#11 Storytime

I’ve been living in Nicaragua for about a week and I already have enough stories to write a book. Before I go off telling you just a few little stories, I have to get sentimental for a quick second (not like me, I am aware). Not having a cell phone coupled with constant access to the internet and Facebook is a huge 180. Not being connected 24/7 has sincerely allowed me to be fully engrossed in the present. I don’t think about who’s going to call or text me (also because I have only 3 friends who also lack cell phones…) and vise versa who I want to call or text. I am not concerned with what’s going on with Facebook or have the need to go through my favorites tab to get my constant internet fix. In a word, it is liberating...

In other news, I can’t wait to have my phone and have access to some wireless internet.

Where do I start with these stories? I could literally write a story about every single thing I do. From waking up 8 times in the night with these intense dreams that the Malaria medicine induces and the zoo animals surrounding my bedroom to the old man down the street with one crooked bottom tooth who loves when I stop to chat. Some memorable moments:

My first night here, my dad took the boys and me to the neighboring town, Catarina (I’m sure if you google it, you’ll see the same view that I was able to). At the top of the town, there is a beautiful lookout with volcanoes and endless lakes. Very romantic for our first date.

Awkward dates. Have you ever had one of those dates where the other person and you just can’t find something to talk about and there is all that awkward silence? Not understanding most of what is said at the dinner table is pretty much exactly that. While it’s not bad now that my Spanish is improving, the first few times were just like that awkward date you've had.

After our first day of classes, we learned basic welcoming dialogues, so the four of us went to each of our family’s home and introduced each other to our parents. One of my site mates became disoriented in our town of 3 streets, walked into the wrong home, and got lost on the way to his house for a solid 30 minutes as we trailed behind passing the same people on the streets at least 3 or 4 times.

I hate spiders. Loathe them. Just prior to getting in bed on my first night I had to kill a spider laying next to my pillow. Luckily for me (and spiders everywhere), that was only one of the few spiders I have even seen here. However, roaches, beatles, geckos and the like have been making appearances in my bedroom. Now whenever I enter at night, I just hold my breath in anticipation. Whatever.

It’s slowly becoming rainy season and I was blessed with my first thunderstorm that same night. 9pm to around 11am, rain slammed my tin roof, thunder bellowed, animals bitched, and my dreams went wild. I slept like.. well I didn't.

Anytime I am walking around the town, people stare. I toss an ‘Hola’ their way and they remember they’re staring and respond with a big grin and an ‘Hola.’ Our convos are slowly getting better as I’m picking up phrases and am able to explain that I need them to slow down, I only know a little Spanish, and am learning. They find interest in where I’m from and what I’m doing in their little tucked away town.

Classes are going well. It is very hands on and time consuming. I’m treating this job like I should have treated 4 years of college. When I’m not in class, I am doing my homework, studying my notes, reading about Nicaragua, speaking with my family, going on walks with my brothers, etc… Full emersion at its finest.

My brothers and I raced to the basketball/futbol court and within minutes of being there, I was surrounded by about seven 5 to 9 year-olds. They joked on me telling me each other’s names were words like ‘butthead’ and the like as I said “hello butthead, it’s nice to meet you.” Emanuel (my brother) helped me out and stopped the madness, I was able to get a kick out of that though. I showed off my hidden talents like blowing bubbles and wiggling my ears to the kids which were immediate hits.

Today we went into the high school and spoke in our absurdly awful Spanish to students in an effort to get them to come to our first meeting to start a group of little business men and women. The Peace Corps throws you under the bus and has you doing things you are far unprepared to be doing a week into your new language ASAP. Regarding the meeting, only 4 people came. We didn't pitch it right. It may have been our accents, but the students may actually be sincerely interested and hit the ground running. I'll find out at our next meeting next week.

Okay enough. My Spanish is improving everyday. I feel more and more comfortable with short sentences and phrases. Sometimes I’ll be talking and I’ll just hit a stride and once I’m done I have to take a step back and reflect on what I just did. I speak often in synonyms, as I'm unfamiliar with most of the vocabulary, so I have to say “opposite of” or take a backdoor approach explaining words in a sort of Scattegories approach. (Ross you'd be proud)

Some times I take a look around and think, What the hell am I doing here? Where the hell am I? 2 YEARS here? 2 YEARS?!!? I quickly move on because those thoughts are far too overwhelming. It’ll fly by. I’m going to love it. Fingers crossed.