The campo. The bustling, working-class city. The colonial tourist destination. Over the course of my one week in Nicaragua, I spent time in each of these representative areas of the country. The result? I had both relaxing and uncomfortable moments but came away with a greater appreciation and understanding of the realities of Nicaraguan life than I would have if left to my own devices.

I enjoy traveling and exploring new places, but I generally keep it on the conservative side of the adventurous scale. So when I decided to go to Nicaragua this summer, my friends’ and family’s jaws dropped open, eyebrows shot up, and “What?!” was the first word out of their mouths.

Rather than try to fill my stories with informational background, I’ll instead share some interesting and helpful information here to use as a resource. Ready to learn about Nicaragua?