Life is rough in the Peace Corps...

So I've been talking about how we've been so busy and life is crazy different here, but today is unique.  We are currently in Matagalpa for our practicum week and as I type this, I am lying in a hammock on a balcony of a hostel with free wi-fi.  Oh, the life of a Peace Corps volunteer... Well, this definitely isn't the usual, but I'm enjoying the time to relax.  My brother was actually just teasing me asking if we ever work around here between going to volcanoes and eating ice cream and such.  I guess I don't blog that much about the non-exciting things regarding work, but really there hasn't been that much that's not exciting.  Everything here is a great experience, something I'll never forget.  We really do a lot of work and have long days of Spanish class (which can be exhausting) and youth group (again, exhausting) and meetings (did I say exhausting?).  However, there are the few times like today, and the rest of this week for that matter, where we get to kick back and hang out.  I am really loving this, especially getting to hang out with people that I usually don't see very much.  I was sad to be separated from Jess and Kellie, but this is good to hang out with the other people who aren't in my town. 

Ok, now about Matagalpa.  So I had been thinking this is where I wanted to live for my two years, but then I was worried that I would arrive here and change my mind.  Maybe I had built it up too much in my head.  Well, I'm here and I love it.  I'm not sure if there is a site in the actual city of Matagalpa, but this place is great!  It's a pretty big city, but it doesn't feel that big.  They have everything here and we walked around the "downtown" area and it seems really safe and clean.  The weather is cooler, which is a definite plus.  The hostel we're staying at is owned by a previous PCV who finished last summer.  He served here in Matagalpa, returned to the states, and now co-owns this hostel.  It's actually a really nice place, and I'm looking forward to bringing friends here.  It's only $7.00 a night for a bunk bed which is shared with 7 other people, but there's these big closet things to lock up your stuff and there's a giant bathroom in the room too.  If you want a private room, it's $30.00 a night for a king size bed and a bathroom.  This place is super clean and they have awesome food in their cafe.  There's coffee all the time and purified water, a TV room with shared dvds, a book exchange, hammocks galore, and did I mention the free wi-fi??  Ok, it sounds like I'm writing a review for this place--are you wishing you were here yet?  Oh, I forgot to mention that there's a chocolate factory really close, but the hostel sells some of the chocolate, so we've already purchased and eaten some fantastic REAL chocolate :)

On our way to Matagalpa...so green!

This is the hostel in Matagalpa, Matagalpa.

Coffee and chocolate :)

Julie and me toasting to chocolate.

Yummy chicken sandwich.

Hammock on the balcony.