Did you think I wasn’t here anymore? I think my perspective had gotten a little stale, and didn’t really have much of anything positive to say. Though even in the most trying, frustrating times, I still think this life here is absolutely hilarious.
Now that I’m back from my quick trip to the States for a wedding, I only have 5 months left! I’ll do my best not to let them slip away, and really try and soak it up, but that doesn’t take away from my excitement to go home!
I really have almost no memory of before my trip to the States, but the weekend before, I went to my all-time favorite, Laguna de Apoyo. I got some great open water swimming in, and the water was nice and calm. The owner had “my” room ready for me. I hung out the first night with the owner and some Israeli girls staying there. It’s always fun to get to know other cultures and share things in common. The next night, Carla joined me. We skyped home, and caught up with some quality time. As the sun went down, Michael Jackson, (no seriously, that’s actually his name, not ‘Miguel’ Jackson, Michael Jackson.) the lookout guy, was walking around the entire place flipping on and off the light switches like a crazy person. Like maybe if he flipped each one just 100 MORE times, the lights would come on. The owner was out surfing in another town, and it was just Carla, MJ, and I in the hotel. He lit tea lights around the place, and I had my trusty headlamp. Carla and I made dinner in the dark (thanks to Carla’s sister for the delish soup mix). That soup paired with the eggplant I brought was sooo good. We took turns shining my light on our bowl, so we could see what we were eating, and to make sure we weren’t eating any bugs (not that that’s stopped me before) as we sat there, sweating bullets, and giggling when Michael Jackson would come in the room and accidentally scare us. Later that night (ok it was probably only like 8), the owner came back and called the electrician/neighbor. He fixed the switchboard and almost all of the lights worked. This was also the same night as "the end of the world", which totally made it feel like we were the only ones to survive. As an apology, he let Carla and I stay in the upstairs room (since it wasn’t booked that night) in front of the water.
It’s a 2story room with direct beach access, a porch over the water, lots of space, plasma tv, etc. Ahh it was soooo amazing!! If I got that every time the power went out in my town, hah, I’d be living large. The next morning I had another amazing swim while Carla left early for a meeting that was just too important to stay at the laguna and bask in it’s glory. After I got back and washed up, I was ready to hitchhike out of the laguna (it’s just one way out, so you know no matter what car passes, they’re going up). Finally a crapbucket pickup came by with about 6 people already in the back. They picked me up, along with these boys that were waiting for a ride as well. I believe there were a dozen of us in the back, no including the 2 dogs! About ¼ of the way up, the truck stalled, and never recovered. We all jumped out, laughed it off, and “thanked” the driver for the ride. Some more cars passed, but ignored my thumb. I had a way better chance of being picked up since I was alone (not in a creepy way, well….) and there’s always more space for one! Finally an SUV passed me, then stopped. There was another white person in the ca along with Nicas. Turns out he was a med student doing a 3 month rotation in Managua and the others in the car were other hospital workers. They brought me to one of the 2 exits to the freeway. Although it was the more inconvenient one, I was still thankful for the free ride. Finally I made my way to the right spot, and got a bus to Managua to connect to another bus to take me home.
My last couple days at school before going to the States were kind of crazy, as usual. I learned that 2 of my 6th grade girls have 22 year old boyfriends. I can’t describe the disbelief and rage and those boys for taking advantage of young girls like that. And the girls are so blind to this, they are just so giddy and excited that an older guy would like them. This is part of why I have a problem teaching English. How about we focus on NOT getting pregnant first? Just saying. I’m still milling over how to deal with this, though it’s not exactly my problem, but I just feel really protective of these girls, and I remember what it’s like to be that dumb and think a guy telling you you’re pretty is just the best.thing.ever. More innocent happenings the last couple days before I left….
Kids were running around, screaming for their lives on the playground as usual. It seemed a little more intense this time, and I wondered what was going on. There was a boy with a huge dead toad tied to a string, and he was running around whipping it around at kids like it was a lasso. Now THAT’s funny. Well played kid. Also, the girl who won the raffle (who turns out to be the daughter of the maid at the family’s house I used to live in) told me the kitty hadn’t come out from under the bed for 2 days to play or eat. I asked what she gave it to eat, and she said a cockroach. I laughed, because I told her that cats eat bugs and mice in the house, but only if they hunt them first, that’s the whole point! I thought it was so precious she killed a cockroach just for the kitty to eat. I suggested some other food options for her, but I might just buy her some cat food to supplement. I talked to her mom today though, and the kitty is just fine.
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