1) There is a small pick-up that has been passing through the streets of Esquipulas buying old scrap metal, tvs, and other trash. The driver shouts his message through a loud speaker that can be heard from the other side of town. He begins early in the morning at 5am shouting for the certain scrap and garbage he is collecting. I can barely make the words out. It all sounds distorted to me mostly because I am still asleep. The echoing voice reminds me of scenes from movies about concentration camps where the streets are dusty and quiet and all that can be heard is a crackling voice echoing in the back ground. Sometimes I wish I could be the silent Ninja that shoots his tires out with a blow dart gun while camouflaged and perched in a tree above. Ugh...
2) I should have learned only the Nicaraguan "dichos" or "sayings". We have them too in the states but it's different when you don't understand them. You could be fluent in Spanish and still not understand the "dichos". Every community has their own "dichos" too! When you do not understand a certain dicho, you are laughed at as if you were suppose to know what they are saying. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't grow up here!" To be honest I just say " No, entiendo" and either move on about my day or ask the significance of what this dicho means. Well DiChO this! I'm patiently learning as you can tell.
3) It's hard to introduce new things to people who have become accustomed to their own way of life, culture, and food. As for me, I'm willing to try new things, learn new languages, and meet new people. There are people that live so far away from life and civilization that they are shocked when they see a gringo...they are completely caught off guard as if they have seen a ghost ! Try introducing new food...pshhh. I've seen it done but it takes some provoking. My profesora who is the host mother to my site mate has made banana bread for us. The first time she let us try it I was amazed! It was point on! From a business volunteer's perspective I said "Profe, necesitamos hacer más y venderlo!" She too doubted this as a possibility because people here are stoic in their ways and are afraid of trying new things. I guess this is part of why I am here...to introduce that some new things are good and can benefit your lifestyle. Now whether it's as simple as selling banana bread, I'm not sure...yet!
4) Gringos are weird, I get that. We do weird things that is different from the typical Nicaraguan culture. But hey I love your culture! "Es una vida tranquila!"
5) PCVs have to find ways to break boredom. We form youth groups, we teach English classes, we teach financial education, we explore the country side with our in country friends, we meet up with other PCVs and share our experiences, sadness, needs and wants, our happiness and successes, we read, we exercise and rest. Life is different here because there is a lot of downtime. It's something unusual for us because we are use to working 8 hour days, driving hours to and from work, maybe spending an hour running or exercising before dinner, we eat, rest and watch tv or a movie, bathe then head to bed. Lengthy amounts of consecutive down time does not exist in the states as it does in the life of a peace corps volunteer. This is where we practice patience and realize that it is completely normal in our country of service. So when our friends and family back home question us about our day, do not be caught off guard or alarmed if on a weekly basis we say "I did not do much or accomplish much." On the opposite end for those volunteers whom are teachers, we definitely are busy bees...that is when school is in session."
6) If the earthquake of the 70s, the contra war of the 80s, and Hurricane Mitch had not blown through Nicaragua leveling the economy, what would Nicaragua be like today? What would be different?
7) Meet new people. Listen to their stories. Talk to the kids, they are full of insight and smiles! Be comfortable in your own shoes. Step outside of your boundaries. Take risks and make mistakes. Learn. Teach. Read. Exercise. Be happy!
8) PCVs that begin service with a significant other..It's rough. Make sure they know what they are in for. Make sure your significant other is a good communicator. Have faith and trust in them. Without these ideals your relationship will fail. This advice and statistics is on every peace corps web page, blog, Facebook, you name it. PCVs always start out thinking everything is going to be okay because they "know" their significant other. While this maybe true, I feel there is always a gray area that is left undiscussed and untouched. I've seen relationships fail myself while in service, but that's not to say that all fail. From what I've heard and understand, there is a proven statistic that mentions how the majority of relationships will fail. It's a risk. I too took this risk. Although the time between meeting such a wonderful girl and me boarding the plane to Nicaragua was short, we decided to take this risk and maintain a relationship. What was I thinking? What was she thinking ?! Communication seemed perfect the first month and a half through training, then it stopped...like running into a cement wall, it stopped. From phone calls, texts, FaceTime, and e-mails, I would receive no more. We began communicating once a week. I became okay with this after a while until even this faded. I've met some interesting and amazing women in my life, but nothing compared to her. To me, she was everything I look for, which in my case is difficult...I'm very picky lol. From the moment we met, it did not make sense why or how we met. I was attracted immediately. We had a lot in common and time spent with her felt surreal. How does one just "let go" of amazing people like this? It's like calling it quits with a long time best friend. It's weird, it feels weird. Sometimes it's a must though. We only hope that the next is better and full of surprises. We hope. One thing we must do is move on. We must not dwell in sorrows. People enter and leave our life for a reason. We are stronger because of it.
9) Things I do to pass time: I sweep and clean my house because dust is always blowing in or people throw trash in my front yard or creepy crawlies come out of their hiding spots and make their presence known by dying from the fumigation smoke; I run; talk to people in my community; I've been helping my neighbor who is a barber realize his net earnings/profit by teaching him the importance of a daily balance sheet; I read; write/update my blog; explore; cook; talk/txt other PCVs; rest/sleep in my hammock; practice Spanish (sometimes lol); wash my clothes by hand; I do not watch TV because I do not have one; and I drink a loooooot of coffee! If Nicaragua was not a coffee producing country, I'm not sure what I'd do. I love my coffee!
10) I think about my future and things I could be doing to benefit my future. For example I signed up for an online class through MIT's open software classroom where I will learn about basic computer programming. My debate with myself right now is my plan of action after Peace Corps: take GRE or GMAT and apply for grad schools; do I want to get a Masters in Business or Masters in Public Health?; find a job; do I spend some time and travel?
11) I try not to think about the past. It's gone, "se fue", there is only time to move forward and make the best of what lies ahead. There is an awesome future to be lived and more lives to be changed and people to be served.
These have been thoughts I have needed to let go, let loose for a while. I'm sharing them with you because I can and I want to. I will have more to share over this next year.
Thanks for reading!!
Small Business Volunteer PCV 61
Esquipulas, Matagalpa
Nicaragua
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