Day 39 - Managua & Playa El Tunco, El Salvador

We woke up relatively early on the 26th, brimming with excitement to get out of our room, but more importantly to get on our flight to El Salvador! Around mid-morning, we walked back across the street and checked in to our flight. The attendant tagged our bags and we went through security with out a hitch aside from the check of my massive bag of liquids in my carry on. Once we had the chance to sit and go through our boarding materials, Sarita noticed that we were in business class. I was in disbelief, but in reading through the sleeve, we were entitled to a VIP lounge visit and all of the other amenities! I guess that is why the one-way flight was more costly than we´d expected...added bonus!

We boarded the plane and received complimentary drinks and roasted nuts (Sarita´s highlight) from a very hospitable staff. Before we could even turn on our iPods, we were descending to San Salvador. Hilarious, we had been in business class for a 30 minute flight. We were definitely in hysterics.

Having reached El Salvador, we hopped in a cab straight to the coast. We arrived to Playa El Tunco and were extremely excited. The town was a strip of shops and restaurants surrounded by surfer inns. Our place was great as there was a pool and outdoor living room and one block from the ocean. We immediately changed and hit the beach! The surf was a bit strong, but the temperature of the water beautiful. We settled down for a late lunch and watched the sun set from the restaurant. Once the sun had set, a beach bar opened lined with tiki torches where they were screening surf videos. We took a seat there and enjoyed being outside and viewing the gorgeous starry sky. It was really nice to be able to have some cousin bonding time together.

Later on that evening, we met some guys from San Salvador who gave us tips on where to surf and the four different types of breaks so we´d be prepared for the next days activities.

Days 33-38 - Managua & San Juan del Sur

Left San Juan del Sur mid day on December 20th as I´d planned to meet up with Laura´s cousin Penn and her husband in Managua for dinner before greeting Josh at the airport. My ride from San Juan got a bit screwed up due to another couple I was counting on, so I ended up catching the bus. It took me a while to make the journey as I had to change buses at Rivas and then change terminals to get the express to Managua. I waited for about an hour for the express when a local pulled up, so I decided to get on. Due to my late arrival in Managua, Penn and her husband Doug picked me up from Mercado Huembes and we went straight to the airport. We had a great visit and discussed my experiences thusfar in Nicaragua. It was great to finally meet them as we´d been in touch over the phone for a bit of time. It was also nice to meet someone else from Laura´s family who was not at the wedding this summer. Following dinner, I went across the street and checked in to the hotel. Once I was settled, I received a call from Josh that his flight had been canceled and that he would not arrive until Tuesday! Yikes!

About an hour later, he had worked his way to the front of the line and managed to secure a seat on a flight to Managua the next day...and in first class! Although I was excited that he´d arrive sooner rather than later, we decided to cancel our Corn Islands portion of the trip for the moment as we´d pretty much get there and have to turn back to meet Sarita at the airport. I sent emails to cancel our arrangements which found out later were non-refundable, and we decided to head straight back to San Juan del Sur having arranged to be put up in the Secret Cove Inn again. I´ll try to make it back to the Corn Islands before returning home as I´ve heard that they are the highlight of many people´s Nicaraguan experiences.

Josh arrived around 4pm the following day and we got in a cab for San Juan. We missed the sunset by a few minutes, but were extremely happy to be at the beach...and in a town where I was very comfortable. I connected with a few friends who were in San Juan and we had a great night there. Over the next few days, we went to a few different beaches and Josh took up surfing. I was not surprised, but he was able to stand up on his second wave and continued to do well the remainder of the first afternoon. We also were able to take advantage of the pool at the Pelican Eyes resort up the hill from town which was a great place for him to unwind from the craziness of NYC. We met another friend, Justin, at the Secret Cove who´d sailed his boat from LA with some friends in order to settle in San Juan. He is Josh´s age and we were both very intrigued by his situation. Justin will be in San Juan when I return with Nic and Kels in early January, so maybe we´ll be able to get on the boat.

Following a great time in San Juan, on Christmas day we packed our bags, said our goodbyes and headed back to Managua to meet Sarita at the airport. Having checked her flights, we were delighted that she would make it in on time. Upon our arrival to the hotel, we saw that she had a slight delay in Atlanta, but would still make it to us that evening. We greeted her later on and the three of us had some time to catch up and get excited for the next leg of the trip! The only horrific detail is that our room was infested with bed bugs and we were all disgusted!

Days 26-32 San Juan del Sur

This past week has been VERY relaxing. Each day getting up, having breakfast and either heading to the beach or the pool at Pelican Eyes (a fine resort just up the hill from town). The weather has been fantastic and it´s been great just taking a week to chill out before the extensive traveling begins. It has been nice also because I´ve had some friends here to hang out with that I´ve met at the Spanish school and through other friends. This town is great because it is small enough where you feel that there are enough options, but also that you are safe to wander around alone day or night. I am staying at an inn called the Secret Cove where the owners are originally from California. They are very nice and accommodating. They live at the inn, so you know that your belongings are always safe and sound. Tomorrow, I am headed back to Managua to have dinner with Laura´s cousin, Penn, and to meet up with Josh when he arrives at the airport. We´ve booked the airport hotel so that we won´t have to run around early in the morning for our flight to the Corn Islands.

Days 21-25 - Managua

This past week was a very interesting experience being in the capital city of Managua. The city itself is very spread out and comprised of over 200 barrios (neighborhoods). My Spanish lessons were 4 hours each day comprised of 2 hours grammar and 2 hours conversation. My grammar professor was not very good, but my conversation professor was fantastic. There were 8 other students there this week which was nice to have some camaraderie. One couple had retired to Costa Rica from California and several others were from Belgium, Switzerland and Holland. In the afternoons, I went home to the family for lunch and met back up around 1 for our activity. In the evenings, I played volleyball in the street with the younger girls and their neighbors. Their neighborhood was pretty nice and very safe; however, I was told that many of the boundaries between barrios are blurred and even crossing the wrong street could be dangerous. Aside from the volleyball, I pretty much took it easy this week and spent time in the house at night.

Monday, we went to Mercado Roberto Huembes which is also one of the main bus terminals in Managua. Pretty crazy there...they have everything from artistic goods, barber shops, shoemakers and clothing stores to the traditional fruits, vegetables and meat sections. We also rode on one of the city buses which was a pretty crazy experience. Each of the bus drivers takes so much pride in their bus and decorates it to show their personality. Some of them have tinted windows and blast regueton while others are a shrine to Jesus...pretty outrageous.

Tuesday, we visited the Malecon (boardwalk on the lake) and went to El Mirador (lookout point) where they house the Sandino Museum. It was interesting to see how Managua is attempting to draw in more tourism and also to learn more about the history of the country. At El Mirador, our guide from the school showed us a canopy tour where at night apparently the mob takes their victims to be tortured (Laguna de Tiscapa). It was cool to see and also to get a better understanding of how the city is organized.

Wednesday, we attempted to visit an Archaeological museum on the edge of town, but even though the school called in the morning, it was closed when we arrived. Upon waiting for the bus to take us back toward the heart of the city, a few teenage boys came around as well. When the bus came, one of them grabbed my purse and tried to take it and run off. I was extremely quick and slammed my arm down to my side and was able to hold on to all of my things. Apparently, Managua is notorious for muggings and December is the high time, so no one was really surprised that one of us had an experience of that nature. Luckily, the bus driver noticed what was going on and did not allow him on the bus. I am happy that this happened because although a bit nerveracking, better to have a humbling experience while with a Nicaraguan. A bit of time later in the afternoon, we visited El Palacio Nacional which is the former residence of the President and currently the National Museum. We had a great guide who explained all of the flora and fauna in Nicaragua as well as the cultural diversity in the country due to its position in the middle of Central America. On the second floor, we were able to stop in at a performance where teenage girls and guys were doing traditional Nicaraguan dances. Imagine Caribbean rhythms mixed with Latin music...it was great.

Thursday, there was a hike organized at Chocoyero Reservacion. We had a local guide who showed us all of the different species of wildlife around including monarch butterflies, white faced monkeys and a variety of tropical birds. It was really beautiful there and also nice to get out of the heat of Managua.

Friday straight after classes, I'd arranged to have a taxi take me to the bus station as I planned to head back to San Juan del Sur to see some friends. I had lunch with the family and bid them goodbye before getting on the bus at 1:30. I arrived to San Juan del Sur around 5 and had arranged to stay back at the Spanish school where I'd been the week before as one of my friends was still there. I had never been so happy to see the beach. Being in Managua was a great experience, but not a place I would love to spend a lot of time.

Days 18-20 - San Juan del Sur and Managua

The weekend was here and I had finished up my week of classes at Spanish Ya! All in all a great experience. Friday afternoon, Gretchen and I had arranged for a lesson with the husband of the woman who runs the school. He took us to Playa Maderas with a few of his friends and gave us the rundown on the beach before getting in the water. It was more difficult for me because I had never done any snowboarding or sports of this nature, but still a great time. I was able to stand up once which I was proud about. After the lesson and we were ready for a break, we wandered away from the squatter-like cafe on Maderas and toward the ¨Hideout Surf Camp¨where he knew the owner. This place was legitimately straight out of Peter Pan and the lost boys. These guys were situated at the top of a massive rock fomation in a tree house, practicing skateboarding on a make-shift ramp. Definitely a sight to see. We continued wandering for a bit before turning back for Maderas. Following a beautiful sunset, we headed back into town for a quick bite before heading out. My friend Mascha from Granada was in San Juan too, so we met up with her for the night. There is definitely great nightlife in San Juan!

Saturday morning, we had arranged for a boatride with some of the guys we had met as well and left port at 10am. We cruised around for a while looking at the different beaches in the area and dropped anchor for a while to do a bit of swimming. Alan, the husband of the school owner is also a fisherman, so he dove in with his harpoon and came back up with a game fish! Pretty cool. We were also on board with a Canadian couple who liked to fish, so on the way back, they were able to reel in a rooster fish which I had never seen before. We returned to San Juan a few hours later ready to nap. Saturday night we were able to meet up again with some friends.

Sunday around 930, my ride came to take me back to Granada. When I arrived back at the school, the head of the school in Managua was already there waiting for me to arrive. I was able to reconnect with some friends in that school for a brief moment before heading to Managua. When I arrived at the homestay in Managua, the family was great and quick to embrace my presence. The mother, grandmother and five daughters live there which is great. We ate lunch together before I completely passed out and took a 4 hour nap. Totally unlike me, but clearly necessary. Around 630, they asked if I wanted to join them for the ¨Purissima¨. I figured, why not so they collected random instruments from around the house and huge shopping bags before leaving the house. I was still not sure what I was in for. We walked to their parish around the corner where there was a lineup of people waiting to sing to a statue of the Virgin Mary. Following singing, a woman handed out prizes, fruit...pretty much everything under the sun. I was definitely with the most lively of groups which was great. Picture kids on Halloween without the costumes and parents in tow singing to random statues of Virgin Mary all around the neighborhood! It was quite the experience. Even some of the households had karaoke type set ups where there was a band waiting to play for you upon entry. When we got back to the house, the girls feverishly sorted their prizes which included arroz con leche, flipflops, tanktops, soda, candy and home made candied cherries. Definitely an array of items. I am definitely happy I was able to take in this experience as I have never seen anything like it!

Days 16-18 - San Juan del Sur

This week is flying by and the town is growing on me by the day...good thing I am planning to come back here at least 2 more times before leaving Nicaragua! My lessons are continuing to be well, and my instructor Claudia is fantastic. Wednesday afternoon, we did not have a scheduled activity, so Gretchen and I walked around in the town and hung out on the main beach for a while. It is interesting that there are really not many American tourists here. Mainly, we've seen Europeans so far but have also heard that there are lots of Australians and Israelis around these parts. Around sunset, we went to have a drink at this bar right on the beach where they have hammock-type chairs in the sand. The sunset was gorgeous, and as we were taking some photos, this woman walked up and asked if we'd like for her to take one of us...in our introduction, we learned that she was visiting SJDS on a "visa run" as she currently runs a guesthouse in the "Beverly Hills" type area of San Jose, Costa Rica. She was originally from Southern California, but had been there for several years. It's interesting who you meet and for what reason. She seemed very nice and gave us her information to check out the site and in the case that we needed a relaxed, affordable place in a great neighborhood of San Jose. We'll see...it may work out for a quick stop over on my way to Panama with Nic, but is nice to have an option in an otherwise nebulous city to navigate.

Thursday turned out to be another great day as well. My discussion in Spanish has gotten a bit better and my confidence level greater. Of course, when I don't know the Spanish word, I've been throwing in French or Italian where possible or throwing an accent onto an English word to make it work, but still it is better than fumbling through and getting stuck. During class, we walked to the market to pick up our supplies for the cooking lesson in the afternoon. We made Indio Viejo, a traditional Nicaraguense dish which is a kind of stew comprised of shredded chicken, peppers, tomatoes, onions, mint, corn meal and milk...very tasty. I'd had it with my host family in Granada, but never prepared it myself.

Following the cooking lesson, we took a walk around town and found the area where I was planning to stay after Managua which looks like a smaller version of the Gas Lamp quarter of San Diego with the antique fixtures in the street, etc. We also ran in to my friend Mascha who is still in town until late next week.

Tomorrow is my last day of lessons here and I am excited for the weekend on a boat and the beach, but have had a great experience with this school. Also, looking forward to my first surf lesson tomorrow afternoon!

Days 14-16 - San Juan del Sur

Left Granada in the morning on Sunday and headed to the coast! It was raining which is atypical of this time of year, but the ride was shorter than I had anticipated and took only 1.5 hours. I arrived at the Spanish School (Spanish Ya!) where I would be living for the next week. It was a good situation because the classroom is right outside of my room which is next door to the family's house. Also, turned out that I would not be the only student this week. I was even more excited when I found out it was another girl from the US. She arrived about an hour after I did. Turns out Gretchen was originally from LA but has been living in Jaco (Costa Rica) for the past few years in a condo development corporation. She is a bit older than me, but we are on the same page about learning Spanish and traveling which is nice. She mentioned that she took a trip similar to what I am doing now when she was my age and that it was the best thing she ever did...to this moment, I echo her sentiments. We spent the rest of the day chatting, getting used to our new accommodations and checking out the main town. The town was a typical beach town with little shops, restaurants/bars and hostels/hotels...pretty small. You could definitely tell that they cater to backpackers here. We ran in to my Dutch friends on the street and caught up with them too before heading back to the house for dinner.

Lessons began on Monday and again, my professor was great. She got right into it and said that the best way to learn is through practice so that is what we were going to do. After lunch, I felt really sick (we think it was something we were served) and took a nap before our introduction to the area by our professors. I was able to walk around for a bit, but in the middle of the walk I began to feel very faint and came back to the house. The grandmother (who looks and acts like Grandma Ungar) was very sweet. She made me tea and gave me a hot water bottle for my stomach. I was able to sleep through the night, and feel better today.

Had lessons this morning and another two students arrived, but they are staying elsewhere. In the afternoon, we went to an isolated beach on the edge of town called Playa Remanso. It was beautiful and the sun was just strong enough that with a nice breeze the weather was perfect. We stayed for a few hours and decided that surf lessons will be on the agenda for later this week.

Days 8-13 - Flor de Pochote

A week on the farm...I began my mornings at 8am with breakfast of fresh fruit and coffee prepared by the resident chef. Definitely nothing to complain about. Everything served here was either grown on the premises organically, or within the community. Following, around 9 I had Spanish lessons for a few hours with a professor from the Spanish school in Granada where I had been last week. It turned out that she was the sister of my teacher from last week. She was great and I definitely improved my oral abilities over the past week; however, I am still a long way from fluency. During our lessons, the chef would bring us a snack of pastry and juice. Around noon, we had lunch together. Each day at one, we would meet up with the grounds keeper of the farm and participate in some work for a few hours...this is where it gets interesting.

Monday, I learned how to scrub down the goose bath and corral. Also, I learned how to make organic chicken feed before distributing it. It is interesting because as the farm is organic, there are no real limitations put on the animals. The chickens, cows, sheep and horses are free to roam around as they please. Kind of funny when you are eating breakfast and all of a sudden, the cow comes to eat with you.

Tuesday, I learned how to sharpen a machete and determine if a cactus was infected by a plague. If yes, I had to chop off the infected area or slice it with the machete...I did not like this task at all and I think the grounds keeper began thinking that I was a princess. Oh well.

Wednesday, we walked around the community and spoke with different people about what they grow and their thoughts on the current economic conditions in Nicaragua. It was really interesting not only to see how they live, but also to know that I can comprehend discussions such as these at this stage in the game. Obviously, my responses and follow up questions were in broken Spanish, but these folks were appreciative of my efforts. We also visited a coffee growers cooperative which was pretty cool. It has been around for 30 years and these guys were hard core sandinista. They had murals of Che on their walls and spoke about how much they do not like the banks having ownership of their property. They were very hospitable and answered all of my questions about the production process and the history of their group, but it was an extremely different lifestyle than what I am used to.

Thursday, I learned how to sharpen an ax and to saw down trees with an electric saw. I also tried - key word - tried to chop firewood, but it was much more difficult than I´d thought.

Unfortunately, Friday I contracted a fever and had to cancel my activity, but the family and their staff were very hospitable and took great care of me.

Saturday morning I woke up feeling much better and ready to head back to Granada for the day.
The taxi picked me up at 11am and brought me back to the school. I am finally able to use the internet and charge my phone with more credits as I was pretty much in isolation over the past week. It was a great experience living on the farm, but I am very excited to be headed to the beach tomorrow morning!

Day 6 & 7 - Granada, Masaya and Flor de Pochote

It was the weekend and time to make an excursion outside of Granada...I met up with some friends early in the morning and we headed to the artisan market in Masaya which is only about 20 minutes away by bus. This market in known for wooden furniture, hammocks and pottery. We took a similar bus to the one I´d taken to Catarina, but this time the experience was much more pleasant, probably because it was early in the morning on a Saturday. We perused the market, but only one of us bought a lot. I would have loved to pick up a hammock, but there was no way I was carrying it through my entire trip. After a few hours in Masaya, we headed back to Granada for lunch. The rest of the day I spent hanging out with my host family as I would be leaving in the morning for Masatepe.

On Sunday morning, I brought my things to the school where a taxi would take me to my next destination, Flor de Pochote right outside of Masatepe. The cab driver was very nice and he thought I would like the music in his car which was 1970s disco and pop remixed in English...pretty funny. After the 30 minute ride, we arrived to Flor de Pochote. The main house was quite nice with a gorgeous view of Laguna de Apoyo and a volcano in the distance. The closest city was Masaya which was also visible from the house. I was taken up a steep hill to my cabaña by one of the women who works in the house. My cabaña was much better than I had expected. It was pretty much equivalent to a bunk I lived in at camp, but all to myself. Also, the view was gorgeous and I had a hammock and rocking chairs on my porch so that I could enjoy the scenery. There were no planned activities for the afternoon, so I hung out and got adjusted to my new surroundings. I had dinner with the family who owns the farm and learned that he was from Denmark and she from Nicaragua. They have run the place for 14 years and it is a successful destination for ecotourism. Also, I learned that they did not have electricity for about a week and that it is common outside the cities to go for days without electricity. I was escorted back to my cabaña as it was pitch black and the electricity did not return by morning.

Day 5 - Granada

Today has been quite an interesting day. Last day of class this week meant an exam which I was not expecting. I performed well and am happy that my Spanish is coming along as it is. In the afternoon, I was headed to Catalina with my professor, Carla to see the best view of the city. We went to the bus station which was by NO MEANS what I had pictured...picture a parking lot behind a wire fence where about 50 people are hanging out and listening to latin techno. The buses are converted school buses from the 1990's that have been painted festivly.

We board the bus without paying and while we wait, there is a parade of vendors selling everything under the sun. You name it...from gum and candy to socks and earrings. They were also selling fresh fruit juices in plastic bags with straws and freshly baked donuts. So random. Anyway, the funniest was when the bus was full to capacity and we were not able to leave until the entire isle was a lineup of people as well. Not sure if this was due to our rush hour departure, but it was jammed. As we departed the terminal, the bus continued to stop every 100 feet or so to both let people off and allow more people on! This was definitely not the express.

We finally arrived at Catalina and it was definitely a sight to be seen! There was a gorgeous view of a lagoon with the city of Granada in the back and the volcano Mumbacho to the right. After a little while of walking around and taking random photos of roosters wandering the streets, we headed back to the main road to catch the bus back to Granada. Turns out, we missed the last bus and got in a cab. (Note: the cabs here are similar to the sherut in Israel where they are shared with different destinations)

The cab took us to the neighboring city of Masaya where we were able to catch a "microbus" back to Granada which was similar to the cramped quarters of the regular "chicken bus" but in a minivan. Of course, we were picked up on the side of the street and were the last ones onboard. The man who collected money stood in front of the sliding door as we squeezed on. The driver continued on pretty quickly. The only problem was that everytime the door opened, my skirt flew up! After a few stops, I was given a seat until we arrived back in Granada.

Upon arrival, I went back to my host family for dinner before going out with my new friends. I met up with them a block away from the house and we headed to Calle de Calzada where restaurants and bars spill into the street, especially at night. We had a drink at a cafe called Flor de Lise where the manager literally found a table in the basement and set it up for us on the sidewalk because there were no more seats. After a bit of time here, we headed to Cafe Nuit where there was live music and a beautiful garden. All in all, a great day/night.

Day 4 - Granada

Nothing much new to report today. Had another great lesson with Carla and in the afternoon returned to school for a cooking lesson. Two of the Dutch girls I´ve met joined me for the lesson and we made Los Buñuelos, a typical Nicaraguan dish. Los Buñuelos are dumplings filled with yucca and cheese both grated very finely and dipped in a mixture of honey, cinnamon and cloves. The dumplings are fried in oil and cooked on both sides like latkes. They were very delicious!

Day 3 - Granada

It is now Wednesday and my week here is nearly half over. On my way to school this morning, I found something a bit peculiar...on the corner of my street was a random horse, just standing there! I asked if this was a common sight and I guess there is nothing wrong with a stray horse hanging out on a street corner! So, I had my usual few hours of class in the morning, and lunch at the family´s.

After lunch, I walked over to Parque Central this time determined to find the ¨Seeing Hands¨ location in back of EuroCafe. Without too much trouble, I found the receptionist and her four masseurs! It was kind of odd that this massage parlour was located in the back of a coffee shop...for those of you familiar with Second Cup in Montreal on Parc, think of the side of the shop in the back filled with blind men and massage chairs. I know, a bit awkward, but great as you read on. This situation was not creepy in the least as students with laptops were in all other corners of this room. I asked how long was the wait for a 20 minute chair massage and found that I had to wait a bit.

Instead of waiting, I ventured down Calle Calzada where there are tons of restaurants, bars and hostels. It was interesting to see also here that the front of each venue was brightly colored and with no specific or grandiose design. Upon looking inside, there were magnificent gardens and people hanging out on rocking chairs - apparently, rocking chairs are big here.

After about 20 minutes, I returned to ¨Seeing Hands¨for my 20 minute massage. It was all very professional and a nice break in the day. Afterward, I picked up a Coca Light and headed back to school for my afternoon activity. Note to all...in Granada, a 20 minute massage = 3 Coca Light = $3.50 US!

Once I returned to school, Carla and I set off to walk the length of the city. We headed through Parque Central and past where I had ventured before to Doña Elba - a cigar rolling facility. We walked in and there were four workers sitting at grade school - sized desks with plenty of tobacco leaves around them. It was interesting to see how this process worked. I even got to roll a few cigars myself!

Following Doña Elba, we continued walking away from the city´s center to La Polvora which is a former prison sitting at the outskirts. This prison has four towers which allow one to see the length of the city. It was interesting to walk around and see the structure. It is great because Carla acts as my personal Spanish professor and tourguide. She was able to answer all of my questions. Once we were done at La Polvora, I walked back toward the house and stopped at Iglesia Xalteva which has existed since the 18th century. Across the street is a park with stone lanterns unchanged from this same period. I continued walking and found myself back at the house soon after.

I was pleased that I was able to better communicate at dinner, especially because la abuela served tostones and torta de pollo which is reminiscent of potato latkes + schnitzel which was greatly appreciated.

Day 2 - Granada

This morning, I woke feeling a bit more comfortable. The young girl, Marla, came in to wake me and head to breakfast together. I was able to hold a bit more of a conversation at the table, but still a struggle to communicate.

I headed to school around 8 for my lessons. At lunch break, I decided to wander around the city a bit. I had read about a massage parlour run by the blind which sounded interesting, but it was far too hot to be wandering around at that hour. I headed home for lunch with the family. Again, I was able to utilize the siesta time and took a nice nap after eating.

Around 3, I went back to school to meet Carla for our tour of the Museo de Granada. This was quite a place documenting the history of the city from both cultural and religious standpoints. There were lots of sculptures inspired by the bible as well as some gorgeous paintings of Granada´s surroundings. We spent about an hour here before heading back to the school.

My plan was to continue on to find the blind masseurs; however, when I arrived back to the school, some of my peers were hanging out, so I decided to stay and chat. Two of the girls are from Holland and are here for 2 months to study Spanish and volunteer in the community. One of these girls, Anna, had stayed with my current host family and shared my sentiments being pleased with their hospitality and dynamic. The other Dutch girl, Mascha, mentioned that upon finishing her time in Granada, she was headed to San Juan del Sur...this would overlap with my time there, so it was nice to meet someone with a similar itinerary. The other American girls had already been in the city for 2 months and shared some fun weekend excursions they had been on - for example, Isla de Ometepe where they climbed a volcano and met loads of travelers from Canada and Australia. This is close by to San Juan del Sur, so I hope to make this trip when I am there.

After chatting for a bit, I headed home to practice my Spanish a bit more at dinner with my host family. I was able to fit in a brief chat with Mom which was nice, until Marla came in to get me for dinner. I was pleased that I could converse a bit with the two youngest. After dinner, the abuela - grandmother - proposed that I watch TV so that my vocabulary would become greater. I took her advice and sat with Marla watching Bridezillas, of all programs.

Day 1 - Granada

The first day in Granada has been extremely eye-opening. This city has been previously colonized by both the Spanish and British as is reflective in its architecture. Also, the backdrop is a large volcano and Lago de Nicaragua. Apparently, this lake takes 15 hours to cross by boat!

I was awoken by the mother of my host family around 7am so that I would have time to get ready before I went to school. She prepared Corn Flakes with fresh papaya and oranges for my desayuno. I was hesitant to eat the fruit, but it was still in its skin, so I figured I would take a taste and see how I fared. Around 8am, I was brought to the Spanish school and given a key by the ¨head master¨. She then introduced me to my instructor, Carla. She is very sweet and couldn´t be any older than I am.

We began with an exam to evaluate my skills which are by no means developed. Having completed what I was able, we began with some simple vocabulary and verb structure. This week will be great for me to cultivate my language skills and also to get comfortable living with a family. I had lessons until 10am at which time we have a half hour break. I was given a Nicaraguan cell phone for the month and was thrilled as mine has not been properly picking up signal. This school is great because my lessons are one-on-one so that I set the pace of each subject dependent upon my understanding level. There are a few other girls in the school this week, but they have lessons together and volunteer in a school in the afternoon. Around 1030, we recommence and continue until noon.

Each day, I have a break in medio dia - noon- until 3pm. I headed home for lunch and was greeted by the entire family who would eat intermittantly dependent upon when they would head back to work. In the house, there are 8 members including the mother and head of the household, her three daughters and one son as well as three grand children. I ate with one of her daughters and grand daughters who are completely baffled by the fact that I barely understand what they are saying and cannot properly respond. It is a crazy feeling not to be able to communicate, but Ill get there. We had chicken soup and rice, beans and boiled plantains. The fresh pàpaya juice was fantastic as well. Following our meal, I took an hour siesta and completed my homework for school.

Around 3p, I headed back to school for a tour of the city. We walked down to the lake which I understood was polluted in most parts, but in the center, there is still a thriving fish trade by the Isla de Ometepe. Carla explained the history of the lake and volcano as well as the traditions of the city of Granada. We continued walking toward the central park and wandered through the mercato. It reminded me a bit of Italy where vendors were saying whatever they could to get your attention. They sold shoes, clothing and food. Apparently, in Masaya a bit closer to Managua, there is a great artisan market where it is best to make purchases. There is not much poverty in Granada as the city has become extremely desirable to ex-pats rendering it unaffordable to most lower economic families. There is also a house which has been established to aid working women. They hold courses in English, sewing, computers, etc at no cost. I am happy that we were able to tour a bit so that I could see what else the city has to offer aside from what I have noticed in my walk to and from school.

Once our walk was complete, I headed back to the house for cena. Not understandng how, I was completely wiped out after all of this activity. I ate quickly with the family before excusing myself to go to bed.

Arrival and first night in Granada

I have arrived safely to Nicaragua and without any major hiccups along the way.

Left NYC around 11a and arrived to Miami a few minutes early allowing for some quick calls before meeting up with Stacey. Shortly after exiting security, she met me for lunch and we had a great catchup as we hadn´t seen each other in about a year. Around 5, I went back through and made it to the gate just before boarding began.

My flight to Managua also landed early, and I had ample time to go through Immigration and Customs before locating my bag - which I checked reluctantly. Luckily, as soon as I picked up my bag from the carousel, I noticed a gentleman holding a sign with my name on it...he was the taxi driver who would take me to my first destination, Granada.

Communication was difficult as he did not speak English and my Spanish is horrendous at this point. My broken Italian/French did not prove helpful in the least either...oh well...at least I was able to comprehend a bit and gather that the ride would be about an hour. The only issue which ensued was that my cell phone which was supposed to receive signal was out of service - sorry Mom, if you were worried! The entire ride, I attempted to reset but no luck.

Anyhow, I arrived to Granada and it is a quaint, colonial city, at least from what I can tell in the dark. The taxi driver pulled up to the Spanish school where the ¨head master¨came out and guided us to my host family´s abode. I walked in and was happy with my accommodations. There really were no expectations, just as long as it was clean, safe and quiet. My room consists of a mosquito netted bed, an armoir and a bureau. To one side is the bathroom and living room to the other. The entire house is layed out in a row, with my room at the relative front.

I was exhausted by this point, so once I learned that the ¨head master¨would come by in the morning to pick me up for school, I went to sleep.

Tomorrow...liftoff!

A Week Today

Beginning to get everything organized and prepared as I leave NYC in just one short week! It is amazing how much I am able to squeeze into this little pack. I am thumbing through the travel guides thrilled to have these descriptions come to life so soon. Although it will be tough to leave the hustle bustle, ever changing day-to-day of New York, I cannot wait to embark on this life changing journey.