No worries. this is my first time being able to figure out the funky cyber schedule in the alcaldia´s )mayor´s)office. Think Jinotega will be the better bet. Time flies in these first few weeks. Already did the carretera walk house to house visiting and a lot of people already knew all about the gringa! Two of the youth from the soccer team the volunteer before me formed want to help me coach the boys youth league that might be forming. I{ve got about 4 communities and 40 boys from 11-15 yrs old wanting to just play ball. And there is also the men´s baseball keague to shcok with my ability to throw and catch a ball even though I{m a girl! Shock!
ESJUSA wants hornos... big time!! Edwin (host dad) thinks I´m crazy for trying to start a garden in August, but it´s a little one! Nelson, one of Lidia´s sobrinos(nephews), died in a motorcycle accident, so my first weeks here were for the funeral ceremonies. There are nine days of praying at 3PM and everyone comes and hugs and sings and says the Rosary faster than I ever thought possible (and that is coming from an Irish Catholic). Still working on my first official meeting with the cooperative to talk about the plan fot the oven and other projects that might serve to better the community. Lidia and Edwin seemed to think everyone was really busy with the harvest season and whenever I ask them when is a good time, they keep pushing the date back. Lidia was also really timid about accepting the monthly stipend for food and whatnot. Isi´s (host sister) birthday is this Saturday!! Hoping to bake cookies or a cake. She´s awesome! The Community Bank is still going and Isabel (Bank treasurer) and I have gone to a bunch of brigadista meetings together too (everything from sexual rights to early child stimulation (think music therapy)). In the first week I definitely hit the [you´re not in training anymore] wall hard and quickly needed to learn to slow down and enjoy the community. I also learned that people don´t go outside from 10-2 unless they cann´t help it and have learned to follow suite. And sun parasols and a God send!! Besides these new found pieces of wisdom, there are so many organic moments that just happen and lots of interested people. All in all, this is a great place. Hope to add pictures and fill you in more later.
