My Bare Footprint: Coco Loco

Coco Loco to me is a little piece of heaven. I spent last weekend, which is also my second weekend at this lovely little place, lounging and taking in the deserted beaches on Nicaragua's Northwestern pacific shores. Not 45 minutes in a taxi from my city brings you to a paradise that will be my home away from home over the next two years. Canadian owners Ben, Jamie, and Lindsay have become really important in my Peace Corps experience here. Coco Loco is a surf eco-lodge with a handful of cabanas close to the beach and a real community feel. They employ local Nicaraguans from the tiny community and also have their nonprofit arm Waves of Hope that draws volunteers mainly form the U.S. to come spend 3 or more months working in the community. Waves of Hope teaches english to the village's youth and adults, hosts soccer leagues and organizes surf camps for those kids who are neglected and abused at home, and helps with community gardens for the locals and teaches environmental sustainability.

The for profit arm is Coco Loco where people come from all over to indulge in some of Nicaragua's best surfing and practice yoga on their huge pavilion over looking the ocean. To reward us Peace Corps Volunteers these beautiful people have let us come and stay at their all inclusive resort for less than half the price a normal customer would pay. They stuff us with good food and make us feel right at home. This past weekend they gifted me a basil plant because I said I was having a hard time finding it in the market. They realize that like them we are giving our lives over these next 2 years to selflessly help our communities and there fore they reward us with a place for some R&R at an affordable price.

It is here at Coco Loco I had my first chance to surf in Nica and it will definitley be a huge part of my life going forward. I can't help but feel completely tranquilo when I'm surrounded by the people that make this place happen. I love that the dogs and cats can run around freely. At night the lightning bugs come out and the lighting display over the ocean is breathtaking. If any of you come visit me, Coco Loco is a must!

http://www.elcocolocoresort.com/

It's not uncommon to run in to Erlin right around dusk as he drives is cattle along the beach back to their pens for the night. He always comes back to let us ride his horse along the beach and chat as the sun sets.