Booyah

Just got the go ahead to construct this bad boy solar dryer. Simple, yes. Dusty? maybe. But so going to try it!

Is it a Jueves?

I have to admit, living here in Nicaragua is not easy. Sometimes it isn't even fun. And the novelty of some things has run out. Yesterday was a breaking point for me, I thought I was going to collapse. I was tired and rundown from traveling two weekends in a row. When I woke up on Tuesday morning, my face resembled something between a pepperoni pizza lacking cheese and the stereotypical pubscent boy with bad hygeine. I was horrified, but quickly realized that this was not acne. I have never broken out in this magnitude (especially so ridiculously bad overnight!) so I washed my face and went to work. Throughout the day it got worse. This is where a funny little cultural twist comes to play. If this would have happened in the US, no one would have said anything. And the gringos looked at my face, diverted their eyes and acted as if all was fine in the world. The Nicas, on the other hand, mentioned it right away. Often in the same breath (or even before) the usual "Buenas dias! Como amanecio?" to make it a "Bue- Que pasó Alicia!? Su cara..." uh huh. The Nicas quickly diagnosed an allergic reaction.
Yesterday my face was not any better, in fact maybe a little worse. I made an appt at the clinic (a perk of living here) and the good Dr. Jorge Flores said the same thing. I have an allergic reaction that is probably infected. Maybe a staph infection. I am on medication now and am feeling SO much better. My face is calmer, and not hot to the touch. I told Dr. Flores about the lack of water and he said I should really try to clean my room and clothing. Okay, I would make it my mission to do just that.
When we got home yesterday we had both electricity AND water. It was amazing. They said the power was going to go out at 6p for 2 hours, but at 730p it was still on. After dinner (at a prompt 545p to try and beat the light going away) I took a shower (my first good shower since Saturday) and started cleaning my room. And then a miraculous thing happened, IT RAINED. Not only that, it was a full on storm! It continued well into the night, and it felt so good! This morning everyone was so happy. In the words of Dona Yeny, "Que allegre la lluvia! Ahora no hay polvo! Todos estan limpia" (How great the rain! Now there is no dust! Everything is clean!)
So, I am feeling better today. Nicaragua is a little easier to live in today. I am dealing with living in the third world a little better...

Estelí

When the water and electricity went out, Sarah and I decided it was a great time to take off as well. So we headed North to the mountains into Estelí. Actually this trip was planned a while ago, so we really weren't abandoning the barrio. Seriously. (And, the light didn't come back on until Saturday at about 5p. Water is still out most days and comes on a bit at night.)
So Saturday morning we were Estelí bound. We got a nice bus (with a movie playing!) and relaxed the entire two hours to the North. We got into Estelí, found our hostel and took showers. Sweet, sweet showers.
Esteli:

We headed out onto the town to get a look and find some dinner. Estelí is not quite as quaint as Matagalpa, but still very northern mountainly and cowboyish. I might have to get some cowboy boots from here before I leave. So we pretty much lazed about all day Sunday. They had put a TV in our room which I literally gasped at. And then we happened to see that there was a Miami Ink marathon. Eh... :)
Monday morning bright and early we got ourselves to CECALLI. And CECALLI is the most amazing organization I have seen here in Nicaragua. CECALLI (means "Family" in Nahuatl) is a Nica organization working in the campo to promote herbalism as a means of self-sustainability, economic boost, and community building. The CECALLI site in Estelí has a full on clinic with acupuncture, massage, a gym, auriuculture, phytotherapy.. the list goes on, a farm, a training and education center, offices, a lab for processing.. so well put together.
So we start off talking with Alejandro, the director. HE is a nice guy and gets us in touch with Angelita, the education lady. We have a nice long chat with her and I get lots and lots of info. Then she shows me their herbarium! Over 800 plants are collected and mounted. They are only medicinal plants. How awesome. We go now to the museum area, where they actually have artifacts from the areas they are active in. Yes, this little museum had all sorts of artifacts resembling Maya carvings and tools. Woah! Then they also have a wall of snakes (in a wet collection) whose bite can be cured with herbal remedies. Cool!
Then we go around the back, to the processing area. They have at least 4 different kinds of solar dryers! I was swoon in love. I will be posting pictures of these dryers soon, so keep an eye out.
Dryer:
Another Dryer:

While we were oggling the dryers, one of the guys from the office came up to me and asked if I could help him out when i was done with the tour. Como no? Of course. So we finish up the tour and go up to the office. He is writing a grant to the European Union, and could we help translate the last of what needs to be said and double check his English. Let me tell you, this grant was BEAUTIFUL! We helped him out (it was a lot of fun) for an hour. We said goodbye, said I would be coming back (hopefully to volunteer a bit) and smiled all the way to the bus station.

La noche sin luz ni agua

Every Thursday night we stay around at the Foundation and have community dinner. Last night was no different and after we stuffed ourselves with falafel, hummus and pita Sarah and I got a taxi and headed to Ciudad Sandino. About half way there I noticed that it was pitch black, and most of the people were out in the streets with candles. Oh man, no hay luz. All week the power has been going out in Bella Cruz (and presumably all over Ciudad Sandino). We pull up to the venta to dead silence. Everyone was sitting there, and even though I couldn’t really see their faces, I could tell they were miserable. The air was unbelievably still and closer than I have ever felt. We stepped out of the taxi and Alex told us how there was still no water and no electricity.
“Still?”, we wondered. When left for work that morning there had been electricity but there hadn’t been water since Tuesday night.
“All day, no electricity and no water” said Alex sadly. I could tell he was lamenting the fact that the floors of the casita were filthy. With no water he could not mop, one of his favorite past times.
“And they won’t come back on until tomorrow night at 10!” shouted Deyring in a mix of excitement and frustration.
So Sarah and I took our seat in front of Pulperia Silva. We sat and sat. There was no wind, no light and no agua. It was stuffy and humid.
At around 10p everyone dragged themselves to the bed. The little houses were not equipped to keep you cool without the aid of a fan or wind. Without water I could not take a shower to cool down, and I elected to save what little water I had in my bucket for a morning rinse.
I spent the night tossing and turning wishing for a breeze. None came.
This morning I woke up very early (shocked I had slept at all!) and ran to the bathroom. I had about 2 inches of water left in my bucket. I very carefully spooned it on, trying to get relief from the sticky sweaty film all over me. Yum, right?
There is still no water and no light in Ciudad Sandino. Word on the street is that something broke and they don’t have the equipment to fix it. Hopefully the power and water will be back on \by 10p tonight.
Luckily Sarah and I are going out of town again this weekend to the cool northern mountains of Esteli.
I realllllllllly can’t wait to feel a fresh breeze!

Off the road again...

If I could, and who knows maybe I will, I would make a travel guide of cheap, beautiful weekend trips from Managua. There doesn’t seem to be a short supply. Sarah and I have been marking off destinations from our ambitious list like nobody’s business. This weekend we got ourselves to Matagalpa, a place we have been dreaming about for quite some time.
Our adventure started on Friday when we played hookie from work and boarded a bus bound for a bus bound for a bus to Matagalpa. Actually we were going “on business” so were we really playing hookie? Yes, you know, we were. Anyway, we got there a little past 1pm and immediately located a hostel. We had gotten a recommendation from a Pat and Kathy to stay in Hotel Bermudez, a “cheap, comfortable place that always has running water.” We find it (after walking in circles for quite some time) and get a room for the night. Cheap? Well kinda (US$3 each). Comfortable? Not particularly, the room was small with two beds, moldy walls and a window (without screens) out to the courtyard where the laundry pilas were located. Whatever.
We started walking around the beautiful mountain town. Sarah has all the digital pictures as I toted around my SLR and took film pictures, so you are going have to go over to her blog and see the sites. Anyway, Matagalpa is very beautiful. Located in the Dario mountain range, Matagalpa is a bustling town full of campesinos, young people and only an occasional gringo. The two streets connecting the two main parks are lined with cute shops, comedors and cafetins (cheap restaurants), and LOTS of thrift stores. We were in heaven just walking in the cooler mountain breeze and popping in stores to look at the old Gap shirts, Old Navy skirts and Banana Republic pants. We found one store that Gap and WalMart defects for c$10 (about 50cents). We were very happy digging in the bargain bins and then we realized these were sweatshop produced apparel that didn’t make the cut. That put a damper on things.
On Friday we had an informal meeting with UNAG, the Nicaraguan department of small farmers. This was allowed us to put the business in “business trip.” We talked to Jose and Consuelo about the Campesino a campesino movement and the possibility of Sarah working in the campo after I leave Nicaragua. Overall, it was a very positive meeting with UNAG and I left a little jealous Sarah would have such an amazing experience! Oh well, maybe the next time I come to Central America.
Our second night we secured a room in the Hotel La Plaza, located right across from the park. The building was bright pink and the inside was painted the ubiquitous bright turquoise. The room was a bit cleaner, a bit nicer and the bathroom was a lot better. The price was the same. The only downfall was the rambunctious neighbors who got in late, and were up-and-at-em at 5:30a!! Oh well. At least the coffee in Matagalpa is great and there is alot of homemade yogurt and granola.

La vacación se acabó

Well it is Lunes Santa. The vacation has finished, and it went really well. The beach vacation was perfect. We were picked up bright and early Thursday morning by the International Couple. We hit the grocery store for food supplies (obvioucsly) and then set out on Carretera Viejo Leon. Pochomíl is only about an hour away, so soon we were stuck in the traffic of everyone heading to the beach. Without much delay, however, we made it to our beach house. Our beautiful beach house. We were truly on vacation. Oh, what is that? You want to see where we were? Well you can acutally look at pictures and rent it yourself at this website. Paradise, yes that is correct.
Our Thursday, Friday and Saturday consisted of lots of time in hammocks, rum and coke, sand castles and jocote (a little sweet fruit here). The beach was about 200 yards from the porch. We didn't even wear sandals to get there! The waves were intense. The slow sloping playa made for the perfect walk into the ocean. You were never too deep, and the water would come and greet you. Evidently most of Managua heads to Pochomíl for Semana Santa. We were further down the beach than the mass of people, so it wasn't too crowded where we were. Of course, we could just look to the right and see the line of people stretching from the waves to the cabanas. A long continous string of people in standing in the water or by the water or under the shade in whatever clothes they had on. It is a fact that most don't even wear swimsuits to the beach. I mostly took real film pictures (yes! real film!) but here are a few of the sunset over Pochomíl.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Nicaragua has completely shut down this week in celebration of Semana Santa (that is Holy Week). Some businesses stay open Monday, Tuesday and a half day Wednesday (businesses such as the CDCA) and then you get the rest of the week off (and sometimes the Monday afterwards as well). Semana Santa is vacation time. It is processions in the street and fireworks in the air time. It is time for special meals and lots of cerveza. And it is ESPECIALLY time for the beach. I am going to the beach on Thursday. The peak of Semana Santa craziness. Holy Jueves and Holy Viernes are the biggest days of the Holy Semana. And Pochomíl is the best beach to go. And that is why I am going to Pochomíl on Thursday. Actually, I am really going to Pochomíl on Thursday because someone gifted a beach house to The Foundation for Semana Santa. The Gringo and family are already there. Sarah and I and Becca and her family go on Thursday - Saturday morning and then Cesar and his family go Saturday- Sunday. Craziness will ensue at the beach. You MUST check my blog next week for all the details. And because it is almost Easter, here is an excerpt from the hilarious book "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris. In this excerpt he is taking French classes in France. The teacher has askedthe class to explain Easter to the Muslim student. This is how hard it is to comunicate in a foreign language with limited vocabulary. I read this passage and almost cry I am laughing so hard.

"It is," said one, "a party for the little boy of God who call his self Jesus and... oh shit." She faltered and her fellow countryman came to her aid.
"He call his self Jesus and then he die one day on two... morsels of... lumber."
Te rest of the class jumped in, offering bits of information that would have given the pope an aneurysm.
"He die one day and then he go above of my head to live with your father."
"He weared of himself the long hair and after he die, the first day he come back here for to say hello to the peoples."
"He nice, the Jesus."
"He make the good things, and on the Easter we be sad because somebody makes him dead today."
Part of the problem had to do with vocabulary. Simple nouns such as cross and resurrection were beyond our grasp, let alone such complicated reflexive phrases as "to give of yourself your only begotten son."

Okay, te juro muchos fotos next week. Of the beach! and Semana Santa!
Hasta luego!