Not a great morning

Yesterday I went to Managua for a meeting to cover for another volunteer from my department. He asked me last night and I said yes before realizing that I would have to get up at 5:30am in order to catch a bus to make it in time for the 10am meeting. Ugh! Well, I got up at 5:30am which is ridiculous—who gets up that early?! I’m not a morning person, but I did it anyway…but it didn’t go as well as I would have liked.


I walked up to the bus terminal and everything looked like it usually does—there were several buses, but only one filling up, and a man shouting “Managua, Managua, Managua”, so I got on the bus and found a seat in the back as it was already pretty full. I waited and then the bus pulled out of the terminal a little early, which I thought was nice. But, we pulled out going in the opposite direction than usual. I thought maybe we were going around the other way on the highway and then going through town. We turned left when we should have turned right and I was getting worried so I asked the man next to me if we were going to Managua and he said no in a worried voice. I immediately said that I had to go to Managua and he stood up and whistled at the driver and told him I needed off. I hustled up to the front and they told me that an expreso bus would be coming the opposite way and I could take that. I was a little irritated because the guy at the terminal had said “Managua”, the bus had “Managua” written on it, and I went to the terminal for the buses going to Managua. Ugh! Anyway, they ended up pulling over and flagging down the expreso, which was very nice of them. But, I wasn’t as lucky I thought.

I did end up getting a seat thankfully and I drifted in and out of sleep as we headed back through Boaco and then through the country. All of a sudden I heard a big BOOM and the bus bounced a little. We all looked around, then before we knew it there was smoke coming up the aisle from the back. The next thing I knew I was smashed between people in the front of the push pushing to get off while everyone was yelling—I don’t even remember getting up from my seat. My mind was racing so fast and everyone was shouting for them to open the doors and the bus slowed down. I thought it was going to catch on fire or explode—we were all in a state of panic and started coughing from the smoke. Finally, the bus driver opened the door and we rushed off and ran to the grass, coughing. I was pretty shaken up and I had scrapes on my legs from people’s shoes as they were trying to push their way off the bus.

We found out that fortunately, it was just a tire that had blown out. I was terrified in the moment though because about 2 weeks ago by host brother was on a bus in Managua and it caught on fire and they all had to run and get off. I would have to say this was the scariest experience of my life, especially because of the fear I saw in everyone else’s faces.

It only took them 15 minutes to get the new tire on and they had to wipe down all the seats because they were covered in dust. Needless to say, I stayed wide-awake the rest of the way to Managua.

I made it to the meeting just fine and got to see one of my friends so that was good. I was still coughing from the dust/smoke though. This day did not go as I would have hoped, but I’m thankful that I wasn’t hurt. I was a little nervous for the bus ride home, but everything was fine.