The Medicine of Travel: Visiting Ometepe, Nicaragua
Every time I travel, it provides precious insights, lessons, inspiration, and medicine for me in my life.
It is a medicine that you can’t buy in the pharmacy.
It comes with lessons you can’t easily receive from a therapist or a coach.
It is sometimes like a breath of fresh air. A newness. A breeze that comes in to show you a new perspective to living and being.
I recently returned back from Nicaragua, and I visited for 3 days, and 2 nights on the Ometepe Island located in the largest lake in Central America, Lake Nicaragua.
Wow, I forgot how much traveling and being immersed in another culture, new places, and exploration fills my cup with joy, wonder and inspiration.
As a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and a practitioner of holistic healing practices, I know from my experience that sometimes the best medicine you can receive is the medicine that takes you out of your environment, brings you into a new one, and inspires you to change.
Change must be internally sparked, either by the environment, external situations or circumstances, or by an inner call from within.
If change is pushed from the external, without the internal being primed and bought into the idea, then change may never happen sustainably. It must be holistically approached, similar to medicine. For example, a client of mines might not want to change an eating habit because I recommend it to be better. But if there’s a connection made of how changing an eating habit may lead to their wellness outcome and that connection is made from within, then the client is more inclined to do so. Change — in that connection and spark must happen on their timing.
But as a practitioner, I guide and point to the signs, and it is up to the client to receive and make the shifts if that feels aligned to them.
Travel has a way of teaching us all these lessons, without actually teaching us. It is through living it out.
On my recent trip to Ometepe, Nicaragua, here is what I learned through traveling and being on this journey:
Honor, respect, and find joy and gratitude as resources while being in nature.
The Buddha once taught that to be here now is to be in the moment and enjoying. I realized that anytime I’m close to the water, in an ocean, or a lake, a river, or a stream, it brings me joy. Like the type of joy that reminds me of being a kid. When I’m near the water, in the water or laying in a hammock here, there’s a resource there for me. I’m at peace, I feel at home, and I feel a sense of safety while being present here.
When I sit in meditation and imagine my favorite place in nature, or safe space, I bring myself into calm waters and feel immediately at ease. Like I can handle anything, because there’s a lot of joy, beauty, and love here.
Being in Ometepe and jumping into the lake was special. Before we jumped in, we talked to a local who told us the lake was clean and we could jump in. We stopped on the most eastern part of the island, found a quiet spot near the lake, and jumped in. I could imagine and sense how the lake was such a resource for the locals and natives here. I could sense how connected their lives and livings are to the lake and its water.
I could sense how the water brings joy, resources, connection, and survival to this area. I also thought about how the water could have led to destruction, loss, and chaos to this area as well.
Nonetheless, exploring these areas with a lot of respect, consideration and honoring the land, water and locals is important. This was the highlight of my time there. This moment of jumping in, and feeling the connection to the water. It brought me a lot of joy, and made me realize how special it is to be there.
2. Like life’s bumps and obstacles, exploring can come with moments of delays. Giving perfect opportunities to slow down, stop, and be with what is happening in life and in front of us.
Animals crossing! A common occurence
3. Sometimes, you find people on your journey who inspire you or activate you, or even reflect to you a part of you that you didn’t know! They might invite you to be the better version of yourself, or lead you down an adventure of a lot of happiness, creativity, fun, challenge, or growth. The middle of the journey is the journey.
Exploring the island on moto
4. Put yourself in other’s shoes. Be empathetic to other’s situations and circumstances. Try to speak another’s language. Smile, be kind and share a good vibe similar to how you’d like to be treated, seen, heard, and respected as a human. Life is a mirror, and will reflect to you what you are here to learn, see, and how you can respond with love, respect and grace.
5. Break free from your comfort zone. Even if it feels really hard, even if you say, “I’m really scared, but would you hold my hand through it?” or even if you close your eyes while its happening, what’s on the other side of that is a place of infinite potentiality, magic, and mystery that we can’t make up with our conscious mind! It could be really refreshing, or it could introduce you to new perspectives. Who knows?
In Altagracia, Ometepe
As a traveler and explorer, I typically like to keep it low-key. I don’t go on many tours, or do many tourists things. I like to integrate with the locals, eat what the locals eat, visit nature, see different things, have time to rest and reflect, and see what’s possible by allowing life to guide.
Visiting Ometepe, Nicaragua was beautiful. I’m grateful I got to go and experience this. I realize that many people don’t get to explore the world easily, and for my privilege to do so, I am grateful. I’m grateful for the kindness of people there, and the beauty I got to see and experience.
There’s two volcanos in Ometepe. The view of our stay faced the Volcan Concepcion.
I give thanks to the land, I give thanks to Nicaragua, and I give thanks to all those who helped and supported our travels to and from there.
If you plan to travel to Ometepe, we crossed the border from Costa Rica to Nicaragua and then took a bus from the frontera to San Jorge, where the ferry is to go to Ometepe. From there, the ferry is an hour ride to Ometepe, and once you get to Ometepe, you land and arrive on the road where most rental spaces are for bikes and other transportation. There are many beautiful places to explore in the island. I hope you enjoy your time exploring there!
Here is my simple list of recommendations:
Local Food: Asados Magaly
Rental Motobike: Green Expeditions
Water Spot: Ojo de Agua
Farmer’s Market: Los Cocos on Saturdays
Many thanks to all! Comment or share below if you’re planning to go to Ometepe, or explore other places in Nicaragua.
