well... that is, we have light most of the time...
so begins my journey into all things Nica. We lose power every weekday from about 2-7pm, which, considering we´re in language school from 8-12, makes accessing the internet a bit of a challenge. despite that,i've found that there are lots of similarities to Nicaragua and the United States:
Starbucks:
coffee here is served black with lots of sugar. the preferable method of drinking said coffee consists of a baby on your lap with chickens at your feet. in between swatting flies away from the baby (who just doesn´t seem to care about anything) and sipping your coffee in a plastic tumbler, you learn that your host´s roof fell in two weeks ago so his family of five is currentally living in a lean-to.
Public Transportation:
in order to get around the hustle and bustle that is managua, most people rely on buses (pronounced boo-ses). sent from the states about 15 years ago (not kidding, i saw one from chattanooga two days ago), these diesel-spewing mammoths can hold about 75 people at a time and are decorated to the driver´s taste, usually with colorful tape and pictures of saints (and the occasional truck-flap girl). every now and then, the driver will take note of the gringos´ blank expressions and change the music on the speakers from salsa and regaeton to your favorite 80´s hits.
Internet Cafes:
in order to access the web when we do have power, you simply walk about two blocks into one of your neighbor's houses. there in the front room, you can use one of five computers for just over a dollar US an hour. while you check your mail, their dog willie licks your feet. if you´re thirsty, you can buy a beer or a coca (coke). additionally, if it´s the weekend, you can even buy some chicken or a nacatamale. they think of everything.
Shopping:
while there are several american-like malls here in the capital, the real heart of nicaraguan commerce is in the mercado. there you can barter for freshly made tortillas or a light switch. vendor invites you into his stall, which looks suspiciously similar to his neighbors'. street kids ask for money (in english) but are happy if you give them food. the grandaddy of all mercados is the oriental, whose stalls spill out into the street in all directions. we haven´t visited yet because our language school says it´s too dangerous for gringos like us. guess i´ll just have to use my favorite disguise-- brown hair dye (that´s right, mom, be afraid).
Food:
remember in pre-school when you dressed up like a pilgrim for thanksgiving and your teacher told you all the ways the native americans used corn? evidentally, your teacher never met a nica. from drinks (yes drinks) to breads to soups to dessert, corn-based products are everywhere. some are really good; some are lamentable... you have to taste to find out. oh, and they also eat it on the cob all day long.
however, if you want something a little more like home, look no further than tip-top. like kfc, tip-top specializes in many varieties of fried chicken (although, as one manna member pointed out, tip-top has taken the ¨fast¨out of ¨fast food¨). i get the kiddie meal, which comes with a surprise. i could also get a beer with the kiddie meal if i wanted... gotta love latin america.
so goes my first week here in nicaragua. thanks so much to everyone who´s sent me love and blessings. it´s still surreal that i´m living in another country, although i´ll never fully leave my life in the states... case in point, i now have to write an essay for med school apps. bleck.
besos y abrazos
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