http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Nicaragua , Managua en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:13:53 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:13:53 BST Today I am back in Managua after two days of travel. I left Cahuita early on Thursday on a bus headed for Managua. About half way there our bus broke down so we waited on the side of the road to try and catch a ride on the buses passing by. Each bus was only able to take a few people but by the third bus we were all on our way to San Jose again The rest of the ride was a rather uneventful journey http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-298473.html We arrived into Managua on tuesday afternoon and were picked up by the El Porvinir staff. We spent the first few days touring around Managua a bit and learning more about the history anf the culture. Jimmy who is one of the trip coordinators with El Porvinir and also our translator is like an incyclopedia. He is very knowledgeable and it was great to be able to have him around to give us his pe http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-294054.html Day 233 cont One night in ManaguaBack in Managua I found my luggage and undertook the challenging task of negotiating a fair price for a taxi to a hostel. Arriving just before dark I checked into my dingy lodgings right next to the bus terminal and went to confirm my bus for the next day. Short of cash I needed to visit the ATM two blocks away. This proved to be something of a mission as the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-293880.html somit in managua angekommen wartend auf meinen naechsten ticabus welcher mich morgen um 6 weiterfuehren wird auf meiner reise es erwartet mich ein 27 stunden tripp richtung panama... und noch ne kleine reisegeschichte... in mexico ist es gossenslang wenn man ein bier bzw. eine pfuetze bestellen moechte zu sagen me gusteria un CHELLA byue... und gut ist.. aber hier in nicaragua ist dies das die http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-280172.html I came to Nicaragua's capital for a few days with the sole intention of picking up my girlfriend Michelle from the airport. We had been apart from each other for several months now and finally we would be reuniting for the last leg of my trip. It has been a difficult couple of months being apart from each other and now we are ready to share the end of the Central American journey together. I arr http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-278510.html My goodbye party at Chacocente was yesterday.It was amazing...and sad. Way too sad.At this point I pretty much feel like my heart has been ripped out and thrown on the floor.Extreme I know but thats how I am.The school gave me a diploma haha And then Manuela and Karen cooked food and made punch.We all met under the one big tree and had a small culto and the kids sang to me and then every family http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-277268.html Big life update for Sarah and RickSarah has chosen to attend Emory Law School next year. Although her initial intention was to defer law school for a year and stay in Nicaragua Emory has offered an enticing scholarship that would be jeopardized by such a plan. We've decided that it'd be too good to pass up and will be heading north to settle in the Southat least for three years.Rick has deci http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-275655.html Bus strikes suck. They really do. Last Monday a bunch of the taxi and bus drivers went on strike protesting the price of gas. I can get anywhere within Managua without problem but to try to get to Chacocente. hah. Won't work. I can get the bus as far as Tipitapa where I would then normally pick up a bus to Masaya but they aren't running. The other teachers have been going in trucks that are runnin http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-275455.html Sorry for not posting for so long. We've been very busy with work activist causes people visiting and Sarah visiting law schools.I wanted to share with you a blog I wrote for work about the new US ambassador in Nicaragua. In USA's typically head strong way the government appointed a man partly responsible for funding and administering the Contra War in the 80's. A war that was especially cru http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-272984.html Another older assignment Cultural Incident 2My skin has been feeling particularly brown lately. The last time I felt this brown it was during Welcome Week at my first frat party at USC. But of course the context is different now. Instead of being the only brown girl in a packed sweaty room of drunk white college kids myself included in the drunken stupor now I am one of the few minor http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-272303.html Here's a throwback assignment from earlier this semester Cultural Incident 1I always ask my abuela how shersquos doing everyday. But I'll never forget the first time I asked her the standard ldquoCmo estrdquo It was some time during my first week in Managua when she responded with a soft sigh that literally translated into ldquo102 years of living is how I feel.rdquoIt was a rep http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-272300.html Tomorrow is only 3 weeks until I come home and no offense to anyone but I have no desire to leave. This country and it's people have officially stolen my heart. I think the animals here need to be fed better.Also the churches need to open up a bit more. A lot are still very strict and critical.Chacocente is wonderful no matter how many problems it has.Although I am relieved to not have to teach c http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-270997.html We got up early and headed to a Barcelo resort at Montelimar for a day at the beach. It does not get much better than this All inclusive day and night. We had the beach to ourselves and the weather was perfect so we walked a good distance then headed to lunch. Found a delightful table overlooking the beach and stuffed ourselves at the buffet and drinking various fruit juices might have be http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-265675.html Spring break 2008 and we are off to Nicaragua leaving our beautiful Atlanta spring behind. So far we have been fortunate to be getting a more normal amount of rain and the plants are rewarding us. And sure enough it's rainy and fog as we take offNo matter how many time i fly I still enjoy popping above the clouds. We had a uneventful 3 hour flight to Managua. Tried to get a picture of the vo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-263327.html So after getting an email just now from my father telling me very bluntly that I need to update and since I'm finallyyyyy in a cyber and have time here goes a hopefully nice long entry for you all. I apologize for the delay but I rarely have time to go to a cyber anymore and when I am on the computer in the house I don't like to be on for very long because the whole family uses itWhere did I http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-263087.html Whoops. Still doing horribly at updating this thing. Sorry I've actually barely been home the last two weeks so I never really had the chance to keep you all updated on my ohsoexciting life. hah. It'll be a very random entry. Some of it will be things actually going on in my life whereas others will most likely just be random thoughts about the culture or things here. You are all probably used http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-250102.html I caught a really really early bus this morning and ended up at San Juan del Sur.I should really stop going to places that are known as THE most beautiful in the world.Dont get me wrong I spent the day at Madera Beach which was absolutely spectacular and maybe its because I'm not a surfer or my sunburn is making me grouchy but its time to move on.Note Why do cows always have one or two whi http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/San-Juan-Del-Sur/blog-244622.html I just held a chicken in a plastic bag for a while.It is now tied by its leg to the pole on our patio.I love this country.And I promise sometime soon I will try to make a real entry. I don't have much time lately at all. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-244484.html So after updating my blog in the internet cafe in Liberia i headed back to Alctrazstalag 7 or locally known as the Guncaste Hotel I sat in the cafe and read the Lonely planet for a while and evlvated and iced my swollen footankle after whiling away some time doing that i then went to my room to do some repacking and to tend my cuts and clean them up and use some savlon on them.I then headed ba http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-243654.html Ok all...so here it goes. Ive been in Managua for about 5 days and just thinking about all of the things that I need to get down in writing makes me want to explode and for those who know me well yes its almost like an orgasmic explosion of shock and excitement. At any rate the trip to Managua went really well. I was able to meet all of the other 19 American students at the airport and http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-243283.html This is going to be a short one. I'll get the long one up on Sunday most likely. But I just feel the need to put this up to give you a very simple but very helpful view of life in Nicaragua.I have been up since 630 am. I have already run around playing with my 2 year old cousin. Taken him to a pulperia small store to get a snack. Gone to the store twice for my mom. Eaten breakfast. Washed all http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-241447.html I wanted to give you all a little background about our neighborhood before I write about a common occurrence that I've had during my time down here in ManaguaWe live next to and within a neighborhood where a large portion of the houses are made of rusty patched together Zinc plates and the main economic activity involves an illegal market of trucks selling gravel and dirt that is stripped from th http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-240555.html So it is now summer here and the weather is...interesting. It is hotter during the day than it was before because it isnt raining at all. But there is this gorgeoussss breeze that is almost always there so if you're outside you don't feel the heat quite so badly. Buttttt because its not raining there is more dust than I think I have ever seen in my life and those nice cooling breezes love thr http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-239412.html I am back in Nicaragua and loving it When I got to the airport I practically ran once I got through customs and got my luggage. And a bunch of people were there waiting for me Pablo Janeth Isaac and Belen. My family And then Hermana Cony. And Joel Norvin Guillen Sharon and karla. Ah I was so excited haha. We went right from the airport to a persons house because we were having http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-236896.html Love is not a feeling it is a choice and a commitment. If I came here just on feeling that would have faded...I chose to come here because I wanted to be committed to a country I have a passion for. It's funny how a week here did that. Solomente una semana If I came here on a feeling I would not have chosen the island where I will be isolated from the rest of the country and from other people http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-233121.html My big day arrives. My last memories from the Unites States still linger in my headhellipa verhellipit was New Years Eve and I just finished babysitting for the Higgins a family on Lake of the Isles. Although it is New Years my evening is not that boring. I get to see luxury and abundance one last time before I leave the country. They get back around midnight and just as I walk out to my do http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-232440.html Hi allWelcome to the special Christmas edition of my blog Although to be honest there is nothing particularly special or Christmasy about it I just happen to be writing it around Christmas time and though I should wish everyone a Feliz Navidad before you all piss off on holidaysYou will be pleased to know that Christmas can be just as tacky here as other places in the world. There are fa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-227874.html Welcome to Sarah and Rick's new blog siteSorry to switch the address so quickly but we feel that this sight will provide everyone with a better interface through which to vicariously experience Nicaragua. You may notice that some of the old entries are now illustrated in Technicolor they have pictures As an added bonus you can subscribe to this blog and automatically receive an email each http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-223073.html I personally think that photos are even better than reading so I am going to try to put a bunch of photos up for all of you to see more of what my life is like. Plus I have some photos I need to take to show you all http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/Managua/blog-222182.html