Buenos días, amigos!
I am currently typing this from a hostel in Granada, Nicaragua. I got up with the sun and because I didnt bring my phone had no idea what time it was, so I crawled out of a top bunk bed next to 10 strangers and went and sat in a hammock.
Life in Nica is so different, but in the best way possible. On the first day we were here the interns all set goals for ourselves for what we wanted to accomplish during our time in Nica. I knew what mine was going into this trip: to go outside my comfort zone.
I definitely am always playing it safe and not taking risks or doing anything that puts me outside of the comfort I've built up. I knew that while I was here I wanted to do what I didn't do on my last trips: make myself uncomfortable.
This past week has been tiring, challenging, and amazing. The interns and I have all become fast friends and are learning and spending more time with each other each day. We all come from such different places and make for a fun group if you ask me! The PDs in the house have been nothing but welcoming and encouraging and helping us figure out this month along the way. It helps to be surrounded by a group of cool, unique people each day.
My favorite thing thus far was dinner at one of the family's homes in the community. Manna works in two communities and the relationships built in each are very evident. The community closest to our house is home to some of the kindest people I've ever met. One cool thing we get to do is just go visit and eat with the families. It's not like in the states where you call two months in advance and show up at a designated time but here you approach their house at any time of day and they welcome you with open arms. The community also looks nothing like the states. I haven't brought my camera into the community because I want to respect the families and their homes as I am still building trust and a relationship with them.
Their houses are not usually bigger than one or two rooms and are made of a variety of materials from wood to metal slabs. They mostly all have barbed wire fences around their houses and guard dogs which are probably one of the scariest things as they run at you until you threaten to hit them with your water bottle.
Their houses are not usually bigger than one or two rooms and are made of a variety of materials from wood to metal slabs. They mostly all have barbed wire fences around their houses and guard dogs which are probably one of the scariest things as they run at you until you threaten to hit them with your water bottle.
The houses are pretty far apart and are seperated by hills of trash, trees, and dirt roads. Each house is tucked away off the roads, if you can call them that, and I'm still learning how to navigate. I was able to eat at Jessenia's house, who is one of the funniest most outspoken women here. She operates a small food stand and is an amazing cook - and luckily I got to experience a dinner at her house. We sat on wood benches and talked and laughed through broken Spanish and English as we got to know her and her children better. She also has 3 puppies, one of which has become my Nicaraguan boyfriend ;)
The next day, we had an hour break between classes and three of us went into the community to go visit her again. She was so excited as always and welcomed us to sit and talk while her puppy fell asleep in my lap. It was simple, but exactly what I needed to reassure me that the most important thing here is to focus on building relationships with the people and immersing myself into the culture and very different from my own lives of the people here.
One thing I will have an opportunity to do soon is a home-stay which is where I will be able to have dinner, sleep over, and eat breakfast the next morning with the family and really get a taste of what their day to day life is like.
I also have enjoyed helping out with the level one English class. It has given me the opportunity to improve my Spanish and help the people in it with their English. They have such a drive to learn that you really don't see in the states. I got to work with the same group twice and as lame as this sounds it made my day when the second class they came in excited, remembered my name, and squeezed my hand. I've been having little moments like that that have meant the most so far in my time here.
Yesterday, our group of interns and our group leaders got to travel to Granada to do an overnight stay and get a feel for what Nicaragua has to offer. We first climbed up a winding circular staircase to the top of the bell tower of the most beautiful church to see the most amazing view of the entire city. It honestly was breathtaking. We then got a tour of the city in a horse buggy where I got to help the driver steer and chat a little about his learning English and my time in Nica. The people here are so kind and full of conversation that you can tell is genuine. We ate at a yummy restaurant for dinner and then got to go out to a dance bar and club to experience Nica night life, which was an absolute blast.
So far, I am loving my time here and can't wait to see what adventure comes next. Also, my apologies for any typos as this keyboard is different than any one I've ever known and I can't figure out how to make apostrophes or exclamation points....
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