The World According To Jessie

Ah-HAH

2006-08-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

You all thought I had given up on writing in the blog. Not to fear, I'm back and will be continuing the blog. It's kind of fun really.

Anyway, I got back from Nicaragua on August 9, that would be one day before the whole blowing up airplanes fiasco in England...so I was happy to have missed all the airport craziness but it was very sad to leave Masaya.

Now I'm back, rocking out in my mom's basement. I am living out of boxes in the storage room and rummaging around in things I sent myself from San Francisco. Its kind of fun actually, because I forgot all the STUFF I have. Really...I had two pairs of pants for three months, now I have a whole suitcase that has pants, pants and more pants in it. Lovely. I think I should just pack up my stuff every few months and hide it, and then when I found it it will be like new again.

I start school on Sept. 5, I'm excited and nervous. More nervous than anything. I'll keep you all updated. Until then I'm looking for jobs, looking for furniture, and trying to get myself together and ready for a new school year, new city, new friends, new job...everything new.

Fiestas Patronales

2006-07-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Two of the pueblos near Masaya are in their fiestas patronales right now. These are celebrations for the saints that are associated with the pueblos Nindiri and Niquinohmo, the churches get all decorated and its very pretty. Its also kind of like a fair, there is a ferris wheel in Nindiri which I refuse to ride and lots of candy and food for sale everywhere. I went to some of the parties on Tuesday night (look at me, going out on a Tuesday!) and it was a lot of fun. First we went to Nindiri and hung out there for a while, and then we went to Niquinohmo which was more fun. There was a dance in the community center there so we danced for a while and then came back to Masaya. All in all it was a good night.

Yesterday I went to the Verbena with my friend Sarah. Every Thursday there is a dance presenation at the Mercado Viejo, which is actually an old castle here in Masaya. It was fun, there was lots of folkloric dancing and singing. Carlos and Edwin came a bit later, and they were telling us all about the history of the dances and stuff...I think most of the folkloric dances originated with locals making fun of traditional Spanish dances during colonization. Later there was a competition with local youths (every time I use that word I think of My Cousin Vinny). First there was a singing competition, very similar to American Idol. Then there was a break dancing competition, and I have to say it was really impressive. There were two teams who first presented a choreographed dance and then they had a dance off, I don`t know what you would call it really...each member had to go against one from the other team. I don`t know how they do some of the moves, spinning on their heads and flopping around all over the place. It was really entertaining.

Big news...today I am going to make BROWNIES. Brownies are not common here, but I found a mix so we`re making some today, I`m VERY excited about it. Nothing like Betty Crocker!

Dia del Triumfo de la Revolución

2006-07-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

July 19 was the day of the Triumph of the Revolution...that would be the Sandinista Revoluation in 1979. It was a national holiday and I had a lovely day off.

In the morning I went to a concert that was here in Masaya, there were a lot of national celebrities singing and folkloric dancing. I went with Edwin and Diana (she lives at the house with me)...we had a blast. There were lots of people there so we all held hands and wove through the crowd to get a good view. It was hot and sunny and lots of people but really, quite fun.

In the afternoon I was exhausted so I went to the farm with Carlos and we slept on hammocks all afternoon. It was LOVELY. I think my favorite part was when Carlos told me that the chickens were fighting with the rats. I didn`t believe him until I saw it...really, chickens pecking at the rats.

The first group of participants left on Sunday, so there were goodbye parties for them last week. It was fun, we went to one of the miradores (overlooks) for one of the parties. At the mirador you can see the Laguna de Apoyo and Lake Nicaragua...there was a storm coming in and it was amazing to see the clouds roll in over the lakes. Unfortunately my camera ran out of batteries so there are no pictures. But you can imagine.

It looks like it is going to rain here...so I gotta get home before I get soaked!

La laguna!

2006-07-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was supposed to go to Ometepe, but the trip didn´t work out so instead we went to the laguna again. I love going to the laguna. Its so beautiful...and this time I brought my camera. The second picture is my friend Carlos with the laguna in the background. You can see the volcano behind Carlos, its a little cloudy but you get the idea. After we took the picture you drive down this steep road to get to the lake. On the way down Edwin saw monkeys so we stopped for a while and took picture of the monkeys. It was very cool to be standing there surrounded by monkeys, listening to them hoot. When we got to the laguna it started to rain but we got in the water anyway...the sun came out in a bit and it was a lovely afternoon.

When we got back we were famished so we went to get some classic Nicaraguan food in the market (plasita de Magdalena). We ate atol and yoltamale. I´m in love with yoltamales, they´re awesome. I haven´t figured out how to make them yet, but I will. Its sweet corn and some sugar, and its wrappedin palm leaves. The other picture is me and my friend Megan eating the yoltamales...delicious.

After that we went home, showered and changed and went dancing. We had a great time, got very sweaty with all the people there but it was fun just the same. I´ve never sweat so much in my life. Megan is a terrific dancer, seriously. I´ve never seen anyone move like that. There was a dance competition, and we convinced her to compete. I think she was a little nervous but she got up on stage anyway. There were three girls in the competition, and Megan won hands down. It was pretty funny because at the end the crowd had to vote on who won. Megan got the most applause and won a free drink...she was quite pleased with herself. All in all it was a good Saturday.

Midnight at the hospital

2006-07-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Last night I was happily sleeping in my mosquito netted bed when my host brother knocked on the door. He told me that there was a phone call for me from one of the participants who has been sick. So I got up, put on my glasses and went to answer the phone. She was sick and wanted to go to the hospital and wanted me to accompany her. I told her I would meet her there.

Yesterday evening it was raining, and when it rains here no one goes outside. Even the taxistas. So, I waited on the corner for a taxi to pass...and finally one did and he took me to the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital the security guard did not want to let me in. I explained to him that I had a friend in there and she needed my help because she didn`t speak good spanish. That was kind of a lie, she speaks fine spanish, but I knew she didn`t want to be alone so I lied. And it didn`t work. He refused to let me in and said that she would be out in a minute...which was really about an hour.

During my time waiting outside the hospital I watched the other people who were there. It was a really interesting mix. A group of three people arrived, one very pregnant woman, a man I assume is her husband, and an older woman who was either a sister or someone`s mom. The pregnant woman entered the hospital, and her husband whispered something in her ear and she went on alone. The husband and the other woman explained to me that no one can accompany those that go in. We kept peeking in when the door would open to see if we could see anyone. I saw that there was a puddle of water on the floor and pointed it out to them, and the woman told me that must mean that her water broke. The husband was quiet but you could tell he was excited. The other woman was talking to me about her day and how she had been feeling sick or whatever it was, and then the man, kind of out of the blue said, trece de julio, or July 13. It was more to himself than to anyone, a little reminder that that date would be the birthday of his child.

The next group of people that arrived was a mother, her young daughter, and her husband. The mom and daughter went in, and the husband stayed outside. (When I say outside I don`t mean in the waiting room, I mean outside the hospital.) Soon the woman came out alone, she looked panicked and told her husband that the doctors had scolded her for not bringing the girl in sooner and that they were going to operate on her. She instructed him to stay put and wait for them to come out. The husband began to talk to me and the soon to be father, telling us that they had taken his daughter to a doctor but they said everything was alright. He then told us that they had decided to come to the hospital hours earlier, but had to walk in the rain, then take a bike, and then get on a truck to arrive. Then the mom came out once more, and was giving information to the intake nurse, the nurse asked for the birthdate of the girl. The mom came over to the dad and said, if she turned ten in June, what year was she born?

So all in all it was an interesting night. Eventually my student appeared and she was doing much better. I took her home and then I went home and collapsed in my bed, thinking about birthdays.

Gallo Pinto

2006-07-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

Gallo pinto in Nicaragua, casiamiento in El Salvador, and casado in Costa Rica....black beans and rice. I finally learned how to make it. I am posting the recipe in case any of you are interested.

Cook the beans. This is an important step. Beatriz (the cooking whiz who is teaching me) cooks one part beans and two parts water for 2 hours or until the beans are soft. Then the whole thing goes into the refridgerator...beans and the ¨sopita¨ or juice that they were cooking in.

Cook the rice. Make sure its nice and soft.

When you are ready to make gallo pinto, put some onions and oil in a frying pan and fry. Add the beans and the sopita and simmer for 10 minutes or so.

Add the rice, and mix it up. Cook a bit more.

And there you go...gallo pinto. Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Selva Negra part two

2006-07-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

The second group had their midterm trip this weekend to Selva Negra. It rained the whole weekend, thus I did not get to go horseback riding again. But everyone else went and just got soaked...I think they had a good time though.

The highlight of the weekend without a doubt was that I got to take a hot shower. I haven`t had a hot shower since I left the states...it was amazing! Generally there is no need for a hot shower here since it`s so hot, but in Selva Negra its colder so the hot shower was quite necessary. Also, there were no pancakes at the buffet this time...there was french toast, or something similar and fully of sugary goodness.

We stayed a bit extra in the hotel to watch the World Cup finals on the communal tv. It was quite exciting, I`m glad that I was able to see it. I was wondering...which do you think makes more money...the cities that host the olympics or those that host the world cup? I haven`t made up my mind about that yet.

When we got back yesterday the streets of Masaya were FULL of water. It had been raining all weekend here as well...and the drainage is less than functional. So I puddle hopped my way home...I got wet but I felt like I was in a life size board game, trying to find where I could cross the gushing streams of water. I won the game, home safe and sound.

Fourth of July...

2006-07-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July in other countries is not quite the same...but entertaining nonetheless. Sarah and Helen and I got together to celebrate a little bit. I was feeling quite sweaty and gross during the day, so before I went to Sarah`s I showered and put on makeup, which I rarely do here. I also put on a cute shirt. I stopped by the cyber cafe that I usually go to on the way there to say happy fourth and they all gave me a hard time because they didn`t recognize me. Sad really...when I`m showered and presentable no one recognizes me.

Helen brought over apple cake...not quite the same as apple pie I know...but there is no apple pie here. We were happily eating and hanging out and Helen put on some music. Just as the music started the electricity went out. Perfect. It was ok though, we hung out for a while longer and then went home. I missed watermelon and firecrackers, but you can`t have everything.

San Juan del Sur

2006-07-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I went to the beach this weekend. It was lovely! The picture with the palm tree is from my hostel in San Juan del Sur...$5 a night to overlook the ocean, not to shabby. We arrived on Friday night and went to the beach to eat dinner and watch the sunset. After dinner we walked along the beach and looked at the stars, they are pretty amazing there. I went to bed early, but I watched the moon set over the ocean first. The moon was orange and red, it was breathtaking.

On Saturday morning we woke up and looked for breakfast. To my delight, we found a place that serves pancakes. The pancakes were delicious...everyone else was jealous of me because they didn`t have the good sense to order pancakes. Then we lazed by the beach a bit, and walked around looking and rocks and shells. After lunch we looked for a taxi to take us to this other bay we read about, it was supposed to be isolated and beautiful. We bargained with the taxista for a while, and finally agreed that he would take us 3/4 of the way and we would walk the rest along the beach. The beach was amazing, totally isolated and full of cool rocks and tidepools. We arrived at our destination tired and sweaty, but in awe of the bay. Once we got our room we all changed into bathing suits and ran into the water, it was my favorite part of the day.

Sunday morning we went back to San Juan del Sur ate pancakes for breakfast again and hopped on a bus to Masaya. The bus was delayed 20 minutes waiting for the horse parade, also known as ipica, to pass. It was pretty cool to see all the horses decked out for the show. The bus ride took and hour and half longer than expected to get back to Masaya...so I treated myself to a Twix and a Gatorade at the gas station. It hit the spot.

2006-07-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Here I am on the horse...this is from last weekend at Selva Negra.

Road Trip

2006-06-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

I had the most hilarious road trip yesterday. I went to Matagalpa, but this time my friends Carlos and Edwin (yes he´s Nicaraguan) offered to give me a ride. I was quite happy at the offer because taking the bus for 6 hours in one day is no fun and its also really hot and sweaty and dusty and dirty...you get the idea.

So Carlos said he would pick me up at 10 am, sharp. At 11:30 they arrive, complete with Carlos´s mom and an unidentified little girl. The car is a beater, and it really needs a muffler. Which means that I couldn´t understand anything that anyone was saying to me. But I did realize that we were on the road to Managua and not Matagalpa...turns out Carlos and company had errands to run there. No worries, we did the errands and then back to Masaya at 1 pm. We dropped off Carlos´s mom and the little girl...at 1:30ish we left again for Matagalpa.

Now, I want you to picture this car. I have no idea what year it was made or any details like that. What I do know is that the motor was putting out so much heat that my feet and legs got really hot. Windows down of course because there is no AC and its hot hot hot here, and radio blasting to overcome the noise of the unmuffled car. We saw a roadside stand and Carlos pulled over to buy watermelon. Blissful. It is also important to note that I was wearing white pants. Luckily, Carlos had an extra hankerchief to keep me from getting watermelon juice all over myself. So we continued along the highway listening to 70s music.

At a little more than halfway, the highway gets really really bad. Potholes are everywhere, and basically you just bump along for an hour or so. The views are incredible by the way. As we were going up one of the hills, a car came up next to us like they were going to pass us and handed Carlos the hubcap that had just fallen off. Nice.

As we arrived in Matagalpa the boys were asking how to get to San Ramon. ¨Pass the last gas station, take a right.¨ Interesting...how are we to know what is the last gas station? Anyway, we´re going along and all the sudden Carlos pulls over without explination. Edwin and I ask him whats up and he says that the clutch isn´t working...so luckily we were near a mechanic and asked for help. He directed us across the street to what I will call the car graveyard.

This car graveyard was every stereotype you could ever have of mechanics...men covered in grease taking cars apart and building them back together. There was a strong smell of oil and grease, and occasionally gasoline when they would try to start one of the cars. One of these nice gentleman told us that we needed a different pipe or something for the clutch, so we waited an hour and a half for the clutch to be fixed. Finally it was fixed and we continued on to San Ramon where I visited the participants, all is well there, and we began our trip back to Masaya.

Our return trip quickly stopped when we ran out of gas in Matagalpa. Luckily we were close to a gas station so Edwin went to get some gas. Carlos and I watched some locals play soccer while we waited. After filling the tank with 30 cordobas of gas, we continued along to a real gas station, put in more gas, and decided to stop to eat, since we hadn´t eaten all day. Tip Top is the national chicken fast food place...and I have to say its actually good. You all know that I don´t like fast food, but its really good there...the chicken is real. Bellies full we returned to the highway.

Going back down the mountain we lost 2 more hubcaps. That would be 3 out of 4 possible hubcaps lost on the highway. Since it was night we couldn´t see the other two, so I´m sure someone was pleased to find hubcaps today. It was pretty impressive because you can see Managua and Masaya from the mountains, city lights shining in the darkness.

Edwin and I were trying to keep Carlos entertained as he was getting tired of all the driving (did I mention no power steering). Carlos pulled over again...no gas. Impossible! Actually no...the car just EATS gas so there we were, arriving to a tiny town with no store lights on, and no gas. So I got in the drivers seat and the boys pushed the car along until we found someone who told us where we could buy some gas. We bought the gas and continued along our way.

We arrived at the entrance to Masaya and we all cheered. I have to say that even though there were quite a few hitches, I really had a good time and laughed at all of our problems. So there you have it...road trippin in Nicaragua.

Selva Negra

2006-06-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

Selva Negra was AWESOME. And it was cold. I put on a long sleeve shirt and a jacket. I´m not kidding, it was blissful. The place we stayed is on a little lake on an organic coffee plantation. I got to go on a tour of the plantation, its pretty cool...all shade grown coffee. I had never seen coffee plants before. By far the best part was riding horses. Exhilerating. Helen (one of the participants) and I decided we wanted to give it a go, so we went down to the stables and got our horses. I assumed that the jefe of the horses was going to go with us...but after Helen and I got on the horses started to walk and we asked him if he was coming. No, he said, the horses know the way. So the horses started to walk and Helen and I were laughing or heads off and the fact that we were essentially just let loose on the plantation with NO idea where we were going. Then the horses stopped walking and wanted to eat grass. They walked a little farther and then just stopped in the middle of the road. Then we heard the blissfull clip clop of another horse, and there was the jefe, with another couple. Once the horses saw their master they shaped up and we went all around the plantation. I even galloped! Helen took pictures, so I will post them soon.

I would like you all to reflect on a very North American concept that I didn´t realize until yesterday. There was a breakfast buffet. (very exciting) so we got our little cards for the buffet and went up to start. Now, when I hear buffet to me that means all you can eat buffet. No issues in coming back various times. Not so. This buffet was a one time only kind of a deal. It´s a miracle we asked before filling up on stuff. But the BEST part about the buffet was that there were pancakes. Yes, pancakes. With syrup, Aunt Jamaima to be specific. It was a glorious breakfast.

On our way back to Masaya we stopped at an organic farm in Chawitillo (I´m sure that is a misspelling). We didn´t get to go see the farms because apparently it was too late in the day and the mosquitos were too bad. Don´t worry, I still got attacked. Anyway, they grow and sell their own fruits and vegetables, and we got to try some of their stuff. It was amazing. I bought a jar of Papaya jelly...it is awesome, I had it on toast this morning.

I was happy to get back to Masaya and rest, I was exhausted from the long trip and so much activity.

Volcanos!

2006-06-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I hiked a volcano!!! Very exciting. It was a lovely day really...

First I went to my friend Carlos´s farm, its very close to the volcano. He showed me all these trees that I have never seen before. Mango trees, mamon trees, hocote trees, almendra trees etc. It was very exciting. It was also nice to get out of Masaya for a bit. Then we went to the volcano, it was awesome really. You can stand right next to it and see the smoke coming out. The smoke is sulfurous, which I discovered after inhaling a lot of it. There are three craters on the volcano, two are active and one isn´t. The last time they erupted were 1970 and 1971. We hiked up to the top of the inactive crater, and now it´s a forest...they say there are monkeys and all sorts of cool wildlife there, but we couldn´t go down. Seeing an active volcano up close was pretty exhilirating though. I have a picture but there are some technical difficulties, so I´ll post later.

I would like to offer you all some tips on staying cool in the heat. First, walk on the shady side of the street. Any shade is good shade. Second, walk around in the early morning or in the late afternoon. Midday walking is not a good choice. The real test if you can handle the heat is if you can walk around in jeans and a long sleeve shirt in swealtering heat. Thats what all the Nicaraguans do. Everytime I´m impressed, because in my tank top and skirt I just sweat all day long. Big news though, I actually was cold two nights ago. AMAZING. I went to this lookout over that lake that I went swimming at a few weeks ago. It is a pretty sweet view, the stars are amazing and you can see Granada across the lake. And there is a nice breeze, I had a long sleeve shirt on! It´s the little things in life really.

Today has been a bit slow, but thats good. I needed a break. Its been raining almost every morning here, and unfortunately I got stuck in the rain today, but it cooled me off a bit. Tomorrow is Father´s day here, so I think everyone gets the afternoon off. And Saturday I will be going to Selva Negra with the group for our midterm trip. Should be interesting...

I will try to post the tortilla recipe...I need Beatriz to teach me how to make tortillas, we haven´t gotten there yet. Next on the list is arroz con leche. It might be my favorite dish here....tight race with pico though.

Food....

2006-06-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

So I think I will take this opprotunity to let you all know about the crazy food that I have been eating here. First of all, lots and lots of beans and rice. Gallo pinto is black beans mixed in with rice, but you can also have beans and rice cooked separate. Then there are tortillas...very good simple tortillas. Those three things are staples for lunch everyday. The meats vary...chicken or beef in various forms, sometimes pork. I don´t eat the more exotic choices: pigs head stew, chicarron (pigs skin, fried), mondongo (intestines), chicken liver etc. But the BEST part about eating here is all the fruit that is available. Nicaraguans don´t really eat fruit plain, they mash it up and make delicious juices. Beatriz makes juice every morning...and when I say make juice I mean fresh squeezed and all that jazz...no frozen mixes here. So here are the fruits that are new to me.
Calala - I have no idea what it would be called in English, it looks like a sad misshaped lemon. You break it open and inside are lots of little seeds and juice. For this fruit you just drink all the insides...very good. It tastes a little tart.
Mamon - These are the size of big grapes, but have a green shell. You break the shell in half and then suck the insides out. It has a big seed in the middle, so you have to take the fruit off in your mouth. Every time I eat them I think about that game where you try to tie the stem of a cherry in a knot in your mouth. It´s difficult...eating this fruit is a bit more challenging. The Nicaraguans can all do it without trouble...I have to use my hands sometimes.
Zapote - This has the skin of a kiwi, but its about the size of an apple. On the inside the fruit red and pretty soft, you eat it with a spoon. Delicious.
Hocotes - They are also about the size of grapes, but more oval. They taste like a mix between mangos and papaya.

And then there are the staples mangos and pineapple. People here eat fruit with salt...and sometimes chilis! You can buy mangos off the street and they put the salt and chili on for you. Of course its not recommended to buy stuff off the street because it´s not particularly hygenic.

On Sundays we buy a liter of Coke, its very exciting. Sugar and caffiene all in one.

That about sums it up for the food here...go look for some Calala!

2006-06-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Let´s see, where to start. There was some excitement when I went to Matagalpa. I was waiting for my boss Maria to arrive, so I sat at the bus station. It happened to be raining, so everyone was trying to fit under the small shelter. I had a bit of luck and got a seat, amazing. So I sat paitently and was looking around at the scene, when I saw a policeman walk up. He took out that big rod they have and it looked like he was trying to sneak up on one of the men sitting down. I listened to the people around me and they said that this man had tried to steal from the woman he was sitting next to. All of the sudden the man gets up, the policeman follows him, and then WHACKS him on the back and the guy falls down into the mud. I heard more thuds but I didn´t look, and then the man got dragged away by the policeman. It put law enforcement on a whole new perspective.

Other than that bit of news things have been pretty normal here. Its hot and sunny today, so I´m going to see if I can go to the laguna....

2006-06-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

So finally, here are the pictures of the riot cops or antimotines. Note the bulletproof vests and rifles. I am taking more pictures (I´ve been instructed to pull up my socks and act like a real tourist) so I will be posting more pretty pictures soon.

Yesterday I was sitting here writing an entry and a big truck drove by and RIPPED down the electric wires that run over the street...so alas, no electricity. The best part about it was everyone´s response, the breaking of cables apparently is nothing new. After advising passerby to avoid the cable which was still charged, life went on as usual. And today everything is in working order.

Yesterday I learned how to make pineapple jelly. It is very easy, and I was quite pleased with myself for learning. I have also asked Beatriz to teach me how to make arroz con leche and frijoles. It´s really funny to ask how to make the beans, because it seems everyone here knows how to cook rice and beans...but I don´t. I will soon!

Tomorrow I´m off to Matagalpa again...hopefully I can find out more about those coffee refineries there. I will also be more savvy abot which seat to choose...NOT the one above the wheel. Oh, and I´ll talk pictures of those crazy men on top of the buses!

Vigilia. Noise pollution!

2006-06-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

I have never really been a fan of this phrase: noise pollution. It never really resonated with me before. I have become it´s biggest promoter!!! Here in Masaya, there are a variety of noises, some of which I think are very interesting. For example, every morning there is a woman who walks around town calling out ¨ayyyyyy, la cabeza¨. It took me about a week to decipher that that was what she was saying, but yes, she is selling pigs head. And truthfully, I kind of like that noise. Its very unique to Masaya and I´m a fan. The continual sounds of trucks and buses and cars have become white noise to me, and I even enjoy hearing the roosters at all hours of the night. However, there is another phenomenon that I am NOT a fan of. One of the methods of advertising here is paying for ¨air time¨ with these trucks who go around BLASTING commercials. They have speakers in the back of the truck, and they just drive around all day. Also, the electronics stores have taken to playing music on their fancy speakers as loud as possible...I assume this is to attract customers. But last night was by far the worst. I live near a church, and when I got home I saw lots of buses around...I asked what was going on and my host mom told me that there was a vigilia at the church, and that it would be going on all night. Now, when I hear the word vigil, it brings to mind silent reflection, lighting candles etc. Here, it is a big concert where youth from all over Nicaragua come to spend the ENTIRE night singing and cheering and who knows what else. Basically, there was a concert in my backyard last night. Never fear, I did manage to fall asleep at some point.

I was in Managua for a few days, giving orientation to our new group of students. I think it all went smoothly, no problems. However, I did have a GREAT fall. It was raining and the stairs were slippery, and I totally bit it. Heather, I thought of you...and no, no injuries.

Yesterday I treated myself to some chocolate cake (spelled queque) and real coffee. It was blissful. Also, I have discovered this new kind of sweet bread called ¨pico¨. Its doughy bread with honey and some sweet cheese on the inside, and bits of sugar on top. I am quite a fan of this pico...Maria warned me not to ask any men for pico because it also means a kiss. Good to know!

Matagalpa and other bits of news

2006-06-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

So I went to Matagalpa on Friday. It was quite an interesting trip. I think my favorite part was getting to the bus station (which is just a big parking lot) at 6:45 am and watching all the activity. Buses here are old school buses that I´m sure come from the US becuase it has a list of ´riding priviledges´ on the front which is written in english and reminiscent of many field trips as a child. Keep you hands to yourself, and keep your head inside the bus etc. Now, on top of these old school buses are men without shirts on who are lifting huge baskets full of fruits or vegetables or whatever else on top of the bus. They pack them on there so they don´t fall off during the trip. I didn´t see any ropes or anything, so it looks like one big balencing act. And the most interesting part of this whole phenomenon is that they don´t get down before the bus starts to move. Actually, they don´t get down until the bus is going about 30 miles an hour. I didn´t realize this until I saw a foot outside my window. The guy who was on top of my bus shimmied down the side of the bus into the open door. I think that he would have lost his riding priviledges in the US.

So anyway, my trip to Matagalpa took about 4 hours, in a seat that was clearly made for an 8 year old in respect to leg room. I also had the good luck of sitting on top of the tire...further eating into my leg space. But the views were pretty impressive...Matagalpa is more in the center of the country, getting into mountianous zones. Its also cooler in Matagalpa, the wind isn´t so hot. Once I arrived there I took another bus to San Ramon which is a little little town outside of Matagalpa. I think the whole town is 8 blocks, and there is no internet or telephone. But again, very pretty. Maria and I visited with the interns to see how they were doing and then hopped a ride back to town. The last bus for Masaya (where I live) was supposed to leave at 3:20. I was fretting the whole ride back to town that I would miss the bus. As it turned out we pulled up to the bus area just as my bus was pulling away, so I jumped out of the car and sprinted to the bus...everyone around me really thought it was funny, but I jumped on and happily squeezed into a seat for the ride back.

Saturday we had a meeting with the students in Managua, and then I stayed for a little North American moment, watched the Da Vinci code. We had some trouble finding a bus back to Masaya after the movie, but it all turned out ok and I got home with no problems.

Monday I went to Ciudad Sandino with one of the interns. We toured the hospital there which was very interesting. FYI, giving birth in Nicaragua is without any drugs, unless you have a C-section. Also, a nurse there offered to teach me how to stitch up a wound, a little boy had a cut over his eyebrow. I said maybe next time. Then we went to the only mental institution in Nicaragua. It was terribly depressing...it scared me and made me so thankful that I have my mental health I can´t even express. People who are labeled agressive are locked up...its terrible. Those who have chronic mental health issues are left there...they are totally abandoned by their families.

And today, I´ve been running around Masaya checking in on people and helping with problems and the usual camp counselor antics.

A la Laguna!

2006-05-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went swimming in a lake here. It is actually the crater of a dormant volcano that is now a lake. It was BEAUTIFUL! Seriously, it was so pretty, the water is this deep blue and the trees so green, it was a nice little getaway. Unfortunately there was some drama involved in getting everyone there and back. But lesson learned, when I want to go relax I´m not taking the students with me. Ever.

In other news, today there is no running water in Masaya. Awesome. It´s all good though, becuase I´ve gotten used to being sweaty all the time so no worries. I told my host mom that I love mangos, so they got some for me at the market. Mangos really make everything better.

Work is coming along...there are lots of little things that I took for granted in the US that are becoming apparent here. Like having accessible internet whenever I want, or being able to print things, or make phone calls or have a face to face conversation with the people I am working with. So, if you are reading this from the US be thankful that you have those things available. But, no pristine volcanic lakes there...hahaha.

I think that tomorrow I will be going to Matagalpa. Its a three hour trip, up to the country. Everyone says its very pretty there, and thats where the coffee co-ops are, so I´m going to try to see if I can get a tour.

Also, I´m considering seeing the Da Vinci Code this weekend...is it worth the trip to Managua?

Do they have Starbucks here?

2006-05-27T16:20:00.001-07:00

No, they do not. But that was one of the many questions that I was asked this weekend. I think it was my favorite. But I´m getting ahead of myself.

The first exciting part of orientation was actually arriving at the hotel in Managua. Students have been protesting this week due to increased prices of buses. And let me clarify that by protesting I mean that they burned two buses on Wednesday. So we went to Managua on Thursday for orientation, and after a mixed up way of getting there, we were dropped off at the mall...close to where the hotel was. I was still a bit turned around, being that I´ve never really been to Managua so we walked to the mall to get some directions. However, on our short little walk we pass by about thirty policemen in full riot gear. Rifles and all. And the scary looking riot police all look at the silly gringas who are clearly lost. And they kept calling us to come over. Now, at this point I wasn´t sure if they were calling us to come over because they wanted to hit on us, in which case I wanted to ignore them, or if they were calling us to come over because they needed to tell us not to keep going the way we were going, in which case I thought maybe they should be spoken to. So, I bravely walked up to this man, who I will call Goliath, because he is the biggest man I´ve ever seen. Seriously. Standing next to me I think he was almost a full foot taller. Maybe thats an exaggeration, but I think whenever anyone is holding a gun it makes them look taller. I asked him for directions, and he told me that I should go another way to the hotel, because they were throwing ¨bombas¨ ahead on the road I was walking on. Now, bombas are actually tear gas...not real exploding bombs. And I looked down the road, and saw the smoke. So then, I decided that taking a taxi would be a better choice than walking to the hotel. But not to worry, I took a picture with Goliath...it will be posted soon.

So, after the exciting arrival scenario, we got to the hotel, which has air conditioning and HBO in English (amazing). Maria and I gave the orientation to the students who arrived...it was interesting to hear what they thought about what they were seeing, as well as to be on the other side of the coin. Very different perspective, but I am getting used to being in that role. I got to listen to the history of Nicaragua, which was also quite illuminating. I am such a nerd, but really, it was good to hear the story.

We also went on a tour around Managua, the most interesting part for me was the Plaza de la Paz, which means Peace Plaza. In 1998 (I think) the President of Nicaragua called for everyone who had fought in the 10 year civil war to turn in their arms. So all the guns were placed in the plaza, and then they poured concrete over everything. Its pretty cool actually.

Today I returned to Masaya, very happy to be home and have my own room and some time to not be in charge of people. But tonight I will be going back to the airport to pick up another late arrival. I´m getting to know the airport very well...

Thats all the updates for now, I will post the picture of me and the policeman soon. Until then...

Do they have Starbucks here?

2006-05-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

Perezosos!

2006-05-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

That means sloth. And I saw one yesterday. It was hilarious, I was sitting on the porch of a restaurant, just hanging out with one of the participants in the program, and in the tree across the street we saw a sloth. They really don`t move much at all, first we weren`t sure if it was an animal or not. I thought it was a sloth, due to many games of Amazon Trail in my youth. And we asked the waiter, and he confirmed. A little excitement in the afternoon.

Yesterday there was also a lot of rain, but today it is sunny and hot hot hot. I`m proud of myself though, I`m wearing pants in true Nica fashion. Well, not really, because they all wear jeans and I just can`t bring myself to jeans status...I have to wear those really breathable might as well be shorts pants. But it`s an effort. The day I wear jeans in Central America will monumental.

The participants arrive tomorrow, and we have orientation for a few days. It will be interesting to finally meet all these people that I have read about in applications and reports. So today I`m spending getting everything ready, reports and research that I need to present at some point to the participants. Fun fun.

Zinc rooftops

2006-05-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

The rooftops here are made of zinc. Zinc has some very interesting characteristics. First, when the cats from the neighboring rooftop jump onto my rooftop, it makes a very very loud noise. As some of you well know, I am a sound sleeper. The cats, however, are breaking my concentration! Also, when it rains, that gentle thud of rain on the roof that we are used to in the US, is replaced by a loud pattering of rain on metal. It`s quite an experience. And though roosters are only supposed to crow in the morning, this is a misconception. They actually crow all night. I know because I hear them all night. I haven`t seen any roosters yet, but I have no doubt as to their existence.

The students that I will be supervising arrive on Thursday, and we will be giving them orientation Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday. It should be pretty interesting, I am excited to meet some of them. One participant ran her own hostel in Spain for a year, I`m sure she has some cool stories. I`ll be sure to keep everyone posted, don`t worry.

I think it is going to rain here this afternoon. Its good when it rains because it cools things down a bit. Big news, I put on a long sleeve shirt the other night because I was a bit chilly. My host mom found that to be quite funny. I think it was because I got sunburned however. The sun here is very strong. So me and the sunblock have become good friends.

Plunge and Scrub

2006-05-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I learned how to wash clothes by hand. Now, I actually did know how to do it before due to some bathtub washing in Cuba, however this was a new experience. Beatriz, who works in the house that I´m staying at, showed me how to used the ribbed part of the sink to wash my clothes. Hilarious really, she and I laughed the whole time. I think she was laughing because it was funny that I didn´t know what I was doing. I was laughing because I felt like Nicole Kidman. (It happens every now and then...hahaha). But really, there is a scene in Far and Away where she learns how to wash clothes by hand and Tom Cruise keeps telling her to ¨plunge and scrub¨.
It´s been a quiet weekend, I´ve been doing lots of translating for work. It´s a very different experience to be working abroad than to be studying abroad. I´m sure it will get even more hectic when the interns arrive later this week. Other than that I´ve been walking around town and getting used to life here in Masaya. It´s a good pace, no one is in a hurry to do anything. I am trying to learn from them. I learned a new phrase for life in the US, its ¨mordiendo la leña¨ which literally means chewing the kindling. What is really means is that someone is working too hard and not enjoying life. A little tidbit to remember.
Tomorrow will be a full day, we´re going to all the host organizationes to make sure that they´re ready for the interns. It´s interesting to see all the programs that exist here.
Anyway, I better get going back home before the mosquitos come out!

From the Land of Lakes and Volcanos

2006-05-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely trip here. Lets see...where to start. I flew into Miami and it was rainy. Never a good sign for air travel. So I sat in the airport for a while and was secretly pleased at the first delay of my next flight because it gave me time to eat something. And then the delays continued...as did the rain. And then, the voice on the loudspeaker...the flight to Managua has been cancelled. Awesome. Please find your own accomodations for the night, its not our fault it rained. Also, don´t worry about your baggage it will be sent along to its final destination. So, I stayed one more night in the states and got to watch the 2 hour Grey´s Anatomy Season finale. Not to shabby. Took a shower with the hotel shampoo and used a complementary tooth brush. I woke up bright and early in the morning to hop on the flight to Managua.

Now, when I got off the plane and was standing by the baggage claim...I had that sinking feeling. You know that sixth sense that something is not right? My mochila did not arrive. Very very sad day. So I filed for missing bag and went to meet my ride in clothes I had been wearing for two days. And from there we went to give NGO orientations. I felt less than pretty.

But things have made quite a turnaround. Yesterday I had the pleasure of walking around town in mens clothes that my host brother lent to me. That was a good humbling experience. But then I recieved the BLESSED call that my bag had arrived and I had to go get it. So I convinced someone to drive me to the airport (kind soul who works with the program) and today I got my bag. And my shampoo and my hairbrush and my toothbrush and all these other lovely things that I had missed so much. When you put on deodorant in the morning...think of me...I now have deoderant as well.

Nicaragua is very pretty. I am living in a town that is close to a volcano. People seem to be very nice, and help me when I ask for it. I didn´t realize that my spanish was rusty, but it is. It´s getting better...learning lots of new Nicaraguan words.

I think tomorrow I´m going to play tourist and take some pictures. Its embarassing, but must be done. I´ll post them when I can.

I miss you all, hope everyone is well...

ABRAZOS!

Back in Virginia

2006-05-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

So I left San Francisco on Thursday...very very early in the morning. It was quite sad to leave that spectacular city and I miss it very much. But I don't have too much time to be sad now, because I'm going to Nicaragua tomorrow. I'm excited about the trip, I'll be gone for 3 months (don't worry I'll have email access). I'll let you all know how its going when I'm there.

Otherwise, it's nice to actually be home for Mother's Day...that hasn't happened in quite a while. I had a lovely breakfast this morning with my mom and my grandmother.

I have a killer cold that has decided to take control of my body. The timing is really not ok with me...international travel while being sick just isn't on my list of favorite things to do. But alas, thats the way it goes sometimes. So I'm pounding the anti-biotics and thinking good thoughts, and maybe I'll be cured by tomorrow. Lets hope.

Sleepy Sundays

2006-04-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

I bought the Sunday edition of the New York Times today. (H - I know
you would be proud) It's been a good productive day...reading the
newspaper and packing up my belongings. I have to say that I'm not
really jazzed about the packing, but it must be done. Little by
little, I'm making progress. I also posted most of my furniture for
sale today...very productive.

So it looks like I will be attending George Washington in the fall.
I'm QUITE excited about it, the nerd in me can't wait to be back in
school. Though I'm nervous about the work level, I know I will be
learning all sorts of interesting things.

I'm also pleased because there are some pretty flowers in my room
today. The benefits of having a friend who works in a fancy schmancy
restaurant. There brighten up all the messy packing...and smell good
too!

Have a good Sunday afternoon everyone!

The Umbrella Army

2006-03-31T19:30:00.000-08:00

It has been said that this is the rainest March that San Francisco has had in a while. I don't know if thats accurate, but its one of those things that feels true. All this rain has brought out the often seen but less talked about Umbrella Army. You know what I'm talking about. The infantry are the people who bob and weave through foot traffic in the sidewalks of the Financial District, poking out the eyes of unsuspecting victims who are too distracted by their important cell phone conversations. The cavalry are those who have chosen to purchase an industrial sized umbrella for one person. This is the SUV of umbrellas. It could protect 5 people and not even encroach on anyone's personal space. We see these proud soldiers walking the streets alone, clearing sidewalks in their wake.
My solution to this problem: stealing umbrella space. Seriously. I'm going to mooch off those big umbrellas for a little shelter...we'll see how the calvery handle it.

Highlights for the Day

2006-03-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

First of all, a great big hello and I'm sorry I didn't post earlier to Evan. I'm sure he hasn't given up on my yet, and I said I would send a shout out, so here it is. You are the best, even though a bit obsessed with sports.

Today I would like to highlight the increased civic activism we are seeing around the country in regards to the immigration legislation that is pending in Congress. A half a million people - 500,000 - protested a bill that was passed by the house that, among other things, criminalizes all illegal immigrants and anyone who associates with them (including priests, health care workers, educators etc). Today the Senate began debates on a bill proposed by the judiciary committee that would give current undocumented workers a means to achieve legal status. Read more about the issue, and decide where you stand in the debate. You can find resources on any national newuspaper's website.

And, in other Jessie news, I am looking for someone to take care of my adorable dog for the summer. I will be sweating in up in Nicaragua, and Sidney will be in need of some love and attention. She will be happy to give you love and attention as well. Tell your friends, I'm leaving in early May and I need to know soon.

Its raining in San Francisco, and we're saving money on heat, so I've taken to wearing my fabulous orange gloves around the house. It's making me forget the small annoyence of needing to wear gloves INDOORs...but who's counting?

Hello World

2006-03-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

This is my first time "blogging". I feel a little rush of adrenaline...its all very exciting. Hello to everyone from a little cafe in San Francisco. Its rainy and dreary here tonight, so I'm cuddling up at home with my little dog, and avoiding going out. According to sources, I have the "old lady syndrome". I'm accepting the status, and embracing the long hours of sleep.

Speaking of the dog, for those of you that haven't met her, this is Sidney. An interesting mix of trouble and cuteness...she is always quite fun.

Have a good evening everyone...

until next time.

Amnesty International Film Festival

2006-03-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

http://www.amnestyusa.org/filmfest

My current gig...