Lo Nuevo

I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling homesick for the first time since I’ve been in Nicaragua. I had been having a vivid dream about going to a grocery store in Colorado and buying strawberries, and then sitting in my backyard at home and playing with my cat. I woke up from the dream and lay in bed thinking that I won’t be able to eat strawberries for 27 months. When I get back, in all likelihood, Herman (my cat) won’t remember me. I LOVE summer in Colorado and the way the shadows play on the ground when there is a breeze and the cool breeze itself, and the long days. I stayed in bed for a while and analyzed my dream and thought about what I was doing in another country. It was 5am and the roosters were crowing, the first round of people were in the street selling their milk, or bread, or cheese which entails them wandering around yelling their advertisements: “¡el paaaaaan!” or “¡queso, queso, queeeeeeeso!” I heard the birds chirping and the first busses coming by and honking their horns in maddening rhythms at the bus stop directly outside of my bedroom window. I heard wooden carts and wheelbarrows clanking clumsily along on the cobblestone street. I saw the red and then purple and then light blue dawn out my open window, from under my mosquito net. I began to remember where I was and all of the steps I’ve taken to get here and all of the work that I’ve put in, and that my whole life has been a preparation for this moment. I have an opportunity that many people don’t have, and may never get in their lifetimes to make a difference and to learn. I set aside my nostalgia, knowing that it will pass, and enjoyed the dawning morning. I made a cup of mint tea with honey, an ode to my life in Colorado, and began my lesson plans for the classes that I’ll be teaching the rest of the week.

Wednesday afternoon we got the list of possible sites and although I wanted to shut myself in my room and read the folder cover to cover, I had to plan a lesson. I finally got a chance to read the packet on Thursday afternoon and already had an idea in my head of what I wanted. I ultimately want PC to decide where I’m most needed. That being said, I’m leaning towards going north to the mountains. Because, I’m from Colorado, right? Kind of, but also because I want to work with agricultural projects and women’s groups. The site’s that are possible,( because I know you’ll want to know, mom) are San Marcos, Somoto, Corinto, Cinco Pinos, Tonala, Esteli, Granada, San Rafael del Norte, Yali, Leon, El Jicaral, Nagarote, Masaya, La Concepcion, Veracruz, Ocotal, El Jicaro, Bluefields, Pearl Lagoon, San Carlos, San Miguelito, El Almendro, and El Rama. The sizes range from 150,000 people to 2,500 people. Most have electrity most of the time and not all of them have running water. The farthest away is about 9-10 hours of traveling involving both buses and boats. The sites I’m looking at are 4-6 hours away from Managua and between 5,000 and 50,000 people. I’m staying open to possibilities and letting the perfect site find me. We have the site fair on Saturday morning where we will get a chance to meet with volunteers who are in the sites and hear about the projects and living situations of the different areas. We’re all super emocionados!