New House, New Mustache, New Problem

Wow what a long time since my last blog. Much has happened this past month or so. I don’t even really know where to begin as I don’t even remember where I left off. I think I will start with the great American holiday of Thanks Giving; no I will start with a very embarrassing and fulfilling moment.

The women’s group that I worked with was graduating from their program. The president of the microfinance bank that sponsored this program invited me to come to the ceremony at 2pm on Saturday to view the festivities. I arrive at 1:45 to find a room packed with family and friends of the soon to be graduating group of women. 150-200 on-lookers made it impossible for me to grab a seat so I shuffled my way to the back where I was immediately tapped on the shoulder by a man who said ¨that lady is calling you,¨ while pointing to the front. I looked to the front of the auditorium which had a stage with the mayor, the super intendent of the school system, the president of the bank, and 2 other important people sitting on it, to see a lady just to the side motioning me to come up. Naturally I waved her off until her incessant hand motions convinced me to fight the sweaty and stinky crowd. I walked up only to realize that one of these chairs on the stage was mine; the first chair was mine. This was really awkward with the local news videotaping me and a hundred cameras taking pictures. The ceremony started and I had to hand out the diplomas to the women and even a 1st place award to the best performing student as they walked accross the stage.

As if all this wasn’t enough, Samuel, the bank guy goes to say a few words and calls me out, jokingly I hope, about showing up late. Then he rants about my name being easy and just drawing as much attention to me as possible before the jab to the chest. The jab came 1 minute later when he looked at me and gave a ha-ha smile as the announcer said ¨and now a few words from Jeff.¨ Are you kidding me? I have to speak Spanish to all these people with 0 time to even think about what I want to say. Basically I sounded like a complete ass hole, for 20 seconds I rambled. They laughed and clapped at the same time, ohh well. This was the most embarrassing and flattering moment since I arrived to this funny little country. I was so moved that I had a seat with these important people after a very short and unaccomplished work session with these ladies.

I was mandated to Managua for a training session that began on Monday of the week of Thanksgiving; this couldn’t have worked out better for a number of reasons. The first of which was that I was able to reunite with my entire training group in Managua at a relatively nice hotel, well it was more like a run down 1970’s cottage resort. It was old, underused and wonderful with a plethora of little 2 room cottages spread out over a large area. We were the only ones there which meant a little party was to ensue. Fun night!

The next day, Tuesday, about 8 of us went to Leon city. This was my first time to this old colonial city. It feels like a larger more bustling version of Granada. After a nice few hours walking around I received a call from my friend Kevin Crabtree. This tranquilo specimen is on a 12 month adventure that began in Guatemala and will end in Argentina. He flew into Managua from the Corn Islands around 4:40 pm. He went all out and decided to just take a taxi direct from the airport to the bar we were all at about 2 hours away and 75$ later. What a pleasant sight that was, especially since he was traveling with my beautiful baseball glove and seeds for my garden.

Side note, at this moment in my life I had a pretty substantial beard and long curly hair.

We spent that night in Leon, enjoying the wonderful nightlife and relatively cheap entertainment. The highlight of the trip in Leon had to be the Baseball game on Wednesday night. All of us headed over to watch Leon play Granada; a heated rivalry to say the least. There are only 5 teams in Nicaragua’s top tear professional baseball league, including these two teams. For $2.50 we purchased great seats behind the plate where we sipped ice cold beer with the occational shot of rum. The highlights included, a questionable call that led to the 3rd base coach of Granada kicking dirt at the umpire and subsequently getting ejected. Later both benches cleared after another questionable call which made the crowd go nuts. We were freaking out as if we were all die hard Leon fans. The game ended with Leon holding on to a close 5 to 4 lead with bases loaded. My friend Dino Kallas who speaks Spanish fluently immediately went to the press box and started chanting the government in power’s rally chants to illicit a favorable response from most of the crowd.

Thursday morning we took a bus to the beach for a thanksgiving party that will not soon be forgotten. To my surprise when we arrived there were about 30 Peace Corps volunteers already celebrating America with cocktails and beer at this magical beachside love palace. This American owned hostel provided us with a full thanksgiving turkey dinner and a bed for $15, well worth it. We hung out at the beach partying, watching Detroit lose, making bonfires, and playing in the waves till 3am. I didn’t participate but apparently there was a 15-20 person skinny dip extravaganza as well. Ha-ha.

Friday I had to wake up at 6am which as you can imagine was really fun, to drag Kevin to Managua for my first physical therapy session on my shoulder. We made it to Managua in time and feeling great! After which we took a 7 hour but to El Propio Rama.

This friends, is the time that I had to start moving into my new place. That’s right; I found a brand new incredible house that is on the hill providing me with a comfortable breeze throughout the day. I pay less then my last set up, although that included food and laundry, so it all evens out, but now I have a mansion. I have running water in my toilet and sink provided by a pump from a well. Hard wood covers the floors and I’m blessed with a fully screened in front porch where I enjoy my hammock. My host mother was sad, but understanding when I told her about the move, but no worries, I will visit.


Front entrance


View from front door


My favorite place - the big porch where I put my hammack








At this moment I shaved my beard into a mustache and I cut my hair!


Me holding fireworks before a going away party I hosted for my Spanish friend

We enjoyed El Rama, and all that it has to offer for a few days before I had to return to Managua for another round of physical therapy. Kevin stayed in Managua with me before heading off to Granada. I returned to El Rama for a few short days of work. That Saturday, the 4th I went to Bluefields for a conference before heading on a panga to Kukra Hill to advise a small business.

My friend Jessa who lives in Kukra moved into a new house that was built by the government for her Nicaraguan roommate. This sounds nice of them; however they forgot 2 important things, number one, a latrine, and number 2, a shower. While I was there I felt bad for the girls peeing in cups, finding neighbors for usage of their bathrooms, and showering in the living room, so I built an outdoor shower with 4 posts, a wood floor, and thick black plastic walls.

I came back to El Rama at about 5:00 on Monday afternoon. At around 6:00pm my really great friend Adam arrived in El Rama to keep the string of friends coming to visit alive. He came up from Costa Rica to come see me and enjoy a bit of Nicaragua. We slowly but surely started to fill my house with the few things that I could afford. I still don’t have a refrigerator and that triggered a feeling of generosity for Adam or something, because he gave me 100 greenbacks to help fund my refrigerator. How incredible was that?

Once again I had to go back to Managua for a rehab session. These F-ing buses are getting annoying every week, however it gave me a paid way out to meet the last 2 friends that came to visit as well as a paid ride on thurs to meet friend number 3 in a row and 4 total, as Liam from England will arive today to Managua. Adam stayed in a hostel Thursday night so we could go to Granada after my Friday appointment. Thurs night we got a burrito and went our separate ways. My friend Amanda and I walked towards our Peace Corps paid hotel when 2 guys appeared behind us. I became aware at an instant since I have traveled a bunch and heard stories in Managua. As we walked faster and I kept my eye on them, a 3rd guy rushed from in front of us and across the street. They surrounded us in a fury, and I immediately threw one guy from my right to my left while a second guy grabbed me from behind and the third guy stuck a knife right to my neck. At this point I said ok, ok, tranquillo. They took my iphone and turned around, at which point I took out my knife and chased the three guys through traffic across the street and behind a fast food chicken place where they ran into a large, 4 foot diameter sewer system. I waited outside for the police who never showed. I only lost my phone, but it was an iphone! At least they didn’t stab my neck!

The next day we went to the police for a report before heading to Granada. Granada was Granada, Fun, Fun, Fun, Expensive, Expensive, and Expensive. My friend Jessica was there with her parents which was fantastic because they bought Adam and me a few delicious Dinners.

I returned to Rama, broken, financially, physically and somewhat mentally. Although after working for 12 hours yesterday on a 10 page report for my bosses I feel much better and more accomplished.

I still have a mustache! Liam from England arrives to Managua right about now. Liam, Kevin, maybe Adam, all the volunteers on the coast, my brother Jason and his wife Anna, as well as my Nicaraguan friends will enjoy my new house for what will definitely be an incredible Christmas in the tropics.

I apologize for those of you that care, for not writing sooner, but as you can tell
I have had zero time for anything.

I take donations by the way!

Last of the fiestas!

Round 3 of the out of site chronicles continues with the language taller and the fundraising party!

After a leisurely, stress free and overall inconceivable time at the finca, I returned to normality in a little pueblo called Nandasmo. Nandasmo is located in the pueblos blancos, not more than 5 minutes from where I did my training in Masatepe. Our entire training group minus the 5 or 6 people that were highly advanced at Spanish, returned to the training towns for a 4 day language workshop. We stayed at the houses of the trainees while they were on their site visits. The two sectors in training right now are Tefl and Environment. There are some overlaps with families from our training group, but for the most part these kids have new families. The environment group does their training in communities about 45 minutes away and Tefl is in the pueblos where we did training and thus our group was split between the two sites. The good thing is the Peace Corps mixed agriculture and business volunteers.

I had an incredibly warm welcome from my host family of 4 days. They were super accommodating, nice, and relaxed about rules and regulations. My learning was limited due in part to 2 Managua trips. I was required to go in for an ultrasound and an X-ray on Wednesday. This resulted in some pretty clear pictures of a bankrupt shoulder. The doctor immediately ordered an MRI which resulted in my second half day of training on Friday, what a shame!

As of today, I still don’t know the results. On Saturday after the last class everyone went to Managua to enjoy a night at the Holiday inn. The business sector hosted a fundraiser for the national business competition that will be held in the very same hotel on the 30th of this month. There were volunteers from all over the country and in every sector there. What a treat indeed. I had a nice conversation with the ambassador before parading around the party mingling with as many new people as I could find!

The week went by with a swiftness that could overpower any pessimist. I took a bus back on Sunday afternoon.

Monday thru Wed consisted of a weird unhappiness and drowsiness. All the time away from site really wore me out. I think I was a little depressed that pretty much every other one of the 200 volunteers has a site mate or someone within a day trip away. I am very isolated and it was hard to realize that I will once again be without any American company. Well for a short bit at least. We have to go back to Managua on the 23rd for a re-connect conference.

On a side note I have 11 people coming to visit me between now and April; a pretty astonishing number really. Hailing from 3 different countries to boot. The first visitor, Kevin will be here any day, followed by my friend Adam on the 29th of November.

Finca de Las Nubes by Way of Normal Bus Adventures!

San Juan Del Sur Sunset

Hi!

I get burnt and I peel after extreme sun exposure in the tropics. Fact!

It’s 5:00 on the dot in Managua! I am on a bus that is creeping towards the entrance to leave for Rivas, a truck stop of a town that is mostly frequented by people who can’t wait to leave on their way to San Juan del Sur. For those of you who like survivor, that’s where the current season is taking place.

I am frantically calling on the phone my friend Jessa as she has not yet made it from her incredibly long 13 hour journey from Kukra hill. She entered Managua not 15 minutes previously, the problem however was that she came into another bus stop and had to make a mad dash in a taxi to catch the bus I was waiting on. At 5:01 we pull out and I see Jessa haggling with the taxi driver for a better rate. The bus, which mind you was the very last bus to Rivas that night, was pulling away faster and faster. This sent me into a craze, I was screaming through the window to Jessa to just pay that ass hole and hop on, while simultaneously screaming at the bus driver to stop and let her on.

The situation escalated rapidly! Jessa took her 500 cord bill from the taxi driver because he didn’t have change and started to chase the bus. The taxi naturally followed. The bus driver wouldn’t open the side door for her probably just to be a dick about it! This made my voice raise higher and I screamed until they opened the back hatch. She eventually climbed in through the back of the school bus. The taxi at this point is still following us and is now yelling to a primo who worked on the bus. We drove a bit side by side until i just said F*#$ you and threw his money out of the bus window.

The bus is pretty full and I have my brand new softball bat in hand that I had just purchased in Managua. Picture that situation.

We get to Rivas and pay a $10 taxi to take us to what would turn out to be like the Nicaraguan version of Neverland ranch. A place for all the kids to enjoy! Thanks to Jason, and his wonderful friend Mel, we were able to stay on a 400 acre organic sustainable farm. We show up to the front gates, situated 4K from the beach to check in with the gate workers. There are pet monkeys and sloths hanging around just so you don’t forget where you’re at. Chris, the guy who runs this place picked us up and took us to Mel’s house, or Mediterranean beach villa!

Not until waking up in the morning can we fully appreciate the awesomeness that is Finca de las Nubes! Check it out at fincalasnubes.com really check it out, this place is incredible, there are something like 60 workers, on site American doctors to take care of the staff and a plethora of interesting projects! He even has a wood shop producing top notch furniture on site as well as a fish farm and livestock!

The house is spectacular, but the person chef put it over the top! Waking up to their own home grown fresh delicious coffee, omelets and the infinity pool really does wonders for whatever stress you might have.


This is a pet monkey!


View from the master bedroom private balcony.


View of the city from another house

We went to the beach about 25 minutes north with some surfers to enjoy more seclusion, beauty and larger waves! I also enjoyed some beers and a fruit smoothie. To cap the night off we had a cheap dinner, for 7$ I ordered garlic lobster!


crabs


Fire man

So let’s just say round 2 of this 3 part series was probably the highlight! A phenomenal time rite nea da beech!


the beach


the house

Still no word on my shoulder because in true Nica form the machine broke that prints the films of the MRI’s so who knows what the hell is going to happen. I’m really pushing for surgery now. I figure if the government will pay for it, I might as well suck em dry! Just kidding boss!

I'll put more pics up when I feel like sitting here for 4 hours while they load, so you might have to wait a bit!

Part 1 of 3 in the Out of Site adventure Chronicles

It has been a little bit since my last blog entry and much has happened in the last 2 or 3 weeks! I will break this blog up in to a few entries so as not to bore you too much, as well as to extend the reading pleasure for you, my loyal followers.

The adventure began 2 weeks ago when I decided to help my friend Luis with his regional business competition! This guy likes to live it up, and has the means to do so. This resulted in me blowing many American greenbacks on some pretty delicious and outrageous activities during the process. We ate at Kathie’s frequently; this is an American owned gem in Granada. The western omelet would rival anything I’ve eaten in the states. Food I have come to find is something that I as well as most other volunteers miss the most about the United States of America.

For the competition I was in charge of many operational facets including negotiating for 20 tables, 20 pizzas and making sure the sound system was all in working order. I did my job and more. This competition was much like the one we had during training. There were about 15 teams from all over the departments of Granada, Masaya, Rivas, and Managua. Each team that participated had already competed at the local level and won a spot in this regional competition. The venue for the event was spectacular. We had each team set up a table in the courtyard of a beautiful old building right on the main square of Granada. Art and local photography adorned the surrounding walls, as well as our own balloons and decorations. After the initial showing each team went to the buildings gymnasium type room where they presented a PowerPoint to a panel of 5 judges. 3 of these teams were selected to go to the national competition that will be held on the 30th of November in Managua.

We had a Halloween party to cap off our extremely difficult week of work on Saturday. People from our group came in from all over to join in the absurdities. I was dressed like a jackass. I had a garbage bag on that people could write on and sign their names, with balloons coming off of my severely long hair. I also gelled my hair up in the front for an added twist. After the house party at Luis house the good majority of partygoers continued the night at a club that was featuring an American DJ. This was really fun, and I was dancing up a storm. The only problem is that when you dance in Nicaragua if you are not a Nicaraguan, you tend to sweat through anything you have on at a rapid pace. The party was highly successful to say the least.



Also I found out that I have a torn tendon in my right shoulder. So all my complaining afterall wasn´t for nothing. I had an MRI done and I am now waiting on the results. I might need surgury, so says the Nicaraguan doctor. This would mean a free trip to either Panama or Washington DC. Lets hope for Panama!

The best part about the week was that I was able to see some people that I hadn’t seen in over 3 months. I returned to My site for just a day to get some clothes before heading out on adventure number 2….

Take a Ride With me to Funkytown

Go to this Website http://s860.photobucket.com/home/anderlitej for more pictures!

Friday night was filled with birthday love and Jesus Love. My grandmother here turned 59 years old, relatively young really. This happened to coincide with her weekly cult meeting. That’s right I said cult meeting because that’s what they call it. Although the connotation with the word cult is generally not the same here, I associate it as if I would the word cult in the United States. They sing and chant and pray in the name of Jesus Christo! Well I was a little uncomfortable by the situation but not too much since most of my life here is uncomfortable so I am pretty used to it. It was fun and we ate delicious cake to end the festivities.

Praying season





Speaking of cake, look out! I had my meeting with the women’s group all day Saturday. They split up in to two groups in two rooms in different buildings across the street from each other. The first group was the reposteria group, or the group that makes deserts and baked goods. The second group makes artesenias. I walked back and forth at the beginning of their sessions which consisted of formal class work pertaining to starting and maintaining successful businesses. Needless to say I spent the majority of the day with the reposteria group so I could reap the rewards of their hard work. I received a piece of cake bigger than my head. I ate it all too! They were very nice and at the end of the “school year” in November, they will receive a diploma for the completion of the equivalent of 6th grade. Earlier I ran into Samuel the president of the Microfinance bank that sponsors this program. He told me that he talked to the board of directors and they gave me clearance to officially be able to give consultations to their clients. I thought that was pretty cool!

The ladies hard at work



At roughly 6am on Sunday morning I woke up, a little tired but relatively in good spirits for it being a Sunday morning and all. I refrained from going out that Saturday night so I could be in tip top shape for the upcoming softball games. I was taking it seriously, like I thought all my teammates were. I arrive at the designated meeting place, (a bar next to the bancentro) at 8:15 am, 15 minutes later than I should have. We waited and talked for not longer than 7 minutes before our catcher opens his bag to pull out Nicaragua’s finest clear rum. The team, minus me, proceeded to take a few pulls off the bottle, you know for the pain and what not. I kept hearing in background conversations that some big truck is going to pick us up. Sure, I can dig that, the field we were going to play at is a 20 Córdoba ride away, so I was stoked.

I was way more stoked however when to my pleasant surprise, an enormous cow transport truck pulled up. This is a big wood cage strapped on to a huge truck, not quite a semi, but its no pick up. There were only 2 available seats which meant only one thing. Hop on! Meanwhile we have been receiving non-stop rain since I woke up. While riding to the field, my 6 teammates and I on top of the truck are dodging cable lines, branches and banners, all while navigating blindly through the fierce pellets of rain. 10 minutes down the road we decide to slide through the wood slats to the cargo area, shit covered floors and all. Here the fellas continue their pain reducing medication treatment, doctor ordered of course.

This is one of those moments where I laugh inside and say, this is why I’m in the Peace Corps. Look at these F#c%ing guys I met and what we’re doing right now.

Absolutely hilarious!





We lost our first game in the last inning. We decided we all deserved a beer while waiting for our second game; so that’s exactly what we did. The second game went to extra innings where we decisively blew it for the second straight time. After the game I was recruited to play for a team that was advancing to the playoffs. Due to my swollen quad, my gimp foot, and my useless shoulder, I am going to have to pass and wait for summer league.






The ride chronicles continue as we fit 12 people standing in the back of a pickup truck on the way home. Again I had a huge smile on my face in the midst of my uncomfortable riding position.



Alabama won. Way to lose the Ohio St.
Tomorrow I will take a Panga to one of two aptly named ports in Bluefield’s: port Bloodington or port Garbage pile. Bloodington is named after the murder that took place while we were there a few months ago, and the other one shouts Garbage Pile when you get off your Panga, both the people and the actual trash. We have a security conference there, go figure, in the most dangerous place.

Here are five fun facts of the day!

1) In el Rama there are sword fights! I don’t know how many there are a year but with the amount of drunk people walking around with machetes it’s a guarantee that they occur!

2) No matter how full any form of transportation is here, there is always “room for three more.”

3) The quickest and cheapest way to get high in Nicaragua is to follow the smoke! I mean to say that every one burns their trash and plastic so you have that option or you can follow the fumigation guys that walk around and bombard your house with potent chemicals to kill bugs that will undoubtedly return before 24 hours has passed.

4) The gringo will never know how to cook. My friends and I have realized that if we cook and don’t soak whatever it is we are cooking in oil, we must not know what the hell we are doing.

5) I spell better in Spanish than many people here! This is outrageous considering I don’t even speak the language well nor can I remotely spell words in my mother tongue properly.

Adios!

How El Rama Obtaines its Rocks: The Story of Bad Ass Rock Crushers.

It’s around 10:30am on a lovely and breezy Wednesday morning. After a comfortable and leisurely stroll I arrive to my intended destination. Just when I peak my head draped with long, flowing, golden locks of love into my favorite Cyber, I realize that the Power had gone out. ¨Damnit¨ I screamed in my head, ¨now what am I going to do until 11:30¨ at which time I am supposed to meet my Dutch friend Patrick to see his NGO in action.

Just when I step out from the drearily dark computer room I hear a ¨aye Jeff what’s going on.¨ Well alright, its Patrick. He was downtown buying some printer ink. He asked if I’d like to just come on by right then. Absolutely, I didn’t have anything else to do except slowly get my t-shirt more wet from sweat. We hiked up the famous hill a bit to reach his haven for children. He came to Nicaragua a number of years ago traveling, met his wife, and realized after seeing such poverty that he wanted to give back. He admirably didn’t want to give his 10 dollars, or Euros or whatever, and call it a day, so in his words he ¨got off his ass¨ and did something about it.

He started an NGO from Holland with a few friends. He has 7 employees here that help out in various functions from cooking, cleaning to teaching. He built a nice new building on the side of the big hill with gorgeous sweeping views of lower El Rama. In this building he helps 65 children in 2 shifts (morning and afternoon) in a variety of ways. He gives lessons, advice, playtime, toothbrushes, but most notably, food.

Since we arrived early before the food was ready, because I was going to dominate some food of his, we went on a tour of his property that encompasses a large portion of the surrounding hill side. After this he asks me if I have seen where they ¨break rocks¨ to which I replied ¨nope.¨

We walked along the hill to a part of town that was completely new to me. Let’s remember folks that this is the hill I have climbed 2 times before with my family, and with my friend Jessa, yet I had never been to this side of the hill. The side we climbed is a relatively gradual grade, making it accessible to hikers. The other side, which is visible from the entering highway and much of the town, is a sheer faced rock wall. We enter a poor, even by El Rama standards community led by one of the students from Patrick´s eatery where we delicately navigated rocks and ferns before emerging into Rock City.

Upon entering this other world I feel slightly overwhelmed by the stark difference from the rest of the town. From town the rock face is visible, but banana trees and other tropical vegetation mask the base of the hill. On this base lies a community of people that have set up meager little shelters for working. It consists of 4 poles and a piece of plastic overhead to protect from rain. Under their own canopy people sit down with a mallet, a small 8 inch diameter tire(where they put the bigger rocks to keep them from flying all over the place) and pound away. They collect fallen rocks that have been blown from the hill with dynamite and crush rocks by hand to produce small enough, and of high enough quality rocks, (because some of the rock is not sufficient) that will be used for concrete and other building applications. They can make about 1.5 cubic yards a week which they can sell for about 600 Cordoba’s, or 30 dollars. Nobody dares interfere with each other’s rocks and everyone respects each other’s space.

I talked with a lady who had been doing this for some years; she was the mother of the little girl who brought Patrick and me there. She said the government was going to bring in a machine to crush rocks. What a conundrum. I love efficiency, but these people will be out of work. The conditions are harsh but uneducated Nicaraguans have little to no chance of finding other work around here. The Government says it will let these people run the machine but let’s be honest; there will be little need for that many people to run a machine. I am thinking of making a machine for them if the big machine doesn’t fall through. I have some simple easy ideas for a gravity and pulley machine that could crush rocks with ease. At least the kids are no longer working there like they had been 3 years previously. Now they get to enjoy Patrick’s hard work at the school, daycare, eatery, fun palace.

What a crazy place, this rock city!

Adios

Pain Is Temporary, My Phenomenal Performance Will Be Etched Into Their Cerebral Cortex Forever!

We have no rain! usually on this side of the country during October we are inundated with water almost constantly. The west coast on the other hand is far less effected by torrential downpours. Well not this year my friends. I have been luck enough, or unlucky enough to not have rain engulfing my town. I don't like rain, but here with the sweltering heat, it brings a nice refreshing feel to the air. The west coast has had flooding for what seams like months now, taking out road, services, cultivating weird diseases, and generally making problems much more daunting for people who really don't need any more obstacles in their way. So today is hot, no rain.

last week was normal. Round 3 of the softball diaries is still having profound effects on the city of El Rama and the person of El Jeff. After missing last weekends game due to my trip to Kukra Hill, my team was in dire need of winning these 2 games in order to qualify for the next weeks games. Apparently without me they crumbled. Well look out, because I was 7 of 8 with 2 home runs, 0 errors and 3 diving catches. needless to say after such an all star performance, we won both games soundly. I am more physically in pain from these 2 games then i ever was after a football game. I am fully scraped on my arm and side from one diving catch. On another catch over my head I stepped on one of the million rocks the comb our majestic fields which has either bruised a small bone in my food, or given me a stress fracture. I bruised my heal of my other foot on an unknown rock just a few plays later. My right quadriceps is strained from my first home run, I really should stretch first. Then to top it off I cant move my right shoulder that i re-injured after anther outstanding diving catch over the 3rd base line. Oh well, my game will be talked about for months here in little El Rama. haha, but in all seriousness, I am hurting bad, I hope my shoulder isn´t to bad, but if I cant move it in a few days, Ill get a free trip to Managadad!

This week should be a busy work filled adventure as it always is. I was stood up today by doña Blancita, the tortilla lady that I'm supposed to consult. I took a taxi 20 min away to meet her at the time she specified only for her to not be there. Pretty typical Nica style though really. Ohh well.

ALABAMA NEEDS TO GET ITS HEAD OUT OF ITS ASS! That being said, if we win out and don't make it to the national championship game because of Boise state I will be livid!

Adios

Are you going to blow that up with your face!?

There are many things that set the Peace Corps experience apart from other international experiences; the most notable of which is the 27 month commitment. When one is faced with such a great and overwhelming decision, all subsequent feelings and experiences are thereby compared to the time that is left in ones service. My colleagues, friends really, and I have had numerous discussions relating to our various situations before entering the Peace Corps. We came from particular and equally fantastic backgrounds and places. I have had the great fortune of meeting some individuals that I can at this moment say will be my dear friends for many years to come; and all this after only about 5 months. This brings me to how I feel during the average day.

We as volunteers have incredibly different experiences even within the same country. We are in different sectors, teaching and working with different people on different subject matter. We live in different communities, with different living conditions and with a varying group of local friends. Every day I wake up here in my “Propio Rama,” with the mindset that I’m going to be happy and do the best I can. I think for the most part I have a good work ethic. I rarely wake up on the wrong side of the bed, as my friends can attest; I usually send a friendly and predictably ridiculous message at the ass crack of dawn just to see what they are thinking at 5:30 in the morning. So what am I talking about?

Well trials and tribulations that we go through can easily break people. I think there is only around a 50-60% rate of full service completion within our country. This means that of all the talented, adventurous, silly, nerdy, athletic, and generally phenomenal pool of people that enter into this commitment only around 50% finish their 27 months to their close of service. All these daily troubles that one faces take tolls on the volunteers. I for one have faced many instances that I know would have sent most of my friends back home packing a long time ago, No offence friends! I have a long time to go before my close of service, but I wanted this long intro to tell you that I’m as happy as ever, and as long as they don’t kick me out, I will be here the full service.

I’m starting to really love it here. For instance, I went to my Wapí school today, only to find out that there was no school. The ruta was overcrowded and I had to sit on top of this huge truck. Really it was one of the best rides of my life. Well best 2 rides since I chose to ride on the top of this ruta on the ride home even though I could have squeezed in. The only downside to this fully wasted day of travel was that at the end, I came away looking like a tomato! So here goes the legacy of the every evolving farmer tan! This would have infuriated me a while ago, but now im just hanging out, smiling at stupid shit that I encounter at all moments. I also went to some farmer down the road and asked if I could take some fresh cow shit for my worms to eat, this was after asking a carpenter to give me free wood so I could build a sifter to make my huerto dirt better. I mean seriously I would have nothing to do with such instances in the states. These situations make me smile, and I love almost all of them.

This last weekend I went to visit my good friend Jessamine in here community of Kukra Hill. I traveled 5 hours in a bus on a dirt road to see what she was doing and what life was like on the coast where a mix of Spanish, black Creole, and natives live in a muddled up, culturally confusing community. People speak English, Spanish and moskito, or a jumbled version of the three. Walking down the streets, this girl is as famous as anyone could be in 2 months. The white and I mean white, blond hair blue eye girl sticks out like a sore thumb, but has the respect of so many people. She does not hesitate to walk up to anyone to say “hi, what are you doing?” She is on a Caribbean booty shake dance team that will participate in a parade, the softball team, aerobics class. She has a craft class and a group of free laborers that make a huerto in the local high school. This has motivated me even more to dominate in my town. I have in the last 2 days since getting back, been on a rampage meeting and talking with people to be an Icon in my city.

While in the hill, we made outrageously delicious homemade chunky peanut butter. This will not be the last time this tasty treat will be made, guaranteed! We ate Pineapple and drank a piñacolada with fresh pineapple and a coconut we cut up from her back yard. I received some advice for my huerto along with some worms to start a worm reproducing/shit converting to perfect dirt factory. I also am the proud recipient of some onion, watermelon, and tomato, chiltoma, and cucumber seeds; let’s hope I can produce some goodness. On Saturday we went swimming in a little watering hole! Overall the company, fun activities and food made this a great trip. On the way back, I was supposed to leave at three on Sunday afternoon, but the bus driver decided he wanted to leave at 2:00 so I had to stay an extra night, but all was copasetic.

On Monday, during my rampage I met with the guy at the microfinance institute to expand my contacts and find meaningful work. It was a success. On Sunday I am going to observe a women’s group that makes arts and crafts as well as food products to someday sell. Since this is set up through the microfinance institute when they get their acts together and have good ideas, they will be able to relatively easily obtain funding. My job for this will be to further their opportunities and develop their ideas regarding their ideas for income generation. I will for sure bring up my peanut butter as an incredible way to make some cash, hell they already have one huge customer. My work will go beyond that. I will also be advising the clients that receive loans from Samuel, the boss. I will be his “Time.” I start slowly with just a tortilla maker this week, but this is just the beginning. I plan on working with the bigger fish as I gain some experience and my Spanish improves.

During football season, I will conclude all my blogs with a little blurp on the beautiful Alabama Crimson Tide. We absolutely annihilated Florida this past weekend 31-6 I believe, for those of you that have been living under a rock. I was not able to watch the game, but Jessa has espn somehow so I got to see Oregon comeback and smash Stanford. Good work Ryan, Jesse and all my other friends that graduated from there. Oregon and Bama in the championship sounds good. I would like to beat a team that has some connection to someone I Know.

My Spanish is improving daily, but I still need to either shoot up ginko baloba or something to get my memory better, because I can’t remember words unless I say them over 50 times. It’s garbage really. Bing bong.

I love hearing from all of you, via email, Anderlitej@gmail.com, facebook, or messages on my blog. I don’t write messages back as often as I should, but don’t let that deter you from writing me because I truly love hearing about what is going on over there in the Land of opportunity. I will try to take more pictures and put them up soon. Take care, love you all!

How the Farmer Tan Came to Fruition

An interception saved my sanity! I was at the internet café drinking a rum and coke watching the number one ranked University of Alabama play at the number ten ranked Arkansas Razorbacks this last Saturday. We were losing the entire game until our safety Robert Lester saved my sanity. You see, without that spectacular interception with around 3:00 to go in the game to propel Heisman Trophy wining running back, Mark Ingram’s game winning touchdown, I could very well have gone insane. However I am as cool as the bricks on an igloo at this moment after a 24 – 20 come from behind victory.

My Famer tan is a work in progress, however after this Saturday’s softball extravaganza that had me on the cow pasture / softball field for 7 hours, It certainly is on its way to being legendary. Speaking of softball, we played again this weekend. This is how the softball organizational structure is set up here. First after numerous encounters and reconfirmations, my cousin’s boyfriend and I go to the designated 8:00am meeting spot on Sunday at the town park so we can all go together to the Port to play again. We wait for 1 and good healthy chunk of an hour before deciding that everyone must have got smashed the night before and not wanted to play. While we were sitting there a fun little event unfolds right in front of our eyes.

This park that we are waiting at happens to be situated at the feet of the big catholic monstrosity of a church. I say monstrosity because in tranquil little Rama, a church of this grandeur doesn’t belong, however being in Central America, one sees such things frequently. After about 1 hour of waiting at the little fritanga (sell fried food and fresco juices) stand in the park, a deafly loud roar came creeping up from around the church. A procession of what must have been thousands of folks waving flags and following in the chants led by the lady with the microphone walked towards us before entering the church. Then right behind these people was another procession with outrageously loud music coming from stadium sized speakers mounted on top of the 3 wheeled imported from India mototaxies. This procession went around the block to what I’m assuming was their own church. Then came another, and then came another, and so on and so forth. What turned out to be the day of the bible really was a competition between church groups to see who could be louder and more obnoxious? Because Jesus is happier the louder you chant and sing his name, Fact! I thought it was great though really, I love watching these people do their thing!

Anyway, back to softball. We walked to the baseball stadium in the midst of all this madness because we figured we would watch a baseball game if we can’t play our own game of softball. While in the stadium, we encountered a guy claiming that we were going to play the Alcaldia after his game at a completely different field. We agreed to check this claim out especially because the new field was 2 blocks behind my house. We get to this cow pasture, softball diamond gem of a sports facility to see a horde of hombres playing catch getting ready for their game. See ladies and gentleman, each pair of teams plays 2 games during the “first hour” and then another set of teams follows in the “second hour.” We thought we were first hour, but really unsuspectingly to us had been designated second hour. There were 5 of us waiting for an hour before in true Nica-time, the first hour started 2 hours late. This is where the farmers tan really is starting to shape up. After the rotation of kids finishes shoveling cow shit off the entire diamond, the teams commence. These guys finish their two games and luckily we are able to accumulate a substantive team to go against the most formidable opponent in all of the great Rama.

The Alcaldia (Mayors office) scare its foes with blindingly bright White and Red Professional looking uniforms. Stitched numbers and names make them intimidating. They warm up with rocket launchers for arms and sound footwork and ball technique. We had guys taking pulls off the cheapest rum plata and smoking cigs during our warm up! Anyway we start, they think the gringo has game, because I start at short, and leadoff hitter. My first at bat was robbed, I hit a hard grounder up the middle, and while the shortstop made a great play, the ball reached first way after my foot, but alas, the gringo was out. We jump to a 2 to nothing lead in the 3rd inning, I’m up to bat, with 2 outs and men on first and second. The pressure is on at this point for me to come through. I hit a monster of a shot to left center, my ill prepared, tennis shoe covered feet slide along the bases to a stand up triple. Easy home run if not for the snail like rounding of the bases due to lack of traction! By far the furthest hit of either the four games I saw. We won the game in a shocking 5 to 4 clash of softball fanatics.

The second game we started out loosing. We never lost our heads, and with a few genius coaching adjustments and player position changes, we were in position to retake the lead. Once again, after a terrible little pop up, I’m up to bat with 2 outs and men on 1st and second. I deliver in the clutch a solid line drive over the short to drive in a run. We never looked back from there and delivered a crushing 10-5 slaughter over the then highest ranked team. For all of you wondering how my throws were, impeccable, couldn’t have made them any sweeter.

I almost got a triple play as well. With men at first and secont the batter hit a hard grounder up the middle found my glove, and in an instant I tagged the guy at second, hit the bag, and attempted to throw to first. Now at this point after some rain and 0 traction I hit the guy on 2nd, the guy coming from first in what looked like I was playing running back in a football game. That is to say I leveled these two guys, and when I fell over them, I lost the ball. This resulted in only 1 out although it should have been two because I dropped the ball about 3 seconds after touching the bag. “El gringo es muy furioso, super agresivo,” is what I heard from the opposing bleachers. They were just joking, I think.

I walked off the field feeling pretty good about my performance. Even the Alcaldia were telling me that I need to get cleats though. My mother here told me that kid’s walked by and said the gringo was the best batter of the day! I came home and looked in the mirror before entering the shower to see a partially burnt farmer folk. I have begun what could be one of the most awesome farmers’ tans in the history of El Rama. I will keep you guys updated on the status of this development.

Today is Monday, September 27, 2010. I have no school this week due to the TEPCES teacher training that I thought was last week. I will study a lot and work in my garden. I will also frequent the internet and meet that guy at the microfinance institution to see about some jobs that I can help out with.

I hope all is well over on the part of the world where it dips below 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the night!

¡I Must be Famous!

So, i´m walking down the road on Monday, minding my own business, when I stumbled upon that last drum competition. Woo, its over! There were people from various other communities flooding the streets with costumes and odd Nicaraguan facial expressions. The street facing the gymnasium where the competition was held was inundated with tents and venders selling food and arts and crafts and other knick knacks. I’m caught in the middle of all this mess, a little dumbfounded by recently unexpected sensory overload, when a herd of gringos stampedes towards me. The leader of this wild pack was none other than the United States of America´s Ambassador to Nicaragua. We literally almost hit each other due to his rapid pace and my stagnant confused standing position. I hastily did a one two shuffle to get out of his way – walk with him. Ambassador Callahan extended his hand and said ¨you’re a Peace Corps volunteer aren´t you? ¨ We chit chatted for about 30 strides when I was shuffled to the back of the pack by his entourage. The lady next to me was his public relations staff member who promptly struck up a nice conversation. She was friendly and gave me her business card, as well as the rest of her fried plantains. Umm, Delicious! I must be Famous! The ambassador recognizes me and I get free fried treats.
I thought that there was no school this week due to the end of the month TEPCES planning session that all the teachers participate in on the last Friday of every month. Since 3 of my four schools are on Friday I really don´t have class or planning sessions during TEPCES weeks. Well I was misinformed. I have class this week as well as my designated planning sessions. Oops. No biggie, I responded with a quickness to tackle any task that is at hand. I called those counterparts and made moves.
I also had the first of hopefully many meetings with Samuel Mejia Peña. This is the guy who can get me all the prime jobs here. I guess he used to be the mayor of El Rama in the 80´s. His office has 5 rooms with air-conditioning. I hope I can smooth talk my way all the way to a desk with internet.
That’s all for now, the huerto looks superb.

Extracurricular activities

No school for 2 weeks has its benefits and its disadvantages. This last week there was no school for the parades and festivities relating to Independence Day, September 14th. Have I told you funny people about the constant drumming that has been going on right across the street from my house, and according to my colleagues, all around Nicaragua? Well if not, these kids pound on their drums like it’s their favorite sport. It really gets on your nerves after about a month. The point of all this ear harassment is to practice for their competition that was held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday up until about 4pm, I was like, shit yea, I can hear myself think; that was until the pounding commenced and I learned that there was to be another competition held with students from other parts of Nicaragua this Monday. I don’t really mind too much, I have really grown accustomed to this sort of obnoxious behavior, and really with my lack of stereo etiquette in college I really should not have any qualms with an hour or two a of this in the middle of the day.

This is the Drum Competition

As I said last time, I am making some vegetable gardens. This has proved to be very difficult work, especially because of the earth that I am working with. My backyard is a lovely space that is conducive to a nice garden of sorts. The only problem is that after I removed a few trees, their roots started to rear their ugly little tentacles. The mud is saturated with water making it heavy and extremely sticky. This has made it quite a work out for me in this brutal sun. I melt like gummy bears in the microwave! Can you say farmers tan! I wore no shirt the last two times, and luckily was too tired to continue for extended periods of time which almost certainly would have brought on massive burns on my ill equipped gringo skin. I bought almost all the necessary materials for my bocashi compost. These include:
1) .5 % yeast
2) 27% Cow manure
3) .5 % molasses
4) 2 % semolina – feed for animals
5) 2 % ashes from wood
6) 27 % soil
7) 14 % Carbon (I’m using burnt corn husks)
8) 27 % un burnt corn husks

This mixture hopefully will make the soil good enough for my thumb to be super green; although I think I have a natural knack for growing things! This should take 2 more weeks, at which point I will be able to plant my seeds. I still don’t know yet what exactly I’m going to plant, but I think cantaloupe, watermelon, and chili peppers are essential, maybe some pot, just joking, Peace Corps wouldn’t like that.


the begining

Day 1


It was Hot, plus i thought you´d like some eye candy


all cleared

I played soccer 2 times this week across the street from my house at the school. I just joined one day and to my surprise I had a sweet gol. The next day was a different animal. It was muddy and raining; everyone was playing barefoot and sliding around, myself included.

On Saturday my host mother climbed 5 ranks in her police unit for her soon to be completion of nursing school. She skipped 9 years of work by obtaining her degree. You’d think these benefits would be more apparent to the majority of the population of Nicaragua, but education really isn’t looked upon the same way we look at it. At the after party lunch event I met a perfect contact.

My Peace Corps job description dictates that I should take on various other secondary jobs. The recommended jobs include but are not limited to: working with youth groups, tourism, women’s groups, microfinance institutions, and advising small business. Well holy mierda, guess what this guy does. He owns a microfinance institution that gives consultations to its clients, has a youth group, a women’s group that makes jewelry, helps with a nature preserve to bring in tourists and to top it off this guy has a few books, and my favorite I think will be his book of jokes. Anyway I hope to really take advantage of this guy, so I am going to meet with him this week to be a nuisance until he hooks me up with some jobs I want. I mean lets be serous for a minute, I’m free educated labor, who doesn’t want that?

Today I finally was able to participate in some softball. We took a cab to the fields 25 minutes away only to find out that our team was playing at the big river port that is about 5 minutes away. While there are limited sports venues in this country and especially in the Branch, (El Rama) I thought this shitty little softball field was quite cool. It is inside the national port of El Rama. We had to go through a security checkpoint before proceeding to our game. We were late of course and missed the first game, but luckily we were playing a double header. There were cranes and huge boats 30 meters from third base with hills and the river in the surrounding views. I sat the first 2 innings being the new guy and all. Then I was subbed into second base. I thought I was a pretty good baseball player in high school and a good softball player in college, but today I showed that practice really makes perfect and lack of practice makes you like me. I was 2 for 2 batting with a double and 2 runs. The highlight was my pickle going home with a guy on first and a grounder to the shortstop I decided to go for it. I went home and faked back to third before my cheetah like dash home. I had a great inside slide with my right foot dragging across the corner of the plate just evading the catcher’s high tag. It was controversial but in the end I was safe for the run. In the field, I didn’t let any ball by me. What I did do however was heave the ball into the ground 3 times. I was furious with my inept throwing abilities. The hat saw the dirt on 2 separate occasions! I blamed it on me not playing for 4 years, but seriously 3 times is uncalled for. In the end it was a blast and I can’t wait to keep playing with these older guys that named the team, el juventud (the youth). Haha. We lost the game 13 to 8. The other teams had legit uniforms and we were a scattered bunch with half the team smashing cigs on the sideline. I wouldn’t want to be on any other team.

The day continued with a fun outing at our local baseball field, to watch a game between the El Rama Indios and some other team from a small community out in the middle of nowhere. I left early to study some Spanish, but it was fun none the less. Also, best part of baseball here; beers are the same price in the stadium as they are anywhere else in town. I was really happy to see how into the game the community was; the stadium was packed with a few hundred people.

Did Alabama dominate once again, yep! Roll Tide.

Hope the beautiful Bay Area is treating you well, and the south and Midwest. Where ever you are at really! I miss Jamba Juice and Tombstome pizza. So if you want to send some money so I could make up for this deficiency with the only thing that could possibly fill it, Traveling around Nicaragua, I am all for that!

Adios!

This is huerto season! Jo Pa better bet on it!

And a very merry Christmas to you!

Well it feels like that anyway with all the church celebrations that are going on at all times. But no, its just the same old celebration everyday. Gracias a Dios!

This last week was nice and tranquilo. School has been canceled this week and next week for various reasons, or at least on the days that I have class. Therefore I wanted to make sure last Friday the students received their full dose of business acumen. Counterpart 1 didn´t show up. And she had the class plan, so I was blessed, gracias a dios, to improv an hour and a half class. I'm a pretty relaxed teacher, but when they wont stop talking I tend to raise my voice pretty high. That will teach them!

I have some free time, so i thought it would be a great idea to start a huerto in my house and at 2 of my schools. A huerto is like a Little vegetable garden. I figure this would be mutually beneficial since I would choose what will be planted, and thus get to reap the rewards of our efforts, that is the students and mine. To get this plan off the ground, I solicited the help of one of my AGGIE friends, Jessa, who lives 4 hours north in a town called Kukra Hill. She came on a 5 am ruta, remember folks, these are the covered wagons that I take to Wapï. The trip lasted for 4 hours, absolute nonsense. I set up meetings with the principals of the schools so Jessa could explain how she is doing her huerto at the school in Kukra. Things went smoothly, I mean the principals like me and so I can pretty much do what I desire.

My goals with the huerto are to:

1) eat some tasty foods.

2) Learn how to grow a veggie garden and start a compost

3) Teach the kids how to do the same

4) Implement the garden into my entrepreneurship class in various ways

a. Have them do studies on feasibility of larger production within the community

b. Pricing calculations of production

c. Local demand for our products

d. Effective marketing strategies to sell these products

e. Also i want to sell the harvest to raise money because the students will be starting their own companies next year in the class, therefore they will need some initial capital.

So we hung out Saturday and went to the Internet café to watch the Alabama Penn State collision of football Goliaths. Jessa is a Penn state fan so I thought that this would be a great chance for me to really get in to football mode to demoralize a fan right in the flesh. I was nice to her considering the thrashing that Alabama unleashed on the out manned opponent. There was a glitch however. In true Nica fashion, the power went out in the 3rd quarter so we were forced to leave the game. Fortunately there was Little wondering to be done as a significant lead had already been built. We went to eat and have a Toña before calling it a night.

Sunday rolled around, but before Jessa had to take a 9:30am ruta back to Kukra Hill, which to my understanding is more like Kukra Plateau, we decided to hike up El Rama´s very own majestic hill – Mountain. We did this in the early morning, because frankly, its been hotter than hell recently; i feel like I'm slowly melting away. Gracias a dios for water bottles and ice cold beers in my favorite air conditioned bar, la costa verde!

Yesterday, Sunday the 12th of September was my host moms birthday. I didn´t know what to get her so i said i´d work my ass off in the huerto in her back yard and produce some delicious vegetables and other goodies for her. She said what all mothers say, ¨ohh son, as long as you are nice and kind and thought full, that's all any mother wants, I don´t need anything.¨ This kind of conversation happens frequently, although she just completed 31 years of life. That detail changes everything as I really feel more like her brother than her son. Although she does cook for me, and take care of me like a mother, so I guess ill go with that.

Adios!

Coconuts with Rum and Cuban Cigars for Fun

Back to work! After a week of being a degenerate bum for a week, I was able to be pretty productive this last week. On Monday, like every Monday, I did my hours of Spanish study. I have to admit that I have been pretty diligent about trying to learn this language, but to no avail. I feel like for the effort that I have put in, I have not seen an equally proportional result in language improvement, however I will continue; I am determined this time around to conquer Español.
Tuesday of this past week was another fun day adventure to Wapí. So I take the taxi to the entrance to Wapí like usual and wait there for about 45 minutes until the Ruta, as they call the wagon, comes by. When it does, I get on a little frustrated about my circumstances, and how on a weekly basis I have to deal with this shit and wait and wait only to sit on a covered wagon that takes 2 hours each way to go to a school where I don’t really teach, and my counterpart doesn’t do the reading before I get there. Then about 20 minutes into the ride thinking about the same circumstances I had a little epiphany. I’m sitting on a wooden plank that makes me about a foot higher than the rest of the passengers; I’m also facing the back of the Wagon while they are on side facing benches, and I’m listening to some fun music when it hits me that this is hilarious. I’m being bounced around on this silly little wagon with intermittent sprinkles of rain on my face and an entire Ruta looking at me as the weird Gringo going to some remote community in the middle of Nicaragua. So I just started to smile and enjoy it for what it was.
Wednesday came around rather quickly as it has been lately. The weeks are flying! This is already my 6th week in site. I cant really believe it, and it makes me realize that this 2 years really will pass me by. So the day starts off at 8 in the morning with a planning session with my counterpart at the local Catholic school. I really like this counterpart; she is on top of it. I am then free to do more studying, which I do like a good student of the language would do. At 2 and 3:30 I have 2 more planning sessions with the other 2 schools that are around me. Or that is what I thought. At 12:36 my counterpart from the school right across the street walks over to inform me that we will be reviewing the equilibrium point class to the high school seniors because they are having trouble with the material. Absolutely fine with me, I was excited to be able to impart some knowledge on these youngsters. Then I get to the class only to have them present some equilibrium point project, which was done completely wrong by the whole class. Furthermore, when I tried to correct them, I was informed I had to wait till they had finished presenting before I could share my wisdom. This of course frustrated me because I couldn’t stand sitting in my little seat listening to these kids present improperly the subject material for so long. Well I got through the day, a little more patient. I have been noticing my patience level climb, which I’m sure most of you know is probably a virtue that I was lacking completely before my Peace Corps journey.
The following morning I did what I have been doing for the last 2 weeks now. That is 250 to 300 sit ups and 200 to 250 pushups. I feel a lot better about myself considering I eat mucho fried rice, beans and anything else that can be fried really. I complete my work out routine and you guessed it, I studied. I study on average about 4 to 6 hours daily. I was informed by my fried Sarah Jessamine that our friend Joe from a small site about 4 hours away called Rocky Point, was in El Propio Rama selling coconut products with his Host Family. They found a Nicaraguan NGO in El Rama that set them up for a night, paid for their travel to and from El Rama, and gave them a table at the little vendor market to sell homemade products. Joe´s family didn’t do so well but I imagine it was fun none the less. Joe and I enjoyed a large cup of Joe before I had to head off to a meeting I had at 2. I also gave him my old phone now that Im super flashy with my iPhone.
Fridays are my long days. I had class from 7am till about 4 pm at 2 different schools. Nothing exciting happened, just more 14 year old girls asking for my number. Ohh and when I say no, it doesn’t matter, because someone from the school will give it to them so they can harass me with texts and calls anyway. Que Barbaridad!

Time: 2am. This is the moment when I must wake up to take a bus to Managua for my host brother from Masatepes wedding. I get the bus with no problems, and arrive in Managdad at around 8 am. I had nothing to do, so I walked around the mall trying to find a present, but that didn’t happen, I figure my presence is present enough, right? I drank a beer or 2 while watching the Notre Dame game at a bar to pass the time, then I head to a hostel I had heard about that only costs 8 dollars a night to shower and get ready for what was to become an epic fiesta. After arriving to the Brides families house and conversing for 2 hours, the family heads to the church. WOW, I didn’t know my brother had so much money, because it had to cost a pretty penny to pay for the church, band, candles, and incredible blooming flowers that were engulfing the room. The ceremony was beautiful; however it was way too long, and had way too much praying and singing and religious content for my liking. Then came the Fiesta. The place they rented out was phenomenal. Top notch in all aspects. Flowers were everywhere, silver plates and smoked salmon and cheeses for appetizers. They had all types of liquor you could ask for as well as champagne, and wine. The band-Dj was really great as well. The food was delicious, and it was served at around 10pm, right when you needed it. At 12am there was an announcement, all people put on your straw hats and take a shot of tequila, or a few as most people did. Next thing I know, some waiter is passing out coconuts filled with rum, while his waiter buddy was passing out Cuban cigars. Overall, a spectacular wedding.
The next day was not so fun! I asked the bus company when I arrived what time the buses leave to go back to El Rama. He said 1 and 2pm as well as some other times. I decide to get to the bus station at 1:30 so as not to be late for the 2pm bus. Well I get there and they told me straight up like this ¨No siry bob. ¨ I was like great, next one leaves at 6 what should I do. I see a bus that leaves in 3 minutes to a town an hour and a half south of my town and decide to hop on. Then I realized I only had 160 cordobas, the normal bus to El Rama costs 150. I get on not knowing where I have to get off to catch a second bus to El Rama, and not knowing what the combination of the 2 bus tickets will be. Well the first ticket was 100, Excellent! Then after 4 hours they say if you’re going to El Rama get off here to catch the second bus, I couldn’t believe it, but right in front of us was the second bus, just waiting for us to hop on and go direct to the Rama. Next the guy says, that will be 40 cords please. I was flabbergasted, it all worked out perfect and I had some extra cash to spare. What a great Sunday! To top it all off, when the internet cafes are all but assured to be closed at 7 pm on a Sunday, I passed by one that was still open, and I had the extra cash to enjoy looking at the stories of glory and excellence about the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Roll Tide.

Hope your all Tip Top. If you get this as an email go to the blog webpage because I will try to have some photos and even a movie clip!

Panga Man You Will Be Missed

Happy Thursday! New Pictures are up - link is on the blogpage

Have I ever told you that it´s all for the kids? Well I just told myself that for the first time in a while, which led me to my most recent endeavor. I just got in contact with Las Lomas High School today, my former school for those of you out of the loop, to ask them if they would like to be paired up with me in a program that is facilitated through the Peace Corps. The program is called WorldWise Schools, and the focus of this program is to match Peace Corps Volunteers in the field with U.S. classroom teachers. The result? A vibrant two-year exchange of ideas, stories, pictures, and artifacts that helps U.S. students in the classroom learn about the people, geography, environment, and culture of the world from the direct experience of Volunteers living in other countries. Well, I talked to some people in the office, surprisingly, they all remembered my name, except for the student who answered the phone, but she has probably heard of me. haha. I think I will be placed with a 12th grade AP economics or geography classroom. I was going to pair up with my little 8 year old brother, but I decided I didn´t want to dumb down my inquisitive excerpts.

So what else is going down in the Rama you might be asking yourself? Not a whole hell of a lot. So every last Friday of the month, there is a meeting among teachers called TEPCES, it stands for something in Spanish that you wouldn't understand. How this affects me is simple, 3 out of my 4 schools teach my class on Fridays! So Tuesday when I am supposed to go to Wapí, the school really far away, I just plan, but since the TEPCES is across the street from my house, and my counterpart will be there, I did´t go because I will just plan with her Friday. My other 3 classes are obviously canceled so I don´t have class, nor do I have the need to prepare for class like I usually do during the week. This has resulted in a week filled with nothing but time. What have I been doing?

Studying ze Spanish. Literally 6 hours a day learning about subjunctive and catchy phrases. Today I went to talk to a local university about giving some entrepreneurship lectures to the students. In about 7 minutes I will be at one of my high schools, talking to the English teachers to see if they would be interested in my help. Shit, if they don´t want my help, they don´t want their kids to learn, fact!

By the way, Ramalama has many pretty women, the only problem is that once they turn 18 they also start turning out babies. ohh well!

I forgot to tell you last blog post that 10 minutes before my friend Jessa, Joe, Nga and I arrived at the port in Bluefields to come home, a man was fatally shot. The body was gone, but I literally walked over his massive pile of blood. 2 men came by panga, (little outboard motor passenger boat) jumped out, chased another panga driver and shot him to death. They fled on their boat, only to be apprehended by police on a much faster panga in no more than 20 minutes. Pretty riveting to say the least. I had a little goma, so I was out of it, and didn´t really care. I was more concerned with drinking my Coca Cola classic and relaxing in the shade then about the dead guy.

See Ya

Drop Draws, Boyee!!

Muy Buenos Dias America,



I have had a pretty interesting 2 weeks. After Ryan left to continue his fun journey to the north, I got back to work, spreading my knowledge to a pretty uninterested selection of misfits. I had my site visit on Wednesday, that was semi-fun. My boss, came into town to check in on me and make sure that I am not loosing my mind. I assured her that in fact, my mind was flourishing in the Rama. I had appointments set up with all my counterparts, and the head lady at the ministry of education so that we could all sign a letter of intent and purpose for me being here, dedicating my precious time. All the appointments went off with a hitch, and the best part about it was that I specifically neglected to make an appointment with the school that is 2 hours away so that I wouldn't have to deal with that garbage. Needless to say, i think my boss was in accordance with my decision.



On that Friday of last week, the 13th, I found out that there wouldn't be school at 2 of my schools for some absurd reason. It is very common here for teachers to not show up and for school to get canceled at the drop of a dime. Speaking of teachers not showing up, one of my best counterparts told me that she would not be in class that day, in the only school that actually still was supposed to have classes. That's fine and all, because lets face it, I can dominate these kids easier without her being around. Just joking, but anyway, it was the class on equilibrium point, so i just taught my first solo class here in my site, and I have to say it went well, besides the heaps of sweat engulfing my face.



The weekend was super duper tranquillo, I watched muchos programas on my computer, thanks for the 24 mom, excellent choice.



So, Jeff does the Bluefields for a second time. That's right folks, I was in Bluefields from Monday till about 2 hours ago, aka 3:00 pm on Saturday the 21st of August. I have to say this trip made Bluefields a much better painting in my art gallery. We had the whole week filled with lectures and meetings with literally every famous and or important person in the city. We definitely receive special treatment being the pioneers of the Autonomous region and all. By the way, read about it, the history is crazy here, its supposed to have autonomy from the rest of the country because of all the crazy indigenous and African cultures.



We had terrible beds, no water, and 1000 bug bites while staying at the dorms at the university that we used for the week to host many of our lectures. The week was just plain fun. We had boring nonsense, followed by a slurry of fun. We would go out every night and eat phenomenal food, for cheep. I ate a Turtle on Wednesday for 4 dollars. Now before you freak out, this turtle is not the endangered species, but I have to be honest, it probably will be soon. So it was legal to eat, and it was delicious. It is a red meat, something in between cow, lamb, and alligator. Very nice indeed. I also devoured shrimp 3 times, fish, and 2 steaks, every meal was under 7 dollars, get out of here!



Last night, the gang went out for cocktails on the town, we had fun = now I feel like a pile of garbage. I had to take the panga ride today in a boat with no top = Im freekin Burntski. Ohh another fun thing we did is try some Drop Draws. This is a weird cocktail consisting of Turtle fin, Rum, Milk, Spices, and some other things I probably don´t want to know about. Over all it was a medium at best drink. However the name alone incites happiness. Kriol in the coast is hilarious by the way! Read About it, Rite Nya Da Beech, Boyee!!



Its all for the kids