I just passed the three-weeks-in-Nicaragua mark (as well as the “I-can-talk-about-more-than-just-the-weather” mark in my Spanish lessons- quite the milestone, in my mind). So, bueno, La Vida Idealistas. I am a 26-year-old from Washington state, currently living in Leon, Nicaragua. I’ve traveled internationally a fair bit, including living in Taiwan, studying Mandarin Chinese– but this is my first time in Central America, as well as my first experience volunteering for an extended period– and so far I’m loving it.

My boyfriend, Turner, and I were lucky enough to be taken on as volunteers at an environmental education organization called Sonati, here in Leon. Sonati focuses on free environmental education for local communities (specifically, but not limited to, school-age children). The environmental programs are funded by Sonati’s hostel and nature tours- which is where I come in!

I am a volunteer guide for Sonati’s various volcano treks. Having loved doing anything outdoors since I was a small child, the opportunity to explore the natural environment surrounding Leon and the ability to share those places with others is the ideal volunteering experience for me.

Sonati is a relatively new non-profit organization (2009), and while they have many volunteers, Turner and I are the second and third volunteer trekking guides– so the process is not only new to us, but new to Sonati as well. Recipe for adventure? Yes. I’m look forward to sharing a first-timer’s experience volunteering, navigating the hierarchy of a fledgling non-profit, and exploring a natural landscape that is (for the most part) alien to me.

This is Alexa’s first post on La Vida Idealist. Alexa has just arrived in Nicaragua to begin work as a volunteer trekking guide with SONATI (Sociedad & Naturaleza Internacional). For more on hiking or working as a trekking guide in Central America, check out Sam Camarra’s series “Quetzaltrekkers: Into the Clouds.”

Every year more and more people are traveling to Latin America to live, work, travel, and learn. And while these adventure seekers continue to check out the vast cultural, social, and environmental riches of the region—from the samba to tango, the Panama Canal to Patagonia—they are also increasingly looking for new ways to get involved. Instead of simply being a guest in their host communities, many are seeking to connect on a deeper level by helping out in whatever way they can – as volunteers, interns, friends, colleagues, and leaders.

Bloggers Dan Malin and Lauren Foukes spell out LVI pride

If this sounds like you, share your experiences via the La Vida Idealist blog!

If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, then you’ll know that La Vida Idealist is a group blog that gathers stories and resources from idealists throughout Latin America into one space. From simple steps for volunteering abroad to dealing with conflicting emotions post-experience, creating your own volunteer project to musings on what it means to be a foreigner, the wealth of information you will find spans a wide range of topics. By including an array of voices that speak to the positive and not-so-positive aspects of community work abroad, we hope to inspire you, to support you, but most importantly, to help you remember that you are not alone in your own journey.

Currently, we are looking to expand our community of bloggers to include voices from countries we haven’t yet covered. So if you’re already rolling your r’s (or are about to) and have a knack for storytelling, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more and apply, go to: http://idealist.org/lavida/bloggeropp

A while back we wrote about our new friend, Cat, who was turning to us for some inspiration.  More specifically, she was looking for some advice on turning her seemingly perfect world upside down in order to pursue a volunteer opportunity in South America.  At the time, she didn’t know where to begin or even what to think of her newfangled idea.

We had gone through much the same process, so we were happy to rally behind her in her quest to step out of the box. That was then.

Now, just a few months later, it seems that she has it all figured out.  She found a promising opportunity in Bolivia, and takes off this spring for her new adventure.  What struck us most when she provided this update was the fact that she is now proceeding with such boldness and ease. When we first met up with her in the summer, she was unsure of nearly everything.  Moreover, she was letting others’ negative opinions get the best of her.  It was really bringing her down when friends and family told her that she was crazy.

After our talk, she was inspired to make her dream come together. That’s just what she did.  She says that it took some time, but she was able to stand behind her dream.  Rather than avoiding conversations (and confrontation) with her inner circle, she started to welcome the opportunity to defend the decision she had made.  She quickly learned that most people were coming from a place of jealousy.

The coolest thing about all of this is not simply that Cat has ironed out the details of her amazing journey to Bolivia.  It’s that – through the process – she started to gain more confidence in all aspects of her life.  As she got more confident and comfortable in her own skin, she started to like herself more and more. It shows.

So, here’s to being brave and to living courageously. Last year, Cat found inspiration in our story.  This year ahead, we’re going to think of her when we need a jolt of gumption.

Whether you’re planning your dream volunteer excursion to Latin America or, perhaps, trying to find your purpose in life, our wish is that you, too, can take a cue from Cat’s story.