Blogs from Diriamba, Southern Pacific Coast, Nicaragua, Central America Caribbean

Hi everyone, Just a short note to let everyone know that Rich arrived as scheduled last night and I met him at the airport. Our driver was a bit late, but we arrived at the EcoLodge at around 9:30 pm and got a nice private room with a bath. Since my last visit in December, then have built an outdoor shower and latrine and Rich has been using the latrine because it is more private and he can watch the monkeys that live out there in cages. We started our Spanish lessons this morning and there is a plan to go to park this afternoon but it is raining now and I am not sure if the plan will change. We have been busy with our activities and have not had time to take any pictures. ... read more

Diriamba Carazoko herri bat da, 50mila biztanle eta asteburuetan dantza egiteko leku bakar bat ere ez duena. Guztira, Carazo osuen diskotekatxo bat dau 100mila pertsonandako. Baina gure helburua ez zan juergan ibiltzia, baizik eta bertako jendia ezagutuz, laguntzea. Zertan? ba Naiarak ingurugiroaren inguruko klaseak eman zituen AMSko zentroan. AMS Arrasateko ONG bat da, gutxitu fisiko eta psikikoendako zentro bat duena Diriamban. Zentruaz gain, gazte batzuei bekak ematen dizkiete, ikasi eta ikasitakoa eskoletan zabaldu dezaten. Horrela, Naiarak ingurumena zaintzearen garrantziaz jabetzeko klaseak prestatu eta ematen zituen. Hortaz aparte, herriko museo ekologikoaren erakusketa berria egiten lagundu zuen eta han ibili zan diskapazitauekin zentroan lanean, poz pozik gero guri pasarte barregarriak kontatzeko. Ibaik eta nik AMSek duen beste proiektu baten murgildu ginen; artisau-arotz ... read more

Another early start for the day. Bacon, eggs, toast and Coke for breakfast at 7 am. I noticed our first day that the eggs were sitting out on the counter and not in the refrigerator. That's something we never do. Actually, the eggs tasted good scrambled. We loaded up the missionary's truck with rice, beans, oil, candy, toothbrushes and tracks and headed to the first school in San Antonio de Arriba. The kids came running to the gate as soon as we drove up. Excited to see us and wanting attention and their pictures taken. We immediately went into the classroom and started bagging individual bags on rice, beans and oil so that when the kids came in to see the doctor we could send home with them the food. The doctor would determine if medicine ... read more

Already the women on the bus had given us a reason to raise our eyebrows ever so slightly about our destination. They seemed to chuckle knowingly when we enthusiastically informed them that we were planning to stay and work Pedro and Yasmina’s “finca organica” for a few weeks. The irony of Abundance Farm’s name, moreover, was apparent from the beginning: after a bumpy, hour long ride down a dirt road from Diriamba we arrived at a small unmarked property that looked much like it’s neighbors: a barbed wire fence with a border of cactus, a simple wooden shack, and a few thirsty banana trees that were not yet bearing fruit. We knew we were at the right place though, as we were warmly greeted by a couple of toothless grins and that of a young woman ... read more