¡Viva Nicaragua Libre!
By Julia Wellham This summer I had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua for a six week study abroad program. One of the more interesting cultural experiences for me was being in León during the celebration of the Revolution. This July 19 marked the 38th anniversary of the Nicaraguan Revolution, which ended in 1979 when the FSLN (Sandinista National Liberation Front) successfully overthrew the oppressive Somoza dictatorship/dynasty. It was followed by the 10 year Contra War between the Sandinistas and US backed counter-revolutionaries. It was an incredibly brutal and bloody time. Most of Nicaragua supported the Sandinistas, and there has been a lot of anger over US imperialism. Many still resent past US interventions as well as current endeavors such as the Nica Act . However, their anger towards and mistrust of the United States does not seem to extend to Americans themselves (at least not average citizens like us). It was a new experience for me to have someo...