A Whole New World

No, this isn't Aladdin, but I will tell you about a whole new world...

I'm definitely enjoying my time here in Nicaragua, but there are some interesting things I have experienced so far and things that I realize I take for granted in the U.S.  Here are a few: they only have "running" water on certain days here, so we usually take bucket baths and use small bowls to scoop water from the pila to pour over our hands to wash.  I usually use hand sanitizer too because I never feel clean...something I will have to get used to.  Next, going along with the no "running" water, in order to "flush" the toilet, after going to the bathroom, you have to pour water forcefully into the bowl and then it just goes down.  I'm still learning how to do this, and I usually have to pour a couple times and my host mom says "con fuerte" (with force) hahaha  Well, on the topic of water, we don't have "clean" or purified water, besides my jug in the kitchen, so I have to be a little careful with hand washing, showers, brushing teeth, etc.  Ok, next on the list is electricity.  My house does have electricity, but my room is very dark because I have a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling and no windows :(  Fortunately though, the living room is bright and has many windows.  There are also a couple TVs in the house with cable--this surprises me considering the living conditions here, but it serves as good entertainment.  However, there are a lot of tormentas (storms) during the rainy season with thunder, lightning, and lots and lots of rain so the power often goes out.  This means no lights, no stoves, no TVs, no radios, etc.  Fortunately, this hasn't happened that often since I've been here, but it's pretty crazy when it does.  Privacy is a big thing here for all of us trainees and I've heard that it can be an issue, but now I understand why.  The walls to our rooms do not extend to the roof, so you can hear everybody's business and they can hear you.  This goes for the bathroom too, which is kind of in the kitchen...kinda awkward.  We share toilet paper too, so I always have to ask where the toilet paper is when I need to use the bathroom.  The "bathroom" is a combined area with a toilet and a shower with tiled floors.  So, it's always damp and not very clean, and when I brush my teeth, I spit in the shower and rinse with my bottled water.  I feel like I'm camping, but I love camping, right?  :)   Transportation is another thing I miss because I can't just hop in my car and go to the store or go to a friend's house.  Even if I could get in a car to one of the stores here (which are little pulperias and they're really close) they don't have many items, so I'm waiting for a trip to the "big city" :)  One thing my friend asked me about was AC...which does not exist here, nor did I think it would.  It gets pretty dang hot here and I am constantly sweating!!  I found out though if I take a shower at night it's better because sometimes it cools down to about 80 degrees so I can relax.  It's hilarious when it drops below 90 though, because my host mom says "oh, it's cold" and I'm thinking "oh, it's perfect" or pleasantly warm haha  Ok, last thing on the list for now is language.  I live with a family that only speaks Spanish (my host brother knows some English words when I try to ask him about some things, but very few) and I have Spanish classes 8am-noon, then 1-3pm.  Being forced to speak Spanish is great because I'm picking up more things, but it's hard because I can't always express my opinions.  It's so nice to have this outlet here to explode the English that's been stored up.  I talk to the other trainees after class in English (because we can't speak in English in class). 

Ok, I hope that you understand a little more of what I'm experiencing.  I have a funny story for you from today...as I have mentioned, we have class in one of the host family's houses and there is a lot of noise.  Well, this morning some men were helping one of the ladies in the house put up a large mirror on the wall in the next room.  They drilled into the wall for several minutes as our instructor rolled her eyes...it was hilarious!  Then, a man pulled up on his motorcycle with a propane tank on the back to deliver to the house.  He got off his motorcycle and approached the house, and then it happened...his motorcycle tipped over, spilling gasoline on the ground (this is about 15 feet outside our open door) and then propane tank came loose and rolled down the hill.  Yikes!  Well, he ran and picked it up, but left the gasoline on the ground and got his tank.  I was so scared when he got back on to leave because I didn't want him to start it and catch fire.  He rolled away and started it up down the hill and there wasn't a fire fortunately, but it was quite a scene. 

Ok, well I must go now, but hope you're enjoying my adventures...