Friday, June 12, 2009

Days 6 - 9

The last few days are kind of all blurring together, but it feels like I have been here a lot longer than a week. I guess it´s because when I´m by myself, I get to do literally what I want all day, and the days go by slower because I have much more time to do things. I think once the group gets here (tonight) it´s going to pick up the pace. a lot. Today is kind of my lazy day, and I´m going to pack up my stuff and go check in at the Nicaraguan Ritz-Carlton. This is the same place I stayed at two years ago (right), so it will be quite the change from the hotel I´ve been at the last eight nights. I like the hotel I´ve been at because it´s right in the ¨city¨. I can walk almost anywhere, and I know how to get almost anywhere now. However, since I´ll be working with the group, I think it´s best that I go stay where they´re staying. Plus, this afternoon when I go check in, I´m going to teach Karla how to swim... should be interesting, coming from someone who can barely do more than doggie paddle...
On Tuesday, I went to Villa Catalina. Pulling up in a taxi, I saw the beautiful new school building and playground. It is really something. I went first to see Zayda, who was the first friend I made in Nicaragua. She was SO excited to see me, and ran and threw her arms around me. That is a lot for her, since she is usually so stoic and doesn´t show emotion. She just wasn´t expecting me, so I caught her off guard. We caught up and she painted my nails, like she always does, although this time I convinced her to use a not-so-obnoxious color. She even painted pretty little white flowers on my thumbs. ha. Her little girls are so big now too! The ´baby´Jenifer is not a baby anymore, and it was so nice to see how these little girls are growing and doing so well.
After leaving Zayda´s house, I went to go see Emilio and fam. As I was walking up, I saw Manuel (little brother) playing outside the house. When he saw me, he ran in the house to tell his mom I was here. They came out and were so, so excited to see me, since they also had no idea I was coming. Little Manuel is so big now too, and he´s talking up a storm. Before he mostly just shouted ¨me¨at the camera. Then my little guy came in from playing because he saw me, and he is just precious. He has grown a lot since I saw him last, and lost some teeth. He´s finally starting to look more his age. He told me about what he´s learning in school, and showed me some of his work. His mom told me he hasn´t missed a day of school, which is huge for down here. One thing I always forget is how much hotter it is down in the Villa, so I couldn´t stay as long as I wanted to, since I was dying of heat stroke. So I went back into town with plans to see them the next day. I ate lunch at ¨On the Run¨, the gas station, which consisted of a hot dog with fries, and a frappuccino. I felt that I just needed some good, refreshing minutes of air conditioning.
I walked around the market a little, and then went back to the hotel to rest. Later on, I met up with Freddy and Liza and attended a meeting for church with them. Then, we went to get a milkshake in the park (banana for me, as usual), and then Freddy had to go tutor a student, so Liza came back to the hotel with me and hung out for a bit. I gave her the clothes I had set aside for her and for her niece, Saskya. (The night before, I had gone through all the clothes with Karla and Dina and we decided what might fit whom.)
The Best Day
The next morning, I went out shopping to get some school supplies for my three boys. I keep harping on them about how important education is, and so I got them some stuff to help motivate them to want to study and do well. I got a few notebooks, tons of pencils, a pencil sharpener, crayons, two coloring books, and markers, all for about $15. I then went out to the Villa to pick them up for our traditional day of fun. It is sad how much they look forward to this, because it is literally the only time they go into town, and the only times they have ever eaten at Tip Top or at the Eskimo ice cream place. It was the fifth time we did this, and every time I am reminded of how simple pleasures mean the world to them. They were more excited just to play in the park (free) than to eat at Tip Top or to eat ice cream. I got tons of great pictures and just enjoyed watching them play.
After sending them back home in a taxi, I quickly went home and showered, and then Liza came to pick me up for our shopping date at El Bizne, which is the biggest and nicest outdoor market here, where you go if you want furniture, tools, etc. She thought she was just meeting me because I didn´t know where to go, and I wanted to buy clothes. In actuality, we were going so that she could pick out her housewarming gift from me, a dining room table and chairs. Like I said before, she and her husband, Freddy, just moved to a new house, and have basically nothing, besides a bed and dresser, and a tiny stove. I realized that I had a little extra cash on this trip, due to I don´t know what really, besides God, and that I wanted to get them something really nice. I had already told Freddy, and he said Liza would be able to go with me that day. So, after we got out of the triciclo (rickshaw), I said, ¨busco una mesa con las cuatro sillas para una amiga que se acaba de mudar a otra casa¨ (I´m looking for a table with chairs for a friend that just moved to a new house), and she just looked at me and then burst out laughing. She wasn´t sure what to think at first, but then she was so excited and could not stop thanking me. It really was a wonderful moment for me, because I was happy that I could really give someone a gift like this. Obviously, I´m not rich, and in the States I could never give a gift like that, but I just wanted the two of them to know how much they mean to me and how much I appreciate all they have done for me. So, we went to two or three different stores and she picked the one she liked. It was like watching a kid in a candy store; she was basically giddy. We had it delivered (for about $3), and then I hung out at her house for a while. She said now she would have a ¨real¨marriage, with their own house and a dining room table. ha. The table and four chairs, made of real wood, with glass panes on the top, cost about $175. Yes, that is still expensive, and not something I could easily do again any time soon, but if you think about how much that would cost in the States, it´s crazy cheap. And that, my friends, was the best day I´ve had here so far.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Jackie,
I really enjoy reading your blog. It makes me smile when you talk about the neat ways you get to touch people's lives. When you get back, we need to get together so we can look at your pictures. Ryan says hi and has also enjoyed your postings. We love you and we miss you.

-Jhanna & Ryan

PS. Ryan took his LSAT on Monday and feels good about it and he got a job yesterday. So a good week all around.

jpalesh said...

1. How come your blog titles have been lacking? I think you could have come up with something better than "Day 6-9." Just a thought =)!
2. I almost cried when reading this post because I am just so happy that you are having such a wonderful time and for everything that you are able to do down there. I also cannot WAIT to see all your pictures, especially Emilio with all his new things. It's like I almost know these people even though I have never met them (maybe Christmas!!), so please keep writing! Glad you are having such a great time!

hartleyjeffries said...

You are so sweet!!! It sounds like you're having a really amazing time. I want to come with you next time you go!!! And keep writing mujer, I am missing your posts (not that I should speak, having conveniently ignored my own blog for the past month...) Te echo de menos!