Life is good

Last week was INSANE. My housemate Josh and I led a group all last week and it opened my eyes to the logistics of hosting short-term international service learning trips. And by opened my eyes I mean I'm scratching that off my list of possible career paths. The group was amazing - friendly, easy-going, well-educated in Nicaraguan history, eager to participate and learn - but the planning, chaperoning, financing, cooking, etc took such a toll that every night I just dropped into bed. Still, my housemates were great about supporting us and overall the week was a great success. Short term groups are especially important to Manna because: a) they become future Program Directors, b) they're great fundraising resources, c) they bring fresh perspectives to the organization, and d) it makes us, the PDs, appreciate each other more.

On the way home from Intermediate English today, I turned to Tressa in the car and whined, "Life is going to be so boring next year." And not that I won't like being back in DC and Maryland, but going from the Metro to a cubicle in an office seems mind-numbingly boring compared to driving our 4-wheel drive Nissan patrol - full of teenage Nicaraguans - to an open air ranchon for English class. Or walking around the community with little 5-yr old Jolis by my side on my way to get my custom-made pants ($6 to buy the fabric at the market, $5 to get them made by Don Mario in Cedro Galan). Or guitar seranades on the rooftop under the stars. Or co-managing a 6-woman microfinance program. Or dance the night away at our favorite club, then have Eliott surprise me with a rose at the end of the night.

But that's why I have to go back, so that later down the road I can come back here and hopefully realize all the dreams I will have left unfulfilled. The only disadvantage of Manna's holistic approach, the ability to experiment with whatever kinds of programs that you feel passionate about, is that sometimes you end up feeling passionate about everything and still don't know which option to pursue :)

I'm sleepy. I guess the only big program update is that we'll be taking a few more people from Beginner's English into our Intermediate class the 3rd week of April. Also, Creative Arts will be starting its "Costa Rica" unit so we'll see how the kids view their southern neighbors - note the long term rivalry between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It should be fun!

Cultural differences?

One of the interesting issues with identifying "cultural" differences between the Americans and Nicaraguans that I know is that many of the times, what I think at first glance is a "cultural" difference is really just a difference in socio-economic status or urban vs. rural locations. It's made me realize how sheltered my life has really been, despite my insistence that I've lead a very worldly existence. Also it's made me wish that I had spent more time volunteering in the States, because much of the need that I see here is just as prevalent in many places close to where I lived (inner-city DC and Atlanta). It's funny how we end up understanding things sometimes. Thinking about places like that in the States gives me even more reason to break down stereotypes here that all Americans come from an upper-middle class suburb like most of the volunteers/students that come down here.

On the other hand, it's endlessly entertaining (and slightly worrisome from a linguistic-preservation point of view) how Espanglish-fied Nicaragua has become. Today Eliott and I were at a department store and I decided to see how much their duvets/comforters cost, since I never brought one down from the States. After I asked the store employee how to say "twin size" in my circumlocuted Spanish, she smiled and replied, "Ah! Twin." I burst out laughing and couldn't control myself...very rude, I know. She was mystified at the gringo chinita laughing at her, but just calmly showed me to where the twin comforters were. I'm still giggling about the incident as I think about it. And no, I didn't buy one...the cheapest one was $40! I could buy the material and have a mother in Cedro Galan make me one for a fraction of the cost!

Other words in Nica-spanish that are surprisingly English-sounding: tape (tape), kleenex (tissue in general), folder (yep, folder. not carpeta, folder), toner (toner like for your printer), On the Run- pronounced On da Roon (it's HUGE here for an inexplicable reason), give me five - dame un five, bye (instead of adíos)...there's probably more; if you have Nica experience let me know if you think of any.

Suppose I should head to bed now. And belated Happy Birthday Mrs. Plummer!