The rest!

---

Theres no school today and I have the house to myself at the moment so Im going to take advantage of this time to get the rest of that blog entry in that I wanted to! haha I just have to figure out where I left off in my notebook since its not insanely organized, my thoughts are just sort of...well..there.

Ah okay! Theres a boy my age in Chacocente that ive become pretty good friends with, and Im glad that I have because this kid NEEDS friends. Hes in a very tough spot because hes 19 and wanting to be grownup and move on but doesnt have the education or resources to really do that. He still lives with his parents and younger siblings, but has a baby of 5 or 6 months back in the dump. He goes almost every other weekend to try and spend time with the baby but the mom never allows him to. And it wasnt actually him running out on her, she told him she didnt want him in her life anymore and already has a new boyfriend. He tells me a lot how lonely he is and how he has nobody so I try to constantly remind him hes got his family (theyre almost ALL at Chacocente) and that hes got me. And sometimes that seems to help him but he goes through stages of not really talking to anyone and during those times he barely even talks to me. Im just worried about him because I know I can listen when he talks to me, which I always do, and it seems to help at least a little. I just dont know what I can do. And I want to tell Charito or someone how unhappy he is, but he asked me not to tell anyone about what he talked to me about and so I dont want to break his trust. Hm. I just hope he does okay. Keep him in your prayers, will you?

I have always been the type of person who enjoys the little things in life. If you know me, you know it takes nothing to get me all excited over some random little thing and I do my little excited dance and everyone giggles and I dont care. I just get really happy over weird little things and just really enjoy life. Well this country, because of the poverty, is really making me enjoy the little things even more. BIG things dont happen here that often so a person is forced to enjoy every little thing, and so I am doing that even more than before. Just random little moments. Like walking with Sharon to Marlis house and going down the wrong alley because we were talking so much and then realizing "Hey this isnt marlis house!!" and cracking up laughing. Or sitting in my living room playing War (the card game) with Joel and the two of us practically flipping out on each other over the game but cracking up laughing the whole time. Or laying in bed at Manuelas house with Tatiana cuddled up to me and having her fall asleep like that. Or playing kickball with the kids and Calin (since he and I are the two children at heart.) Or riding my bike near the project with David and Madeline at dusk and seeing who can go without hands for longest or with their feet on the handlebars. Or after sleeping in Chacocente for two nights being greeted with a hug by my "Dad" in Sabana Grande. Or finding two girlfriends in Sabana Grande (Marli and Sharon) that I can share jokes with and paint our nails and all that. Just every little moment like that means everything to me and I wish I just had a video camera that lasted this entire trip to document ALL of it.

Ive been participating in church stuff here more too. The girls are doing a dance in two other churches that we're going to visit and Im participating in the dance! Its quite fun actually. Last week I did the offeratory prayer for the youth service and tonight Im doing the scripture reading. Im a little nervous about that just because I dont want to screw up the words Im reading but Im going to practice with Isaac beforehand haha. Also Ive been cooking with the girls a lot because we cook things and sell them to raise money for the youth so I do that as often as possible. I can cook A LOT now. Its amazing. Im gonna cook more when I go home now because I actually realllyyyyyyyy enjoy it haha.

School ends next Friday and after that I have like two and a half weeks of nothing so Im not sure what Im going to do. I think Im gonna continue sleeping at the project some so I can just spend time with the people and get to know them even more. I have to make sure I spend time with all the families. Ive gotten insanely close with Veronica (shes 29) and spend a lot of time helping her cook and hanging out at her house so I have to make sure I spend time with others. Whoops. Also I can spend some time just hanging out with my family in Sabana Grande and the people here. One woman whos son is 5 and is my little boyfriend in Sabana Grande said that before I leave shed really like for me to come to her house and spend time for lunch and hang out. Shes a doll. And she gives me random little gifts of earrings and stuff. The people of this country honestly AMAZE me with their spirit of giving. This woman gave me earrings for my birthday and last week a bracelet and then said to me the next time she goes to the market shes going to look for more. And Veronica gave me earrings she made (the ones shes going to sell!!!) and a bracelet and anklet she made (also that she would sell) and then a silver bracelet she had. People in the US have MONEY and they dont even do that. It just means everything to me!!

Ive slept at the project again since the one I mentioned yesterday and enjoyed myself just as much every time. Last week I slept at Vilmas house (the woman whos having a baby that im gonna be the godmother of) and it was just so funny and so nice. Her dad and her husbands dad were both staying with them and they both sat outside after dark around the fire they had going with a guitar singing old Nicraguan songs and it was amazing. They were singing and there was the campfire and the stars were gorgeous and I just was so happy sitting there. I also love the experiences of barely having a door on the outhouse, burning sticks in the middle of the floor to keep out the mosquitos, and sharing a bed with Vilma AND her 7 year old son haha.

Then this week I slept in Chacocente for two nights! The first night I slept in Veros house and was again amused by the random cultural differences like when it started rainging, bringing the fire inside so she could keep making her tortillas, or bathing in my clothes because their shower thing isnt built haha. I also made the rice for breakfast and was very proud of myself because making rice here is a process and my rice actually turned out pretty well haha. Then the second night I slept at Manuelas house and had fun hanging out with the kids and riding our bikes and having Tati fall asleep on me. And not having toilet paper, just newspaper haha. I just love all the differences, and have yet to feel uncomfortable with any of them! haha

I cant believe I have less than a month until I come home. Ive been here almost three months already and it doesnt feel at all like it. Im really excited to come home and see everyone but at the same time Im so bummed about leaving. Im missing the secret santa with the youth and the Christmas and New years eve services. Also its just a month without all of my loves here which is rather sad. Everyone keeps telling me I cant leave, that I have to stay and it makes me sad!!!!

Oh and so I have two of the best friends ever that just happen to be two adorably blonde sisters because theyre asking their parents to buy or at least give them part of the money for tickets to come visit me during the spring break as their Christmas presents. AHHHHHHH!!!! IM SO EXCITED TO GET VISITORS!!! haha

Okay finally I think I have everything I wanted to put. Sorry its been forever!

Love you all!

---

Comments

[P diddy]

Deep in the Heart of Nica
Your campfire story reminded me of a song--"The stars at night, are big and bright (clapclapclapclap) deep in the heart of Nica!" It sounds like the time of your life. What you are doing now will be the foundation of how the rest of your life is built, and sister, you are building it right! Sorry for the delay on the peanut butter, but it is coming soon!