Reintegration day 2
I'd like to attempt to answer the question: "how do I feel?" And I would... if I knew. What I can tell you is that I cry.... alot... and easily... over nothing. They are tears of joy at being home with my family... of gratitude for my life in Saskatoon... of grief at leaving behind a community of people who I very quickly grew to love... of anger at the injustices that exist in our world. The funny thing about tears is that they look and feel the same regardless of their cause.
I had no idea that my adventure to Nicaragua would impact me in such a deep way. My purpose for going was to learn Spanish and experience a new culture. I had prepared myself to some extent for what I would witness in Nicaragua. I knew that it was a poor country. I suspected it would be similar to my trip to Guatemala 10 years ago. I knew there would be some difficult moments.
I didn't know that I would come home feeling like everything I thought I knew about myself and my world would be swept into a funnel cloud of confusion, questioning, and uncertainty. I didn't know that I would come home feeling as though my heart had been bruised by my experience there. I didn't know that my eyes would be opened... and that the newly discovered light would be so overwhelmingly bright. My pupils are struggling to dialate fully... to be able to fully absorb the light and sort through how to move forward.
I know this sounds overly dramatic... but I FEEL overly dramatic. I hope that those who know me are willing to let me flail around for awhile... that you will be willing to let the drama unfold. I don't need anyone to try to fix it or take away the difficult feelings... I just need time for my eyes (and the rest of me too) to adjust. An amazing young woman from McClure sent me a message of Facebook before I left Nicaragua reminding me that I am cared for... that I am not alone... and that everything will be ok. I know it will. I know that this will pass and I will once again fnd my place. I refuse to let go of my naturally optimistic and hope-filled nature. However, I also refuse to forget the people and experiences that have brought me to where I am now. The learnings I have had are important.... and have been given to me for a reason. Once the intensity of emotion has passed, I will begin to strategize about how I can live into the new reality... my pupils will adjust.
And I know that none of this is happening in isolation. I have so much love and support in my life... and I am very very grateful for that. I also have faith... faith in a God that allows our eyes to be opened so that we can be changed and, therefore, be part of changing the world. I also know that God is with me and that gives me great comfort. God spoke to me through the people and experiences of Nicaragua, God is now speaking to me through my tears and God will continue to speak to me through sources not yet known.
Thanks be to God... for suffering and for hope.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Saturday, 24 March 2012
and this is it!
my last day in Esteli.
this afternoon I am returning to my favorite place... La Cascada... with my friends.
tonight I say my goodbyes.
tomorrow at 7am I leave for Managua to catch a plane.
Order of business upon my return to Canada:
1. hug and kiss my family multiple multiple times
2. sleep in my own bed
3. wake up to a pot of fresh brewed Nicaraguan coffee
4. take a long long long hot bath
5. go to McNally Robinsons for my favorite salad
after this, I am open to phone calls and coffee invitations!
Prayers for minimal tears and safe travel appreciated.
Hasta luego!
me
this afternoon I am returning to my favorite place... La Cascada... with my friends.
tonight I say my goodbyes.
tomorrow at 7am I leave for Managua to catch a plane.
Order of business upon my return to Canada:
1. hug and kiss my family multiple multiple times
2. sleep in my own bed
3. wake up to a pot of fresh brewed Nicaraguan coffee
4. take a long long long hot bath
5. go to McNally Robinsons for my favorite salad
after this, I am open to phone calls and coffee invitations!
Prayers for minimal tears and safe travel appreciated.
Hasta luego!
me
Thursday, 22 March 2012
WARNING...
the woman who will return to Saskatoon in 4 days is not the same woman who left 2 months ago!!
In fact, at the current moment I am a blubbering mess!
The problem with having a big heart is that it so easily sucks in and holds on to the suffering of this big stupid world. I do not regret for one moment loving as I do. I think that my capacity for love is my greatest asset. My love for others has filled me with tremendous joy....it also causes me a tremendous amount of pain.
As I think about leaving Esteli, Nicaragua and the wonderful people I have met here, my heart aches. I know that there are people here, who I now care about, that are suffering. I know that some of my new friends will not eat tomorrow... that some of the children in my school will go home to incredibly difficult situations. While I´ve been here, I have done what I could... what I thought and felt was the right thing to do. I have bought meals, given money, listened to stories, given hugs. It has felt good to be here and to give... and for what I offered to be received with such relief and gratitude. The sadness that I would inevitably feel at leaving Nicaragua is compounded significantly by the sadness of those around me as they too anticipate my leaving. For a little while I was able to make their lives a little better... to relieve some of the pressure... and now I leave and life for them goes back to normal. As I read this I see how my words appear to be weighing on the side of arrogance and, believe me, I have spent a sufficient amount of time reflecting on my place of privilege and how I can best use that privilege for good. I admit that it has felt really really good to be able to offer to help. Part of that is satisfaction in knowing that I´ve brought a little joy to someone´s life... and part, I´m sure, is tied up in ego. At any rate, I know I have helped and I feel good about that. But now I am having a hard time remembering that feel-good-stuff as the realization that I´ve not done anyone any good in the long term... maybe I´ve even made things a little worse.
My thinking is completely intertwined with my feeling... as is completely normal for me... and I´m having a tough time separating the sadness and guilt from logic. I´m tempted to sell what I have, empty my bank account and give it all away but I know this would only serve to make me feel better in the moment and I would, once again, be faced with the reality that there are too many people in this world who suffer. Some of that suffering is because of the natural ebb and flow of life... people get sick, people die, etc. But MOST of that suffering is not natural... it is the direct result of a world full of greed and selfishness. Many people suffer simply because they have no money. How is this fair in a world there is so much wealth? Money does not solve all the problems... but the lack of money creates problem after problem after problem. When someone doesn´t have what they need to buy food and clothing or pay for a home, they are forced to make decisions that create all kinds of other problems. Without money life becomes about existence.. not about living. And the thing is, from what I can tell, people here aren´t after great wealth. They don´t want to be rich... they just don´t want to be hungry.
So... my excitement about seeing my beloved family is slightly tampered by the deep sadness I feel about leaving the people here (even though I know that staying wouldn´t make any difference).
And now I want to ask a favor of those of you who are reading my blog:
when you see me in Saskatoon... or we talk on the phone... please please please don´t ask me how my vacation was. While I have certainly enjoyed much of my time here... it has not been a vacation. This has been a time of intense learning... about the language, about the people and culture in Nicaragua, about myself. I will be happy happy happy to talk to you about my learnings... about my experiences here but if you ask me "how was your time in Nicaragua" you better be prepared for the response as I continue to sort through my feelings and try to make sense of this suffering world and my (our) responsiblity as those who inhabit it. Also, for those of you who are also following the path of Christianity... I will be most happy to engage in conversation about our call as those who are trying to live the love of Christ.
and now I will not be surprised... and will understand... if none of you ask me about my time in Nicaragua.
love,
me
In fact, at the current moment I am a blubbering mess!
The problem with having a big heart is that it so easily sucks in and holds on to the suffering of this big stupid world. I do not regret for one moment loving as I do. I think that my capacity for love is my greatest asset. My love for others has filled me with tremendous joy....it also causes me a tremendous amount of pain.
As I think about leaving Esteli, Nicaragua and the wonderful people I have met here, my heart aches. I know that there are people here, who I now care about, that are suffering. I know that some of my new friends will not eat tomorrow... that some of the children in my school will go home to incredibly difficult situations. While I´ve been here, I have done what I could... what I thought and felt was the right thing to do. I have bought meals, given money, listened to stories, given hugs. It has felt good to be here and to give... and for what I offered to be received with such relief and gratitude. The sadness that I would inevitably feel at leaving Nicaragua is compounded significantly by the sadness of those around me as they too anticipate my leaving. For a little while I was able to make their lives a little better... to relieve some of the pressure... and now I leave and life for them goes back to normal. As I read this I see how my words appear to be weighing on the side of arrogance and, believe me, I have spent a sufficient amount of time reflecting on my place of privilege and how I can best use that privilege for good. I admit that it has felt really really good to be able to offer to help. Part of that is satisfaction in knowing that I´ve brought a little joy to someone´s life... and part, I´m sure, is tied up in ego. At any rate, I know I have helped and I feel good about that. But now I am having a hard time remembering that feel-good-stuff as the realization that I´ve not done anyone any good in the long term... maybe I´ve even made things a little worse.
My thinking is completely intertwined with my feeling... as is completely normal for me... and I´m having a tough time separating the sadness and guilt from logic. I´m tempted to sell what I have, empty my bank account and give it all away but I know this would only serve to make me feel better in the moment and I would, once again, be faced with the reality that there are too many people in this world who suffer. Some of that suffering is because of the natural ebb and flow of life... people get sick, people die, etc. But MOST of that suffering is not natural... it is the direct result of a world full of greed and selfishness. Many people suffer simply because they have no money. How is this fair in a world there is so much wealth? Money does not solve all the problems... but the lack of money creates problem after problem after problem. When someone doesn´t have what they need to buy food and clothing or pay for a home, they are forced to make decisions that create all kinds of other problems. Without money life becomes about existence.. not about living. And the thing is, from what I can tell, people here aren´t after great wealth. They don´t want to be rich... they just don´t want to be hungry.
So... my excitement about seeing my beloved family is slightly tampered by the deep sadness I feel about leaving the people here (even though I know that staying wouldn´t make any difference).
And now I want to ask a favor of those of you who are reading my blog:
when you see me in Saskatoon... or we talk on the phone... please please please don´t ask me how my vacation was. While I have certainly enjoyed much of my time here... it has not been a vacation. This has been a time of intense learning... about the language, about the people and culture in Nicaragua, about myself. I will be happy happy happy to talk to you about my learnings... about my experiences here but if you ask me "how was your time in Nicaragua" you better be prepared for the response as I continue to sort through my feelings and try to make sense of this suffering world and my (our) responsiblity as those who inhabit it. Also, for those of you who are also following the path of Christianity... I will be most happy to engage in conversation about our call as those who are trying to live the love of Christ.
and now I will not be surprised... and will understand... if none of you ask me about my time in Nicaragua.
love,
me
Monday, 19 March 2012
5 days...
and time is flying by.
I will miss this place!
I will miss the people... my new friends, my family, the teachers at my school.
I will miss the beautiful beautiful scenery. I will miss La Cascada... La Casita... the chair in front of my home.
I will miss the slow, laid back nature of life here.
There are, of course, a few things I won't miss: beans, dust, bony animals, howling dogs at 4am, cockroaches and killer frogs.
However... the awesomeness of Nicaragua and the people here FAR out weigh the other.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to experience yet another majestic Nicaraguan attraction.
The drive...
Lunch...
We arrive at the canyon...
hmmmmm..... I'm sure it's an interesting story...
After walking across the desert... the rocky terrain... crossing a rushing river on a flimsy log (some of that might be slightly exaggerated).... we crossed the water on the least stable, most likely to tip, boat I have ever seen (that is NOT an exaggeration). This is the best photo I could take because if I moved even an inch, we would have toppled over.
But oh-my-goodness it was worth it...
our choices were: climb the rocks to our final destination or swim! I swam...
They didn't....
It took some convincing...
but Alberto took the plunge... (choosing to jump off a 10 foot cliff... must be a guy thing!)
The view from above...
The view from below...
The wildlife...
not the killer bathroom frog... but rather adorable!
and the most adorable of all....
It was a truly a wonderful day! I feel so grateful for this opportunity. I will never ever forget Esteli - my heart has been touched and I feel like a better person for having been here! Sunday will, indeed, be bittersweet!
I will miss this place!
I will miss the people... my new friends, my family, the teachers at my school.
I will miss the beautiful beautiful scenery. I will miss La Cascada... La Casita... the chair in front of my home.
I will miss the slow, laid back nature of life here.
There are, of course, a few things I won't miss: beans, dust, bony animals, howling dogs at 4am, cockroaches and killer frogs.
However... the awesomeness of Nicaragua and the people here FAR out weigh the other.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to experience yet another majestic Nicaraguan attraction.
The drive...
It was a truly a wonderful day! I feel so grateful for this opportunity. I will never ever forget Esteli - my heart has been touched and I feel like a better person for having been here! Sunday will, indeed, be bittersweet!
Monday, 12 March 2012
and more photos still...
Turns out baseball is my new obsession (I always like to have at least one). The games here are super exciting. The crowd is crazy crazy... lots and lots and lots of noise... whistling, music, sound effects. This game was particularly exciting because it was the first time they had used the new outdoor field lights. Notice the fireworks in the background? They fired non stop for most of the first part of the first inning. How distracting was that for the players? I heard there were 2000 people at the game. Esteli won!!
and I was sitting next to this man... at one point I looked at him and noticed that his hat said "Meadow Lake"on the side. I asked if I could see it and, sure enough, it was from a company in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. He bought it second hand here (many many stores here are second hand stores... clothing coming from the US and Canada). I explained that it came from my home province in Canada and asked permission to take his photo.
This woman lives next door to my family. She makes tortillas for the entire neighborhood. I often hear her beginning to pound the dough at 3am. She stands.. on hard floor... over a hot stove... pounding, pounding, pounding all day long. Her tortillas are delicious! I wish you could see her face better. I would estimate she is about 70 years old.
more things I see while sitting in my chair in front of my home...
half of the crowd... I was sitting in the middle behind home plate
This woman lives next door to my family. She makes tortillas for the entire neighborhood. I often hear her beginning to pound the dough at 3am. She stands.. on hard floor... over a hot stove... pounding, pounding, pounding all day long. Her tortillas are delicious! I wish you could see her face better. I would estimate she is about 70 years old.
more things I see while sitting in my chair in front of my home...
Alberto...
As I mentioned in a previous post, I came up with the idea to hire Alberto to make a closet for my family in Nicaragua... since he needed work and they needed a closet and I had a little extra money. With the help of my parents, Jordan's parents and a few other generous friends... the closet is finished. Below are photos of the building process and the completed project. My family LOVE it!
This is one of the young guys who work for Alberto... unfortunately I can't remember his name.
The closet begins...
Alberto's uncle and friend... also work for him
The closet day 2
The closet day 3... finishing touches.
I even got to help...
Ta da....
only two weeks...
Less than two weeks left in Nicaragua. Time has gone by so so so quickly and yet it seems like forever since I've been home. I am both super excited to be back in the familiar... with those I love most in the world... and feel a clenching in my heart as I begin to think about leaving the people I have met here.
During my time in Nicaragua I have learned and relearned many things. These are just a few... in no particular order:
1. Nicaragua is a beautiful beautiful beautiful country. The mountains, rivers, lakes, trees.... all of it, completely stunning.
2. The contrast between the beauty and the ugly is also stunning. Everywhere I look, I see trash... everywhere. Plastic bottles, plastic bags.... everywhere! There are some small efforts at initiating recycling programs but so far they haven't taken hold. Also, garbage pick up seems to be sporadic. People put their garbage, in plastic bags, in front of their homes where they seem to sit just long enough for the many stray dogs to rip apart. Dirty diapers in the middle of the street along with every other disgusting thing you can imagine.
3. I'd be tempted to say that people here don't care about the cleanliness of their city... however... every day I see people sweeping and moping their front steps. The sidewalks and front walkways are spotless... not an easy feat in a place where there is more dust than I have ever seen. I will never get the pores on my face clean. My skin always has a fine layer of dust on it. I've opted to live with super dry skin as opposed to attempt to moisturize. Dust sticks to moisturizer like a fly to....
4. Turns out I'm a magnet for creepy men.
5. Turns out there are alot of creepy men. (of course, there are also many many wonderful men).
6. Along with the contrast between the beauty and ugliness of the scenery, I am also witnessing the compatability of the beauty and ugliness of human nature. This seems to be a culture that tolerates abuse (particularly towards women and animals), infidelity and overt sexism. I have also witnessed here extreme compassion, generosity and selflessness. I know we are all capable of wonderful acts of kindness as well as horrible acts of greed and I agree, as Dumbledore said, that it's our choices that make all the difference, but somehow it just seems more apparent here. Perhaps its just because I am paying more attention. I have less distraction here. My senses are on high alert.
7. Learning a new language is incredibly difficult for me. I have spent countless hours in class and studying. I have been completely immersed in Spanish for almost 2 months and still I understand only a little. I am much better at making myself understood (so long as I only talk about myself in the present tense) but understanding when another speaks is very difficult. This does not sit well with my personality. I am very good at inviting others to talk about themselves but not so good at talking about my life with others. Partly this is because I am naturally curious and care about the lives of those around me.... partly its a self protection mechanism. Here I seem to be spending alot of time talking about me and my life in Canada... fortunately my vocabularly is limited.
8. Day to day life isn't nearly as lovely without my family close by. Weekly phone calls and emails just don't cut it for me. I miss Jordan and Hope so so so so much. I also miss my wider family and my church family. When I think of McClure my heart aches just a little bit. I am so grateful to be part of something so wonderful. Everytime I check my email and see a note from a McClurite... my heart skips a beat with joy.
9. Cockroaches aren't so scary.
10. Traffic here is absolutely insane. Stop signs seem to mean "lay on your horn and speed up". There are no lanes and people pass on the right... on the left... on the sidewalk... whatever. AND if you happen to be a pedestrian LOOK OUT. Vehicles are first, motorcycles second, bicycles third and pedestrians LAST. Look both ways at least 10 times before you step forward. Also... in Nicaragua... laws are actually meant to be broken. No one wears seatbelts. I have seen up to 5 people (an entire family... mom, dad and 3 kids - the youngest of which was a baby) on a bicycle. I have also seen 3 or 4 people on a motorbike meant for 2. I have seen up to 20 people in the back of a truck. I've seen people riding on top of and stuck to the sides of the buses. Last night we took a taxi to the restaurant... there were 9 people in a compact car... this included 3 children under the age of 5. There are dogs, horses, cats, cows, buses, big trucks, cars, motorbikes, bikes and people all sharing a road that is about half the width of the streets in Saskatoon. I am not hearing daily news reports of people or animals dying on the streets. How it works I have no idea... but it does seem to work. One thing is that people here seem to be infinitely more patient than in Canada. No one seems to mind too much when there is a traffic jam. I don't hear people yelling at each other or making rude gestures.
There is more... so much more... but I'll save it for another time. Now I need to figure out what a verb in the "conditional tense" means. Wish me luck!
Blessings!
During my time in Nicaragua I have learned and relearned many things. These are just a few... in no particular order:
1. Nicaragua is a beautiful beautiful beautiful country. The mountains, rivers, lakes, trees.... all of it, completely stunning.
2. The contrast between the beauty and the ugly is also stunning. Everywhere I look, I see trash... everywhere. Plastic bottles, plastic bags.... everywhere! There are some small efforts at initiating recycling programs but so far they haven't taken hold. Also, garbage pick up seems to be sporadic. People put their garbage, in plastic bags, in front of their homes where they seem to sit just long enough for the many stray dogs to rip apart. Dirty diapers in the middle of the street along with every other disgusting thing you can imagine.
3. I'd be tempted to say that people here don't care about the cleanliness of their city... however... every day I see people sweeping and moping their front steps. The sidewalks and front walkways are spotless... not an easy feat in a place where there is more dust than I have ever seen. I will never get the pores on my face clean. My skin always has a fine layer of dust on it. I've opted to live with super dry skin as opposed to attempt to moisturize. Dust sticks to moisturizer like a fly to....
4. Turns out I'm a magnet for creepy men.
5. Turns out there are alot of creepy men. (of course, there are also many many wonderful men).
6. Along with the contrast between the beauty and ugliness of the scenery, I am also witnessing the compatability of the beauty and ugliness of human nature. This seems to be a culture that tolerates abuse (particularly towards women and animals), infidelity and overt sexism. I have also witnessed here extreme compassion, generosity and selflessness. I know we are all capable of wonderful acts of kindness as well as horrible acts of greed and I agree, as Dumbledore said, that it's our choices that make all the difference, but somehow it just seems more apparent here. Perhaps its just because I am paying more attention. I have less distraction here. My senses are on high alert.
7. Learning a new language is incredibly difficult for me. I have spent countless hours in class and studying. I have been completely immersed in Spanish for almost 2 months and still I understand only a little. I am much better at making myself understood (so long as I only talk about myself in the present tense) but understanding when another speaks is very difficult. This does not sit well with my personality. I am very good at inviting others to talk about themselves but not so good at talking about my life with others. Partly this is because I am naturally curious and care about the lives of those around me.... partly its a self protection mechanism. Here I seem to be spending alot of time talking about me and my life in Canada... fortunately my vocabularly is limited.
8. Day to day life isn't nearly as lovely without my family close by. Weekly phone calls and emails just don't cut it for me. I miss Jordan and Hope so so so so much. I also miss my wider family and my church family. When I think of McClure my heart aches just a little bit. I am so grateful to be part of something so wonderful. Everytime I check my email and see a note from a McClurite... my heart skips a beat with joy.
9. Cockroaches aren't so scary.
10. Traffic here is absolutely insane. Stop signs seem to mean "lay on your horn and speed up". There are no lanes and people pass on the right... on the left... on the sidewalk... whatever. AND if you happen to be a pedestrian LOOK OUT. Vehicles are first, motorcycles second, bicycles third and pedestrians LAST. Look both ways at least 10 times before you step forward. Also... in Nicaragua... laws are actually meant to be broken. No one wears seatbelts. I have seen up to 5 people (an entire family... mom, dad and 3 kids - the youngest of which was a baby) on a bicycle. I have also seen 3 or 4 people on a motorbike meant for 2. I have seen up to 20 people in the back of a truck. I've seen people riding on top of and stuck to the sides of the buses. Last night we took a taxi to the restaurant... there were 9 people in a compact car... this included 3 children under the age of 5. There are dogs, horses, cats, cows, buses, big trucks, cars, motorbikes, bikes and people all sharing a road that is about half the width of the streets in Saskatoon. I am not hearing daily news reports of people or animals dying on the streets. How it works I have no idea... but it does seem to work. One thing is that people here seem to be infinitely more patient than in Canada. No one seems to mind too much when there is a traffic jam. I don't hear people yelling at each other or making rude gestures.
There is more... so much more... but I'll save it for another time. Now I need to figure out what a verb in the "conditional tense" means. Wish me luck!
Blessings!
birthday fun...
First.. I can hardly believe I am 43 years old (and neither can my mom).
I had a most awesome birthday! I felt like a princess from the moment I woke up until I went to bed.
The day started in the usual horrible way... with a freezing cold shower. However, quickly I was given a cup of hot coffee and a chair. This is me... in my usual position... in front of my home where I can easily view the comings and goings of the neighborhood.
At 10am (after a grand breakfast of beans, eggs, cheese and tortilla), I was picked up by Alberto and taken to the home of his mom. She had been working all morning to prepare the feast of all feasts in honor of me. A beautiful woman full of love and grace... This is Alberto and his mom.
and this is Alberto´s sister, Veronica. Also beautiful. Please note the huge plate of food in front of me... that is not for the entire family as you might think! All mine... and I ate every single bite.
Alberto´s stepdad and our friend Pedro Joakin. Joakin is without a home and currently sleeps on the concrete floor of Alberto´s carpentry shop. A fine fellow and very protective of me.
And, of course, after lunch we shared a cake together. 3 inches of icing.
After lunch we picked up some other friends... Karla and Esmelda... and headed to my favorite place. La Cascada. Those drinks we are consuming are my new favorite addiction. One that I hope to kick as soon as I return to Canada (I´m really hoping they aren´t available there... it will make stopping so much easier) They are energy drinks... so so so tasty! (mom... stop reading now) In this photo Karla and I are standing in the back of Alberto´s truck. Totally normal here. I´m afraid my new found bravery has crossed over into complete stupidity. We were, however, driving very very slow.
I have no idea what is so funny here but I thought it accurately portrayed the joy I was feeling in the moment.
La Cascada... I really wish I could accurately capture the beauty of this place. Simply stunning!!
My two mejor amigos in Esteli. Karla and Alberto.
Back home... my Nicaraguense parents present me with a gift... it´s a yellow purse... seen in next photo.
and, of course, more cake!
followed by a food fight.
I won!!! Note the cake on Karla´s nose!
And finally, more food! Karla´s mom, friend Esmelda and the beautiful princess. A beautiful evening.
And traditional Nicaraguan food. I forget what it´s called but it was delicioso!!!
And that´s it for another year. I think that every year I should spend my birthday in the sun. I quite enjoyed my first ever hot birthday!
I had a most awesome birthday! I felt like a princess from the moment I woke up until I went to bed.
The day started in the usual horrible way... with a freezing cold shower. However, quickly I was given a cup of hot coffee and a chair. This is me... in my usual position... in front of my home where I can easily view the comings and goings of the neighborhood.
At 10am (after a grand breakfast of beans, eggs, cheese and tortilla), I was picked up by Alberto and taken to the home of his mom. She had been working all morning to prepare the feast of all feasts in honor of me. A beautiful woman full of love and grace... This is Alberto and his mom.
and this is Alberto´s sister, Veronica. Also beautiful. Please note the huge plate of food in front of me... that is not for the entire family as you might think! All mine... and I ate every single bite.
Alberto´s stepdad and our friend Pedro Joakin. Joakin is without a home and currently sleeps on the concrete floor of Alberto´s carpentry shop. A fine fellow and very protective of me.
And, of course, after lunch we shared a cake together. 3 inches of icing.
After lunch we picked up some other friends... Karla and Esmelda... and headed to my favorite place. La Cascada. Those drinks we are consuming are my new favorite addiction. One that I hope to kick as soon as I return to Canada (I´m really hoping they aren´t available there... it will make stopping so much easier) They are energy drinks... so so so tasty! (mom... stop reading now) In this photo Karla and I are standing in the back of Alberto´s truck. Totally normal here. I´m afraid my new found bravery has crossed over into complete stupidity. We were, however, driving very very slow.
Back home... my Nicaraguense parents present me with a gift... it´s a yellow purse... seen in next photo.
And finally, more food! Karla´s mom, friend Esmelda and the beautiful princess. A beautiful evening.
And that´s it for another year. I think that every year I should spend my birthday in the sun. I quite enjoyed my first ever hot birthday!
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