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Oral History

Lindsay Salem is a member of the Dartmouth class of 2018. She is interested in studying Global Health and potentially pursuing a career in health. Lindsay has been to the city of Jinotega,Nicaragua four times. She works with AVODEC, an organization dedicated to development in the city and its surrounding rural areas. Lindsay speaks about her experiences in Nicaragua and her service work abroad.

Excerpts from Interview

“Every single time that I’ve gone back, its in part because I’ve built this community there, and so I want to keep helping and not only seeing the people that are like family but also continuing to make an impact on a town that I’ve fallen in love with”

“Instead, of saying here is what I want to do, what I think is best for you, really asking them what do you need, what do you as a community or you as a person need, rather than, Oh I’m going to do this for community service”

Who did you travel with to Nicaragua first, did you go on your own, with a school program, with friends?

“I first went there with my high school, it was a couple teachers, a couple of people from visions and my classmates as well.” 

What type of work did you do in Nicaragua? What does AVODEC do for the community?

“One of which was rerouting a water pipeline that was going to give a community outside Jinotega three times as much water than they were receiving”

Have you had any interest in exploring other parts of Nicaragua or do you feel like you are tied to this one community? 

“Yes, I’m definitely interested in other places but I feel like I’m always going to be connected to Jinotega and always going to be going back there. Because, not only do I have a community there but also going there four different times I’m gaining a better sense of the community than if I were to start somewhere new.  To really understand a community, you have to be there for a while you have to keep making those connections and you can’t just go in and say I think this is what you need and I don’t know anything about your community. Whereas if you start building those connections and being part of that community you can really see what might work what might not work”

In our class we’ve talked about voulentourism, I know your familiar with the term, What’s your opinion on that and how do you think you avoid the voulenntourist mentality?

“Its just this idea that we have the knowledge and we are going to go and save you and help you and we know what’s best in a week of helping”

“I think voulentourism can open peoples eyes that they might not have previously had certain experiences or been part of different cultures different than there own or really seen inequalities or disparities around the world. But at the same time this idea that we are going to make a huge impact is not going to be the best way to get things done but actually getting people to start setting roots down in a community”

Do you think there is more value to spending more time in one Community?

“It probably depends on the job, but I think in general by really focusing on a certain community you could really get to know every aspect of it. I’ve been there four times and I don’t know every aspect of it. I know a very small aspect of it. I wont know every aspect of it. So to really devote yourself to a community that’s when I feel like you can make the biggest impact.”