Nicaragua

Nicaragua.

Upside down and backwards from what I knew in the States.
Or just different.
Depends on your point of view.
You adjust you thinking when in a place that's not your own.
And I'm sure I'll experience reverse culture shock when re-entering the States in 2 months.

I thought I'd be fun to share some things that are now a part of my world here. And share random photos of places and food. 

Learning your way around town... most streets don't have names. Homes don't have numbers or addresses. Addresses are stories with reference points. I stand in awe each time I'm with someone following directions to a new location. It's incredible we find places.

(our neighbor's dog Max)

Mail is tricky. Not the system we have in the U.S. So no online shopping and 2 day shipping. Amazon doesn't deliver here. It takes 2-3 months to correspond with the States; that is if the item makes it to the destination. If you want something you can't buy here, you get someone to bring it in a suitcase on their next visit here, or wait for your next visit out.

(the beaches here are gorgeous)

The power goes out for hours at unpredictable times. This can make the workday interesting. And HOT!
Not much air conditioning in general. Fans are your best friend.
WiFi in the home is not the norm.

The emergency system is not on our side.
There's a shortage of ambulances and fire fighters.
If you have an emergency, it's best to find your own ride to the hospital.
Driving is crazy here. Hence you see many accidents. Bad accidents. Again, get your own ride to the hospital.

Health care... there's a lot I won't say here.
If you're in the hospital and your attending physician has a scheduled vacation while you're a patient, they may leave during your treatment. Without coverage. So you just wait.
The clinic has a quota on Fridays. Once the quota is reached they close for the day. So how do you know when it's open? We didn't... it wasn't.

(example of a moto taxi; you can go a about 2 miles for $1)

Driving is crazy. Oh did I already say that? People ride standing in the back of pick ups. Buses are filled to overflowing. School buses are used as public buses and people hop on and off through the back emergency door while it is still moving. Families of 4 are often seen on motorcycles - 2 adults with a child in each lap. I saw 2 men on a motorcycle once with a full grown pig in the second guy's lap... I've also seen a man riding a bike while carrying a ladder on his shoulder. You share the road with 3-wheel moto taxis, carts pulled by horses, 18-wheel trucks, pedestrians, stray dogs... ride roads have grazing cattle on the road and chickens.

(The streets of Leon, Nicaragua during a day trip)

(Cathedral in Leon with host family and friend Alex)

Water pressure is inconsistent. Like you turn on the faucet and no water comes out. And you don't know when it will return. Sometimes not for the majority of the day. I experienced this for a good month and got accustomed to bucket showers.
No hot water (sometimes due to the sun on the tank, but not because it's heated).
Hand washing dishes.
Some people have washing machines. Many do it by hand. Line dry.

(photo shoot on the beach)

Low general education level. According to a documentary I watched, only 36% of the population age 20-24 years has finished high school. The majority of the population studies an average of 6 years. Of 100 1st grade students, 40 don't make it to 6th grade. So there's a different level of common knowledge of health, nutrition, economics, etc. Which leads to interesting conversations.

(fried plantain, rice, beans, tortilla, beef with carrot and potato chunks)

History spreads by word of mouth. Lots of legends are shared throughout the rural areas.

Lots of people without jobs. Looking for jobs. Those who have degrees can't find jobs in their fields.  Lack of tourism and volunteerism are having an adverse effect.

Many people are in tough situations with no way out in sight. It just is.

Baseball is the biggest sport, believe it or not.

There's a sense of eating for survival, rather than for enjoyment or emotion. Yes there's still special occasions and celebrations and sweets. But there's also just stretching what you have to feed mouths. Hence 
rice and beans as part of every lunch and dinner. Many people also eat it for breakfast. (It helps that we have tons of fresh fruits - mango, bananas, papaya, watermelon... yum!)

And, it's beautiful. This is a beautiful country with a beautiful people. A strong people. People who work hard and keep a light spirit. People who persevere. People who love deeply.

That's all for now.