Bread and Sandinistas.

My family makes bread completely by hand every few weeks.  I help them fill the rolls with cheese before it is thrown into the oven outside, but I have yet to learn the ancient art of making the dough.  I took pictures of the bread-making yesterday, but I could not stay for the whole process because my fellow trainees and I had to go door-to-door to meet all of the pregnant women in the town.  There are 13.  We invited them to a charla (short lecture) this upcoming week about nutrition during pregnancy.  Some were very excited and a few were too shy to even respond.

We stumbled upon a Sandinista rally in the park and decided to sit and watch for a little while.  For those of you who do not know, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega is running for a second term in November.  The upcoming election will prove to be very lively to say the least.

Things I am getting used to in my town:

trash burning in the streets

saying "adios" to people walking by instead of "hola"

pipe bombs any time of day or night

going to bed early

waking up early

speaking Spanish

Tía Blanca making the dough by hand

Doña Rosario (mamá) and Tía Blanca

Rosario, Joseling, and Blanca shaping and cutting the dough

The dough before cheese is added

Wilma enjoying the finished product fresh from the oven.

My bed and mosquito net.

My desk.

My closet.

At the Sandinista rally.

Sandinista rally.

Sandinista rally.

Sandanista rally.

My cousin´s son, Icker.

My other cousin´s son, Christopher.

Dar una Charla

No pictures this time, but good news:  I gave my first charla at the health center on Tuesday!  Charla literally translates to ¨chat¨, but it is actually a short lecture.  I spoke for 10 or 15 minutes about the importance of fruits and vegetables ALL IN SPANISH to the handful of people in the waiting room.  I hope to put pictures up soon, but they are on Renee´s camera.  The charla went well in general, but I was told afterwards that fruits and vegetables are too expensive.  Next time (Thursday) I will have to be more culturally sensitive. 

List of gifts from home that I have used so far:

soccer ball
travel alarm
ipod dock
skirts and tank tops
stationary
collapsible water bottle
playing cards
photo album
watch
calendar
toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner
Spanish fan
Spanish dictionary

Thanks for the gifts!  I use them all the time!

Pictures!

Baptism of Matias

From left: Priest, Icker, Wayner, Matias, Gabriela, Melissa.

Cake at the party after the baptism.  My host mom made it!

My cousin Valesca.

Gabriela´s son Icker and my cousin Nuvia.

La Ipica.

Icker on a horse at La Ipica.

My cousin Wilma.

La Ipica.

La Ipica.

My new guitar, playing in Rita´s backyard.

Fellow trainee Lenka.

Fellow trainee Rita.

My trainee group.  Lenka, Renee, myself, and Rita.

Rita with her Nica nieces.

Renees new camera.

Our teacher for the first 3 weeks.  We said goodbye to Nelson today.

Creatures I have seen so far:
        
     a rat that ran into my room - my host mom later told me she killed it with her shoe

     stray dogs everywhere

     cows, bulls, and horses

     an incredibly large spider  -  I seemed to be the only one frightened by because it "eats mosquitos", but
     it was the size of my hand

     geckos



Food I have eaten so far:

     beans, rice, beans & rice mixed together, bean soup with rice

     chicken, beef, pork, pork rinds    

     cheese, cheese soup

     nacatamal

     oatmeal

     pineapple, banana, plantain, melon

Adjusting

It is getting more and more difficult to find time to write.  I am very busy with Spanish homework, and the entire Nica 55 group has been meeting in different locations (Diriamba, Managua, Masaya) for technical classes. 

The clearest version of a map of Nicaragua I could find online.

The classes take all day and by the time I get back to my training town in Carazo, the sun has vanished and so too has the opportunity to walk to the “other side of town” to post on my blog.

I purchased a guitar last week in Diriamba.  It cost 2,085 cόrdobas ($100) for a nylon-string Suzuki and a red canvas case.  I had been hording a $100 bill for this very reason, but with the romantic notion that I might find a hand-crafted Nicaraguan guitar.  No such luck.  My cousin Valeska accompanied me to the bank and guitar shop.  When I have a free moment during the day I fill it with music.  My sobrinos love to listen.

 

One of the girls in my training group (Lenka) became very ill last week.  We predict food poisoning.  The symptoms only lasted one day, but she was sent to Managua as a precaution.  She has vowed to reject any beef offered by her host family in the future.

I went to the baptism of my Nica cousin´s son and the last trainee was the godmother!  I have some big shoes to fill.  At the beginning of her training Melissa was at the same Spanish level as I am, and now she is as fluent as the next Nica!  There is hope for me yet.  She works in environmental health and was assigned a very small pueblo in Boaco for her two year service.

I have had the opportunity to attend two Ipicas, one in Diriamba and other in Santa Theresa.  An Ipica is basically a parade of horses and an excuse to party.  Lots of people, loud rhythmic music, and beer.  It is a rather dangerous event, to be honest, because most of the people riding have put back a few and the horses look a bit dehydrated.  In any event, I am pleased that I was able to sample a taste of the Nicaraguan culture.

Pictures to come, this computer did not detect my camera...