Timothy Reilley - Nicaragua
Over the summer, I spent a month in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, living with a local family and working at Seaside Clinica, which offers spay/neuter services and basic veterinary care to a community with no other veterinarians within an hour’s reach. The clinic partners with SOS Animales, a local rescue, to treat and rehome sick or abused animals.
I worked alongside veterinarians Drs. Fajardo, Roberto, and Ricardo, as well as technician Adrian. Except for Dr. Roberto, none spoke English, which made it a full immersion experience for my medical and conversational Spanish. Dr. Ricardo guided me through my first spay and neuter surgeries, Dr. Roberto explained how the clinic operated, and Dr. Fajardo taught me about common diseases and treatment plans. I also joined Abel from SOS Animales on rescue trips to help abused or malnourished animals.
The clinic often faced serious medical challenges with limited supplies. We saw many cases of tick-borne diseases such as Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Babesia, as well as screwworm and heartworm, both common in Nicaragua. There were also frequent cases of dogs hit by cars, malnourished puppies, and even unusual injuries like a dog bitten by a porcupine. While we lacked the latest medications and equipment found in the U.S., the doctors showed me how to provide the best care possible with what we had. They relied on medications no longer commonplace in the U.S., yet still made a meaningful impact on the health of local animals.
To improve my Spanish, I kept a notepad with me to jot down unfamiliar words and phrases. I also met with a local Spanish teacher twice a week to go over grammar and practice my conversational Spanish. My main goal was to practice Spanish with local clients, but I also found myself translating for U.S. and Canadian pet owners in the area’s growing expat community. While I am not yet ready to conduct a full exam in Spanish, this experience brought me much closer to that goal and gave me greater confidence and speed in the language.
Living with my host family was a highlight of the trip. We often spent hours at mealtimes talking about local life, sharing phrases I had learned, or discussing the day’s cases at the clinic. They welcomed me as one of their own. Many evenings, I played guitar and sang with their son Alan and his friend Gabriel. Through these connections, I learned not only about Nicaraguan culture but also about the unique slang of the region, like tuanis for “cool” and mae for “dude.”
Beyond language, I gained insight into the challenges many Nicaraguans face in accessing healthcare, education, and steady work. I learned about how economic changes and increased housing costs have led many locals to commute longer distances for employment. Despite these difficulties, everyone I met took immense pride in their community and country. I am deeply grateful for the warmth, generosity, and knowledge shared with me in San Juan del Sur, and I will carry these lessons forward in my veterinary journey.