You Know You Missed Me

Hola mi gente,

APOLOGIES for the rather long sabbatical…I was having too much fun in the U.S., what with being able to see again and all =) I promise to be a more faithful writer again, now that my friend and family pool has once again been drastically reduced lol. But, before you start feeling sorry for me, let me share with you some of the funny little things I am once again enjoying about life here in Nicaragua, Nicaraguita…(it’s a song)

1. I saw a guy walking down the street sporting a white shirt with the word “Bride” sprawled across it in fancy-schmancy gold cursive lettering. This amused me because I’m sure he probably thought it said something cool, like “Pimp” or “Playa.” Adam reminded me, however, that maybe he was a bride, and that I should not be so judgmental.

2. I take two school buses to work. Though I am still mastering the art of getting on and off while the bus is moving (it practically tore my arm off the other day, but pride would not allow me to show this), the grand total for my round trip voyage each day is 25 cents, slightly cheaper than the Metro.

3. I love the family I am living with. It is a 78-year-old grandmother, Dona Chepita, with her two single daughters and a niece from another daughter that lives there on the weekends. We sat in rocking chairs the other night and the grandmother starts recounting how they had a male U.S. volunteer who lived with them, and who ended up falling in love with her oldest daughter, proposing to her, and whisking her away to the U.S. Sitting there with the other two daughters, I started to feel slightly like I was in a Nicaraguan version of Pride & Prejudice. I am still waiting for Darcy to walk through the door.

3a. Also, the family that I live with is Evangelical Mennonite. I have never heard of such a preposterous combination, but it seems to work. I went to church with them this morning, only knowing that they were Mennonite, and they began singing new age Christian songs, so I thought, okay, maybe they just like the more contemporary stuff. Then the children started singing about telling the Devil to go away because they had Jesus in their heart. This is when I began to suspect that perhaps there was some kind of Evangelical influence. Finally, the pastor got up and started yelling at the congregation and then I knew. A glimpse at one of their hymnals confirmed it: La Iglesia Evangelica Mennonita. This is not to say it was a completely bad thing; the pastor had a good message about how we need to show more conviction in our daily lives and not just pray at night when we are tired and cranky. It is only to say that I was expecting white people in bonnets and traditional dress who had “converted” the people and instead it was an all Nicaraguan crowd breaking it down with praise and Amens, Aleluyias, etc. I am convinced that God has a sense of humor.

OK, I won’t completely bombard you. But, I promise to share in the following posts some of my oh-so only-in-Nicaragua stories about Teustepe and about my new plan for a budget that I hope will make me feel more connected here (I want to hear what you think about it). Anyway, I love you for continuing to follow my blog, even though I suck =), and I will write more soon!