Hasta Luego

It’s hard for me to think of this as the end, since there are so many ends and beginnings happening simultaneously. The final grant proposal isn’t done yet, but will be finished from the States. My new friendships and my job search will be continuing. I am leaving Nicaragua, and probably not coming back for a while. There’s no way to sum everything up, but I’ll at least catch up on what’s been happening.

I had an amazing and relaxing time with Rebecca on the Caribbean coast. For anyone who’s been to a Caribbean island, imagine that, but with no cars and no cruise ships and no big hotels and no big stores and no paved roads. People speak Spanish and Caribbean English and I also heard some people speaking Miskito. The fresh fish and lobster in coconut sauce cost less than $8.

My Aunt Sally and cousins Grace and Jack were here, which was really nice. I got to tag along for the Christmas bird count that happens at my aunt’s farm/nature preserve El Nisperal and all over the world. The idea is to walk all around a specific area during one day and note all the bird species you see. Most places have a list of birds that have been seen in previous years, so the goal is to spot the usual ones and hopefully add more. It was amazing to see how much detailed information Sally, Jack, and their friend from the U.S. embassy knew. Later in the day we met up with other birders at Montibelli, another private nature reserve nearby. We got to see some beautiful birds right from their patio, and added up the day’s count which totaled 100 species.

Jack came with me to pick up Billy’s marimba in Morimbo, Masaya. It’s beautifully made, but they hadn’t packed it up for me. After a visit to the hardware store, the marimba is wrapped in foam blocks, cardboard, my yoga matt, and an entire industrial sized roll of duct tape. Please join me in hoping that despite the fact that it is the size of an 11 year child, Continental airlines lets me check it as baggage.

I spent a last afternoon in Palo Solo with Blanca’s classmate Dulce, and got to see some newborn piglets on the farm. I met the new intern at the Mariposa Spanish school, and I hope that visits to El Nisperal will continue. I met up with Sally’s friend Abby, and got to ask her about her impressions of Nicaragua. I went to the Laguna de Apoyo one last time with Blanca and friends. I said goodbye to Karla who gave me a beautiful handmade card.

For Christmas Eve I accompanied Blanca for her last minute shopping in the busy Masaya market. I ate quesillo, baho, and drank cacao. Later we went to her family’s house in Nidiri and spent the evening with her mom, aunt and cousins. We went to church and saw the end of a pageant. The service ended with everyone coming up to kiss a statue of baby Jesus, and then everyone broke into applause and gathered outside to watch a fireworks display and hear a band play. We ate delicious food and managed to stay up until midnight, when everyone (EVERYONE) set off fireworks and then opened presents.

Blanca finally found one of the cards I had written to her cerca 1993 from when we were penpals briefly. I feel so grateful to her for her friendship and companionship; I’m not sure what my time here would have been like without her. I’m also incredibly grateful to my aunt and uncle for letting me stay in their house and providing me with an opportunity to work with their organization. Also to Karla for her friendship and helping me with my work at the library, and to Claudia and Chamba who work at the house. I've had some great experiences here and gotten to see so much. I’m almost positive that I’ll come back in the not too distant future.

I have many hopes for 2011, including that I will continue doing yoga (I can do a headstand now!), speaking Spanish, and find a great new job. I’ll be in the Bay Area until January 8th, and then back in New York. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!