Things That Make Nicaragua Interesting!

Twenty things (just a few of the many) that really make Nicaragua an entertaining place to live and experience:

1. The water does not always work, so sometimes I have to take a shower with a bucket and a bowl: "dip-and -pour" method.
2. Nicaraguans are SUPER touchy people. A woman that I barely know told me that I looked like I was loosing weight and started touching my stomach and love handles and squeezing me to see where my fat went. (Not what American women are used to).
3. They make fresh juices here with a blender and then pour it through a colander to rid the pulp and add TONS of sugar (again, drinking it from a plastic bag).
4. They speak very openly about politics.
5. They do not speak openly about drinking or dancing (both of which are major sins and are not viewed as things that are done in moderation).
6. They listen to their music at an insanely loud level! ..."What?" I SAID, "THEY LISTEN TO THEIR MUSIC AT AN INSANELY LOUD LEVEL!!!"
   
7. At main intersections you can buy just about anything that you would need from people that hold bags on their heads (of whatever it is): nuts, juice, water, phone chargers, sun-glasses, belts for pants, belts for buses and cars, oil filters, flowers, mango, etc.
8. You can also have your windows washed while seeing clowns perform at the street corners.
9. People here do not cross the streets at main intersections, it apparently seems safer to cross in inbetween stoplights.
10. Motorcycles drive in and out of lanes with no regards to traffic laws.
11. Police have random check points where they may ticket you, but you can "pay them on the spot" and go away without having to give up your license or get a ticket.... hmm.
12. They still use Spanglish here on occasion due to the North American influence.
13. The electrical work here is typically not grounded (Dad, there´s a job for you!)
14. People do not blow their nose, they do snot rockets (Laura, you would be a pro at this!)
15. Some taxi´s have really interesting horns that make a whistle sound (like a guy would do when he sees a beautiful woman) and some even have neon lights in and under the car.
16. When I hail a taxi, they always try to charge me more because I am a "chela", white girl. To go to work it normally costs 35 cordoba($1.75 for a 20-min ride), but the drivers always try and charge me 50 cordoba ($2.50).
    
17. Most people sit out on the porches in the evenings because that is where you can get the best breeze.
18. People drink out of plastic bags by sucking on the edge through a small hole they make by biting with their teeth.
19. Women use umbrellas to shade form the sun.
20. When it rains, not many people use umbrellas to walk in the rain, they just wait until it stops raining to go where they were headed.
21. And last, but certainly not least, when you use the bathroom, the used toilet paper goes in the trashcan and not in the toilet.

Here is a little of what I have been up to this last week:

I went to a concert of the Junior Filharmonic Society where my friend Greta was playing her oboe. She was the only white person in the whole group (besides the conductor, who was from Germany).

(Greta and I after the concert.)

There was a flute choir that all the flutes where like recorders that we played in elementary school. They had all different sizes, even a bass flute. Here is a quick clip of how they sounded.

I was house sitting for the last three weeks and there were children that would come over and read. This particular night was an incrediby strong thunderstorm, so they were playing in the rain. I have many fond memories of doing the same thing while I was a child... oh, yeah, and a few years ago when I was living on Bridge Street at the BSHOP. :)


I also went with the pastor from Acción Médica Cristiana to the city of Léon to visit the group Hosana at the Nicaraguan Autonomic University-Léon. Hosana is the roots of where AMC started. The group really reminded me of IVCF from my days at Northern Michigan University.

(What a dorm looks like at the University in Léon- My friend Noél took this photo for me, as it was a guys dorm and I was not allowed in as a female. They are very strict about that in Nicaragua, which is a good thing.)

(Hosana- The Roots of AMC)

I visited the Cathedral there and two museums. Nicaraguans have quite a bit of folkloric history. There is also a saying here that "Every Nicaraguan is a poet unless proven otherwise." This is significant, because Nicaraguan´s pride themselves on poets such a Rubin Dario and they consider themselves infamous for their poetry.

(The Cathedral)

(Workers refirbishing one of the paintings in this 100+ year old Cathedral)

(Three political figures who significantly influenced the lives of Nicaraguans.)

Prayer Requests & Praises:

• I am still in need of a supporting church. Please pray for me as I research the options.
• For someone that I can go on runs with, as it is not safe for me to run by myself!
  
• My living situation, which is great with my family. But, I am thinking that I need a bit more space of my own. So, maybe for a place to live with one or two roommates.
• Praise God for how he continues to help me adjust to this culture.
• Praise God for the time I had house sitting for three weeks!
• Praise God that I still love to use public transportation.
• Praise God for all the people that love me, pray for me and support me in SO many ways. I think of you often!

Bencidiones en el nombre de Jesucristo. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Beth Ann