Archive for the ‘Nathan’ Category
July 13, 2009
Last week was my final week in Nicaragua. It was a week of mixed emotions. I was sad to part with my Nicaraguan family but excited at the thought of seeing all my family and friends in the US. In addition, I had so much to get done for work and plenty of things I wanted to do in the community before leaving.
First I want to explain the end results of my work for Grupo Fenix. My focus the last week was to finish some changes I was making to the website. There were two major sections that I was revamping, the volunteering page and the project page. I changed the volunteering page to make it clearer. The goal was to make it easy for volunteers to understand the steps that they needed to take to volunteer with Grupo Fenix. For the project page, I worked with local staff to add recent projects and update old information. I was able to complete both pages and they are currently in the process of being posted. I did some final aesthetic improvements to the website before leaving, too. I made a new sidebar (the other one was dark and dreary), a new index header, and formatted some text. One other cool business thing that I did my last week was I made a contract for consignment sales between The Centro Solar and a nearby shop. I wrote up a contract to explain the terms of the agreement and the obligations of both parties. It was nice to get some practical use out of my business law class!
Ok, now for the emotional stuff. After being in Nicaragua for 2 ½ months I really got close to numerous people at work and in the town. I cannot even explain how much I have learned from them all and how they have helped me grow as a person. So, having to say goodbye was incredible difficult as you can imagine. Throughout the week, I said my goodbyes as I slowly realized that I wouldn’t see certain people again before I left. The night of July 8th, the other volunteers and I went out for one final dinner in town. It was Dan, Maria, Erin, Maria (from Greece), Anna, Lauren, Durell, David, Cody, and me (yeah there were a lot of us). Talking with them that night made me think how close we all got. Originally only our common language brought us together but I realized now we all had become good friends. Saying bye to all of them was sad but many I will see again (I hope). The hardest day was Friday, the day I left Sabana Grande to head into Managua. All week seemed to be building up to this day when I would inevitable leave. Each day my host family would mention how sad they were that I was going to go but I kept saying we had more time. Well on Friday, there was no more time. And by some cruel twist of fate my host family’s grandpa had died the night prior. I can honestly say that Friday was one of the most difficult days in my life. My host family was sad for the loss of their grandfather and I was leaving the same day. I felt like I was deserting them at a time when the last thing they needed was for something else to be upset about. I said my goodbyes to each of my Nicaraguan family members and the tears came. I left for Managua on the 9am bus. On the bus I just sat and reflected. I could not have envisioned a more perfect home to be a part of in Nicaragua. They not only opened their home to me but also their hearts. I prayed that I would able to stay in contact with them and some day see them all again.
Before flying back to the US, I had one day to wait in the capital city, Managua. That day Dan, Anna, Tim, Jim (other Dayton volunteers), and I went to the Masaya Volcano to hike. It was nice to have that day to help calm my emotions, do some physical activity, and mentally prepare for my trip home. We spent the night at the house of Dona Claudia, a sweet lady whose house doubles as a pastry shop (So we landed some delicious food). Sunday July 12th, my flight for the US left at 7am from Managua. I landed in Houston around 11am (I was on American soil for the first time in 10 weeks!). I went through immigration (they let me in!) and next flew into Milwaukee. As I walked towards the baggage claim my heart began to race. I was home and I was going to see my family. Jessica, my sister, sprinted up from behind me and gave me a huge hug (but first did a double take to make sure it was really me) and my mom followed. It was great!!
At home I got to see the rest of my family and pass out some sweet gifts from Nicaragua. And I forgot to mention. I brought home a solar box cooker in my suitcase (it was heavy but it was worth it)! So I taught my family all about solar energy and how to cook using the sun (we made some solar cookies that today).
So that brings you up to speed and concludes my Nicaraguan experience. To sum Nicaragua up it was a life changing opportunity. I learned, I grew, I helped, and I was helped. From this experience a desire to explore and learn has been ignited within me. Which I hope to never lose (please keep me honest). I am excited to be in the US but a piece of me will always stay in Nicaragua with my Nicaraguan family and friends. I hope to see them sometime in the future. My heart tells me that I will.
Nat-tan
July 6, 2009
The last two weekends have been really exciting. Two weekends ago I went to Granada, the Nicaraguan city with the most tourism. And last weekend I headed out to Leon, a city known for its magnificent volcanoes.
We stayed in Granada for 4 days (the original plan was only 3 but some last minute complications extended our trip). Saturday the 27th of June, we arrived in the colonial city of Granada. We spend our first day exploring the city. Granada like almost every city in Nicaragua is built around a central park and Cathedral. We spent time shopping in the green central park and I found some good gifts (but I’m not going dispose specifics because it will to ruin the surprise). Later we had dinner at a restaurant where we ate outside at a table along the street. Although Granada is a very touristic city, it also has an abundance of visible poverty. While eating dinner no less than 10 children approached use and asked for money Just wondering the streets of Granada caused constant pulling on my heart strings In this place that generates an immense amount of money, the struggles of the less fortunate were magnified. Granada is a place where on the steps of a five star hotel you will find a wide eyed child begging for food and money. Witnessing poverty there and similar to this throughout Nicaragua has ignited within me the questions “How can these people be helped?” and “What can I do I hope that as I grow and experience more I will come closer to answering these questions and to finding my role Before leaving Granada we went to a nearby city Masaya to check out some local markets and later headed to the Laguna del Apoyo to swim and kayak The rest of our time in the city was spent sightseeing and chilling in our hostel’s pool.
Last weekend, on July 4th, we went to Leon for a day and a half. It was a quick trip but it was tons of fun. We traveled there with 10 volunteers!! Let me tell you when you walk around in a group of 10 foreigners you get some funny looks. We went to the beach in Leon and had a blast (the city is right by the Pacific Ocean There were huge waves at the beach, ones that literally knocked you over (I still have water in my ear from my vicious battle with them). We ate lunch there and I had a huge cheese burger and fries. After all the rice and beans, I think that was the best burger of my life! Later that night we all went out to celebrate the 4th of July (as you can imagine we were the only ones doing so
Now, I am back at in Sabana Grande, and I only have 6 days left in Nicaragua I am dreading saying goodbye to my Nicaraguan family and friends. I have learned so much from them all. It’s funny, at first I wanted time to speed up and now I am wishing for the opposite.
More to come,
Nat-tan
June 28, 2009
Today, June 25, I scared a small child. I was visiting my Nicaraguan Grandma with my two sisters. As I walked onto the porch a small girl looked up and strained to see my face in the dark. Quickly she developed a horrified expression. She turned and ran screaming “GRINGO, GRINGO, GRINGO” (side note: gringo is a white person from the US). She ran into the kitchen and slammed the door behind her. My sisters asked to her to come out and say hi. Her response was a strong “NO”. The whole situation was rather hilarious. I guess I can understand how it can be scary seeing a white person for the first time. Or maybe I just am extra terrifying.
Monday this week I made nacatamales with my Nicaraguan mom! A nacatamale is the most famous traditional cuisine of Nicaragua. Here nacatamales are given as gifts for any special occasion. So Tuesday was Father’s Day and we made nacatamales for that occasion. Monday I took the afternoon off from work and my mom and I got to work in the kitchen. The first step is making the dough which I would call the foundation of the nacatamale. The dough is made with corn, water, flour, onions and peppers. We placed the dough in a huge pot and let is cook on the fire for about an hour (stirring it with a large stick periodically). At the same time we made a huge pot of rice. After the dough had become thick we moved it off the fire (here comes the fun part). When our rice and dough were ready it was time to start putting together the nacatamales. We laid ojas (banana leaves) on the preparation table. Then we put a large handful of dough in the center of the leaf. In the center of the dough we placed a piece of chicken. On top of all this we put rice, tomatoes, two slices of a potato, and some diced up pepper. Now here’s the hard part. We took the banana leaves and folded the nacatamale shut. If nothing ripped we would tie them shut with a string (long plant leaf). Finally, we threw the wrapped nacatamales into a large pot of water and let them cook for awhile. And after that they were ready to be eaten. So before this all when my mom told me that we were going to nacatamales, I thought for the family. It turned out we made 35 nacatamales because some were to sell!! We started making them at 1pm and didn’t finish till 6:30pm. To say the least, I am an expert nacatamale maker now. My mom is giving me the recipe and I plan on making some back in the states. Anyone want to try one?
Last night I had a pleasant, relaxing time talking with my Nicaraguan family. We got onto the topic of me leaving (in only 2 weeks, sad). It was nice to reflect with them about how much my Spanish has improved and about all the experiences we have shared. My mom asked me if I would remember them when I was back in the US. I responded “Como no (how could I not)!” The conversation with them made me think if I would ever return to Nicaragua. I really want to. I have learned so much here.
More to come,
Nat-tan
June 24, 2009
So a new season started this week. Nicaraguans call this season winter or the rainy season. When they say rainy they’re not joking around. It has rained everyday but not all day thank god. It rains heavily for about an hour each day. The rain has brought a couple new and exciting experiences. The first is the fact that the path that I walk to get home becomes a river in the rain. Therefore, walking home now is a lot more thrilling and wet. The other new, exciting experience is showing in the rain. That’s right, I shower in the rain. Honestly, it is one of the most relaxing experiences ever. Also, the rain makes rinsing much easier (it’s kind of hard when taking a bucket shower). When I get back to the US, I am strongly considering building a shower outside (if you showered in the rain once, you would want one too).
The weekend starting on June 19th was really enjoyable. Two volunteers from Dayton who are working in Managua came to Sabana Grande to visit for the weekend (their names are Tim and Jim, fun right). On Friday, we just hung around Sabana Grande. We spent the night speaking English, drinking Pepsi, and playing some UNO!! Saturday was an adventurous day. The six volunteers from Dayton and one volunteer from Greece all went to Somoto Canyon. Somoto Canyon is a natural tourist attraction only 20 minutes out of or village. The adventure started as we left the bus station and head out to the canyon in a “taxi”. So, our taxi was actually a pickup truck and we all stood in the back bed of the truck! Once we arrive at Somoto Canyon (all in one piece), we hiked down the path towards the heart of the canyon. I mentioned that it is the rainy season right, yeah, so there was a lot of water in the canyon. Our first obstacle was crossing a river (nearing the intensity of a mild rapid). We all successfully waded the river without incident. After walking about two miles we made it to the mouth of the canyon. There we took a row boat, paddled by our guide Joel, into the canyon. The canyon was where the real fun began. After getting off the boat we scaled the side of the canyon and made our way down to where we could swim. As we approached the place where we were going to enter the water I knew we were in for a thrill. The water was rushing through the bottom of the canyon and the canyon walls towered 200 meters over us. At a spot where the flow of the water was slightly slower we enter the water. We methodically worked our way up the canyon. Sometimes we climbed at other times we swam. The combination of the challenges and various dangers made the journey up the canyon extremely fun. All I know is there is no way you would be able to do this in the US. After exploring the canyon for about an hour we all were exhausted (swimming against a current is difficult exercise). Luckily the trip back was much easier. They had rafts waiting for us and we floated all the way back to the beginning of the trail. As you can imagine, Sunday was spent sleeping and relaxing…recovering!!
More to come,
Nat-tan
June 17, 2009
It is June 14th and several exciting things have happened this week. On Thursday and Saturday local experts on the legal creation of corporations in Nicaragua gave presentations to Las Mujeres Solares. Las Mujeres Solares, the women’s group at the Solar Center, are currently utilizing grant money to legally establish themselves as a business. The presentations were extremely interesting and gave me some insight into the business world in Nicaragua. Later this week Las Mujeres Solares are going to select which type of organization they would like to become legally. It is very cool to have the chance to see the women make important decisions that will form the foundation for their organization. And the excitement today is that two more volunteers have arrived here at The Solar Center. Their names are Erin and Maria and they are the other two students participating in the ETHOS immersion with Dan and me. It has been really fun to talk with them and reflect a lot on the time that I have spent here. And the added bonus is that now we have our full group and are able to travel to the best spots in Nicaragua which we have been saving!
Now that I am more than halfway through my experience in Nicaragua, I have gotten to know my family very well. I have waited to write about them all because I wanted to talk with them more and get to know each one of their personalities. My family is amazing and I want to share a little about each member and the house that we live in.
The House is located at the base of a beautiful, green mountain in Sabana Grande. My home has three separate buildings. In the center is the old house. The old house is the largest of the three buildings. On the back of the old house there is a lean-to kitchen (my mom cook using a fire within a clay stove top). The old house has one large room that I would call the family room. It has a small table, a hammock (so comfortable) and some plastic chairs. The family room is where we eat and where my family and I spend most of our nights talking or listening to music. In addition, the family room doubles as a bedroom for an uncle in my family. The old house has three bedrooms. One is for me (for volunteers). The other two are used by 9 people! I have not been in the other two bedrooms so I do not know the setup. The only thing that I know is that 9 people fit in them, how I am not sure. At times I feel bad that I have my own room when everyone else is living close together in the other rooms. The old house does not have electricity but has a solar panel that powers 4 lights in the separate rooms of the house. A small one room building was built to the left of old house for my brother, his wife, and their child. They do not use this house yet because its roof is still being constructed. To the right of the old house is the new house. The new house is made of cement and has a large room, new kitchen, and a porch. The new house has beautiful wooden doors and windows. It currently is used for very little since it was only finished several days ago. The yard of the house is rather large. The yard is home to a variety of animals. We have about 7 chicks, 4 chickens, 1 dog, and a pig. There is an outside shower located behind the house and three outhouses in the right side of the yard. It is a small simple house and I find it a perfect place for just relaxing and thinking.
My Mom’s name is Hilda. She is one of the sweetest people that I have meet in my life. She is the heart of my Nicaraguan family. Without her the family could not function from day to day. She cooks, cleans, washes, and cares for the entire family. She also is extremely fun, loves to laugh and talk with everyone. When ever I look at her I can’t help but smile. Hilda is a deeply religious woman, too. She is evangelical and has a church activity at least every other day. She is very passionate about faith. She has blessed my room, my food, and once even said a prayer holding a Tums I was about to take.
My Papa’s name is Marcio. He is the strong, quick type. He does tons of work for the family. He has helped build both of the newer buildings beside their old house and he works weekdays in the field. He also is the one that fixes the solar panel if they run into any problems with it. I see him normally only at night and really haven’t talked with him that much. When I do talk with him he seems extremely nice. Many nights he just lies back in the hammock and listens to some music. Last Sunday was his birthday and I bought some pop for the occasion. It made him smile and I felt great that I could make his day a little more special.
Darling is the oldest daughter of the family. She is in her twenties and lives across town with her boyfriend. She has visited several times and I have stopped by her house. She is very friendly like the rest of the family and is great with children. She teaches preschool in the town and I can tell that she loves working younger children. It’s perfect when she talks with me, since she is use to working with children who have limited vocabulary.
Marcel is my older brother (well actually..). He is only 19 which makes him one year younger than me but he has a wife and a 5 year old son. Therefore, in my mind he is older than I am. Marcel loves music and has a radio which is on constantly. He has a personality that is similar to his father’s. He is a hard worker and doesn’t really talk with me that much. But he is always smiling and looks to be very happy. We had one bonding moment when we talked about the different bars in Ocatol, so that was exciting!
Deyse is my “older” brother’s wife and I believe that she is about 25. She is fun and taught me how to make and cook tortillas. She laughs a lot and likes to joke around with me. For awhile we had a joke going that I was pregnant (long story) and it was great.
Luis is the 5 year old son of Marcel and Deyse. I am tempted to say that Luis is my favorite. He is always fll of energy and wanting to play games. We play tag all the time and other random games. Oh and he likes when I lift him up way high over my head. He is the person that makes me laugh most here. Sometimes he will just go ‘loco’ and start dancing crazy or running around (sometimes I swear he has ADD). Basically Luis and I are best friends because we are at the same level of speaking Spanish.
Yaritza is my sister and is 18. She is the spitting image of her mother. She is always smiling, laughing and talking with me. Also, she often goes with her mother to church. Yaritza helps with cooking and spends a lot of time at the house. I love talking with her. She is very easy to understand. Once she told me that her mom will allow her to date now that she is 18. So now every time a boy passes, I ask her if he is her boyfriend.
Meyling is the next oldest sister and is in high school. She is more conservative than her other siblings and doesn’t like playing around too much. She loves to talk and at times is extremely funny. When she grows up she wants to be a doctor (impressive). All her siblings always tell me that she likes me (hahaha). I don’t know if it is true or if they are just trying to make her feel awkward. Oh and she is a Populare (let me explain)! In Nicaragua there is this music, television phenomenon called Petito Feo. Petito Feo is a show that centers around two groups of people the Populares and the Divinas. The Populares are the more nerdy kids that love to dance and have fun. The Divinas are the stuck up cool kids that dance more dirty and are always dressed in the latest fashions. The crazy thing is that these television groups have crossed over into real life. Many high schools and cities have both types of people. I’m just thankful that I live with Populares, I don’t know how well I would get along with Divinas.
Yoelbi is my younger brother who is in high school. When I first arrived in Nicaragua he was the one that talked with me the most and really made me feel welcomed. He plays often with other local boys in the campo (field). They play soccer and volleyball. I like playing cards with him and joking around. Oh and I found out that he has a girlfriend named Jenny but his mom doesn’t know so shhhh.
Mayeli is that youngest daughter of Hilda and is the final member of the family. Mayeli is in middle school and likes to laugh at me a lot (actually like all the time). She is just very smiley and no matter what I say she usually will laugh. It’s tons of fun playing games with her and just laughing. Basically Mayeli and I are pretty tight.
Overall my family is amazing. I have learned an immense amount of things from them and have had countless wonderful experiences. I am extremely lucky that I was placed with them. They have made my trip tremendously meaningful.
More to come,
Nat-tan
June 9, 2009
It’s Sunday June 7th and for starters I have a couple short updates to share with everyone. This week I discovered an outhouse at my house that I fit in!! Up until this point I have been using an outhouse that I literally could not shut when inside. Before I thought the newly discovered bathroom was a hut for fire wood. But to my surprise it is a spacious outhouse made for American size people (Nicaraguan’s are much shorter). In other news this morning I mooned my Nicaraguan mom. I was taking a bucket shower and there was a strong gust of wind. To my dismay, the towel covering the entrance way fell exposing my butt to my mom who was stand right outside in the kitchen. Oh fun times.
On to work, the catalogue is completed and translated. Now i have been put in charge of improving my host organizations website,. To say the least this is a really amazing opportunity. One thing that has caught my attention in college has been internet marketing. Website design is a crucial part of internet marketing for businesses. I am looking forward to being able to learn more about website design and other internet marketing strategies like Search Engine Optimization. I think that improving Grupo Fenix’s website will help to generate more sells, more international volunteers, more donors, and ultimately help them reach their future goals. I have been looking at other non-profit websites and reading some articles on internet marketing. Already I have tons of ideas. This Monday, I am receiving a web design program called Dream Weaver and I will be able to start working. I will make sure to keep everyone updated on my progress. It is crazy to think that I get to modify a website that Grupo Fenix will use for years to come. This is a great opportunity.
After being in Nicaragua for a month, I have been able to better understand the culture. One aspect of culture here that is very different than life in the US is the Nicaraguan Machismo Culture. I wanted to give people in the US a little glimpse of this interesting cultural norm in Nicaragua. The Machismo Culture refers to a culture dominated by the males. In my opinion, from when Nicaraguans are young they are taught their cultural roles. Girls learn how to care for children, wash and clean. Boys work with their dad in the fields and on construction projects. Girls are put in charge of preparing food and boys are always served first when eating meals. Girls are kept close to the home and have more strict rules. Boys are allowed to hang with friends all day and have much more freedom. The boys are the ones that get to use the family’s bicycle when they want. Girls can use the bike only when heading to the pulparia (convenient store) to get food for a meal. My Nicaraguan sister once told me that she was not allowed to raise her voice because her father told her that it was not lady like. And sadly, boys are taught to not express emotions. I can see my 16 year old Nicaraguan brother gradually become less and less expressive especial when around his friends. So as you can see, boys are trained to feel superior and women to be submissive. As these children get older, these same Machismo principles stick. I have rarely heard a women raise her voice. Most have a timid presence and are in a continual state of serving the family. Some men, the Machismos, treat women as objects. Pictures of almost naked women can be found in newspaper, television ads, billboards, advertisements, and the covers of CDs. Cat calling is extremely common. While walking around with a group of girls from Dayton, men called out to them and hissed at them (side note: instead of whistling in Nicaragua men hiss at women). This Machismo philosophy causes larger problems in Nicaragua, too. There are lots of drunks in Nicaragua. Some think this is because there is a shortage of work but I think most is caused by men not having emotional outlets. Many women are forced to raise children on their own because it is common for men to desert families. Women are less safe in big cities because of high rates of female assault. The differences between gender roles in the US and here are vast. I believe that the Machismo Culture is hindering the people of Nicaragua. It is limiting women’s opportunities and forcing men to bottle up their emotions. But there is hope; I have found many exceptions to this norm. I have met loving fathers and couples who have equal roles in their marriages. I have talked with girls that have plans for the future and men who share their thoughts and feelings.
Cultural differences like this make me think how different my life would be if I was raised in another country. I am extremely thankful for all the opportunities and privileges that I have had in the US.
More to come,
Nat-tan
June 2, 2009
It is May the 31st and I am current located in my “stronghold” or you may call it a mosquito net. My “stronghold” is the only place where I have the upper hand on the insects of Nicaragua. Here I am surrounded by a nearly impenetrable barrier and am equipped with all my best weapons. I have bug spray at my side and a shoe within my reach. Bring it insects I’m ready.
Well I guess I should talk about El Dia De Las Madres now since that is the title of this blog. In Nicaragua, that is the name for Mother’s Day. Here El Dia De Los Madres is celebrated on May 30th rather than on the 10th like in the United States. So I don’t want to make moms in the US feel bad but here in Nicaragua mother’s day is kind of a huge deal. Since I have arrived in Nicaragua on May 8th I have been hearing El Dia De Las Madres songs on the radio. Literally these songs are made for El Dia De Las Madres. The amount of music for El Dia De Las Madres is comparable to the fact that in the US we have a whole genre of music dedicated to Christmas. So this whole month I have really had time to think about what makes El Dia De Las Madres so big here in Nicaragua. I have come to understand that in Nicaragua the mother is almost always the glue of a family. Here they are the ones that care and teach morals to the children. They are the ones that prepare all meals and provide hospitality for guest. They are the ones that have immense influence in making important family decisions. But most simple they are the ones that are present. The father is the one that is away from home and works the entire day. In many cases families don’t even have fathers because they have left the family and the responsibilities that come with it. In the village I live in it is rare to find a family that has a present father. In Nicaragua, the mother is the one in the home and in most situations the one figuring out how to support the family. For these reasons I believe El Dia De Las Madres is amplified here in Nicaragua.
So what exactly happens for El Dia De Las Madres in Nicaragua? This year El Dia De Los Madres fell on Saturday. Celebration for the day started three days earlier on Wednesday. Wednesday my host organization, EL Centro Solar, held a surprise party for all the volunteer mothers. The festivities started at 3pm. The main room of the center was decorated with flowers and streamers. At first music was played and guest talked among themselves. Next, it was time for the games. I don’t know if it is the language barrier but games here in Nicaragua are ten times funnier than anything I’ve played in the US. My favorite game was one where two mothers were blindfolded and they had to put four shoes on one side of the room under the legs of a chair on the other side of the room. As you can imagine the game was a riot and throughout the course there were several collisions. Games were followed by a song and dance for the mothers. After that everyone said a pray of thanks for the mothers. Dinner was then served which was prepared by the children. Lastly, they ended the night with the La Mama Mas Simpatica contest which I was a judge for. So here is how the competition worked. Throughout the fiesta I was suppose watch all the mothers. My job was to select the nicest, most outgoing, funniest, and happiest mother. At the end of the night I selected a winner and the first runner up from all the mothers. So after “intense” deliberation (I actually just picked two mothers that I knew the names of…don’t tell anyone) I selected the winners…and the first runner up was Alejandra because of her smile, friendliness and kindness (which I announced to the room in Spanish)…and for the moment you all have been waiting for the winner of La Mama Mas Simpatica was Adelina for her participation and friendliness! Adelina was crowned as queen by last year’s Mama Mas Simpatica. The whole thing was kind of a big deal for them. I feel bad I just pick mothers basically at random…oops.
Okay so this was just the Wednesday before El Dia De Las Madres, I still need to talk about the day itself. On Friday, the day before El Dia De Los Madres two of my Nicaraguan sister and I went into Ocatol, a nearby town. There we went to Pali (a much smaller branch of Wal-Mart for Central American countries) and bought lunch for our mom. We got rice, vegetables, soda and most importantly steak, their mom’s favorite. After, the grocery store we went to a Pastelria to purchase a cake. The kids in my family were very excited. They said generally they didn’t have money to get anything for their mother on El Dia De Las Madres. I was more than happy to buy some food for my mother especially after everything that she has done for me. On the 30th, El Dia De Las Madres, the children and I helped out their mom throughout the day. I helped cook and my Nicaraguan siblings did typical choirs. Then we cooked the food from Ocatol for lunch and served cake to everyone. Late in the day we visited their grandma and wished her a happy Dia De Las Madres. All things considered El Dia De Las Madres was a huge success. My Nicaraguan mom seemed extremely happy throughout the day. She even mentioned to me that this was the first time that a volunteer in her house has bought her a cake. She was very thankful. My Nicaraguan mother is amazing if you met her you would buy her a cake too.
More to come,
Nat-tan
May 25, 2009
As last week was coming to the end the question became what we were going to do over the weekend. After some discussion and inquiring of locals we decided to head up to Honduras. The border of Honduras and Nicaragua is only about 1 hour and half away from where I am in Nicaragua. So although going to another country sounds like a journey the trip there was not bad at all. So, let´s talk about crossing borders. It is a very interesting process as you can imagine. At the border between Nicaragua and Honduras there was literally a rope across the road. Here lied the first obstacle for travelers. As we walked around the rope we were confronted by border control. They looked at our passports and then told use that it costs a dollar to cross the border. Next we continued to walk forward until we were called to an immigration hut (I would compare it to a ticket booth for a movie theater). We were waved to the first window and again told to present our passports. After a thorough inspection of our identification we had to pay a 40 Cordobas for a processing fee. Then we were directed to the next ¨ticket booth¨. This one as indicated by a sign was Honduran. Again at this booth our passports were inspected and information was taken. And yet again we were charged a fee. This time it was an entrance fee of 60 Limpiras (the currency of Honduras). All I can say is doing conversions of three different currencies can really take a toll on the brain. After this final fee we were allowed to walk about 20 feet until we were yet again called over to another booth. And the point of this booth…was to prevent the spread of the Swine Flu. We were asked our ages, departure city and destination. But by far my favorite question was ¨Tiene Gripe¨ or in English ¨do you have the flu¨. There was no temperature check or mouth swabs only this question. Hence this question alone was protecting the Hondurans from the Swine Flu.
That covers my border experience (pretty simple huh). Once in the country Dan and I headed to Comayagua. Comayagua is one of the largest cities in Honduras and has unique Spanish colonial architecture. The city was beautiful and had a great central park in front of a central church. While in the city for Saturday the 23rd and Sunday the 24th, we explored the streets. We found several cool restaurants and stores. My favorite part was going to a local museum. The museum went through the history of the city of Comayagua. It started with ancient civilization and ended with the current day. I learned that Comayagua has Spanish colonial architecture because of the Spanish inhabitance of the city some years prior. Overall the city was wonderful and I can’t believe that it doesn’t draw more tourists.
Monday, we head back to Nicaragua and did the whole border thing again (just backwards). One thing that was different though was that on the bus to the border Dan and I meet a girl traveler from Canada, Katherine. I would say that she was about 25 and she clearly looked like the free spirited adventurous type. She had been traveling Central America now for about 4 months by herself! The fact that people can do this amazes me. So far on my trip I have encounter 4 people (including Katherine) that have spent months and one years traveling Central America on their own. The fact that they are strong and adventurous enough to just leave everything back home and explore fascinates me. I am beginning to notice that they all have very similar personality types. All of them are outgoing and friendly. They all have a love for simplicity and for health. And most intriguing is that each one of them when asked what they are doing after Central America answer ¨Going home and saving for my next international trip¨. These are some really cool people I am getting to meet. Talking with them really sheds light on a different perspective of life and a different living philosophy.
And that puts me here typing on this computer in Nicaragua,
Nat-tan
May 20, 2009
Last Sunday, the 17th of May, Dan and I headed down to Esteli. Esteli is a larger city in Nicaragua that is a center of some tourism. The downtown area of the city is built around a beautiful Catholic church and a central park area. The Church’s traditional architecture included rounded towers and a white exterior. The interior of the church was filled with large columns and wonderfully crafted pews, chairs and tables. Radiating from the central park and church were a variety of shops and restaurant. Dan and I went to the local internet café and then proceeded to check out some local shops. I found a sweet bracelet that I ended up buying for 10 Cordobas which is equivalent to .50 cents. I knotted the bracelet on my wrist and thought that when I go home it will be a nice reminder of everything that I will experience here in Nicaragua. Dan and I ate at a very nice restaurant in Esteli and had sandwiches (which I have not tasted for a week, god it was good). After lunch it was time to head back to Sabana Grande. I loved Esteli and hope that later in my trip I will get to revisit the city.
Monday marked the start of one of my big business projects here in Nicaragua. (Side note: last week the volunteer coordinator and I submitted the grant application for an environmental restaurant in The Solar Center, so keep your fingers crossed that we get it!) Now, I am constructing a catalog for all the sustainable products and services that The Solar Center provides. The Solar Center is a spot for the innovation of renewable technology and vends renewable products to the public. The catalog is one step that they are taking to better market their business and raise local awareness of The Solar Center. I am planning to complete the catalog within two weeks because at the end of May there is a business fair in the city of Ocatol. The hope is that we will be able to distribute the catalog there.
So this entire week I have been working on the catalog. I am first writing it in English and we will later translate it to Spanish. This task is rather difficult because the solar center currently has no formal list of their products and services. I am doing a lot of investigating about what is actually provided and then I have to write up descriptions for the different products. The descriptions are tricky because many of the products utilize technologies that I do not fully understand. So currently I would say the status of the catalog is 1/3 completed. I hope that once completed that the catalog can be a great resource that the solar center can use and eventually update.
Nat-tan David
May 17, 2009
So here I am sitting in my mosquito net on my bed reflecting on what has transpired in the last couple of days. To be honest so much has happened that I don’t think I can remember it all. So let me start with Friday May 15th.
Friday was a sad day. I have not mentioned this before but a group of about 12 Dayton students were here for a two week summer breakout in Nicaragua. So for the first week I have been here, I have been hanging with them and participating in their group activities. Friday was the day that the group left Nicaragua to fly back home. I had made some great friends in the group and it was hard to see them go. It was especially difficult because once their bus pulled out I realized that I was now one of only two English speaking Americans in Sabana Grande. That day was basically a reality check for me. Not having the group form Dayton here makes my Spanish communication even more imperative. I have been practicing my Spanish a lot in the last couple of days and feel like I have improved some.
Later Friday, I went with Dan to Ocatol a nearby city. The city has the Internet, banks and tons of stores. I hit up the bank for some Cordobas and proceeded to the internet café. There I was finally able to communicate with you all and post the blog that I had written before. Next, we ate dinner at a nice little restaurant. We meet the volunteer coordinator, David, at the restaurant. David lives in Ocatol so we checked out his place (which I thought was very nice). After that we hopped on a crowded bus and headed back to Sabana Grande.
But wait the day is not done yet. The Catholic Church was having a fiesta that night for the day of the town’s patron saint and we were invited. Dan, David, and I attended the fiesta and let me tell you ‘it was banging’. The party was tons of fun and all the teens from the community were there. I loved the espanol musica that they played. My favorite is called regatone. I would most closely compare it to US hip/hop. So to say the least it was a blast. It is interesting here no one dances along or in groups. Everyone dances with a partner and they usual hold hands while doing what I would call a salsa step. (Side note: I just killed a bug on my computer screen, sick).
On Saturday, I began my day by sleeping in late (I really needed some sleep after my long week). I really didn’t do anything that exciting till that night. I went to church with my host mom. So you may think church sounds boring well let me tell you something church is incredible interesting when you go to a Nicaraguan Evangelical Mass. The first interesting thing is that men sit on one side of the church and women on the other. The music they played I really liked and the whole congregation really got into the it. The church was full of energy and people were yelling “Amen”, “Alleluia”, and “Gloria Dios”. To say the least the whole experience was very interesting.
So that catches you up to my present. Which is me sitting in bed killing bugs on my computer screen. Thank you all for taking the time to hear about what I am doing. I hope that you find my experiences interesting.
Nat-tan David