As you can see from the pictures, my mom and I had a good time on her trip here. Very busy and went by fast with a few problems, mostly related to the car I rented and also damaged. Arriving at my house at night, I tried to drive up my steep, narrow, dirt driveway with a small toyota sedan. Needless to say, that didnt work and I ended up breaking the bumper and hitting a post. This was all after a 6 hour journey from Managua, where I worried constantly about being pulled over by another corrupt cop, like the one in Managua who pulled me over on bogus charges and made me pay to leave. The return trip to managua included a kid puking in the car, hitting a dog, a drunk man throwing himself in front of my car, asking to be hit, as I was speeding along the highway at 60mph. Luckily it all ended (and started) with my mom and I sitting by the pool, relaxing, and enjoying ourselves.
As for life lately, its still an adventure. Nicaragua is now in its 12th day of a transportation strike, with no buses, taxis, or trucks running. After gun fighting, trucks being burned, and road blocks on the main highway outside of managua on tuesday, my friends, Wenonoa and Eric, decided to postpone their trip, in which they were supposed to arrive today. I´m bummed to not be able to see them but am relieved to not have to worry about anyones safety while travelling.
Work goes up and down...slow at times and busy at others. I successfully have started my womens baking group, teaching them how to make mango bread last week and plans set for a chocolate cake recipe the day before Nicaraguas mothers day (May 30th). A garbage clean up activity that I did in the school last week failed when all the kids ran to the dump to fill their bags first for the prize, instead of running around finding garbage to put IN the dump. Since then, I´ve been a little hesitant to return to the school for work. But I´ve crossed the gender bridge for working with cattle when I was handed a needle and syringe to help vaccinate cows of a man I know (my host moms father). This is motivating me to learn a little more and start working more with the ganaderos. I´ve also been asked to give a chicken concentrado charla and am trying to start a chicken vaccination program, however, there is a national shortage of one of the 2 necessary vaccines. My nutrition charla failed after I spent several hours sitting on someones porch eating, chatting, and waiting for women that never showed up.
On the homefront, I´m settled in to my house and have acquired and lost a kitten several times, today being a ¨lost¨day, with her not returning home this morning.
And lastly, the US ambassador graced my community yesterday to inagurate a new well in the community, complete with music, ballons, and a speech. However, no one addresed the fact that the well will only deliver water to the surrounding neighbors who all have a constant supply of water. To really reach the community that needs water (they are hauling water by buckets and bathing in rivers), we need to come up with a few thousand dollars to buy an electric pump to pump water from the well to the community.
Oh, I also took my first river bath, which was actually very lovely, standing in a pine forest in my underwear with another woman, throwing water over our heads, and enjoying the sunshine. But somehow, I dont think I´ll enjoy it in the winter!
As far as health goes, Ive come down with pinkeye, another ear infection, and the relentless stomach bugs that torment me. But none of it is that bad and I find lots of time here to enjoy the company of the people of my community and the fellow peace corps volunteers that live nearby.
Hope everyone is well.
As far as health goes, Ive come down with pinkeye, another ear infection, and the relentless stomach bugs that torment me. But none of it is that bad and I find lots of time here to enjoy the company of the people of my community and the fellow peace corps volunteers that live nearby.
Hope everyone is well.
