The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

It is interesting to see, once we have been here for awhile, that there are some things you come to accept....and others that start to erode your soul as you observe them but are helpless to change them.

We went to Masaya market today on our day off (we take Monday's off as a family day). Riding the bus is always an experience, today the driver was crazy and although we were laughing at his antics, at one point I thought we may have to use common sense and get off as I wondered if he was high. I think he was just very happy and a little crazy.

The market is a vibrant place perfect for people watching. I guess in Nicaragua terms it's the mall, but for us, it's a dive. This despite the fact it is toted as the best shopping spot in all Nicaragua. Our first stop is always a little dump that serves amazing fried chicken. The same one eyed street dog is always there begging. Gary saves all our uneaten rice (which we can't be sure is safe...in fact you can be sure it's not) and chicken and gives it to one of the multitude of hungry small children that wander the through the stalls.

The dirty smelly market is chock full of Nicaraguan handicrafts which with a small amount of negotiating, you can get for an extremely reasonable price. Today we were looking for a Tiger Eye necklace for Nikki, she's gotten quite of love of semi precious stones and jewelry thanks to our friend Debbie who owns the Boutique in the States. I was also looking for a couple interesting pieces, still trying to rebuild my stolen jewelry collection. For the equivalent of $4 I bought a lovely fuchsia pink (!!?) chain made from Conch Shell.

After a couple of hours in the sweltering heat of the market, half of which was in the dark as they had lost power, we called it quits and headed back satisfied with our days finds, to the dusty lot where the buses wait. We were lucky, as with full sun and heat waiting in a bus is horrid, and found one pulling out of the lot for Granada.

The road out of this main shopping area is lined by tin shacks...which are the homes of the local artisans and shop keepers. The floors are mother earth and due to the drought she is bone dry and dusty. We saw a child, no older than 2, rolling around naked with his scantily dressed sibling in the front dust of their property under the watchful eye of their mom. Your heart lurches a little at first at the poverty but I tell you this, they looked happy! They know no else and Nicaraguan's really do love their children, they are usually cherished. I begin to realise that I don't necessarily need to pity them for their situation in life. I think sometimes, as they know nothing else, they are happier than some of the richest people I know back home. They have no real hope of improving their lot in life.....but they are content to find pleasure in the small things, like simple laughter and family.

Saying that, there are other things that are eroding my soul. The ladies that live across the street (we wonder if they are a house of prostitutes) have two beautiful small chocolate brown puppies that look like Lab crosses. I have gone over and petted them and at times see one of the youngsters in live in the house play on the street with them. But when one of these puppies gets in the way or does something "naughty" they beat them mercilessly with a shoe and all you can hear through my whole house, inescapably, is the loud cries and shrieks of pain as it tries to escape the seemingly unending blows. I know I can't change their world, I can't save them, in fact they are likely better off than many dogs here in Nicaragua as they are at least well fed. But it makes me break inside to hear it. It was so bad yesterday that Gary whistled at the fat ugly woman out the window and she stopped.......It makes me feel helpless to know that I can't fix it. Like the other week when we saw a dog being dragged down the street behind a motor bike. I wanted to yell and scream at the men....but sensibly the group I was with reminded me, what can you really do??

Or like two nights ago when I was asleep and woken to something crawling on my forehead which to my horror turned out to be a scorpion! It was a very small one granted....but a scorpion on my forehead in my bed none the less.

Or the stupid 4 Roosters who live next door to us and make their famous Cock a doodle do all night but particularly from 4-6 am directly outside our bedroom windows!

So, there is good and bad. I think the bad does out weigh the good....but I am also very grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn. This experience is unavailable in a book. I really believe it changes you. I don't think we will even recognise all the ways until we are in a position of hind site.

P.S. It looks like not only Gary & Nikki but I too will be on the convention program in two weeks. I'm being interviewed along with Nikki (who along with Gary now has two parts!)

Death to Cockroaches!

This little fellow tried to move into our house last night. Gary discovered him this morning and sprayed him to death...and then kindly left him where he died so that I could enjoy the horror too!

Certainly this is the biggest cockroach we have seen to date.

I have also included picture of my view when I come out the downstairs bedroom in the morning. It really is beautiful and one day I'll look back and wonder why I didn't appreciate it more. I'll tell you why...because it was blazing hot and the shock of coming out of the air conditioning into the humidity happens at the same moment.

I'm off to the Pooparia (Pulperia is a little convenience store in Nicaragua) to have mine tested this morning. Have to make sure I'm not growing any little friends........GROSS!

Cadbury's & Caesar

What a day....what a week!

Today we pulled together lunch for 30 pioneers plus instructors. The "fun' part was that after Gary had made all the arrangements (via translators & Spanglish) to prepare the yucky Spanish meal on the schedule, the C/O found him and requested that we make the same meal that we had made for him and the D/O when they came to our house for dinner! No small feat here in Nicaragua as it was Chicken Caesar & Garlic bread with Chocolate Cake for dessert. Plus they wanted it with a side of beans (!!) and a special juice called Jamica that has to be boiled in the flowers with Cinnamon & cloves. Mass panic has ensued as it all had to be plated and arrive at the hall at 11.45 sharp today. But we did it, with a crew of Spanish & foreigners alike, despite the fact that the Romaine lettuce we ordered in didn't arrive. Now we have to do it again in two weeks, but at least we have had practice.

Saturday night we were treated to a night at a friends place up on the Laguna. He has recently arrived here from England, a single guy in his late 30's. He is not short on funds (he was a banker) and likes to live well....and we like to be his guests :) His place offers incredible views along with an infinity pool....as well as chocolate mousse made from Cadbury Chocolate brought directly from the UK. Incredible! Not so romantic though as Nikki felt very vulnerable in the downstairs bedroom, which was all glass, so Gary slept alone while I made the sacrifice of sleeping with Nikki who is a horrendous bed hog & snuggler! It is a sad truth here that despite the beauty, you never feel safe & secure. I slept with one eye open all night. You can't even get up to pee without taking along a flash light in case you step on a scorpion. There is so much about life in Canada that we took for granted.

Walking to get pizza last night, a drunk on the street tried to kiss Nikki. I thought a fight was about to break out as Gary rightly took great offense and the drunk then started to take off his back pack. He was at least 40....she's 11...gross! She gets leered at alot and will ultimately be one of the major reasons that we decide against making this home for any length of time. I get leered at too (thank goodness!) but it's different when it's your 11 year old!

Coming home from Pizza, we had leftovers in a bag and were hit up for it at least three times before we got home, aggressively. People really think should give it to them. We managed to hold on to it till we got to our house and then gave it to the security guard at the house across the street. He was very grateful....and at least this way we have used it to make friends.

I think that's it for today. We have moved our bedroom downstairs (yes we are all STILL in one room!) as it is smaller and cooler. Our electricity bill for last month was horrendous despite the fact that we only allow ourselves to use the AC at night. Life here is certainly not cheap.

I've been down sick for the week....which is rotten in this heat & humidity. Seeing Nicaragua from the inside of our four walls is driving me crazy! I count my blessings though that it is simply a flu, our friend who stayed with us last week and left feeling ill; turns out he has Dengue Fever! Not the dangerous form but nasty non the less. They had been in Leon for a wedding the days before they visited us here and apparently there is an outbreak of it there. You would think that with the drought, the mosquito's would be less of a problem but for some reason (perhaps the moisture in the air) they are worse. They don't bother Gary much but Nikki & I must be much tastier so we live with Deet on our bodies. Since the only room in the house that is sealed is our bedroom, it's the only place we can let our guard down.

Our friend Steve, the other Elder in the group, had a motor bike accident yesterday! Poor guy. Gary spent most of the day with him & his wife as they tried to get him sorted out. They think he has broken his arm but the Dr he went to (a private clinic) didn't have the proper sling so they made him a make shift one out of 6 bandages (!!) He was in a great deal of pain last night so if he is not better today they are thinking about renting a car and taking him into the private hospital in Managua. The police are still figuring our fault, which is scary for him. And from the sounds of it, his bike is toast. I had at one point encouraged Gary to get himself a motorbike for while we were here. I'm very grateful he ignored me!

Gary (and by extension me) has been asked to take care of two lunches for pioneer schools that are being held here in Granada. The congregation provides the funds (lunch is their main meal of the day). We need to feed 30. He came and asked me before he agreed and my mind started with all the yummy things we could prepare. Then when his meeting finished he showed me that it was a set menu....of stuff I have no idea how to make, nor do I want to! Carne con Venduras (beef with veg) which is apparently some sort of stew. Served with rice, beans, tortilla and juice. Blah! Nicaragua food is NOT good. They simply cook meat in flavorless sauce. After I explained my inability and unwillingness to prepare gross food, Gary gave up on me :) and called a local Spanish sister who is going to take the lead for us in preparing it.....I'll treat them to some chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

It looks like both Gary & Nikki will be involved separately on the program at the coming English convention. I'll take pictures. I am very proud of them. Last time Nikki was on the convention, she dropped her notes while she was being interviewed and in horror gasped into the microphone then made the rest up as she was too embarrassed to pick them up herself (although a brother who was waiting to be interviewed crawled over, picked them up and handed them to her at which point she whispered "thank you" right into the microphone. I was in the audience dying a thousand deaths!). As soon as she was asked to be on this program her first response was to say that this time she wouldn't drop her notes! Poor kid! She didn't realise that it had made the audience adore her. The applause for her had been thunderous. I think they had been afraid she would cry (I was crying!)

To cool down on Sunday, Debbie & I took Nikki and went to a local hotel and paid to use their pool for a day. It was lovely. Instead of a hot tub, they have a cool jet tub! Only in Central America! The poor men had to go to a meeting at the Branch so we were foot loose and fancy free.....and bored stiff. We didn't stay too long, the sun was very strong and my cold was full force but it was a real treat non the less. Nikki is like a fish and she has finally given up her full face mask (much less humiliating to be seen with her now).

Time to get up and at it......Chau

New Blog

The reasons behind our decision to stop our original blog and begin a new one are varied. I love writing it but as time went by, found that due to the diversity of readers, due to not knowing all the people who were apparently reading it (it had been passed around) there was pressure to write not so much what we felt or experienced, but more simply a generic account of day to day life. I didn't want other people into my/our heads more than that. They have no right. When you talk to people, you make a decision based on each person, how much you want to disclose. I had lost that ability with the blog. It was to the point that even when I was at the end of my tether, I found the need to keep it upbeat so as not to be discouraging to anyone. I found some of my cheeky humour I had to keep in check....and even some of our local observations had to be tamed down or skipped altogether so as not to offend those we know here.

So this new blog is written for me :) I have passed it's address on to my family so that you can know where we are and that we are safe. And because we would share it all with you anyway! Please don't let on the anyone else that there is a new one.

Now....no holds barred!