It’s been a little while since I’ve updated, so let me catch you up on all of the happenings here in Nicaragua. We enjoyed another week of work last week. Our time has been full, between working at the clinic in the mornings and going to Carita Feliz in the afternoons. Carita Feliz is the learning center for kids to attend outside of school. I helped out with the English class (though still had plenty of opportunity to practice Spanish), and Rebecca worked with the younger kids in math. We met another volunteer, also helping in the English class. Her name is Esmee and she’s from Holland. I enjoyed working with her a lot, although the teacher we were assigned to help was extremely frustrating. She is really nice, but her teaching method is all over the place. There doesn’t seem to be much of a system, and on our first day, she handed the marker to Esmee and said, “Teach about the verb, ‘to be.’” Then she did the same to me once Esmee was finished. I had no idea what she was asking for and had to request that she give an example on the board first. I was incredibly surprised that she handed over the lesson to us on the first day. I wouldn’t mind so much if I knew ahead of time what she wanted to cover and which part she wanted me to do. I could go on, but I’ll spare you ALL of the details... :)
The week was busy, but we were looking forward to a fun weekend away on the large island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. It’s called Ometepe, and everyone recommended going there. We started out by walking to the bus station in Granada and finding the bus to Rivas. That part was easy. We knew that once we arrived in Rivas, the taxi drivers would try to get us to go with them over the less expensive bus to San Jorge, which is where the port is. What we didn’t expect, however, was for the bus drivers to be in cahoots with them. They actually stopped the bus BEFORE arriving at the Rivas bus station and ushered all of the foreigners off, leaving us with a taxi driver who wanted 40 cordobas each to drive us to San Jorge. I asked the bus driver where the bus to San Jorge was and they emphatically told me that there was no bus and then left. I was so irritated, because I knew there was a bus...more than one person had told me that there was a bus. I was just about ready to start walking and ask for directions along they way when another taxi driver pulled over and offered a ride to us and two other tourists for 20 cordobas each. More expensive than a bus, but better than 40. FYI: 20 cordobas = $1, and a bus to San Jorge probably would have cost 10 cordobas.
Once we arrived in San Jorge, we had to wait about an hour for the ferry to leave. On the ferry we were subjected to possibly the worst movie I have ever had to watch. I’ll spare you the synopsis. And yes, I could actually write a synopsis in spite of the fast that I could hear very little. Anyway, once we arrived at the port on the other side (a town called Moyogolpa), we asked some questions in the tourist office and opted to head to a little town called Charco Verde. We jumped on a bus and about an hour later were walked down the road to find a hotel. There were 3 in the area and we ended up sharing a dormitory for $5 per night with a married couple from Canada. Ryan and Rebecca invited us to go to dinner with them that night, as they had discovered a cheaper restaurant up the road. The hotels have their own restaurants, and if we hadn't known better, we'd have just eaten there and spent much more money.
We hit it off with Ryan and Rebecca and spent the entire next day with them as well, which was my birthday. :) We began the morning with a hike in the Nature Reserve in Charco Verde. The views of the 2 volcanoes on Ometepe were beautiful (they're called Concepcion and Maderas). The other highlight of the hike was watching the tiny frogs. They looked like little flies, but once we noticed them jumping, we took a second look. There were hundreds of them, if not thousands, some of them still tadpoles...very cool!
After the hike, we ate lunch at our restaurant again. Since it was Sunday (and a lot of buses don’t run on Sundays), Rebecca (Canadian Rebecca) negotiated a good price with a taxi driver to take us to Ojo del Agua, which is a natural spring nearby. We enjoyed a few hours of swimming and relaxing. At one point, Rebecca suggested we stop somewhere on the way home and get a cake or something to celebrate my birthday. As we were discussing this, a lady came up to us with a huge slice of cake, wished me a happy birthday, and handed it to me. Apparently, she had been at the spring to celebrate another birthday and had overheard our conversation. We shared the cake and chatted with her for a while. It made my day!!! She turned out to be an American who was working at a Franciscan Monastery on the island.
Back at the restaurant for dinner, we enjoyed another delicious meal and ice cream for dessert. We all left the following morning; Rebecca and I back to Granada, while Ryan and Rebecca took off for another part of the island. We’re hoping to meet up with them again this weekend when they’re in Granada. Meanwhile, it’s back to work for us!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Let me set the record straight...
Apparently I've caused much concern over my disinterest in dancing here. There are a few reasons I've chosen not to participate. One of them is that while they do have ballroom dancing, quite a bit of it is sort-of doing your own thing, following the guy, but free-dance style. I'm not one for improvisation in front of people. Secondly, the dancing here is a lot of hips and shoulders, which I'm less comfortable doing. But most importantly, I don't mind too much dancing with someone I know or someone a friend recommends, but then other people ask you to dance and I find dancing with complete strangers like that uncomfortable. Therefore, I have chosen to watch and enjoy, but avoid dancing myself. I hope that answers the concerns... :)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
I Walked to the Lake...the Bike Walked with Me
(10 points to whomever can place the quote that inspired the title of this blog...)
Well, it’s been a big week, full of new friends and exciting experiences. Would you like to hear about it? Too bad, I’m going to tell you anyway. We worked in the clinic Monday through Thursday. I asked Cecilia on Monday if Rebecca and I could work in separate sections of the clinic for the remainder of the week. We both felt it would be more beneficial for our language acquisition to avoid being around people who spoke only English...namely, each other. On Tuesday and part of Wednesday, I helped out in the office area, filing patient records and re-writing some of the labels that were illegible. Some of them were so bad that Olivia (one of the secretaries) and Cecilia couldn’t read them either. In addition to meeting Olivia, I also met Thelma, who is another volunteer. Since they both speak only Spanish, I had a great time conversing with them.
The other part of Wednesday and Thursday, I was back in the pharmacy again with Rebecca. They’re really pushing to get the medicines organized, because they will get a new shipment soon. Cecilia has said again, though, that next week she’ll show us both how to do the weight, blood pressure, and blood tests, so that we can help with some of the patients.
As much as we enjoy the people at the pharmacy and appreciate the help we’re able to offer, we’ve realized that we really need more interaction. After some brainstorming, we stopped by the Spanish school to talk with Angelica about the volunteer opportunities the school advertises. I was thrilled to discover that there is a free learning center about a 30 minutes walk from where we live. This center is primarily targeted at poor children who need additional help. They go there for lessons in reading, English, math, dancing, cooking, sewing, etc. etc. The children’s sewing work is displayed and for sale, the proceeds of which go to the child who made them, which I think is great!
The director of the school said their greatest need was in the area of English. I think she just said that because she saw two English-speaking girls and knew we’d be great help with pronunciation. I was skeptical at first, but they assured me that we would interact in Spanish. The only English would be the specific words the children were learning and helping them with pronunciation. So, the arrangement is for me to help in English the first week while Rebecca helps in math. Then we’ll switch for the second week. We can only get there for the final 90-minute class of the day, but I think the director was really excited to learn that we would be able to volunteer for 4 weeks. I gather it’s unusual for them to get volunteers that long. We start on Monday.
In addition to the exciting new volunteer opportunity, we unexpectedly made a new friend in the neighborhood as well. On our way home from the park one day, we decided we really wanted sodas. So, we stopped in at a local convenience store and bought a couple of drinks, forgetting that drinks in the glass bottles have to be consumed at the store itself. We sat down and after a couple of minutes, the lady at the counter started chatting with us (in Spanish of course). We conversed for a little bit, and have stopped by since to say hello. We’re now hoping to stop there periodically for drinks and conversation.
Another person we’ve developed a friendship with is Dali, who is another student. You may remember our attempt to socialize last Friday night with a group from the school. Dali is the one I identified as French. Well, he’s actually Swiss, but he speaks French. He paid for our taxi ride home that night because he felt it would be too dangerous for us to walk...he’s very thoughtful. Anyway, he hangs out at the school a lot so we ran into him one day and he asked if we wanted to go to a nearby cafe. We ended up getting ice cream, coffee, and fruit smoothies. He doesn’t speak English (or hasn’t let on that he does anyway), so we communicate in Spanish, which is great. Grammatically, we probably know (or remember) more than he does, but he’s such an outgoing person that he just communicates with everyone. So he understands quite a bit, and hanging out with him has definitely loosened us up in our willingness to just “out with it” whether we really know exactly how to say it or not. Wednesday night we went out for mojitos with him and his friend, Norlan (who is Nicaraguan). We also met another friend of Dali’s, a 14-year-old local boy who has grown quite attached to him. He sat at the table with us and we learned all about his 15-year-old wife in Managua and their 3 kids... :) He’s quite a character!
Dali invited us out to Cafe Nuit on Friday night and we ended up staying out until 1:30 in the morning. It’s a great atmosphere, and Rebecca “wowed” everyone once again with her dancing. At one point she even participated in a “threesome,” being twirled and whirled by two guys! We had told Susanna that we wouldn’t be eating breakfast the next morning because we wanted to sleep in, which I am proud to say we did. I personally slept until 9:30. I really thought I’d end up waking up at 7 and not be able to get back to sleep, so 9:30 was quite an accomplishment.
We had lunch a little early and then met Dali and Angelica again. The four of us rented bicycles and biked out to Laguna de Apoyo. On the way there, we were witnesses to a poor cow being chased by a small herd of dogs, which was slightly amusing for us...less so for the cow. Of course, on the way back, I was chased by a dog, and ended up feeling a certain empathy for the cow. I managed to nearly kill myself on the way to the Laguna, because it was in the middle of the afternoon, hot, humid, and mostly uphill. Also, we hadn’t brought nearly enough water. Once we arrived, we had a bit of a hike down to the Laguna, where we all rushed to jump in. Because we biked and hiked, this particular beach, or cove, is rather secluded. We were the only ones there, which made it really fun and a different experience than last time. In spite of the fact that I was worried I’d have to turn back early on, I was really glad we made it. The hike back up was a bit strenuous, but riding the bike back downhill was great. I liked that part a lot... :) Dali invited us to go out again Saturday night, but we were so exhausted. We ate dinner, showered, then climbed into bed and crashed!
After breakfast on Sunday morning, we went to a club where Uncle Gerard is a member. He had arranged for us to get temporary membership cards, so we spent about an hour there. It was a really nice atmosphere for relaxing and a little studying. The only other errand of the day was stopping at the big supermarket, where we got a cappuccino before heading home for lunch. We’ve had a long, entertaining weekend, and are now ready for a busy week of volunteering (and hopefully lots of Spanish speaking)!!!
Well, it’s been a big week, full of new friends and exciting experiences. Would you like to hear about it? Too bad, I’m going to tell you anyway. We worked in the clinic Monday through Thursday. I asked Cecilia on Monday if Rebecca and I could work in separate sections of the clinic for the remainder of the week. We both felt it would be more beneficial for our language acquisition to avoid being around people who spoke only English...namely, each other. On Tuesday and part of Wednesday, I helped out in the office area, filing patient records and re-writing some of the labels that were illegible. Some of them were so bad that Olivia (one of the secretaries) and Cecilia couldn’t read them either. In addition to meeting Olivia, I also met Thelma, who is another volunteer. Since they both speak only Spanish, I had a great time conversing with them.
The other part of Wednesday and Thursday, I was back in the pharmacy again with Rebecca. They’re really pushing to get the medicines organized, because they will get a new shipment soon. Cecilia has said again, though, that next week she’ll show us both how to do the weight, blood pressure, and blood tests, so that we can help with some of the patients.
As much as we enjoy the people at the pharmacy and appreciate the help we’re able to offer, we’ve realized that we really need more interaction. After some brainstorming, we stopped by the Spanish school to talk with Angelica about the volunteer opportunities the school advertises. I was thrilled to discover that there is a free learning center about a 30 minutes walk from where we live. This center is primarily targeted at poor children who need additional help. They go there for lessons in reading, English, math, dancing, cooking, sewing, etc. etc. The children’s sewing work is displayed and for sale, the proceeds of which go to the child who made them, which I think is great!
The director of the school said their greatest need was in the area of English. I think she just said that because she saw two English-speaking girls and knew we’d be great help with pronunciation. I was skeptical at first, but they assured me that we would interact in Spanish. The only English would be the specific words the children were learning and helping them with pronunciation. So, the arrangement is for me to help in English the first week while Rebecca helps in math. Then we’ll switch for the second week. We can only get there for the final 90-minute class of the day, but I think the director was really excited to learn that we would be able to volunteer for 4 weeks. I gather it’s unusual for them to get volunteers that long. We start on Monday.
In addition to the exciting new volunteer opportunity, we unexpectedly made a new friend in the neighborhood as well. On our way home from the park one day, we decided we really wanted sodas. So, we stopped in at a local convenience store and bought a couple of drinks, forgetting that drinks in the glass bottles have to be consumed at the store itself. We sat down and after a couple of minutes, the lady at the counter started chatting with us (in Spanish of course). We conversed for a little bit, and have stopped by since to say hello. We’re now hoping to stop there periodically for drinks and conversation.
Another person we’ve developed a friendship with is Dali, who is another student. You may remember our attempt to socialize last Friday night with a group from the school. Dali is the one I identified as French. Well, he’s actually Swiss, but he speaks French. He paid for our taxi ride home that night because he felt it would be too dangerous for us to walk...he’s very thoughtful. Anyway, he hangs out at the school a lot so we ran into him one day and he asked if we wanted to go to a nearby cafe. We ended up getting ice cream, coffee, and fruit smoothies. He doesn’t speak English (or hasn’t let on that he does anyway), so we communicate in Spanish, which is great. Grammatically, we probably know (or remember) more than he does, but he’s such an outgoing person that he just communicates with everyone. So he understands quite a bit, and hanging out with him has definitely loosened us up in our willingness to just “out with it” whether we really know exactly how to say it or not. Wednesday night we went out for mojitos with him and his friend, Norlan (who is Nicaraguan). We also met another friend of Dali’s, a 14-year-old local boy who has grown quite attached to him. He sat at the table with us and we learned all about his 15-year-old wife in Managua and their 3 kids... :) He’s quite a character!
Dali invited us out to Cafe Nuit on Friday night and we ended up staying out until 1:30 in the morning. It’s a great atmosphere, and Rebecca “wowed” everyone once again with her dancing. At one point she even participated in a “threesome,” being twirled and whirled by two guys! We had told Susanna that we wouldn’t be eating breakfast the next morning because we wanted to sleep in, which I am proud to say we did. I personally slept until 9:30. I really thought I’d end up waking up at 7 and not be able to get back to sleep, so 9:30 was quite an accomplishment.
We had lunch a little early and then met Dali and Angelica again. The four of us rented bicycles and biked out to Laguna de Apoyo. On the way there, we were witnesses to a poor cow being chased by a small herd of dogs, which was slightly amusing for us...less so for the cow. Of course, on the way back, I was chased by a dog, and ended up feeling a certain empathy for the cow. I managed to nearly kill myself on the way to the Laguna, because it was in the middle of the afternoon, hot, humid, and mostly uphill. Also, we hadn’t brought nearly enough water. Once we arrived, we had a bit of a hike down to the Laguna, where we all rushed to jump in. Because we biked and hiked, this particular beach, or cove, is rather secluded. We were the only ones there, which made it really fun and a different experience than last time. In spite of the fact that I was worried I’d have to turn back early on, I was really glad we made it. The hike back up was a bit strenuous, but riding the bike back downhill was great. I liked that part a lot... :) Dali invited us to go out again Saturday night, but we were so exhausted. We ate dinner, showered, then climbed into bed and crashed!
After breakfast on Sunday morning, we went to a club where Uncle Gerard is a member. He had arranged for us to get temporary membership cards, so we spent about an hour there. It was a really nice atmosphere for relaxing and a little studying. The only other errand of the day was stopping at the big supermarket, where we got a cappuccino before heading home for lunch. We’ve had a long, entertaining weekend, and are now ready for a busy week of volunteering (and hopefully lots of Spanish speaking)!!!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Whistle While You Work!
This week we were back to work at the clinic. In addition to sorting and organizing the medications, we have also started helping counting dosages and preparing prescriptions...fun stuff! Between sorting, counting, pouring, labeling, and the like, we’ve met a few more people this week. One of them is the doctor that will start working at the clinic in May. I assume he’ll be taking Jared’s place, since he’s returning to the States pretty soon. We were also introduced to some more students from the Spanish School and joined a group for a night of dancing on Friday night. Our group consisted of 4 from Nicaragua, 1 from France, 1 from Canada, and the two of us. The eight of us piled into a taxi and went down to a place right next to the lake. Rebecca was the “belle of the ball” and “wowed” everyone with her superior Latin Dancing skills. I attempted to keep a low profile and avoid being asked... :) I was forced to dance at one point, much to my chagrin.
On Saturday morning, we went on a canopy tour on the Mombacho volano...I’m pretty sure that one’s inactive, though. This consisted of climbing ladders, swinging through trees, and a terrifying drop at the end. The road to the coffee farm where we got our gear was bumpy enough to rival some of the roads I’ve been on elsewhere, so it was no huge surprise to find that our poor truck had two flat tires when we returned. The company sent another truck, but in the meantime, our little group set forth to meet it. The walk was actually really nice and we got to see some wildlife along the way (don’t worry, folks...the monkey was waaaaayyyyy up in the tree). Our guide also stopped to show us a spectacular view of Granada, Lake Nicaragua, and its 300 some odd islands! From so far up, the islands look like one long peninsula instead of the numerous individual islands that they are.
Sunday morning we ate a big breakfast, after which Xavier and Susanna invited us to go with them to Catarina. Catarina is a town with a lovely view of the Laguna de Apoyo. We weren’t disappointed...the scenery was fantastic and the wind was incredibly refreshing. I even got a “windy picture.” Rebecca and I did a little shopping there as well. The prices were better than in Granada, and we managed to get some things we’d been looking for. The bad news...my flipflop broke. Those flipflops have tread many a path and been my friends through a great many countires. I shall miss them...a moment of silence, please.
Thank you.
On Saturday morning, we went on a canopy tour on the Mombacho volano...I’m pretty sure that one’s inactive, though. This consisted of climbing ladders, swinging through trees, and a terrifying drop at the end. The road to the coffee farm where we got our gear was bumpy enough to rival some of the roads I’ve been on elsewhere, so it was no huge surprise to find that our poor truck had two flat tires when we returned. The company sent another truck, but in the meantime, our little group set forth to meet it. The walk was actually really nice and we got to see some wildlife along the way (don’t worry, folks...the monkey was waaaaayyyyy up in the tree). Our guide also stopped to show us a spectacular view of Granada, Lake Nicaragua, and its 300 some odd islands! From so far up, the islands look like one long peninsula instead of the numerous individual islands that they are.
Sunday morning we ate a big breakfast, after which Xavier and Susanna invited us to go with them to Catarina. Catarina is a town with a lovely view of the Laguna de Apoyo. We weren’t disappointed...the scenery was fantastic and the wind was incredibly refreshing. I even got a “windy picture.” Rebecca and I did a little shopping there as well. The prices were better than in Granada, and we managed to get some things we’d been looking for. The bad news...my flipflop broke. Those flipflops have tread many a path and been my friends through a great many countires. I shall miss them...a moment of silence, please.
Thank you.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Authorized Personnel
It's fun...being authorized personnel and I feel crunchy walking through doors that say it! :) We became "authorized personnel" last week, on Wednesday, after two more days of class...
On Monday morning, it was time to get back in gear. We had classes Monday and Tuesday, and Monday afternoon went to the markets in Masaya. They had good prices there, so Rebecca bought a dress and I purchased a shirt/trouser outfit. On Tuesday the rest of the class spent the day at the “Laguna de Apoyo,” which is a large crater filled with water. We opted out of that because we really wanted to take advantage of our class time. Since Tuesday was our final class period, we felt it was important to have the entire 4 hours. So we graduated, received our certificates, then did some shopping in Granada. Rebecca bought a shirt and we picked up some more sunblock and ibuprofen (both very necessary)! On our way back to the room, we bought a bag of cut mangos for 25 cents, quite a lot cheaper than the $5 I spent on a comparable bag in Hawaii.
Wednesday morning we just hung out, then participated in the afternoon activity with our class (since we hadn’t gone to the Laguna on Monday). Angelica taught us how to make churritos, and they were delicious, if I say so myself (which I do). A quick stop by the clinic to arrange our volunteer hours was the only other errand of the day.
Thursday morning at 8:00am we arrived at Clinica Alabama and became "authorized personnel." Cecilia, who is our contact there, set us to work in the pharmacy, helping to arrange, organize, and label their medications. Rebecca managed to get herself sick with a headache that afternoon, which meant lots of time over the toilet bowl. Interesting side note...when it’s really hot and muggy and someone has just thrown up in a toilet in a bathroom with no door, it’s not tremendously fun to find you are out of water and unable to flush the toilet. Ah, well, at least she made it to the toilet, right? She didn’t eat most of the day and on Friday, stayed back in the room. I worked in the pharmacy on my own, but my day was broken up a little when Cecilia insisted I go get Rebecca to see the doctor. She is so sweet. (Cecilia, not Rebecca :) ) Becca spent most of the day in the room, recovering, but was able to make it out for dinner.
Saturday was shopping day and we explored the “mercados” a little more. I also bought a shirt and we picked up more mosquito repellent...something is biting me and I want it to STOP!!! Sunday was great fun. Uncle Gerard picked us up around 12:30 and we drove out to Laguna de Apollo, where a friend of his has a house. The house is gorgeous...it’s made of stone (or is a good imitation) and has a “nook and cranny” feel to it. We met a few new people and visited with some we had met previously. Swimming in the lake and the pool was interspersed with eating, drinking, and re-visiting our ethics debate with Fruto (the man we’d met the first day on the island). All in all, a really fun and successful day, and the perfect start to a new week!
On Monday morning, it was time to get back in gear. We had classes Monday and Tuesday, and Monday afternoon went to the markets in Masaya. They had good prices there, so Rebecca bought a dress and I purchased a shirt/trouser outfit. On Tuesday the rest of the class spent the day at the “Laguna de Apoyo,” which is a large crater filled with water. We opted out of that because we really wanted to take advantage of our class time. Since Tuesday was our final class period, we felt it was important to have the entire 4 hours. So we graduated, received our certificates, then did some shopping in Granada. Rebecca bought a shirt and we picked up some more sunblock and ibuprofen (both very necessary)! On our way back to the room, we bought a bag of cut mangos for 25 cents, quite a lot cheaper than the $5 I spent on a comparable bag in Hawaii.
Wednesday morning we just hung out, then participated in the afternoon activity with our class (since we hadn’t gone to the Laguna on Monday). Angelica taught us how to make churritos, and they were delicious, if I say so myself (which I do). A quick stop by the clinic to arrange our volunteer hours was the only other errand of the day.
Thursday morning at 8:00am we arrived at Clinica Alabama and became "authorized personnel." Cecilia, who is our contact there, set us to work in the pharmacy, helping to arrange, organize, and label their medications. Rebecca managed to get herself sick with a headache that afternoon, which meant lots of time over the toilet bowl. Interesting side note...when it’s really hot and muggy and someone has just thrown up in a toilet in a bathroom with no door, it’s not tremendously fun to find you are out of water and unable to flush the toilet. Ah, well, at least she made it to the toilet, right? She didn’t eat most of the day and on Friday, stayed back in the room. I worked in the pharmacy on my own, but my day was broken up a little when Cecilia insisted I go get Rebecca to see the doctor. She is so sweet. (Cecilia, not Rebecca :) ) Becca spent most of the day in the room, recovering, but was able to make it out for dinner.
Saturday was shopping day and we explored the “mercados” a little more. I also bought a shirt and we picked up more mosquito repellent...something is biting me and I want it to STOP!!! Sunday was great fun. Uncle Gerard picked us up around 12:30 and we drove out to Laguna de Apollo, where a friend of his has a house. The house is gorgeous...it’s made of stone (or is a good imitation) and has a “nook and cranny” feel to it. We met a few new people and visited with some we had met previously. Swimming in the lake and the pool was interspersed with eating, drinking, and re-visiting our ethics debate with Fruto (the man we’d met the first day on the island). All in all, a really fun and successful day, and the perfect start to a new week!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Semana Santa
Well, folks...almost two weeks in Nicaragua. How are thing going? Great! Let’s begin with our exploration of the city... Well, honestly I can’t say we completely explored the city, but we did manage to wander down the main streets, grocery shopped at the supermarket, and strolled down to the beach as well. As nice as the city is during the day, a walk in the evening is very relaxing. Once the sun goes down, the temperature becomes bearable and a slight breeze makes it down right comfortable. The main street comes alive with performers and people heading out to restaurants, clubs, and bars. We were out a bit too early for the “real party,” but since I’m not big into the nightlife that was fine by me.
On Sunday we went to church with Xavier and Susanna, who we rent our apartment from. Their church is a little farther out from the center, but still only about a 15 minute walk. It was a Catholic church...not surprising as this is the major religion in Nicaragua. Once I caught on to the passage of scripture being read from, I followed the reading fairly well. I was quite proud of myself, thank you very much.
Monday began with the start of our classes! My instructor’s name is Lesbia. She’s really sweet and I love how great everyone is in helping us understand. They slow down their speech, enunciate their words, and use gestures. Just a few simple things that make a huge difference! That, and they’re very patient with us. But don’t worry, we get plenty of conversation at regular speeds at mealtimes with Xavier and Susanna. :)
The price of our classes includes activities each afternoon. Monday afternoon took us on a two-hour jaunt around Granada, learning about its history, culture, and traditions. I understood a decent amount, but don’t ask me to repeat anything. We actually “Gussed” the bell tower there. For those of you who aren’t aware, to “Gus” something is to pay lots of money to “Go UpStairs” and see a panoramic view that looks like every other panoramic view in the world. Now, to be fair, there are a few places where “Gussing” is worth it. This was actually one of them. The other people in our group were going up and it was only a dollar, so up we went. I didn’t expect to enjoy it quite so much. But Granada is different, so the panoramic view is different as well. Actually, in general I find that “Gussing” in a small town is far more interesting than in a large city. Most big cities start to look the same after awhile...a bunch of skyscrapers...blah. Anyway, we enjoyed the tour, learned a little bit about Granada, got to know the other students a bit, and took some nice photos! All in all, a successful afternoon.
Tuesday morning was only a two-hour class. Then we headed out of the city for a little cooking lesson. Yes, you heard (or read) me right...a cooking lesson. Well, sort of. So we walked down the streets of Granada, heading a little out of town, crossing a river, and winding around to a little house where an elderly woman makes tortillas for a living. The dough was already made, but we each shaped, cooked, and ate a tortilla. Believe it or not, mine came out really well and I got a round of applause (of course, Lesbia coached me a little, but I did the work)!!! That afternoon we piled in the back of a truck, drove to the lake, hopped on a boat, and made our way around the many islands, enjoying the view. Arriving at one of them, we sat back and enjoyed a leisurely conversation with our instructors and fellow students. I had mango juice...yummy!!!
Wednesday morning, we took a little field trip to the mercados (markets). Tight, narrow aisles separate stands where people sell various items, ranging from fruit and fish to clothes and shoes...not unlike markets I've seen in other countries. We purchased 12 mangos for about 85 cents. Yay...we got mangos for dessert that night...mmmmmmmm! Wednesday afternoon was a dancing lesson taught by two of our instructors...Angelica and Josue. We learned and danced a little Merengue, Salsa, and Baracha. We learned another dance as well, but I can’t remember the name of it. All I know is that it consisted of a lot of shimmying and shaking. I just don’t do the Latin dancing justice. Angelica and Josue sure looked great, though!!!
So that brings us to Thursday...we woke up at 7:15, headed down for breakfast, and ate speedily after a call from Uncle Gerard with a minor change of plans. Apparently we had to be to our destination 45 minutes earlier than we had expected. So we rushed upstairs, grabbed our overnight bags, and walked briskly to the house of a lady named Irene, who was taking a small group out on the lake. Every year around Easter, they have a tradition here where they do the Stations of the Cross at the various islands of Lake Nicaragua. The islands chosen set out crosses and altars, and a procession of boats makes their way around, commemorating one of the stations at each island. Once in the boat, we hurried to join this small procession and visited two islands. Then we proceeded to wind our way around the many islands. Most of the islands are privately owned and some of the houses are spectacular. We finally arrived at Uncle Gerard’s island, where we were ushered up to the deck and offered drinks. The afternoon was spent chatting, relaxing in the jacuzzi, and eating and drinking. We zipped off in the boats a bit later to watch the sunset, then only 6 of us went back to the island for dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed an ethics debate over our meal that evening and went to bed full and happy.
Friday started off with rolling out of bed at 8:30, taking a long shower, eating breakfast, and enjoying a quiet morning on the island. Birds chirping and a slight breeze rustling the trees were about the only noises as I laid back in the hammock and did absolutely nothing. The “absolutely nothing” was broken up by rowing around the island once. Then after Rebecca headed back, I opted to take the boat out by myself to nearby “Monkey Island.” This island is home to a couple of monkeys who make it their business to amuse passers-by. I was warned not to get too close as they have been known to invite themselves onboard. Having a history with these creatures, I took the advice to heart and did my best to keep a safe distance.
My first attempt at rowing the boat was a failure, but after some advice I tried again and succeeded. I felt pretty accomplished rowing out there by myself. Making my way back to Uncle Gerard’s island, I passed by a tourist boat and was rather surprised to notice cameras pointing in my direction. I’d like to think I looked so amazingly competent they just had to snap a photo, but I’m a little afraid that the shockingly white girl attempting to row a boat by herself just looked completely ridiculous. I mean, it can’t be good when tourists are snapping photos of you instead of the cute little monkeys, can it?
About two-ish, the Spanish ambassador, his wife, two daughters, and son showed up. Uncle Gerard’s nephew was entertaining some friends on his family’s side of the island, so us “youngsters” went over there for a bit. I socialized for a little while, but soon found myself back on our side for a delicious lunch...fish soup. Afterwards, we headed to the island of one of Uncle Gerard’s friends where we swam in their pool, enjoyed another unique view, and played with an adorable chihuahua. Back home again, we had sausages, chicken, and fish for dinner, followed by the most scrumptious tres leche cake. The windy island at night is just as unique and spectacular as the quiet island of the morning, and I enjoyed a bit of alone time before heading to bed!!!
Saturday was a fairly relaxing day, filled with doing almost nothing, but reading and napping in the hammock. Saturday evening, however, we went into Granada for the Resurrection Mass. It was really nice...they began the service by going outside where a small fire was burning. I say small, but the sparks were flying everywhere and people were scrambling to get out of the line of fire! :) A large candle was lit, from which many other small candles were lit, representing the light Jesus brought to the world. Back inside, we listened to a reading from Genesis with background noises illustrating the creation of the world. Then there was a short re-enactment of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac...good thing God stops him in the story...good thing for the kid playing Isaac anyway... I understood only segments of the remainder of the service, but that was ok. Following the mass, we were joined by Maria Celia’s daughter and her friend, and headed back to the island.
Sunday was another laid back day, although a few people did stop by later on in the day. I got in the water for a little bit, but opted out of the skiing and banana boat fun later on. We headed back to Granada around 5:00 that evening. Arriving back at our little apartment and seeing Xavier and Susanna again felt like coming home.
On Sunday we went to church with Xavier and Susanna, who we rent our apartment from. Their church is a little farther out from the center, but still only about a 15 minute walk. It was a Catholic church...not surprising as this is the major religion in Nicaragua. Once I caught on to the passage of scripture being read from, I followed the reading fairly well. I was quite proud of myself, thank you very much.
Monday began with the start of our classes! My instructor’s name is Lesbia. She’s really sweet and I love how great everyone is in helping us understand. They slow down their speech, enunciate their words, and use gestures. Just a few simple things that make a huge difference! That, and they’re very patient with us. But don’t worry, we get plenty of conversation at regular speeds at mealtimes with Xavier and Susanna. :)
The price of our classes includes activities each afternoon. Monday afternoon took us on a two-hour jaunt around Granada, learning about its history, culture, and traditions. I understood a decent amount, but don’t ask me to repeat anything. We actually “Gussed” the bell tower there. For those of you who aren’t aware, to “Gus” something is to pay lots of money to “Go UpStairs” and see a panoramic view that looks like every other panoramic view in the world. Now, to be fair, there are a few places where “Gussing” is worth it. This was actually one of them. The other people in our group were going up and it was only a dollar, so up we went. I didn’t expect to enjoy it quite so much. But Granada is different, so the panoramic view is different as well. Actually, in general I find that “Gussing” in a small town is far more interesting than in a large city. Most big cities start to look the same after awhile...a bunch of skyscrapers...blah. Anyway, we enjoyed the tour, learned a little bit about Granada, got to know the other students a bit, and took some nice photos! All in all, a successful afternoon.
Tuesday morning was only a two-hour class. Then we headed out of the city for a little cooking lesson. Yes, you heard (or read) me right...a cooking lesson. Well, sort of. So we walked down the streets of Granada, heading a little out of town, crossing a river, and winding around to a little house where an elderly woman makes tortillas for a living. The dough was already made, but we each shaped, cooked, and ate a tortilla. Believe it or not, mine came out really well and I got a round of applause (of course, Lesbia coached me a little, but I did the work)!!! That afternoon we piled in the back of a truck, drove to the lake, hopped on a boat, and made our way around the many islands, enjoying the view. Arriving at one of them, we sat back and enjoyed a leisurely conversation with our instructors and fellow students. I had mango juice...yummy!!!
Wednesday morning, we took a little field trip to the mercados (markets). Tight, narrow aisles separate stands where people sell various items, ranging from fruit and fish to clothes and shoes...not unlike markets I've seen in other countries. We purchased 12 mangos for about 85 cents. Yay...we got mangos for dessert that night...mmmmmmmm! Wednesday afternoon was a dancing lesson taught by two of our instructors...Angelica and Josue. We learned and danced a little Merengue, Salsa, and Baracha. We learned another dance as well, but I can’t remember the name of it. All I know is that it consisted of a lot of shimmying and shaking. I just don’t do the Latin dancing justice. Angelica and Josue sure looked great, though!!!
So that brings us to Thursday...we woke up at 7:15, headed down for breakfast, and ate speedily after a call from Uncle Gerard with a minor change of plans. Apparently we had to be to our destination 45 minutes earlier than we had expected. So we rushed upstairs, grabbed our overnight bags, and walked briskly to the house of a lady named Irene, who was taking a small group out on the lake. Every year around Easter, they have a tradition here where they do the Stations of the Cross at the various islands of Lake Nicaragua. The islands chosen set out crosses and altars, and a procession of boats makes their way around, commemorating one of the stations at each island. Once in the boat, we hurried to join this small procession and visited two islands. Then we proceeded to wind our way around the many islands. Most of the islands are privately owned and some of the houses are spectacular. We finally arrived at Uncle Gerard’s island, where we were ushered up to the deck and offered drinks. The afternoon was spent chatting, relaxing in the jacuzzi, and eating and drinking. We zipped off in the boats a bit later to watch the sunset, then only 6 of us went back to the island for dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed an ethics debate over our meal that evening and went to bed full and happy.
Friday started off with rolling out of bed at 8:30, taking a long shower, eating breakfast, and enjoying a quiet morning on the island. Birds chirping and a slight breeze rustling the trees were about the only noises as I laid back in the hammock and did absolutely nothing. The “absolutely nothing” was broken up by rowing around the island once. Then after Rebecca headed back, I opted to take the boat out by myself to nearby “Monkey Island.” This island is home to a couple of monkeys who make it their business to amuse passers-by. I was warned not to get too close as they have been known to invite themselves onboard. Having a history with these creatures, I took the advice to heart and did my best to keep a safe distance.
My first attempt at rowing the boat was a failure, but after some advice I tried again and succeeded. I felt pretty accomplished rowing out there by myself. Making my way back to Uncle Gerard’s island, I passed by a tourist boat and was rather surprised to notice cameras pointing in my direction. I’d like to think I looked so amazingly competent they just had to snap a photo, but I’m a little afraid that the shockingly white girl attempting to row a boat by herself just looked completely ridiculous. I mean, it can’t be good when tourists are snapping photos of you instead of the cute little monkeys, can it?
About two-ish, the Spanish ambassador, his wife, two daughters, and son showed up. Uncle Gerard’s nephew was entertaining some friends on his family’s side of the island, so us “youngsters” went over there for a bit. I socialized for a little while, but soon found myself back on our side for a delicious lunch...fish soup. Afterwards, we headed to the island of one of Uncle Gerard’s friends where we swam in their pool, enjoyed another unique view, and played with an adorable chihuahua. Back home again, we had sausages, chicken, and fish for dinner, followed by the most scrumptious tres leche cake. The windy island at night is just as unique and spectacular as the quiet island of the morning, and I enjoyed a bit of alone time before heading to bed!!!
Saturday was a fairly relaxing day, filled with doing almost nothing, but reading and napping in the hammock. Saturday evening, however, we went into Granada for the Resurrection Mass. It was really nice...they began the service by going outside where a small fire was burning. I say small, but the sparks were flying everywhere and people were scrambling to get out of the line of fire! :) A large candle was lit, from which many other small candles were lit, representing the light Jesus brought to the world. Back inside, we listened to a reading from Genesis with background noises illustrating the creation of the world. Then there was a short re-enactment of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac...good thing God stops him in the story...good thing for the kid playing Isaac anyway... I understood only segments of the remainder of the service, but that was ok. Following the mass, we were joined by Maria Celia’s daughter and her friend, and headed back to the island.
Sunday was another laid back day, although a few people did stop by later on in the day. I got in the water for a little bit, but opted out of the skiing and banana boat fun later on. We headed back to Granada around 5:00 that evening. Arriving back at our little apartment and seeing Xavier and Susanna again felt like coming home.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Fin de Semana
Well, it's Saturday, which means more venders, more crowds, more hassle. Umm, I prefer shopping during the week all things considered. We're pretty much hanging out today...no big plans other than exploring a bit more of the city. Everyone here is gearing up for Easter Sunday. A couple of times each day a group comes by carrying a "float" of sorts with Jesus carrying the cross, and another of Mary. Yesterday, a group of private school students followed, singing and praying. They stop at various houses and everyone on the street comes to their doorways and watches. It's quite the event here!!! Last night, there was a band preceding the float of Jesus and they stopped at our place (well, next door where the people we're renting from live- Xavier and Susanna). We're enjoying the relaxing pace so far, although I'm sure things will get busier once we start our classes next week.
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