Gearing Up

There weren’t any classes yesterday and today because of National Teacher’s Day so Frank came to visit me in Boaco so we could go shopping to gear up for the fiestas patronales and hipico—more festivities, but these include horses and cowboys!  

Frank arrived Monday afternoon so we jetted over to the markets to see what we could find before they closed.  I found the boots that I had been looking for—something western-like, but still stylish enough to wear back in the States and Frank tried a few options.  We decided to go back the next day to browse some more.  

My boots :)

That night it was my turn to make dinner since Frank did most of the cooking the last weekend.  I’m glad I found a guy that can cook ;)  Well, I decided to make my famous (not so much) enchiladas.  Nicas make enchiladas but they’re different from Mexican enchiladas regarding the fillings, but also they’re deep fried :(  Thanks to my parents, I had enchilada sauce (yes, I use the can kind haha) and cheddar cheese Mmmm!  My enchiladas are simple, yes, but delicious to the max.  Frank got to work on the mojitos (our favorite drink—well at least mine hehe) while I took over the food.

The enchiladas turned out great (as well as the mojitos) and we were pleasantly stuffed!  We played cribbage after while our stomachs settled.  I recently taught Frank to play crib (a tradition in our family) and he’s been dying to beat me since I beat him the last weekend.  No such luck this night.  We got ice cream as a consolation and watched a movie. 

The next day we went to the pools with the natural hot springs.  It was a perfect day to go since it was a little cooler and overcast.  We took a bus over there and we were the only guests—how nice!  The water was so HOT and wonderful—felt like a hot tub, and brought back memories of what a hot shower must feel like…  We played crib there too and Frank’s trying to learn how to be a gracious loser ;)   

 

 That day Frank had a craving for taco salad so we decided that would be our dinner, but first we went to the markets to look for boots for him (and hats, belts, and plaid shirts of course).  Frank found his boots and I got a belt.  While we were chatting with the owner of the shop after buying my belt and trying on several hats, we told her that we were volunteers and what our jobs were, etc.  She asked us if we were brother and sister, since we apparently look SO much alike (isn’t the reverse stereotype funny?)  and we said no, that we were dating.  She said we both looked nice (attractive) and I mentioned that my poor boyfriend was getting too skinny.  We talked about the food here and back home.  Frank told her that he eats with his Nica family and he loves the food, but he just doesn’t eat as much meat as he did in the States.  After we chatted a little more, the lady took a liking to us and offered to give us chicken.  We were a little confused that she said she was giving us chicken, but apparently she sold chicken outside of her clothing store.  Anyway, she walked out the shop, grabbed a large piece of frozen chicken and had her daughter saw off the breast, slipped it in a plastic bag, and handed it over to us.  What a sweetheart!  We thanked her many times and she sent us on our way.  Well, our taco salad idea just got a little juicier with chicken in hand.  

I really like this belt because it looks Nica with the fields, volcano, and roosters.

Frank's boots, which actually have a good sole for working out in the campo (fields, mud, etc.) so they're very practical

We went to the grocery store after to collect the rest of the fixings and got to work.  I don’t know why, but we always choose to make things with so many ingredients that need to be cleaned, chopped, cooked, and then added to the mix.  It was a little exhausting, but we got it all together and the meal was very satisfying. 

The power went out for a little that night, just long enough to break out the headlamps :)

We played cribbage again and Frank finally beat me—it was pretty bad too.  He almost skunked me!  He was pretty happy after that…and so was I :)

Today Frank taught me how to make these paper flowers that his Japanese roommate taught him how to make.  He had made me one and I showed to Jasser and he wanted to learn, so I promised him that I would have Frank teach me so I could teach him. 

The one on the left is one Frank made me a few weeks ago.  The one on the right is one we made together today.

Then we went and had a little lunch in the park and played crib again.  Frank didn’t win, but he’s certainly getting better :) 

He had to leave after lunch to get back to his site for classes tomorrow so I walked him up to the bus stop.  As we were walking up the stairs, the bus started going down the road so we flagged them down to stop.  The bus stopped to pick someone up on the other side of the road, and then started driving off before Frank got on so he started running after it.  The guy who collects the money was yelling “suave”, which means slow down/stop, but the bus drove on slowly.  Frank took off running to try to get on the back of the bus (in his new cowboy boots).  I watched from the side of the road (along with others) hoping that he would make it safely.  Fortunately, he ran fast enough and grabbed the ladder on the back and the guy collecting the money opened the back door and helped him in as the bus drove down the road.  Phew!  Frank told me later that the bus did this to a couple other people along the way because it was running late—a lot of people on the bus were getting upset about it, because obviously it’s rude and not safe.  Anyway, he made it home safely and I get to see him in just a couple days for a 4th of July party that some PCVs are putting on.  Yay :)