Photo tutorial

So... here is a little thing I put together entitled "How to make an herbal syrup (the folk method)"
So step one. Gather herbs and wash them. I gathered some lemon grass, oregano and basil. Yum.

Chop them up really well. You want as much of the juices flowing as you can get.

Put them in a jar with a lid. A glass jar is best. Add enough water to just cover your herbs. Measure the water first so you know how much you put in.

I let this soak for a bit. Only about 30 minutes. Then you add sugar. Double the amount of water.

Shake this up reallllllllly good. This might take a bit depending on how much sugar you have in there. The sugar needs to dissolve completely. If you did the measurements correctly this will happen in time. You just gotta be diligent. This part usually takes a few hours because I like to let it stew a bit. And shake a lot. Stew and shake, that is what you gotta do.
When it is completely mixed, we gotta strain all the herbs out. It is best to do this the folk way as well. Get some cheesecloth, muslin or unbleached organic cotton (this is what I use - scraps from the womens sewing coop) I put a scrap on top of another jar and pour the herbal mixture into it. Let it all drain and then squeeze the rest out. The stuff left in the cotton is called the marc, or, really tasty sugared herbs. Yum, once again.

After it has all strained out, you have herbal syrup! I usually let this set over night and strain at least two more times. This way I can be sure all the plant bits that will ferment are out.

Once you are sure it is good to go, package it up! Amber glass jars are the best. They keep the light out and temperature good.

Tada! And of course, here is a picture of me and my work station.

And my full line up of products as of this morning.

The end.

Las casitas

our actual houses.
Originally uploaded by sarahwimmer.

On the left, my house. On the right, sarah's residence. Taken from across the street at the tortilleria.

La Doña

dona yenny
Originally uploaded by sarahwimmer.

Doña Yeny caught off guard. Behind her is the house I live at. Que Bonita!

Deep in conversation

Alyse and Katherine
Originally uploaded by sarahwimmer.

I think she was making fun of me for being afraid of Mercado Oriental and paying too much for a skirt in a different mercado.

Abuelito

Papicito
Originally uploaded by sarahwimmer.

Abuelito Silva. Sitting on our street outside the tortilleria in Bella Cruz

Como se llama...

Names are funny things in Latin America. There is the combined apellido, something not practiced in the US, which identifies both the mother’s and the father’s family. Trying to explain that I only have three names is complicated here. If we did do the four name thing I would be Alyse Camille Rothrock Green (or Green Rothrock, regardless I would definitely live up to my herbalist status. Rothrock, by the way has proven to be a very difficult for Nica’s to pronounce). And of course, there is the standard Spanish-ization of our English names. Here Sarah is Sarita. (there is a long termer at the Foundation also named Sarah. Sarah gets to be called Sarita – little Sarah – much to the amusement of both Sarahs). Here I am Alicia. Sung like Aleeee-si-ah.. Alicia Camila Rothrock Green.
Nicknames are more commonly used, and they come out of nowhere. One slip of a word one day and you have accidently dubbed the kid down the street “Pechuga” or chicken breast. Why does it stick? I have no clue. But “Pechuga” is a name now of Angelo. Sorry Angelo. And if the neighborhood kids want to tease you saying you like “Pechuga”, they chant the name “Pechugüita”. Clever.
Clearly many identify with their ethnic roots. Raul, the agronomist at the Foundation is known as the “Cubano”, Michael a long termer here is Miguel on occasion and almost always “El Gringo.” In the barrio Sarah and I are always “Las Gringas”. Sometimes people go by their occupations. “La abogado” or the lawyer, “El doctor”… these are all a few of the multiple names people go by here. It is imperative to pay attention
I have started to collect multiple aliases. Cesar calls me “La Bruja” or the witch. Hola Bruja! Como esta la Bruja? Y la brujeria? Michael/Miguel/El Gringo has started to call me “Weed”. Has Weed seen she has a package? Where is Weed, I need some lemongrass. What’s up WEED?
It is always fun to have nicknames. Until the nicknames get really descriptive, which they often do. Just like one might go as “el Cubano” o “la abogada” people use physical descriptions as well. In the last presidential election one candidate ran as “El Feo.” (the ugly) Everywhere there are signs for “El Feo.” This is not offensive, just a fact. If you are chubby or even a little bit round, you are gorda, or gordita. This is a term of endearment. A compliment. Being calling gorda is not offensive, more like “the little chubby one.” If you have read Sarah’s blog you know about the lucha between our households. Who will fatten up the gringas fastest? As I already had a headstart on Sarah before arriving at the homestay, the real victory is feeding Sarah until she grows her very own panza (belly). Of course, with the size of the meals and our level of inactivity, this is not too far off. And man, is the barrio excited. “Regresara a los Estados Unidos gorda!” “Mira! Las gordas!” “Se van la gorda y la gordita.” Yes, everyone is quick to point out that weight has been gained. Whether it is pure excitement that the Nica food is so excellent, or a sense of accomplishment, or a sign of Sarah and I assimilating into Nica culture, I am not sure. But seriously, being called gorda takes some getting used to. But as long as it is a compliment, I’m good with it. I mean, fresh mangos are seriously dropping from the sky!

Rule #1 while in Nicaragua

Always stay well hydrated.

Past weekend

Friday was the huge octo celebration for the new building at the Nueva Vida clinic. IF you are ever in Central America AND are invited to an octo, you should definitely go. It was so much fun. It all started off (only 30-45 minutes late) with the band Guitarra de Madera Azul playing a small concert. They are fabulous and do a killer rendition of a Buena Vista Social Club song. Next we had the official welcome from Cesar, the Nica leader of the pack. The atmosphere was great. Every chair was occupied with a Nica or gringa and still more were standing in the back. There were sounds of children playing, people talking and a faint drum beat (high school band practice)? After Cesar's welcome the official from the Nica Ministry of Health for Ciudad Sandino gave a welcoming speech. The drums were getting louder and pretty soon people were running away from the octo and into the street. Next thing we know, the drumbeat is right outside and a drum squad enters the clinic grounds! They do a small performance and everyone cheers. They are the Ciudad Sandino drum squad and were awesome. The octo was filled with culture performances - dancing, singing, drumming... And afterwards, the clinic ribbon was cut and the children stormed the new building. By the time that happened it was 5oclock and I unfortunately could not show off all the syrups I had been making. Which is fine, I have a clean and organized laboratory, what else could I want?
Friday night we went out dancing in Managua with the Bucktown kids. It was ALOT of fun. I got salsa/merengue/reggaeton dance lessons from Donald.
Saturday we headed to Granada, about one hour northeast of Managua. We are trying to get a lot of saturday trips in to different parts of the country because it is very cheap to travel here. Our roundtrip busfare was $2 each. We ate in the mercadito for under a dollar for the both of us. Granada is beautiful and full of history. The weather was nice and we walked to Lake Nicaragua. The only downside of Granada is that it is gringocentral. We saw more gringos there than the entire trip combined. Therefore, the prices were higher and the merchants were more aggressive.
Sunday was a relaxing day.
And that is all!
I want to say THANK YOU to Anica and Dan for the beautiful package in the mail. (And thanks to Emily for a care package and my Bubba for always writing me, oh and Adina too! Thanks everyone!)

Tortillas de Chicago!

So things around here have been a little hectic. There is a delegation in town from beloved Bucknell University. They brought down some awesome chemistry glass beakers, graduated cylinders and pipettes for me. I am cleaning the green farmacia and rearranging the room because tomorrow the Foundation is having a huge celebration for the completion of the second building at the clinic (my room is located in this building). So I will also be giving tours and talks (and handing out sample syrups and teas) all day to the people who come and celebrate.
Outside of work the family time has been really nice. Sarah and I hang out over at the venta more and more. We were a little afraid at first, everyone is always over there speaking FAST spanish and doing their thing. Have I explained the venta? I think so, but for clarification: the venta is across the street from la casa mia. It is a pulperia (small shop where you can buy everything from gaseosa (soda) to azucar (sugar) to Qtips) and the tortilleria. The Silvas live here. The Silvas are actually a few families mashed together, so much that I am still trying to figure out all the different relations and names. At least three small families make up the Silvas and all the barrio kids we hang out with are Silvas. Anyway, the venta is where it is at.
Yesterday we got home a little early (thanks to Rogelio for the ride home) and went to the venta. Deyring (pronounced "dating") is the twelve year old we hang out with. She is studying English is school so I often help her with her homework. She is really patient with our spanish and generally nice to hang out with. Anyway, Deyring was in the venta making tortillas. Seeing this as a golden opportunity Sarah whipped out her video camera and started filming. Seeing a different golden opportunity, Deyring decided it was time for one of us to learn the craft. I was handed a blob of Maseca dough and shown how to do it. Let me be the first to say that the making of tortillas is an art form. You need rhythm. You also need small stubby monkey hands. I found out my hands were perfect for the job, but my rhythm a little off. The trick is to guide the flattening edges with the right hand while pounding/moving the dough with the left hand. Deyring and Jasmina can make a perfect tortilla in about 8 seconds. My tortillas took about 3 minutes to be "okay." And by okay I mean Deyring would fix my crooked edges and get it a bit flatter. It was getting to be dinner time and slowly everyone in the barrio came with a plate to buy their tortillas for a cordoba each. As each person came in Jasmina would announce
"Tortillas regular, un peso. Tortillas grande, dos pesos. Tortillas de Chicago, triente pesos. Ella es de Chicago. Tortillas de Chicago! Esta practicando."
Everyone would look at me and smile and say oh? Chicago? How very nice. Of course the tortillas I made were not actually 30 cords, but it got the point across that I was a gringa and I was learning the art of the tortilla.
I have been trying to incorporate the other ways of the Nicas into my life as well. It is not out of the ordinary for a Nica to wear nice clothes to work, change into old clothes when they get to work, and then change back into the nice clothes at the end of the day. This is so they always look their best during the time when they actually see people. So I have doing the same thing. Sarah says I am trying to a Nica, and I said I think I have always tried to be Anica. Yes, we are funny. Anyway, my transformation into a Nica is slow but sure. Yesterday the cubano Raul asked if I had latino roots because I did not look norteamericana. And then during the Bucknell orientation to the farmacia at the clinic, I spoke up to say (in English) that there would not be any herbal cough syrup this week and one of the leaders looked at me in astonishment and said "You're english is so good!" I smiled and left very quickly leaving Sarah bent over laughing.
What can I say?

Time flies!

Two months ago Sarah and I arrived as pale chelas with no concept of Nica Spanish in Sandino International Airport. We found a sign displaying our names and we were wisked into Managua oscuro. It was warm, tropical and oh so very different. One month ago, still chelas but less abruptly so, we packed up our things and headed down the road to Bella Cruz. The families were nice enough, speaking oh so very fast in Nica Spanish that we weren’t totally prepared for, and cooking lots of food. Two months have passed by very quickly. Within the next 30 days Sarah and I have to find the time to leave the country so we can renew our visas. The easiest way of doing this is to get on down to Costa Rica for a bit. We are thinking beach camping. We also need to make plans for Semana Santa which happens at about the same time. The entire country – the entirety of Central America that is – takes off Semana Santa and every town has parades, parties and masses. Before I leave this area I have grand plans to make it to Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. There are some impressive Maya ruins I HAVE to see (Tikal, Copán) while the bus fare is only $20 round trip. Of course there is a lot of traveling that still needs to be done in Nicaragua. Estelí, Leon, Matagalpa (we were there on Wednesday, but must go again), San Juan del Sur, Bluefields… all places I want to visit!
So far things have become normal. I have shaken off the culture shock. Getting up at 6a with the roosters is normal. Rice and beans three times a day, everyday is normal. Drinking liquids out of plastic bags with straws is normal. School buses decorated with electrical tape and paint that honk and blare music is normal. Sitting at the pulperia with the barrio kids platicando every night is normal. Paying $1 for dinner and $2 for a movie is pricey, but normal. Nicaragua has definitely grown on me. I can do the lip point and face scrunch. I know how to signal that it is time to leave and how to get the bill brought to the table. I know how to negotiate taxi fare and the best way to get little kids to stop jumping on the back of the truck. These, of course, are all things I will be working into my life in Chicago/StL/wherever… esta bien?
This next week is going to be a bit hectic. A new delegation from Bucknell University arrives tomorrow. In a week we will be dedicating the new clinic building (the one I work in). There will be food, music, and me making herbal medicine. Until then, I am scrubbing floors and raking the garden.

A little visual aid...

So here are some more pictures. Lets start out with catching you up on my stories.
The truck stories. I started out telling you guys about how hard it was to drive and NOT hit things. Como:

While driving in this beautiful piece of machinery with no working gauges and no windows:

And battling the mega huge buses and even bigger potholes.

I try to not bust through gates anymore. Here is the street. Gate is on the right, fence on the left.

The site of my Gods Must be Crazy moment. The house I nearly bulldozed:


Okay, more later!