I just finished up my first week of classes! I haven´t gotten a grasp on how amazing this semester will be and has been already. We´ve already talked with two feminists that were very influential during the revolution. And Friday we went to the building where the Sandinistas overthrew Somoza (the dictator who´s family was in power for over thirty years). The leader of the group was there to talk about his experience and his opinion on the country today.
A lot of people are unhappy with Ortega (the current president) because of his thirst for power. While he represents the FSLN party (frente sandinista de liberacion nacional), he seems to be blindsighted and is leaving his people behind. Some even say that Ortega is similar to the beginning stages of the Somoza dictatorship. tan interesante.
Spanish class is going well, but I really enjoy when we get to meet with our nica partners. They´re really patient with us and willing to talk about a lot. Every few days or so, our professor gives us a new theme to ask about. At first, my family seemed hesitant to talk about anything, but last night we had a nice time. I guess it just takes a couple cervezas and then they get talkin. There was a guest over, Luis, and he was very nice. He said that he has a nicaraguan dictionary he wants to give to me, with words specific to the country. After he left, I found out that he is the Minister of Culture for the country! He´s a friend of Aldo, so I´m sure I´ll be seeing him again, so I´ll have to bombard him with questions.
Friday night the group and I went out to a bar, a short walk from our barrio. We happened to go on a night where there was a stage set up in the street with live music and loads of people. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to relax and chat with everyone. They´re really amazing people and have great stories.
I have to head home for lunch, now. Today´s a lazy day, and I´m planning on getting some work done. This Thursday we head to el campo in Matagalpa for a week. I´ve heard there´s no running water or electricity! It´s going to be quite a week. Yesterday we went to el mercado to buy stuff for our trip and we got hammocks, soap, soup packets, pasta, candles, matches, and toilet paper. I´ve heard it´s absolutely beautiful up there, and a lot cooler than down here (about 90 every day!). The culture is a lot different too, because they´re away from the city. We get to live with a family while we´re there, so I´m excited to learn about campo life!
7 years ago
3 comments:
Sounds like by the time you are ready to come home you will have had quite and education on that country.
It looks like a very comfortable home that you are staying at. Very nice pictures.
El Campo is really going to be an experience for you. There goes your luxuries. Did you buy enough tissue???? HA
Good luck to you honey and I am sure we will be hearing more,
Love you,
Looking forward to the post after Matagalpa! That cold shower is going to feel great after a week with no running water! Love you, keep writing :-)
PS, you bought the toilet paper, what about the shovel?
so i just procrastinated studying for my test tomorrow catching up on all your blogs. everything sounds SOO cool! but seriously. you need to get on skype soon ok? two weeks is more than enough, time to see your face. how did we not talk at all last semester? email and rando facebook chats are definetely not enough. however i'm sitting here in freezing storrs ct living vicariously through you, so i'm sure these past two weeks has felt like 2 days to you.
and this is kate btw if you couldn't figure that out by my whining about not talking to you hahahaa, dind't feel like signing up for a google account so i'm posting anonymous
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