Ometepe Lessons

 

1.  I ABHOR insects of all kinds, and any other furry and/or winged creature that invades my personal space.  In two months time, I have become a professional bug killer.

2.  I have learned that I DISLIKE hiking.  We hiked up one of the two volcanoes here on Ometepe to see a waterfall – San Ramon.  Believe me when I say that the two hour hike up in the sweltering, humid, Nicaraguan weather was not my idea of fun.  But, I endured it and can live to tell about it!

3.  It doesn´t matter where I am, I am still a country girl.

4.  Apparently yelling “baca, baca, baca” at the cows here is amusing.  As my teammates mentioned, it would be rather funny in the states to see a foreigner yelling “cow, cow, cow” at a field of cows.  Ok, good point, but I am just so amused by them.  They literally are all over the place here – walking down the road, strolling along beside you as you walk,….!!

5.  Children are children wherever you are.  As well as adolescents!!

6.  Everyone, or practically everyone you meet, young or old, wants to know how old you are and if you have a boyfriend.  I am still determining whether I have been put in the Nicaragua “old maid” category or if I have a couple years yet.

7.  Tomato plants smell the same wherever you are.

8.  I really want to be a mom some day.

 9.  I know that I mentioned this in my last blog, but it is worth mentioning again…..Poop, of all shapes, sizes and smells is everywhere, so please watch where your feet land!!

10.  We have lived in luxury this month – toilet seat, toilet paper, shower-even if it only has one temperature, three meals a day cooked by someone else, space to call our own, beautiful scenery….We are living on a volcanic island in the middle of a beautiful lake! – even if there are tons of sewage dumped into it everyday!!

11.  I really like beans and rice.  My most favorite Nicaraguan meal is rice, black beans, shredded cheese (it is white and I love it), and squash that is fryed with some of the cheese in the middle of two slices. 

12.  Riding in the back of the truck is the most advantageous because the wind whips away at least part of your sweat!

13.  A 20 X 30 (please excuse my last blog measurements.  Our resident architect, Natalie, stated that it was larger than I had initially claimed!) room with an attached bathroom is succifient space for 5 girls to live in for 5 weeks.

14.  Servanthood is hard work and difficult to be on a continual basis.

15.  Life really isn´t fair.

16.  I LOVE hammocks!

17.  I would really like to bring a few children and possibly a Tia home with me, but I couldn´t figure out how to get them in my pack!!

18.  I need to be more like my Nicaraguan friends who are such giving and loving people.  They know how to serve…

19.  I LOVE my 5 Alive family!!

20.  I really dislike goodbyes, especially since it took me about 2 weeks to become adjusted to being here and have since become quite comfortable with the place and these beautiful people!!

 

 

BRIEF TRAVEL UPDATE:  We are leaving tomorrow morning to begin our 6 day trek to Mexico City, with a few stops along the way in Granada, Managua, San Salvador…  We will meet up with our squad members in Mexico City September 3 and fly to Los Angeles, CA on the 4th for a very early morning flight to Taipei, Thailand.  If you want more details, I will have to divert you to my teammates because I am not the logistical details girl of the group.  We are flying somewhere else after Taipei and then debriefing somewhere that is supposed to be absolutely beautiful, and then heading to Vietnam for a little while in September, then… I don´t know.  I´m sure they will tell me when I need to know!  And I don´t really need to know, so I try not to pay attention much and just get ready when they tell me to go.

 

UPDATED TRAVEL UPDATE 9-10-08:

 

THANK YOU  to all my supporters!  Thanks for reading my blogs and keeping up with me on this crazy adventure!  It is really hard to believe that month two is almost over…oh, how time flies!!