#55 Pleasure

Apart from the main business focus of my job, I have had the opportunity to travel and be a part of lots of interesting activities here on Ometepe. It is wonderful, literally every week is different with new and exciting adventures to look forward to. At the end of this week for Semana Santa (Easter break), I am going to a Caribbean island with two friends (Kyle - flying in from Chicago, and my PC friend Jake), some San Jaun del Sur partying, and 4 nights exploring Ometepe climbing volcanoes, riding bulls, sipping Tonyas on the beach, and the inevitable cockfight.

In mid February there was an Ultra-marathon on the island having runners run 25km, 50km, or 100km including the ascent and descent of the two large volcanoes that make up the island. I had no idea freaks like this existed and it was wild to see how fast these animals were able to complete the unthinkable. At the end, I explained to the organizers my interest in their race and, a few days later, they offered me the role of Director of Volunteers next year organizing all the logistics, nutritional needs, and volunteer manpower needed to manage the race. I gladly accepted.

Race Map... You can't see the change in elevation or road conditions, but trust me they both suck

These runners definitely aren't running for any great prize, the winners get these little trophies

My volunteer station for the day definitely could have been worse

Mango season has arrived so I get to eat mangos freshly picked from trees everyday. I have developed a deep addiction to mangoes and don’t leave the house without my dental floss in case I should stumble upon a mango tree, or be given a mango by anyone I may see.

There have been an abnormal number of baby horses in the area recently and I love it. If my camera charger wasn’t stuck in Connecticut, I would have photos to post right here.

My neighbor/friend and I took a drive to the Pacific beach (Playa Popoyo) last weekend to play in the waves and visit an old friend of his who used to live on Ometepe.

Veryyy nice beaches :)

That little speck is my buddy Alvaro

Here he is again but in turban mode

The English owner of the delicious Cornerhouse restaurant down the block took me with him to a Nica house on the beach to watch the butchering of a pig he had been fattening up for the past 8 months. We missed the death blow to the carotid, but got there in time to see the shaving, skinning, and butchering of the meat. 

La chanchita

Yes, that would be her tail

Action shot to the faceeee

Lovely photo with such a pleasant background

Even the skinny little pup gets a bite to eat

Wonderful photo with the women preparing the meat as the men slice it apart

This little girl couldn't stop staring

Job well done

An Australian couple on the other side of the island recently got their hands on some money donated for recreational activities for the kids in the rural area where they live. I accompanied them as they used the money to transport the children to the Ojo de Agua (a natural spring filled pool) and give swimming lessons to the kids – a crucial skill for those living on an island made up of volcanoes… It was such fun seeing how happy the kids were and being able to play with them for the morning hours.

My neighbor and I also took an uncomfortable and bumpy beyond belief ride around the whole southern volcano of the island ending up at a surprisingly developed and beautiful entrance to hike to a waterfull. We did the hike and have some poor quality photos from my ipod to prove it.

My sitemate organized an opportunity fair for the ten best students in senior year for each of the ten high schools on the island. The event was a HUGE success leaving all the kids talking about it for the weeks following. About a dozen university representatives showed up - career fair style – to talk to the students about the opportunities they offer. Several professionals from various fields (psychologist, bank manager, tourist expert, businessman, hotel owner) came to discuss their careers and answer questions. Lastly, a few representatives from organizations offering scholarships attended to explain the application process and the scholarships available to them. She has all the pics from this event and hasn’t posted them, but I will post them once they are uploaded!