Blogs from Somoto, Northern Highlands, Nicaragua, Central America Caribbean - page 3

Well, a little less enthusiastic right now than my last post filled with exclamation marks. Mostly because I am exhausted. I had no money left, and we have no bank in our department, so I had to go to Ocotal to go to the bank. Slight inconvenience, but an adventure nonetheless. So there's this organization, Plan Nicaragua... actually, I am sure Plan is in several other countries, too. Anyway, Plan does things like provide notebooks and whiteboards to schools, to teach kids to wash their hands, and they build health centers, apparently. The woman who works in our communities, Betania, kind of rocks. She has a motorcycle and rides around and is very competent and gets stuff done. The other side of Plan is that people abroad can "adopt" a kid. There are like 70 kids ... read more

Mail shoutouts! I got a FLOWER DAY CARD!! from one cdougher of Chicago! And an envelope with candy and a very much needed card from one eicenogle of DC! Thank you both, I needed to receive both of those today... So yesterday was rather productive. First, I gifted some of the hot chocolate packages from the lovely clandrus and creiter to Lenin, as well as some of the vitamin water packets from Mom.... and he in turn gifted some to his family.... so all afternoon yesterday, as I was hanging out in Uncle T´s backyard watching them make chairs - remember he´s a carpenter - and all of my male cousins are aspiring carpenters and work with Uncle T.... hanging out and having fun with the boys and my 12 year old cousin, Krishtel... while she ... read more

Wrote an article for my hometown newspaper. Printed version is a lot cooler than the online version, but this online version has comments from readers, which I always appreciate! http://www.lakesunleader.com/archive/x1450777758/A-letter-home-from-Nicaragua Valentine´s day passed rather uneventfully, other than a great surprise call from the family. The Boy traded a work day to stay home that Saturday, so that was nice. It feels weird calling him The Boy on here. I generally try and use initials and nicknames for everyone that I write about on my blog, just so their names are not printed online.... but I´m gonna break that rule now and start using his name because .... because that´s just the way it´s gonna be. So things are going well with Lenin and I. Yes, his name is Lenin. As in Marx and Lenin. But ... read more

Okay, so I called my titan last night with my extra minutes, and I realized that the red beans and rice HERE do not compare to the red beans and rice in the Bayou. And I want to figure out why. And by that, I mean... Nicaraguans do not use spices. There is absolutely no creativity with the food here whatsoever. A friend from Beijing, who has been living in Saudi Arabia, just emailed me and said she´s going back to the Jing. And that makes me so jealous I am ready to go look at plane ticket prices from Managua to Beijing. ($750 rt from StL to Beijing.... last summer I paid $1200. That would be half price.) Also, though, I was just thinking that there are a million awesome sweet red bean paste buns ... read more

I am sitting in a cyber in Somoto. But the radio is on. And I just heard part of Hillary´s speech. And they´re talking in Spanish about the Inauguration. And I´m trying to get CNN to work so I can see what´s up. That is all. Just heard Biden swear in! Listening to Obama swear in right now! eeeek!!"!"!!! Listening to his speech on the radio now! U.S. President Barack Obama: "We have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord." Also! I got a package! From stynes! Full of snickers and starbursts and o.b. tampons! I will certainly have a Molly Party under my mosquitero ;) THANK YOU!!!! I also received an Ozarks postcard from clandrus! See also, I am sick. But! I just went to the lab. And had my blood ... read more