Nicole Carlin, a junior in Early Childhood Education traveled to El Salvador from May 17 – May 30 with the Study Away program. Nicole also took advantage of Honors Funded Travel and received funding from the Honors Program to help offset the cost of her travel expenses. Any Honors student in good standing is eligible to apply for this scholarship. She shared pictures from her trip with fellow Honor students, Angie Knapp and Rachel Bouwma that also accompanied her on her journey.

The first picture, the “MS Gang”. This group is working to create opportunities for themselves to get jobs and get away from the violence associated with being in a gang. They are trying to overcome the stereotypes and police violence that they face.

This picture is Nicole and Angie  with a statue of Monsenor Romero, Catholic Archbishop who was assassinated during the war because of his involvement with the Guerrilla group.

This picture is Nicole playing with a little friend that she made at a radio station near Santa Marta, “Radio Victoria” (his parents work at the radio station).  During the war, this station aired only the truth, not the propaganda that the other stations were playing. They provided a way for the people in Santa Marta who are cut-off from many forms of communication, to obtain information and communicate to others.

This is Nicole, Angie, Stevii, a fellow social worker student, and a woman who is a part of “Programa Velasco”, a women’s empowerment program. This is also a scholarship program which allows children to go to preschool.

Nicole and a member of her host family that lived in Santa Marta. She is 19 years old and helps provide for her family.

This picture was the hike down into Santa Marta. While hiking, Nicole was able to see the Honduras border and the Lempa River where many Salvadorians living in Santa Marta had to cross to flea death during the war.

This is Angie, standing in a field of lava rock in El Salvador on the way to a coffee co-op on the El Borqueron Volcano

Nicole, Angie and Rachel at an organic garden cooling off in a rain shower.