Blogs from Leon, Northern Pacific Coast, Nicaragua, Central America Caribbean - page 21

This is a true story: When I was 8 years old I would take Milkbones out of the pantry closet, wrap them in tin foil, and sell them for 5 cents each to classmates in the cubby hole hallway in the back of our 3rd grade classroom. What was this wonderful hard grainy, yet sweet snack that was only allowed for dogs! Everyone wanted a bite! (This may be the greatest tragedy of spending 9 years going K through 8 with the same 56 kids in a Catholic school - the people that you hit puberty with remember all the stupid stuff you did when you were 8.) This long-since-repressed memory was thrown back into my thoughts as I deflect yet another approach from Guatalupe, the Cookie Lady. Hard and grainy that feel like sand on ... read more

...only makes you stronger. From my very short time here in Nicaragua this is the impression that I take from its people. Having stuck pretty close the cities and the gringo trail, I can´t fully appreciate the issues and the struggles that this country faces, and while many do struggle they haven´t lost their will to fight nor their pride. Walking through the city of León you can see the very best and worst of Nicaragua. "This is where Somoza (ruthless dictator) was killed....this is the house of Ruben Dario (famous poet) ...here is where 4 students were shot while protesting...this is the jail where countless sandistas (socialist resistance of the time) were tortured. I´ve found the people here to be both proud and kind. It´s the only country where I´ve seen local people wearing touristic ... read more

We just got back from three amazing days at the beach. We had a little cabin with bathroom right on the water (sounds familiar) but these were real waves, not the little splashes we get in Gibsons. 20.00 us per night. such a deal. We are now back in the beautiful colonial city of Leon which is a university town and full of energy. It is very very hot here. We are now just heading out again to do the museum trek. We will head off to the highlands and coffee country in two days and then we will have a week or so in the carribean. Klaus says to mention that this is ground zero for the Sandinistas and there are red and black flags everywhere. Lots of interest in the new ¨communist¨president....he is not ... read more

I just finished my first week working at Las Tias, a before/after school program where I will help by tutoring and planning activities for students ages 6 to 14. School is still on break until the end of January so for now I am a kickball captain. This is the kickball court: a narrow cemented lot in between the school and a concrete wall with a large tree on one side. You have to kick the perfect projection because if it hits a wall it´s out, hit the tree and it´s out, foul balls are out, and if your kick comes up too short it´s out. The tree is first base, a flip-flop is second. No third. Teams are usually 6-8 people and must have an equal number of short and tall people. Unlike most of ... read more

1. I am sending this blog from Cyber Cristonet (Cyber Christ Internet). 2. When a foreigner walks down the street, teenage Nicaraguan boys take the opportunity to practice any English word or phrase that they remember. Yesterday someone yelled at me "Goodbye, my sister, I love you!" But seriously, hombres, get a life because this whole "Gringa, Chela, Chelita, Chelita, Chelita" thing is getting really old. 3. On New Years Eve I met this English guy named Rufus who is one of the most interesting characters you could ever meet. Gelled hair and unbuttoned shirt, el suavo James Bond for sure. I introduce myself and after a short conversation he says "You know what I like about people from Chicago? They´re blunt almost to the point of rudeness, just like Europeans." My first compliment of the ... read more