I´ve been here in Nicaragua for almost two weeks now. Just so we´re all on the same page, I left Chicago May 5th to Washington D.C. where we had our pre-training three day. We left on Wednesday morning for Managua, Nicaragua, the history-infused, though tattered capital. On arrival we were notified that while in-flight, what would be the nations longest transportation strike in history had been initiated and we were on our first level of alert. We were essentially on lock down. The next level, which would have brought all Peace Corps Volunteers to their departmental capitals, never happened. As a matter of fact the strike ended after twelve days this friday night and there is now a plethora of fresh produce on our table. During the strike it was impossible for anyone to get such normally consumed goods.
It is now 6:20 on Monday, May 19th, and besides this political battle, which I report on only to appease the masses who would have found their only news on Nicaragua as such, I am rather enjoying myself. I live with a fantastic family with four children 18 to 25, and a goddaughter of eight who is simply the cutest thing in the world. The 18 and 21 year old girls love taking me to the fiestas patronales which our town (just outside of Masaya) is in the middle of celebrating. There has been no end to the fireworks, which for the most part are entertaining, until a cascade of colors goes off in your room at 5am. The traditional music and dance has been an ongoing festivity as well.
I was caught off guard the other day, though, when instead of the big-band-type local music I was accustomed to was replaced. I was awoken by the sound of a funeral procession across the very narrow street from my family´s house. The music was simple and sad. It was familiar perhaps only for the fact that it elicited the same funerary awkwardness found anywhere.
Besides that I have gotten a chance to run with the bulls though the main streets to the barrera, which is somewhere between a rodeo, a bullfight and a drunk tank. For the most part people are taunting them, but the bulls do get their retribution at times. The town has been packed with people and there has been something to do every night. It has been an interesting way to start my time here. From Chi-town to Nica-town, I´m loving looking at Sox stats, stay in first place! Hope all is well at home... love and miss you all!
PS: If interested, Nature 0, Owen 1: I rocked a huge spider the other day... buenas noches arana.
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Accounts of a Peace Corps Volunteer in the highlands of northern Nicaragua. Some posts are daily adventures, while others are pure observation. They are intended to better understand the overall experience of this volunteer. Content is solely the view of the author. It does not reflect the Peace Corps or any other US government agency.
2 comments:
I'm testing first, then I'll comment.
Okay, now I'm officially bona fide as a blogger.
Mom and I went to see the Sox last night and your buddy Frank was a few rows ahead of us. It was a pitching duel until the fifth inning when Jermaine Dye blasted a 3-run homer to deep left. They scored 5 before the inning was over, and later in the game Dye and Thome hit back-to-back blasts. The fireworks display was mighty nice.
Couple questions, which you can answer here or in an email to reynolds@packworld.com. You mentioned your host parents are college educated. What do they do? Are their children college bound? Where is college in Nica? Glad to hear the Internet cafe is a few doors away. Did you phone the other day from the same place? Did you know the line went dead?
Mom and I and Buddy will be heading for Michigan this Memorial Day weekend for the annual meeting of the Pine Lake Homeowners Assn. and the hoped-for return of the bluegills.
Miss you. Love you. Do some good. See you 12/09
Dad
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