Monday afternoon & the Nicaraguan Children

At lunch, which was around 12:30 everyone around the table looked exhausted. The sun had taken a toll on the other group and all the movement of the materials tired out my group. After I ate I had planned to go upstairs and read but the children I had gotten into the bubble war with the previous evening called me. Their shear enthusiasm drew me over and the next thing I knew we were engaged in some bubble blowing and bubble popping frenzy. Three of the little girls, Ashley (in the picture to the right) , Clara and one more whose name escapes me, ganged up on me and I had no hope of escaping unscathed. Soapy water was everywhere, especially on me. At the end of the fight, my pants were a combination of dirt, grime and bubble mix. Since my Spanish is still quite iffy, I spoke to them in English. What was interesting was that they could tell I was playing with them by my tone. They just kept on laughing and talking to me in Spanish. Neither of us knew what the other was saying but it just didn't seem to matter. They were so full of energy and happy that I don't think anything could have chilled their spirits.

Speaking of playing with the children, many friends gave me toys to bring to Nicaragua this year for the children. In fact, I brought 2 large suitcases on the trip and one of them was almost completely filled with toys. I appreciate all of your generosity very much. What's amazing is how much fun the children had with the simplest things. Bubbles brought endless hours of amusement. Many of our group spent time coloring with the children, too. What's interesting is that children of all ages enjoyed coloring and an equal number of girls and boys partook in this activity. In the picture to the left 4 girls are sitting quietly coloring.

A couple of friends gave me some balloon punching balls. When I broke these out, kids appeared out of the wood work and the whole court yard was full of kids punching balloons. It was quite a sight to be seen, kids running around batting the balloons around laughing. A fun time was had by all. In the picture to the right, even the smallest child wanted in on the action.

Another friend gave me yoyo's to bring... These were like gold and the children couldn't get enough of them. Below Martin, my dance partner from the first night is trying his hand with the yoyo. Again, thanks to all of you for your contributions. You can see that they got put to good use.

Monday January 17th

Today is the first day of work. Leslie, our group organizer, divided us into two teams as the houses we were going to build were a small distance a part. We got a house that was in the sun but had a lot of shade around it but was a bit of distance from the road. The other team got a house in full sun but was very close to the road. It's not clear which team had the better deal but each of us was convinced that we had it worse. Funny how that happens. Anyway, I was a bit disappointed that we were getting split up because it means that I won't spend much time with half of our group and many of the community. I was also disappointed that I wouldn't get to hang with Jocelyn, the girl with great energy that I met the first night in the wheel chair.


Another interesting note about human nature. The first day I couldn't help but wonder what's going on at the other site. Was Anna laying brick with the speed of light like last year? Did she have another kid getting in the way of her highly efficient system? Who knows and at some point I just focused on what had to get done at our site.

We begin the day by loading into our respective pickup trucks and head off to our respective sites. In the picture to the right is the "sun house" group raring to go. When we arrive at the place where we park our pickup truck (because we can't get closer to our house) Carlos, one of head masons, asked for volunteers to move things. Fortunately two of our more burly men volunteered for the task. The rest of us head down the paths that will eventually get us to the site where we'll be building.


Our Bridges Trip Coordinator, Kayla, has hurt her knees and is in so much pain that has to go the hospital. So, Mark, the Ticuantepe Site Coordinator, steps in. Fortunately there are many trip veterans who know what we need to do because things are a bit chaotic today. To get to the site we walk down the road depicted in the picture to the left. Next we turn left where the laundry is hanging out to dry and then turn right to walk through the neighborhood. This path is depicted in the picture on the right. If you look off to the left or right walking down this second path you'll see people's houses. The picture below right is an example of one of these houses.


At first it's hard to look at the conditions in which many of these people live. At the same time, though, it provides motivation for the work to be done.

The picture to the left is how our site looked when we arrived. One of our first tasks was to level the dirt in the middle of the house so that we could move the cement block inside. Having the block inside makes building the walls so much easier. So, we formed a block line to move the block that already was at the site inside the house. To the right is a picture of that process. Note that momentum is key as it is so much easier when everyone gets in the same rhythm as you leverage the person passing you the block's force. Sylvia (to the left) and Fatima (to the right) are doing some of the heavy lifting. I spoke with Sylvia later and found out that this is the 18th house in the Community that she has helped build. She's a strong woman and one of the people on the Committee in this community. (I'll explain the Committee in a later post)

Next we began sifting dirt (I know that may sound odd, but there are a lot of rocks, leaves and other debris that wouldn't be well suited for mortar) and loading into wheel barrows so that we could make the first of many batches of mescula. (cement)

Seems like several hours go before the men who volunteered to move appear. From their faces we can tell they have been working really hard. Apparently they had to go pick up 3 or 4 pickup loads of cinder block and cart it to the "Sun House" and then cart the rest of it to staging area 2 near, our house. Several of us went the husband of the house (Abuelo) to load the block into wheel barrows to move it to our site. It is arduous back breaking work but Abuelo, who looked to have 20 years on us, was working so hard that it was difficult to complain. To the left is a picture of him moving the block. (Note that he was loading 7 cinder blocks in each wheel barrow, I was only able to move 5...)

Our group worked hard and everyone pitched in to do whatever was required. Despite all our efforts, all the moving of material put us a bit behind schedule. By lunch we had only finished a couple of rows of block.

Sunday evening - January 16th

We made it to our resting place for the week today. We're back at the Community Center where we stayed last year and am sitting on my bed, which is a mattress on the floor, writing this entry.

The day started at 7:00 when Jenise woke up realizing her alarm had not gone off. The good news was that she hadn't moved the time forward so we had plenty of time to get ready for breakfast.


Today we went on a tour of Mombacho, a long extinct volcano located about 12 kilometers from Granda. It was a bit of a drive to get there, I think it took us about an hour so we had to leave El Raizon at 9. I expected it to be like last year, a black lava volcano largely free of vegetation. Was I wrong! It is actually a long extinct volcano that it is actually a rain forest filled with luscious green vegetation. We boarded an old military troop carrier and ascended to the peak of the volcano which was about 1300 meters, roughly equivalent to 3700 feet. On the way up I saw at least 10 -15 varieties of butterflies and was awestruck. They were large and colorful similar to the ones I had seen just two weeks ago at the museum of Natural History. I was tempted to jump out of the transport and yell pick me up on the way back. Alas, I thought better of that and proceeded along with the others to the top. In the adjacent picture you can see Denise, in the front, with Michelle behind her and Anna playing around.


At the top there were several trails that would lead you around the twin craters. The paths were somewhat structured like a large figure 8. We went one the shorter hike, which was around a mile in length, but had some inclines and declines. We had an English speaking guide who stopped along the way to describe all kinds of interesting facts. The vegetation along the way was something to behold; Orchids, bromeliads, moss and other plant material abounded. Apparently Mombacha is home to the 7 small orchids in the world. We learned about the parasitic relationship between the orchids, moss and bromeliads and the trees upon which they live. To the right, the guide points out a bromeliad, which is especially important to the "cloud rainforest" as it's long leaves catch water and subsequently provides nourishment to surrounding vegetation. One tree that had over 50 different species living on it. On our way down to one of the scenic overlooks, we went through "the tunnel." It was a small opening between dense rock. It was filled with moss as the sun doesn't make it down to the bottom. From here it was not to far to an amazing overlook with vistas of the islands of Granada, formed by a volcanic eruptions years ago. Not the clearest of days but below is one picture that attempts to give you a sense of the view. I really would like to have spent more time here. Apparently there is an evening hike that affords you the opportunity to see the creatures that only come out in the dark. There are numerous that fit this bill including the red eye tree frog. Mombacho has some rudimentary bunks, sleeping 8, if one is so inclined. I would love to sign up for one of these hikes to see the sites.

After this fantastic tour, we descended the peak and headed straight to the community in which we would work this week. One of the Bridges traditions is that the community assemble with the volunteers on Sunday afternoon and evening to get acquainted and also to celebrate the beginning of what will be a life altering experience for all involved. We arrived to the sounds of music playing over some extra large speakers. Music was blasting and members of the community were out to celebrate. Balloons lined the entrance and at least 30 - 40 people were gathered to join in the festivities. Our group immediately started mixing with the folks. Several, who have the gift of rhythm, started dancing. This tactic seemed to ease the mixing as several of the kids asked us to dance with them. I have to say this was a bit of a contrast to the event I attended last year, which was much more of a formal event. Since my Spanish has only made minor improvements and my Italian is as useless as it was last year, I started taking pictures of people and children and showing it to them. They reacted with enthusiasm and several of the children took my camera and started shooting pictures. An interesting common thread - people like to see pictures of themselves. There was one girl, Jocelyn, in a wheel chair with waist high castes. (see picture left) Apparently a genetic problem where her legs bend inward. They cast her with her legs bent outward for 2 months. They repeat this process until the issue is resolved. (It's not clear to me when that will be) Anyway, she's on a countdown... 4 more days and her casts would be off. Despite the heat and the discomfort that must accompany the casts, her spirit was amazing. So happy and eager to have her picture taken, she wanted a second shot where she posed like a model. (see picture right) I continue to be amazed by the human condition. She reminded me that so much in life is about attitude. Greatness reveals itself frequently and despite her young age she seemed to have a presence and persistence that we can all learn from.



One other person that struck me during this interaction was a boy named Martin. Very gregarious, he came up and asked me to dance. Now, those of you that know me know that rhythm is not one of my gifts... I decided to forgo conventional wisdom and jump right it. He had great energy and I very much enjoyed dancing with him. Note: I didn't ask whether he enjoyed dancing with me. That is left as an exercise for the reader. :)


After the celebration we headed to the community center. Katie and I wondered if we would be greeted by Clara, one of the high spirited kids from last year. We were not disappointed when we pulled up and saw her bright shinning face. Later in the evening we would play with bubbles. She wanted me to take the bubble she had blown and was yelling toma. The rest of the week Clara referred to me as "toma." Everytime she or Ashley would see me they would yell, "Toma, toma, toma." I suppose there are worse nicknames.


I was also glad to see Anna, the woman who was our security person last year. She remembered me and we spoke in broken Spanish about her daughters Catherine and Marsielle. Very nice. Well need to get ready for bed. It's almost 10 and we need to be at breakfast by 7. To the left is a picture of Anna and Marsielle. It really felt nice to know that they remembered me... despite my completely ineffective ability to speak their language.

Saturday - January 15th

Sitting in my bed at El Raizon - it's a hotel that is situated adjacent to the Bridges to Community Office in Ticuantepe. (for more detail on the location of this municipality - check out my blog from last year. It's at http://semilla-nicaragua-2010.blogspot.com/2010/01/journey-begins.html )
Can't seem to locate my journal - so many toys that my bags are hard to navigate. Long day but fun. The group is melding very well and I am enjoying getting to know many new people. I am a bit surprised at how easily the group interacts. Where else are you able to connect with so many different types of people?

I think 10 of us were on the same flight from DCA to Miami. Thankfully, we had no problems and arrive in Miami on time. We connected with Jenise, Beth, Kareem and Trudy at the Miami airport. From there we headed to a bar near our departure gate to toast our departure. The bloody mary's were excellent. Katie shared her mimosa with me and I shared my bloody mary with her. Who knew they could be a good combination... Maybe we should try mixing them all together?

We arrived at the airport at Managua (pronounced Manawa in local speak) and were greeted by Leslie, Bill, Anna, Denise, Michelle who had been down for a week learning Spanish. We also connected with Jeff, who had taken a different flight. Dave, one of the Bridges employees, greeted us in the stead of Carla and Kayla, who were finishing up with the group before us. Nicaragua is known as the land of lakes and volcanoes. Scott, who is quite the creative photographer, snapped this picture from the plane. You can see why the country is known by these features.


We ate lunch at a nice restaurant and I was reminded again about the remarkable juices , salsa and cuisine. I had orange juice at lunch and it tasted like it came right off the tree. Note that my glass is half full - I was so eager to taste it that I forgot to take a picture before I drank it. Next I had a margarita and lets just say that was equally delicious. Michelle, no need to make any comments here.


On to the zip line and the highest point in Managua. In the early 20th century Sandino had a palace at this location. I looked at the pictures of it and the panoramic view that this location affords is something to behold. There was also a prison here, where people were tortured. Katie asked some one about ghosts, and apparently night guards have heard screams...

Anyway, many of us went on the zip line. This zip line goes over a lake and consists of 3 sections; each of which is separated by a hut. Our groups was adventuresome - many went down upside down. I believe this is a shot of Denise hanging up-side-down. She made it look so effortless that I did this on the second leg. I have to admit that it was very intimidating... I should have learned from her stories that Denise has nerves of steal. Next year, I think I'll pass on that.

We arrived at El Raizon and had dinner. Jenise, Beth and I shared a room. I was delighted that all of them were non snorers. To the right is a picture of our room. We were about to settle in for the night when there was a knocking on the door. Denise and Leslie came in and we were in for a treat. Denise proceeded to tell us some stories from her week in Nicaragua learning Spanish. I was laughing so hard my side ached. Let's just say that Denise has a knack for story telling and has the luck to have many good stories to tell. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted after a 19 hour day.

At the airport...

It's 6:00 am and I am at the gate waiting for my 7:10 am departure. I haven't connected with the rest of my group yet. They are likely going through the long security lines. Who knew so many people would be at the airport at the crack of dawn on a weekend. Oh wait Katie just arrived! I am starting to get excited. I sent off my last work email a few minutes ago and now I can start to focus on the activities of the next week.

Getting Ready to go back

Hello -

It's Thursday night, January 13th. I am about to embark on my second trip to Nicaragua as part of Bridges to Community. Since I have already been once, I know a bit more of what to expect. That said, this year it's a bit different. Last year I went with Roxane, a very good friend. She's not going this year; so while I know more about the environment, I know less about the people with whom I will be traveling. I also know that my broken Italian will not be of much help. So, I have been diligently working at trying to develop some broken Spanish. In fact I have purchased a travel translator as I was so frustrated last year at the prospect of not being able to communicate. Not sure how that will work, but I am going to be very glad to be able to look up words. Last thing - last year my blog was a series of reflections on my trip. This year I am going to keep a journal and will type that in as a series of entries when I return. (as there is no connectivity to speak of) So, you'll be able to get my real time thoughts albeit delayed. Thanks for your interest, I appreciate your attention.