Homecoming

July 5th/6th 2007

Travel Day- I can't quite describe my feelings today. I don't think the experiences of the last ten days have sunk in yet. I'm going to miss waking up early and sipping on my cup of coffee at 5 am....the beautiful view of the volcanoes in the morning. Leaving Casa Blanca meant saying good bye to some really cool people. As we rode back to Managua, i was content to just sit and listen to the conversations in the vehicle. Justin joined us on the way back and so did two other workers from portland. They were here to see if solar panels could be built to support the farm. As we drove back to the city, I was struck by the different sorts of poverty in Nicaragua. In the urban setting, the poverty is more related to squatters and high rates of unemployment. I actually saw the only Mcdonald's here as well.

After saying a heartfelt goodbye at the airport, Patty and I made our way through security. Even standing in the lines and looking around me, I was struck by the social structure. I was now sorrounded by wealthy nicaraguans on their way to the states. They had their air conditioned cars and their name brand purses. I don't condemn them in any way. We all have our fortunes and I too am fortunate enough to travel and enjoy the luxuries in my life. But at the same time, we all make choices and I think that my choice to travel to Nicaragua and spend ten days here was a leap of faith which really did pay off in the end.

I can't believe i just decided to get on a plane and without even meeting Patty just head to a foriegn country. I have seen this amazing woman through her high points and her low points. I am so glad to have met her and made a friend. She is really someone to look up to. Her passion and enthusiasm for life is overwhelming. I will be coming back to Nicaragua next year and staying longer. I intend to learn spanish by then so that I dont miss out on the complete experience. I know that I have a calling and I have found it. I just have to work towards it. It has been a very emotional journey and I dont think it has ended yet. The more I travel on my own and see the realities people face, the more humbled I am. I feel rejuvinated by this experience and that I can take on the world.

It is easy to give up in the face of adversity and but we all make a choice and I realize that the locals in Nicaragua chose to take a giant leap of faith and fight for their future. I too choose...choose to live...choose to laugh...choose to make a difference. I choose...

American Independence Day

July 4th 2007- Last Day in Chinandega

Well today was completely a day for explosions. It's the U.S. independence day and I woke up to find that Patty had left and American Flag Bandana on my bed. Not be a spoil sport, I decdied to put it on. But, I carried a canadian flag in my hands to indicate my true patriotism. I even went downstairs waving the canadian flag. Needless to say i got booed a lot but it was all in good fun.

I was not looking forward to another pig roast. So, i decided to pack some of the goodies i bought at the supermarket the night before. I was joining the long termers and we were going to move some materials to the farm. Little did we realize we would be moving cow dung- compost for the farm! Let's just say sitting in cow feces is a new experience all right. The plans changed so quickly. As soon as we arrived on the farm, I realized that they had just slaughtered the pig!!!!! Now, i had seen dead animals before, but seeing the pig's head hung on the post reminded me of Lord of the flies. We had to spend an hour there doing nothing. So, all of us were fascinated by the entire process. Mainly grossed out but we continued to stare. For me, it was more in horror than in fascination. I saw how they made bacon!!! I was paralyzed when they started stripping the skin off the animal. The worst was yet to come. i think when they chose the pig, they didnt realize she was pregnant. Now, i really wanted to fly back to vancouver. Seen way too much. I wanted to cry so hard but I was paralyzed. I was saved by the return of the truck! I have never been soo happy to flee!!!!

It was almost noon and we had returned to the via to collect some materials. Patty joined us at this point and we loaded the truck up with steel reinforcements for the bodega (storage unit) they were going to build at the farm. We were dirty, exhausted and tired. Did i mention hungry. At this point i was down to two dollars in my pocket. Luckily, Tip top (yes more fried chicken) accepted credit cards. So, we made a quick pitstop and then returned to the farm to unload the material.

Another surprise in store. We had been going since 6 am and now we were told we had a last task to accomplish. It was around 3 pm by this point and with the sun hitting down at our tired and dirty bodies, our group morale was at an all time low. We had to transfer some 80 bags of cement from the via to the farm. Ahhhh!!!! But, we were troopers. The promise for a cold shower before the feast motivated us to move as quickly as possible.


Carrying hundred pound bags of cement and loading them into the truck was an amazing feeling. I did not know i could do that. Mama Perez, motivating us...yeah baby! Harini move your ass! I am older than you!!! really did it. We dumped those bags of cement in a matter of minutes and we made our way back to the farm. Sleeping on bags of cement in an open truck is an awesome feeling. Seeing every single type of animal fornicate...not so much. I think i have seen chicken, bulls, pigs, horses..everything just go at it. My poor, poor eyes!!!!

The promise of a cold shower did not materialize. By the time we made it back to the farm, all the kids had arrived from their visit to the orphanage and the celebrations were in full swing. I was jealous to see them all clean and well rested. We all jumped off the truck and left them to do the dirty work of unloading the truck.

Kelly was on a mission to celebrate July 4th- Barnyard Games! I was way too tired to participate so, i filmed everything instead. The first game- catch as many chickens as you can. The second, egg toss! The last game, by far was the most disgusting. Tug of war- in the pig pen! So very nasty! One of the girls was covered from head to toe in pig crap and had to be hosed down. The guys were even worse, removing their shoes and walking around in the mud. I though the festivities were done but boy was I ever wrong.

Animal activists around the world would cry in uproar- the guys thought it would be fun to chase a pig and grease it in vaseline! I found it amusing but at the same time saddening because the pig could get a heartattack. It was very hot outside and the poor piglet was trying to cool off by rolling in the mud. Applying vaseline on the skin acts as an insulator to the heat! I was worried that the piglet would get a heart attack. My only comfort was in the fact that after they had greased the pigs, the guys quickly washed the piglet with water. Poor piggy :(

I couldnt bear to see everyone enjoy the pig bbq. I think i had seen too much today. So, I decided to jump into the truck and just lay down on the dirt covered floor and enjoy some star gazing. It was nice to be able to see the stars finally. There is so much pollution in chinandega and this was a real treat. The night ended off with a fireworks celebration. Realization dawned on me that it was my final night. After a nice cold shower back at the casa, we made smores using the microwave and indulged in some more nutella :) I was so exhausted by the day's activities that I was happy to crawl back into bed. Sleep at last!

San Fransisco

July 3rd 2007- Travelling with the Medical Unit

I woke up this morning feeling completely refreshed. Maybe it was the 12 hours of sleep but I did feel good. Today, I had decided that I would head out with the medical unit and see how they conduct their visits to the rural communities outside of chinandega. Tham routinely amazes me. She is in her early 50's and is from Vietnam. I had met her family when I first arrived in Chinandega and she was travelling with the medical units as well. She told me that basically we would be acting as pharmacists and counting vitamins and painkillers. Most of the complaints she mentioned, originated from chest congestions and malnutrition. We didnt leave until 10 am and we had to make many mini stops along the way. We pilled all the boxes of medication into the medcial unit and we were on our way.

Cows!!!

We were supposed to go to a community 3o minutes outside of Chinandega. However, upon our arrival we realized that another organization had already set up a clinic and was administering their services to the locals. So Artturo and the good doctor decided that we would go to San Francisco about an hour away.

San Francisco is a rural community about 10 minutes away from the Honduras border. On the very bumpy ride ( i swear i still have back aches from it) I had the opportunity to learn more about Tham. What an amazing person! I thought Iris (her daughter) was amazing with her complete devotion and passion but I can see that her passion comes from Tham. Tham had told me about her journey that had eventually taken her to America. Under the communist regime in Vietnam, her family had been routinely arrested because her father was well known and a prominent chemist. Being a christian minority also made it worse for her family. She fears even today that everytime she returns to Vietnam the secret police will have her under surviellance and having a green card, she is seen as a traitor.

I am humbled in her presence. She escaped Vietnam at the age of 17. She almost got caught escaping and even had a gun pointed at her while she was trying to flee across the border into Cambodia. Thankfully, they had enough money to bribe the police into letting them go. She was doing this all to experience freedom, something that we take for granted. Her faith and her belief in god, a brighter future kept her going. All she had a was a single bag of clothes and very little money in her pocket. She told me that after fleeing Vietnam in secrecy with just that one bag, she knew she could survive anything. I feel so lucky to living in a time and age where we dont have to constantly face that fear. We can do good and being around Tham motivates me to do more. Tham has seen so much and travelled to so many places. She can speak 5 different languages fluently and is a very content lady inspite of her misfortunes. From Cambodia, she went to Thailand and then to Phillipines. Eventually, her family went to Argentina where she met her husband Claudio. Her love story is equally amazing. They were set up by her father! Claudio works for the FDA now and is a micro biologist and they have been together for 30 years now.

Everything about this trip has led me to believe more and more in destiny, to have hope and realize my faith. I need to be more passionate and learn to rely on others. I can't do everything by myself! Above all I need to believe in love and I think thats probably the greatest revelation of all. Love for others, to allow myself to be loved and just treasure the good people in my life. We only get one chance in life and we need to act on it. Despite all the up's and down's (mostly down's i think) i need to have faith and live through the mistakes I make.

At San Fransisco, we unloaded the medicines and set up shop. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) the doctor had visited the community a week earlier and there were not a lot of patients. I was bit disappointed because i really hoped to use what little spanish i knew. But, it gave me a chance to observe my sorroundings. This community too had been built by some sort of sponsorship. However, due to it's remote location, the housing was not kept up and seemed older and crumbling. I had found out that Amigos had dug a well here so that the locals did not have to walk 30 miles to get water. I also noticed that the latrines in the village had EU signs on them.

The couple hours at San Fransisco passed by very quickly. The kids here are so much more shy. They dont want to come talk to us. But, they are more than happy to just stare at us. So cute!!!I realized that Tylenol and children's vitamins were in high demand. Cough syrup is measured by the eye and poured into tiny plastic bags and handed to the patients. We were using very basic methods. I think maybe i can help to my buying over the counter presecriptions or by getting some sponsorship for the clinics. They are in bad need for mobile ultrasound units. There are so many young preganant girls around- some as young as 14 and it would make a world of a difference here having this sort of technology.

After a relaxing day at San Fransisco, we made our way back to the Casa. For some reason, this ride seemed so much longer and hurt ten times more. I really wish the government could be more accountable to their citizens. Nicaragua is such a beautiful country but there is very little infra structure there and the road are in bad need of improvement.

We returned to Casa Blanca at 3pm. Tham and i decided to take some of the girls to the market. I was craving for some fresh fruit and i knew they were going to roast another pig tomorrow. So, i decided to load up on some snacks. We walked around the streets again and then went grocery shopping. So much fun! I think it probably had more to do with the air conditioning then anything else. Did you know that Campbell's makes pork stew in a can? Wierd. And i found my favorite milk from my childhood...NIDO!!!! Makes the best indian sweets ever.

We returned home at 6 and showered. oh how good cold water feels on a warm humid day! I was going out for Taqitos with patty and jeremy. So, I changed and waited for everyone to return. I really felt that I hadnt accomplished much after seeing all the weather beaten kids come in. Patty, the Jer Bear and me headed out for taquitos...soo good. They are tortillas with meat and deep fried. yummmy...its funny after taking that night i found out how unsure I am in my path and what I really want. More self discovery I guess. After returning, we all sat up talking more. Kelly is such an amazing girl and I am really glad i am getting to know her better. So full of life and full of passion. Time to call it a night. I am kind of sad. Tomorrow is my last day and I really dont want to leave.

A Day of Revelations

Housing at the Via

July 2nd 2007- Heartbreak

Today was the hardest day that I have had since coming to Nicaragua. We had the opportunity to visit the area where the locals lived after the hurricane hit Chinanadega- the garbage dump where they lived for approximately 2 years. Words can't even describe the abysmal conditions. The dump is located next to a cemetary. However, this cemetary is slowly encrouching on the dump itself. Kids as young as three years old are working here to collect plastic bottles. If they collect a ton of bottles they will be able to earn 30 cardobas- about 2 dollars and it is just enough to feed themselves for that night. There are scavanger dogs and cows eating what leftovers that are at the dump. Local gangs work here to collect the best of the material and are the community troublemakers. They cant be blamed for their status. It's their reality and they are trying to survive as well. The dump is situated on the banks of a river. The water has been severly polluted by the dump as well as whatever waste released by a the main hospital up the river. This water is used for bathing as well as drinking- so you can probably imagine the type of diseases that the locals suffer from. As we walked through the village, some of the mothers were bathing their kids in the water. I wanted to cry.

Time and time again, John and Amigos have asked these locals to join them at the Via but because of fear and false promises from other organizations, they have decided to remain at the dump. Some, didnt want to abide by the rules of the via- not to sell the land and housing for their own personal profit. When we were about the leave the dump, I saw two of the locals approach John and ask them if it was possible to move back to the via. Sadly, there is no current funding to accomodate for more.

Having seen the dump and the current housing available at the via, all i could think about was the countless number of amazing opportunities that available to build on. Ideas that could be used to improve conditions in any society. It is an investment in the future but it has to depend on the local culture as well. I think it was sabrina who mentioned that the local culture is to focus on the present. They do not consider the long term implications and focusing on the entire community as a whole. She is trying to get the community to realize their own potential and they can together build a successful future for their children.

Water for the community



Returning to Via Catalina gave me a new perspective. Everything seemed more cleaner and there was an obvious pride that the locals had in their improved conditions. I finally understood why they were so excited to see us even though they have never met us. They associate any new or returning groups to their good fortunes. They too had taken a giant leap of faith and it had paid off. Their children could recieve both primary and secondary education. After Grade 6, Amigos would make scholarships available if they wished to pursue their education further.






The local Library


The basketball court and baseball field provides kids with something to do in the community rather than becoming involved in local gangs and the library- an area to improve their skills and knowledge. Some of the current projects also include building a medical facility on site and a church to provide spiritual guidance for the locals.



Building the Medical Facility


Following the orientation, we were once again split into our groups and assigned our tasks. Did I mention that today was the hottest day in Chinandega. It was approximately 40 degrees outside! I felt my body constantly facing challenges and sadely i dont think today it was ready to face the battle with the heat. I think that i was affected most by the dehydration and it was really hard to remain positive and continue working. I had'nt eaten much in the morning and I constantly took breaks and I just needed to get out of the sun. But with Megan pushing us to work harder, I was able to keep going till 1. By the lunch break at the bodega, all i remember was eating one sandwich and lying down on the steel and passing out. My body could take no more.


I think i passed out for a good two hours before I got up again. By this time, everyone had just returned for lunch and were chatting away. After an extended siesta, John had asked for volunteers to mix cement and I jumped on the opportunity. Laying the foundation for the clinic in the heat had been fun but I felt that given my limited number of days, I had to experience doing everything and anything. Secretly, I was hoping to paint some of the houses as well. I really did not realize how challenging it would be to mix cement. We first had to add three buckets of dirt, 4 buckets of stone, water and then 9 bags of cement. We constantly had to keep stirring the mixture so that it did not harden on the surface. This is when I really wished we had a cement mixer. But, John wanted to get the locals to see that they too had to play a crucial role in their own future. Kids were joining us and help ing us to mix the cement. At this point I had found out that the locals had built their houses (20 at a time) and had refused to move into the Via until all houses were ready. Talk about solidarity!


The mixed cement was to be used to build a locker room for the inter city basketball team project. Jersey's were being donated by local highschools in Atlanta and I thought it was amazing! There is so much creativity- it can really be a source of motivation.

Like everything else in Nicaragua, the slow pace once again kicked in and I didnt have much to do. So, I decided to walk around and find Sabrina. I knew she was painting some houses and I really wanted to help out. So with Kelly and some other kids, I began to help them with touching up some missing areas of paint. The house was bright blue! So beautiful! And the kids were starting to scare me a little bit. Everytime i got up on the ladder and tried to paint near the roof, they would get on the ladder and start to shake it! I swear I thought i was going to fall and break some bones. I was more worried about my weight crashing on top of their tiny bodies.

We called it a day around 6pm. I really felt that I had not accomplished more. Being in Nicaragua is making me want to beat like an energizer bunny and keep going. Maybe I am just being obsessive again. After dinner (more fried chicken- ahhhh) I couldn't keep myself up. I just ended up going up stair and passing out on my bed by 7. I was sorry that I couldnt stay up to participate in devotion. At the end of the night, everyone gets together and sings songs and gives thanks. I really enjoy this and I realize how much peace I feel at when I do it. Even though i dont know any of the hyms, just singing along calms me. I think I am getting to understand my mom more and more with each passing day. Rest is what I needed the most and that's exactly what I got.

Happy Canada Day

July 1st 2007- Proud to Be Canadian

Yay! It's Canada day and I have a canadian flag to celebrate whoot whoot! Most of my companions have never been up to Vancouver. So, trying to convince to come north has been a futile effort on my part. Today has been really a mixed bag of emotions for me. I got to see the first group head back to Atlanta. I made friends here even with people who were a couple years younger than me. It's always hard to see people who inspire you to make a difference leave! The house felt so quiet after everyone left. For the first time, i felt useless! I had nothing to do at all. Apparently, sunday's are the time for rest and relaxation. I did not want to relax. So, when I am bored, I tend to clean. And that's exactly what I did. It also gave me a chance to get to know the boys a little better. Mopping an entire mansion is a very hard task! But with the music cranked up every moment was so much fun! The group from New orleans was staying for an extra three weeks. So, it was bonding time more than anything else. We talked politics- the state of louisiana and what they hope to see in their futures.

We ended up heading back to Tip Top for a quick bite to eat. More deep fried chicken. All of a sudden I feel like I am back in Kentucky again! I thought that coming to nicaragua would keep me away from the fast food! But i can take solace in the fact that i am probably sweating out all the junk i am putting into my body.

The new group (60) arrived later on in the afternoon and it was actually kind of nice to be a part of the welcoming committee but there are a whole lot of girls in the house tonight! Ahhh tooo much estrogen and it is really really busy. I just have a feeling that i will have to get up extra early to take a shower. It was nice to be able to just sit out in the verandah with my own thoughts. For the first time I started thinking about work and my real life. I wonder what's happening in Vancouver. I'm really starting to understand that i love the isolation. I love travelling by myself and being in situations that challenge me.

After dinner (more fried chicken...ahhh) we managed to find that someone had bought a bottle of nutella and there it was on the table taunting us. I havent touched chocolate in about a month and the sight of something sweet drove us all over the edge. So, the spoons came out and the bottle was done in less than 2 minutes... small luxuries make all the difference.

I really want to get dirty again. I love working hard and I am looking forward to tomorrow. We will be spending the entire day at the Via and I will have a chance to get to see the introduction tour which i missed out on earlier in the week.

Crash into me

The Main Catherdral at Leon

June 30th, 2007- Leon and Sayupo Beach

As much as I enjoy being a workaholic, I really do enjoy my downtime especially when it involves the beach! Nicaragua's beaches are glorious!!! Sayupo beach could be another surfer's paradise. All day today I kept thinking that if they were to improve the roads around this area, so many tourists would folk down here. There is a rustic beauty here which many travellers can really appreciate.

The day started out bright and early and we were taking a bus down to Leon and then towards the coast. The driver of the bus was a creepy creepy man who had a very evil laugh. I wish i could remember his name! He kept rubbing his big belly and giving all the girls nasty looks. But with Joe at my side and the excitement setting in, i really could have cared less.

I was disappointed that we couldn't stay in Leon. We were only able to drive through the city. But, the city itself is breathtaking. I went nuts with my camera! The old colonial feeling and the spanish influence is evident in the architecture. Leon was one of the capital's of Nicaragua in the past along with Granada. With each revolution, the capital moved and today it is Managua. The funny thing about Leon is that half the city has electricity and other half has access to running water. So, if you wanted to shower, you would have to drive across town to get one! Insane right! There is a shortage of water because of the droughts in the area so that is how they manage the problem. I think i would prefer running water to electricity anyday.

When we arrived at sayupo beach, the view took my breath away. We were taken through a restaurant that faced the ocean. I stripped off my shorts and ran towards the beach. Bad idea! The sand is HOTTT! it burned my feet. I was quickly able to find solace in the cool water. The waves were sometimes as high as 5 feet, a real surfer's paradise. Sadly, with each wave, i was covered with more deposits of sand! The restaurant has the most amazing garlic fish ever! Smothered in it actually, just the way i like it. Thanks Patty for the recommendation...yum yum. We soon headed back to Chinandega. The group was leaving the next day and intended to head to mass that night. Us long termers on the other hand headed to a local joint in chinandega called Buenos Aires. I had the best raw and then overcooked chicken skewers ever. It was nice just to be able to hang out and lay low for a bit after a couple days of back to back excitement.

Meet Patricia and Patricia- and ME

What i thought would be a relaxing night actually turned into an all night party! As soon as we got back, a dance party in the main hall broke out. Singing Backstreet Boys "I want it that way" in chorus is a memory to keep. I even got to do a wee bit of belly dancing for the gals and in a 45 degree weather, we were soaked! Tomorrow is Canada day yay! Looking forward to my sunday :)

I've got a soul but i'm not a soldier

June 29th 2007- Soul

Rise and shine- 6 am wake up call again but i was more than happy to comply with that. I'm a morning person. Can't help it. And the view from my bed made it worth it with the birds chirping and the dogs barking. After an enjoyable breakfast (yay no tummy pain) we headed back to the finqa for more work. I actually wanted to dig the fields again. I was in need of some solitary time. One on one with my reflections and trying to make sense of my sorroundings, how alive i felt here and my future. I know deep ( i have my moments). The day actually passed by relatively quickly. While i was digging i was actually contemplating jumping across the fence into the next plot and getting some papayas. But, the idea of being shot and then asking questions made me think otherwise. I think that today i finally realized the nature of nicaraguan culture. Everything moves slowly. You wait...wait...wait...wait some more...think you are about to go..wait more and then move quickly. After working the morning in the fields and completing the pepper plantation, we headed back to via catalina. I was so excited to meet patty's godchildren there. Soneil (i think thats the spelling), a cute kid of 4 stole my heart. Everyone kept showing patty their children's pictures and I realized how much they love having photos of themselves. They can't afford cameras and they treasure their pictures soo much. I hope to bring back some disposable cameras next year and give them to the kids to capture their own lives and develop those pictures for them. Looking at Patty, Kristin, Megan, Justin and Kelly, I came to realize how much i want to make a difference in someone's life. I dont know if i can look at my sorroundings the same way without thinking first about where the money could be used to improve the life of someone else. I've never been happier to be covered in dirt and dust from head to toe

Tomorrow is fun day- the beach! oh how i love the beach! The pacific ocean crashing into me. Can't wait