The Chapter on Nicaragua comes to a close...
... and goodbye nicaragua, the country i have grown to love dearly...
Arriving back to Managua was suprisingly wonderful. A month away allowed me for some recognition of parts of Managua that I enjoy ... like the people and our barrio and the unpredictability of it all. After arriving back I spent my time trying to catch up lots with the other students on our program, finishing up my paper and binding it into a beautiful end product (yay!), and preparing for my presentation. On Saturday (the 3rd) we all presented for about 20 minutes on our projects - though a long day with 21 presentations in total... it was awesome to recognize the incredible work everyone had done over the month of November. Oh, and my presentation was lots of fun for me because I not only talked about my research on sustainable living in Miraflor, but I added in a large section on how they could take the lessons of sustainability and apply it to their own lives. The presentation even included a quiz on sussy facts... and a prize of organic fair trade coffee straight from Miraflor!
After the presentation day we had a day of Spanish exit exams to test our level... and then a few days of de-briefing the program together. This included an overnight at the beach... and camping under the stars. Our last night in Nicaragua (the 7th) was the holiday Griteria ... in honor of the Virgin Mary. It was an absolutely awesome time. The general idea of it is somewhat like our Halloween ... though, a bit different considering it is for Mary! Anyway, you go door-to-door and then sing one of the several Griteria songs to the Virgin. While singing the house owner hands out goodies. And these goodies aren´t just the boring ones of candy found on Halloween ... they include cookies, towels, pineapples, laundry soap, keychains, squash, juice, sweets, dolls, and tupperware... it´s pure craziness, though a lot of fun.
On Thursday morning I left on a 9 hour journey by bus to San Jose, and then the following morning left on an 11 hour journey to Boquete, Panama by bus. The journey, though long, allowed me time to reflect on Nicaragua. Though I will for months.. years... to come... it was good to sit down and not have anything else to do. When arriving in Boquete I was greeted by Lisa ... and we had an incredibly awesome time chatting away, hiking, camping, standing under the stars. Then on Monday I headed to the Carribean Coast of Costa Rica ... hiking through a National Park... and watching the sun rise over the sea the following morning. I then headed to San Jose for a tour of the city which consisted of an awesome day filled with museums, parks, crowded streets, and reading La Nacion, the national newspaper while picnicing in the Center Cultural Square. San Jose was awesome to adventure in - quite beautiful and full of activity. But, very much like a little America... I can´t even imagine what Panama City looks like... they say it is 10x more like America. And although I enjoyed my day thouroughly ... I must admit that I miss Managua. Sure, it took a lot to get used to the craziness... or at least get used to the fact that Id never get used to it .... but, it is totally different. An experience you cant get anywhere else in the world. I think that says something. I dont want every place to feel like America. Comfort is nice for a day ... but uniqueness and charactar are what is needed. That night I headed to an awesome Costa-Rican celtic band concert at the national auditorium - and it was incredible. It was 2 hours of thump-your feet incredible sounds. On Friday I headed to Braulo Carillo National Park and hiked through the rainforest with bird sounds and incredible green all around. On Saturday it was off to the US ... and after many, many delays and ridiculous hours of traveling (though, which included a free hotel room on the 19th floor of the Miami Marriot with a HUGE bed... tv...porch... room service... incredible comfort...incredible culture shock)... I finally arrived home.
One chapter closed... and another begins. Nicaragua was an experience that I will never, ever forget. It further opened my eyes. I made friends there...connections that will always exist ... and I will always be connected to the country. I miss Nicaragua terribly...My ears perk up every second I hear the name of the country...I feel very close. It is a country and people unlike any other... and one I hope so many others can experience because of the wonderful people and lessons learned. Nicaragua reinforced my passion for struggling against injustice, for people and for the environment. It also taught me life lessons - about me, who I am, who I want to be.
Thank you Nicaragua. You will always be in my heart. You changed my life. One day I hope to help change yours.
until India,
in peace,
with love,
meg
Arriving back to Managua was suprisingly wonderful. A month away allowed me for some recognition of parts of Managua that I enjoy ... like the people and our barrio and the unpredictability of it all. After arriving back I spent my time trying to catch up lots with the other students on our program, finishing up my paper and binding it into a beautiful end product (yay!), and preparing for my presentation. On Saturday (the 3rd) we all presented for about 20 minutes on our projects - though a long day with 21 presentations in total... it was awesome to recognize the incredible work everyone had done over the month of November. Oh, and my presentation was lots of fun for me because I not only talked about my research on sustainable living in Miraflor, but I added in a large section on how they could take the lessons of sustainability and apply it to their own lives. The presentation even included a quiz on sussy facts... and a prize of organic fair trade coffee straight from Miraflor!
After the presentation day we had a day of Spanish exit exams to test our level... and then a few days of de-briefing the program together. This included an overnight at the beach... and camping under the stars. Our last night in Nicaragua (the 7th) was the holiday Griteria ... in honor of the Virgin Mary. It was an absolutely awesome time. The general idea of it is somewhat like our Halloween ... though, a bit different considering it is for Mary! Anyway, you go door-to-door and then sing one of the several Griteria songs to the Virgin. While singing the house owner hands out goodies. And these goodies aren´t just the boring ones of candy found on Halloween ... they include cookies, towels, pineapples, laundry soap, keychains, squash, juice, sweets, dolls, and tupperware... it´s pure craziness, though a lot of fun.
On Thursday morning I left on a 9 hour journey by bus to San Jose, and then the following morning left on an 11 hour journey to Boquete, Panama by bus. The journey, though long, allowed me time to reflect on Nicaragua. Though I will for months.. years... to come... it was good to sit down and not have anything else to do. When arriving in Boquete I was greeted by Lisa ... and we had an incredibly awesome time chatting away, hiking, camping, standing under the stars. Then on Monday I headed to the Carribean Coast of Costa Rica ... hiking through a National Park... and watching the sun rise over the sea the following morning. I then headed to San Jose for a tour of the city which consisted of an awesome day filled with museums, parks, crowded streets, and reading La Nacion, the national newspaper while picnicing in the Center Cultural Square. San Jose was awesome to adventure in - quite beautiful and full of activity. But, very much like a little America... I can´t even imagine what Panama City looks like... they say it is 10x more like America. And although I enjoyed my day thouroughly ... I must admit that I miss Managua. Sure, it took a lot to get used to the craziness... or at least get used to the fact that Id never get used to it .... but, it is totally different. An experience you cant get anywhere else in the world. I think that says something. I dont want every place to feel like America. Comfort is nice for a day ... but uniqueness and charactar are what is needed. That night I headed to an awesome Costa-Rican celtic band concert at the national auditorium - and it was incredible. It was 2 hours of thump-your feet incredible sounds. On Friday I headed to Braulo Carillo National Park and hiked through the rainforest with bird sounds and incredible green all around. On Saturday it was off to the US ... and after many, many delays and ridiculous hours of traveling (though, which included a free hotel room on the 19th floor of the Miami Marriot with a HUGE bed... tv...porch... room service... incredible comfort...incredible culture shock)... I finally arrived home.
One chapter closed... and another begins. Nicaragua was an experience that I will never, ever forget. It further opened my eyes. I made friends there...connections that will always exist ... and I will always be connected to the country. I miss Nicaragua terribly...My ears perk up every second I hear the name of the country...I feel very close. It is a country and people unlike any other... and one I hope so many others can experience because of the wonderful people and lessons learned. Nicaragua reinforced my passion for struggling against injustice, for people and for the environment. It also taught me life lessons - about me, who I am, who I want to be.
Thank you Nicaragua. You will always be in my heart. You changed my life. One day I hope to help change yours.
until India,
in peace,
with love,
meg