After traveling to Nicaragua for the month of August, there’s a lot I learned. I worked on a school, traveled to cities all over Nicaragua, and experienced a foreign country. I even went with twenty-two strangers that I would soon get to know as if they were my siblings! Here are ten things I learned throughout it all.

1. The beauty of a cold shower, especially when there is no hot water.
2. You can always know more about a person.
3. First impressions and judgments are never entirely correct.
4. Long-term happiness is not found in material items.
5. Fulfillment and long-term happiness are found in the people you surround yourself with.
6. Laughter is the best medicine.
7. Rarely will you regret being kind.
8. Nothing’s more powerful than real world experience.
9. A smile doesn’t have a language.
10. Perspective is key.