Hello?

SHOUT OUT: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM!!!

And now, on to the rest of the post:

Answering the phone here terrifies me. This is in part because people in Nicaragua answer the phone by saying “Alo,” or “Hello” with a Spanish accent. So, imagine me trying to imitate a Nicaraguan trying to imitate someone from the U.S. Thoughts running thru my head include—Are they going to think I’m mocking them? What else can I say? Should I just say hello in my regular voice? Ahhhh? Then, on top of that, I must take a message for the center if it’s not someone calling for me. So—if someone doesn’t understand my “Quien es?” I and the center are screwed. Thus my hesitation for picking up the phone,

Tonight Gabi and Ana (two people who work at AKF that are 2 of my new BFF’s :)) are going to a club for Ladies Night, or Noche de las Damas. So, they keep calling here like every 5 minutes, Gabi in Spanish and Ana in 80 percent English to be like, “You know Gabi is coming to pick you up right?” “You know Ana is going to meet us there right?” So, it’s basically them saying, “We are going to come pick you up, entendiste (you understand)? Repeatedly. And I’m like yes, but then I’m like, Wait, what if I’m not getting it and I’m supposed to be getting in a cab at this very moment and going to who knows where? So then I say, Uno vez, mas (One more time) and they repeat even slower if humanly possible, ask for my confirmation again, and hang up gingerly. The moral of this story is that I am conquering my fear of answering this phone and it will hopefully pay off with lots of free drinks at Noche de las Damas, entendiste? Adios! 

Happy Birthday/Feliz Cumpleaños Adam and Kelly!

In honor of Adam's birthday on the 31st and Kelly's on the 1st, I am posting the lyrics to Nicaragua's version of Happy Birthday...I would say to imagine me singing it, but maybe you should imagine Enrique Iglesias or Shakira (aka someone with a better voice that doesn't trip over multi-syllable Spanish words) instead. :)

Las Mañanitas Lyrics:

Estas son las mañanitas, que cantaba el Rey David,
Hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti,
Despierta, mi bien, despierta, mira que ya amaneció,
Ya los pajarillos cantan, la luna ya se metió.

Que linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte,
Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte,
Ya viene amaneciendo, ya la luz del día nos dio,
Levántate de mañana, mira que ya amaneció.


Translation:

This is the morning song that King David sang
Because today is your saint's day we're singing it for you
Wake up, my dear, wake up, look it is already dawn
The birds are already singing and the moon has set

How lovely is the morning in which I come to greet you
We all came with joy and pleasure to congratulate you
The morning is coming now, the sun is giving us its light
Get up in the morning, look it is already dawn.

A little more poetic than Happy Birthday, eh?

This, however, is followed by:
Ya queremos torta… ya queremos torta… aunque sea un cubilete (o champurrada) pero queremos comer!
Which basically means: And now we want cake...even though we've had something to drink, we want something to eat! (Perhaps our cultures aren't that different...)

Love you guys! Happy birthday!

Some Things are Better Left Untranslated

I’m sure you can pretty much imagine the Spanish vocabulary that a group of college students wants to learn. (Hint: Dónde esta el baño? took a backseat to learning the names of body parts that are in use during your visit to the baño). To begin with, they learned useful Spanglish phrases such as “Que sexy!” or “Mister Músculos.” “Puchica!” (wow) and “Twane” (cool) were popular with the students simply because they liked the way it sounded rolling off their tongues, so I think their host families were a bit confused as to why they were so excited about everything. "Tengo hambre" (I’m hungry) and "Tengo hombre" (I have a man) were often mixed up, so that was a big hit with girls and guys alike. My personal favorite: the Williams group somehow managed to translate “Ballin” into “Boliche,” which literally means bowling instead of balling, but they still continued to say it in the same ridiculous tone of voice that one must use when shouting Ballin’ or Bowling or whatever it was that ended up being said. In short, I love college students.

Alive 'n Kickin

Hey everyone! I just wanted to put up a post and let you all know my time in Nicaragua so far has been GREAT. I've spent time in the small farming community of Dulce Nombre de Jesus (yes, it means Sweet Name of Jesus, but don't worry Ray I won't be drinking any kool aid or giving a Tom Cruise-like rant anytime soon) and with coffee farmers in Matagalpa. I have also had the pleasure of spending the past couple weeks with a group of students from Williams College who are awesome and quirky in that New England way :) I will write more soon, but I miss you all immensely! Ciao!

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

I leave tomorrow!!!! Crazy :) Adam said my last post was too bitter, so hopefully this one will be a little more upbeat lol.

Before I go, I would like to share a very sweet message I recently received from a dear friend:

"Whatever...go feed them rice and be content! Jesus freak. You better not come back with some revelation that wearing sandles and not putting product in your hair is OK because it isn't. Don't go off and find yourself and come back someone who doesn't drink and doesn't get highlights...that is my only request! Mmmmmm k?!"

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the incomparable Mr. Ray Bracken. I don't know what I would do without people like him in my life to keep me on the straight and narrow. Please feel free to add your own caring messages and advice in the comments section!

Love and miss you all already!

No Thank You, I'm Leaving the Country

Hi Folks,

Sorry I haven't updated more lately! I leave this Saturday, so things have been a little loco. First of all, thanks to everyone who came out Saturday night!! It was a fab-o time, complete with lots of dancing that, upon photographic evidence, looks like a bad 80's wedding? BUT, back to the point of this posting...

I LOVE telling people I can't buy or renew something because, oh, I will be living in a third-world country come next week. My gym pass, my Barnes and Noble member card, even (I'm sad to admit) my tanning membership--I get to say, "No thank you, I will not be renewing BECAUSE I'M LEAVING THE COUNTRY." It's so effective. I should have been saying this for years. They can't guilt you into buying anything because there are no Barnes and Nobles, LA Fitnesses, and DEFINITELY no Palm Beach Tans in Nicaragua. My favorite (aka the worst) is when people ask me where the hell Nicaragua is. Granted, I'm sure there are countries that I would sound like Miss Teen South Carolina trying to identify, but COME ON people, where were your history classes about Reagan and the 80's and trying to obliterate anything the country stood for? (Sorry, I am trying very hard not to turn this blog political). So, back to my point--if some stupid person at Bally's or American Eagle is trying to get you to buy a card so you can buy more of their crap, you can politely say, "Gee, I would love to, but I'm moving to a country where I can live off of $30 for a month instead, but thanks!"