bonds, we are able to engage in more profound conversations about what it means to “have a good quality of life”, and soon, we’ll leave the city to backpack together through the region. After three months of living with families in Matagalpa, we settle in to celebrate the winter holidays with our host families and delight in the community festivities that define the foundation of Nicaraguan culture. With the arrival of the New Year, we turn our attention outside of Nicaragua and widen our perspective on experiences within “other” Americas.
Weeks 15-17 We travel to Cuba for a three week inspection of how different states in the Americas have engaged the development of political and economic systems. Along with Nicaragua, Cuba is the only other Latin American nation which can claim a successful revolutionary movement. However the development of the revolutionary regime in Cuba has been distinct from that of Nicaragua. Prepared with an understanding of Nicaraguan history and the outcome of that revolution, students turn their gaze to this Caribbean island’s struggle for independence and its outcomes. Here we have the opportunity to analyze the effect of the the 1959 revolution on the population of Cuba, the ensuing relationship to the US and the global community, and the strong connections between this social movement and the Nicaraguan revolution of the 1970’s. In addition, students have the opportunity to explore the rise of the organic agricultural movement in Cuba which has led the island to be modern day leaders in the field of sustainable urban agriculture. We investigate the island’s tremendous beauty and biodiversity by visiting national parks and other natural areas. Students live among Cubans, taking part in lively conversations over a game of dominoes, walking the streets of Old Havana and learning about how life, history and politics are inseparable on this island nation.
Weeks 18-22 From Cuba, we return to Nicaragua to reunite with our home-stay families and mentors in Matagalpa. Thanks to our experience in Cuba, students now have the ability to re-enter Nicaragua with fresh perspectives and a wider political vision of the region. We return to share stories with our Nicaraguan families and friends and speculate about the past, present and future of social movements within these two countries. As we begin to wrap up our time in Matagalpa, students work hard to complete their Independent Study Projects and perfect their Spanish language skills. As our time in Matagalpa draws to a close, we celebrate the people who have been our mentors and the place that has taught us so much. During this time, students plan the student-led expedition that follows.
Weeks 23-26 Dragons’ Gap Year program culminates in a student-led expedition. Over the course of the year, students work together to plan, organize and execute this portion of the course based on their experience and interests. This phase builds upon the learning and experiences of the past five months and experientially tests student’s skills and knowledge of Central America. There are a number of possibilities for this phase of the course. For example, the group may choose to travel to the neighboring country of Guatemala in order to deepen their regional knowledge. Here, they may live with traditional Mayan families, learn about the Guatemalan civil war, trek through the cloud forest or collaborate with the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute (IMAP) on Lake Atitlan. This portion could also include visits to the ancient ceremonial sites of the Mayan people in Northern Guatemala and Southern Mexico. The group may also choose to head south to Panama where the fusion of African, Caribbean, Indigenous and Spanish cultures create an incredibly diverse trans-American experience. Once part of Colombia, Panama is home to a deep history of colonial rule and slavery. Students may choose to study the history of the Panama canal and the influence of US hegemony in the region. These are simply two of many options available to students during this portion of the course. The student-led expedition is an experience which is unique to every group and takes shape as the course progresses.
Week 27 The final week of our course is dedicated to Transference, or the process of turning our experience into meaningful action connected to the rest of our lives. The group finds a quiet place to reconnect, share memories and enjoy each other’s company before departing. The Gap Year experience is rich with lessons that will take a lifetime to process; this final phase of the course is designed to kickstart that process. Students are given tools and ideas for staying connected to one another and the region that has become their home over the past nine months.