Christmas in Nica Part I

So, being that I´ve been here in Nica almost a week, I figured it was time to update this old thing. The week has flown by, of course, and I love knowing that this trip is so much longer than the last, and I still have 12 days! Here´s a recap, as quick as I can make it, with some pictures (hopefully they work).

* Getting here was relatively uneventful. It was good I got to the Ft. Lauderdale airport so early because I had to wait at the ticket desk for a little over an hour, and there were still about 100 people behind me... it was a HUGE flight coming out, even at 11:30pm! When you walk out of customs and into baggage claim, there is a huge glass window-wall where the people coming to pick people up and stand and look at you. I had a small fear that something had gone wrong and Jorge would be running late or something and not be able to tell me since I didn´t have a phone, but after looking around for two or so minutes, I saw him waving at me. Well, actually I saw his giant brother´s head and then saw Jorge right next to him, waving at me. It was one of those super sweet moments because all we could do was just wave at each other after 100 days of not seeing each other (besides on Skype, of course). My bag was about the third one out, which was awesome, but then I had to pass it through another security point which took a while, so I was just plain exhausted by the time I actually got to leave the airport (at about 2:30am eastern time).

* Day 1: Wednesday, 12.22 - We basically slept all day because of the exhaustion from the night before. Then we went to the Chinandega versus Granada baseball game in the stadium, which was lots of fun. It was pretty similar to a baseball game at home. Chinandega won, so it was a good time! Then we went by Jorge´s house to say hi to his family. I then met another few family members I hadn´t met before... some aunts, his godmother, some cousins, etc.

I also couldn´t wait and I made Jorge open his Christmas gifts. He already knew about the baseball bag and Gator hat, but the surprise was a Yankees t-shirt with Robinson Cano´s name and number (his favorite player and also the number he wears when he plays). He loved it all and he has worn the hat everywhere we´ve gone. He says my present is coming on New Year´s Eve, for whatever reason.

* Day 2: Thursday, 12.23 - I spent a while in the afternoon visiting with Liza over at her mom´s house. We were just catching up, eating lunch and the like. Then we went over to Jorge´s house again for a little bit to visit with family, and then back to the hotel. Jorge´s mom ended up stopping by the hotel and we just visited for a while. Then we went and ate delicious tacos and rode on the ¨bus pelon¨, the ¨bald bus¨, which is like a little touristy open-topped bus that drives around the city. He said only kids go on it, but Jessica and I definitely went on it with Freddy and Liza back in March and I thought it was fun, so I made him. There were definitely not many kids, and it was fun.

* Day 3: Friday, 12.24 - I honestly can´t remember what we did most of this day, but I do remember that we went to church that night - an almost three-hour service. It was a beautiful service and each of the different ministries (men, women, children, youth, etc.) had a ¨special performance - a song, dance or a puppet show (the men had way too much fun with that). We then went over to the house again to visit with family. Most people open their doors and basically the whole street just hangs out and visits. It was really pretty. We also ate some really delicious chicken with vegetables and rice. Yes, I have been eating amazingly delicious food.

* Day 4: Saturday, 12.25 - In the morning we went to visit Jorge´s grandma (his dad´s mom) who he hadn´t seen in about a year. There´s no real reason he hasn´t been to see her, because she lives in town, but he just hasn´t. His brother and his family were already over, and some cousins came over too. It was nice to meet even more of his family. They all knew about me and were anxiously awaiting to meet me, so that was nice. We spent a few hours there just visiting and getting to know each other. I´ve been really surprised with how comfortable I´ve felt with his family, although I am pretty quiet because I´m usually just taking a lot in.

Then I spent a good bit of time in the afternoon at Liza´s mom´s house visiting with Liza, Freddy and Adela, Liza´s mom. Then Jorge and I went to a ¨fancy¨Christmas dinner - the Rostipollo of course! He ate pizza and I had my delicious taco suizo - a grilled chicken breast with melted mozzarella cheese and a tortilla on the bottom, with delicious refried beans. yum! I also helped him out with the pizza a bit... Then again, we went by the house to visit with family. It has been really nice to get to know his family so much better.

* Day 5: Sunday, 12.26 - Yesterday was baseball day. We were at the field from about 9:00 until almost 3:00. Jorge´s team is in the finals now, and they play 7 games, just like baseball in the States. They play two games each Sunday, and going into yesterday they were tied 2-2. They lost the first game 3-2, which was especially rough because Jorge had a chance to tie it and wasn´t able to, but they won the second game 11-1! Jorge hit a ¨double¨and he scored two runs. It was so fun to see him play, especially because he played really well. Everyone was really into the game too, which got me into the game, even though I don´t really care about baseball.

Afterwards we went over to the house and hung out for a while and then went to the park. There are a bunch of fair-type rides set up at the park and a bunch of booths to buy stuff because of all the holidays (not only Christmas and New Year´s but they had a big Catholic holiday on the 7th). We went on a ferris-wheel type ride that is different though because it goes super fast and you almost flip upside down. Jorge was sort of scared, which I thought was really funny and I have pretty much not stopped making fun of him since. We then got some smoothes to go (mine cacao, his banana) and went back to the hotel and just sat outside talking and drinking our smoothies.

* Day 6: Monday, 12.27 - This morning was a special treat - Jorge took me to his house and made me breakfast and coffee. We have been eating at really weird times because my appetite is just so different here, and his has been a little off too, so I haven´t eaten breakfast this entire time. Well, this morning I woke up starving and said I needed food stat, and coffee, which I also hadn´t drank since I got here - can you believe it!?!

While he was cooking, I sat and visited with his mom, sister and sister-in-law. I have really grown to love his family. They are so super sweet and welcoming to me. They love to sit and tell me about how much Jorge talks about me and what he says, and how he was so excited those last few days before I came, etc. I have really treasured the things they´ve told me. It´s cute to see, too, how embarrassed he gets when he walks in the room and knows we´re talking about him.

After hanging out at the house for a while, we went back to the hotel where he read the newspaper and I read my book, and then went back to the house to eat, and then parted ways. He is at the stadium running (in about 90 degree sunshine heat) and I´m here writing all this. I knew I had to come to the internet cafe alone to update this, because he definitely does not have the patience to sit here and wait for me to type this novel! I wanted to have it all down though, so I could remember what I´ve done. I´m mad that I can´t remember what we did on Friday, but I´m sure it´ll come to me later.

Overall the trip has been AMAZING so far. We have had some really good future-type talks, and we have shared some hilarious moments, some sweet moments and definitely some good family moments. I feel so welcomed into his family´s house, and they don´t necessarily treat me like a gringo all the time. I think his sister-in-law and I are really becoming friends, and I could see us being good friends in the future. I have learned so much more about Jorge by meeting more of his family, and I have loved every moment.

P.S. As far as the weather - I was warned it has been ¨so cold¨at nights here... I will say that until today I have not actually felt hot. Today is super sunny though, and I was melting when we were walking. Most days though, have had a cool breeze, and when I sit outside but under the shade of a tree, I have felt great. We walk everywhere and I have been completely fine. I´ve even worn jeans three days so far! I do get a little chilly at night every once in a while, but these Nicas are hilarious because they walk outside and they´re like ¨Man, it´s freezing!¨and it will be about 74 degrees, ha! I sat outside for about 6 hours at the baseball game on Sunday though, and I didn´t feel hot at all! and I was in jeans! I hear it´s been freezing in Florida... yikes!

I will try not to wait another week before updating again. If you feel like spending money to communicate with me, my cell phone number here is 505.8866.0778. You have to have a phone card or use Skype though, and you have to dial ¨011¨first. Or if you are interested in Skyping, let me know! I miss everybody and hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your families. I can´t wait to see what the new year brings!