my first cusmapa sunset

this sunset was a sunset that could make a gal´s eyes tear. at the viewpoint you can see mountains rolling out in front of you for miles all around, and in the distance, you can see a sliver of ocean. the colors are amazing, from deep lush green to the bright neon firey orange. the cloud are of every kind and they are all moving. you can see it raining in some places and the sun shining on the mountains in others. truly, breathtaking.

she lives!!

i´ve been writing blog entries on my own computer for weeks now but i have no way to transfer the files to a computer that has internet. when i receive a flashdrive in the mail soon i will post all the entries at once. so sorry for the lack of communication, there is no easy way to communicate from Cusmapa.

i am extremely happy and well, i am in love with nicaragua.

more soon.....L

Black Eyed Peas

so, a big group of gringos will be attending a big gringo group concert this weekend in Managua. yes, i am going to see the Black Eyed Peas at the national stadium in Nicaragua, totally weird. apparently these kinds of event to not often happen here, it should be very interesting. i think there are about 10 volunteers from Fabretto, Jesuit Volunteers International, and the Peace Corps going together....all have some kind of relationship with Fabretto. great fun.

isn´t it amazing to be able to move to a totally new and foreign country and right away have a big group of like minded people to have tons of fun with? i don´t think i will ever be without a traveling companion, incredible, i´m so lucky.

the last 5 days in Esteli

Esteli is a great town, there are several little treasures there that Hannah introduced me to in the last several days.

There is a great restaurant/botanic gardens just on the edge of town where they make delicious wheat bread, their own brie, swiss, hummus, preserves, granola, and more i'm sure. the coffee was yummy and so was the food, and you get to eat it surrounded my lots of beautiful plants. there is an immense cactus garden that has the biggest yucca i've ever seen...i think it was around 10feet tall and probably 14feet around...huge. the property stretches over a river and the gardens continue on the other side where there is also a playground. Hannah thinks it is owned by a dutch couple, pretty cool. kind of providing a park since the city doesn't....

In esteli there is also (i was very surprised by this) a yoga center. aparently they have 2 classes a day during the week, i'm going to try and take a class sometime when i'm in Esteli. they have a great juice bar and serve vegetarian versions of nicaraguan cuisine...the advertise that they have vegetarian Nacatamales, though both times i went they didn't have any (have i explained nacatamales yet? )

Sunday afternoon Hannah and i took a long walk to the cemetary in Esteli, and it was well worth it. it was similar to cemeteries i've seen in Mexico, but a little more austere. the grounds were totally overgrown everywhere but the main pathways. the graves were generally giant concrete boxes that are open on the top with flowers growing...almost like giant planters. the headstones were mostly concrete crosses with tile work on them, there were many larger ones with little structures housing different objects left by family. everything was very colorful, giving it a cheery feeling for the most part. i would really love to witness the Day of the Dead ceremonies this year when they happen, they are coming up soon.

i have a home!

i arrived in Cusmapa, my new home, today. the town is beautiful, the mountains are beautiful, the air is fresh...i already love it. my new house, which i am sharing with Callie, another american volunteer (who i met today and is very nice, i feel very lucky), is really great. it has the best garden i've ever seen, i can't wait to eat fresh avocados, mangoes, papaya, peppers, different types of squash, oranges, and lots of herbs....mmmmm! the house has sloped ceilings that are all wood, wood walls, tile floors, spacious kitchen and living areas...its awesome. the only bad thing i can really complain about now is the odd smell from the bathroom near my room....i think there is a leaky pipe maybe....its an unpleasant urine smell...ew. Callie says she doesn't even smell it anymore which makes me wonder if it will ever be fixed...?...



the Fabretto school center in Cusmapa has nice airy classrooms, each classroom is a separate small building so they each have all windows on 2 or 3 sides. there is a large garden at the center as well that has eggplant, strawberries and tomatoes, among many other things, which i hope we can get at our house too. it look as though i may get my own classroom and office, i hope that is the case...i'd really like to command the space and make it mine. i plan to observe classes for maybe another two weeks and then begin teaching (this will give me time to get a little more comfortable with my spanish as well).



So, it is all very exciting, it will be nice to build a routine and have a place of my own where i can be comfortable. it is nice to finally be able to settle in!