My Favorite Things

Hey there everyone!

Once again I am posting less often than I had originally planned, but this time it’s because I am struggling to think of what’s “new” and noteworthy here. I have been living in Nicaragua for almost a year now and have therefore become very accustomed to the ebb and flow of daily life. The initial culture shock has faded into an occasional surprise but nothing more. For example, I have gotten quite good at spotting and killing scorpions but was still shocked when a farm worker found a 6 foot long snake outside my house last week. Additionally, I no longer mind the weekly power outages but still complain if the water goes out for more than a few hours.

So this week, I decided to tell you all about some of my favorite things about my life here in Nicaragua, things that are not all that new but that I continue to love.

With my boys…

My hands down favorite thing to do with my boys is go for long walks on either a Sunday or Saturday afternoon in search of fresh fruits. Before we serve lunch the tio will announce a “caminata” after lunch so that all the boys do their chores quickly. With the trip as motivation, they fly through their chores, find some shoes and grab any empty backpack or bag they can find. Then, we begin the walk in high spirits as the boys discuss where the best fruits are right now and which way we should go. This weekend we debated going to a house with an avocado tree that was full or another house with 4 different types of mango trees that were also full and a bit closer. In the end we split into two groups, with each promising to trade mangoes for avocadoes afterwards.

Although these houses are not on NPH’s land and technically private property the owners are always super hospitable and welcoming to the kids.  As we walk along the dirt road, the kids are on the lookout for full trees and the second they spot one we approach the house. The tio then asks the owner of the land, who is normally seated on a rocking chair enjoying the afternoon breeze, if we can collect the fruit. The answer is almost always “Well yes, but I have more trees out back with riper fruit.”

At that point, the kids get serious and get to work knocking down fruit. The older boys are quite skilled and can knock down mangoes 40 feet up with only a few throws of a stick. I have yet to develop my skills so wait till they fill their sacks and then ask for help along with the younger boys. Sometimes the fruit is a bit stubborn so we have to call in a tio for reinforcement. Once the boys tire out we sit down on the porch and chat with the neighbor as he offers the boys water. Resting on a shaded porch listening to how the crops are doing this year as I munch on mangoes from my boys is truly priceless.  

On top of the fruit we eat there is always some other snack along the way. Sometimes the tio will buy us all an ice cream or a piece of bread at a pulperia (like a family run mini store). Or I will put together some type of snack, whether it be ham and cheese sandwiches to make while we rest or cold Jello for when we get back. When you’ve got ten-year-old boys snacks are key!

After a sufficient rest and a bit of refueling we being the walk back home, weighed down by the fruit we carry but excited about snacking on it for the next day. Many of the neighbors whom we visit on a regular basis have become “abuelos” (grandparents) of the kids and call out to us as we pass on our way home. Some of the boys super anxious to get home run ahead and we have races to see who gets home first. Or other times we are dead from the heat and take it nice and slow, trying not to get too covered in the dust flying around.

Without fail, this is my favorite part of the week. J

With my breaks…

I absolutely LOVE to go hiking when I am on break. My boys jokingly say all I do outside of NPH is climb volcanoes, which I can’t say is totally inaccurate. I have climbed five so far, and many of them more than once. But I have also visited several nature reserves and been amazed at the beautiful landscapes here. Most recently, I re-visited a reserve called “Selva Negra” which is in the Northern highlands. I also visited one of the many giant waterfalls and went for a swim below it.

Just relaxing under a giant tree.

We may have gotten a bit lost...

            Another highlight of my trips is visiting the churches that are always gorgeously adorned with paintings or woodcarvings and intricate Stations of the Cross. Recently, I visited the cathedral in Leon and climbed up to the top to walk around the roof. No-I was not breaking the law-it is an actual thing. The entire roof is pristine white with breathtaking views of the city below and volcanoes in the background. I simply could not wipe the smile off my face or hold in the exclamations as I walked around and took it all in. I have a few pictures below but they barely begin to capture the true beauty. You’ll just have to come visit to see it in person!

Last but not least: food!

I have been suffering from a terrible craving for NY City falafels for the past few months.

(If you don’t know what I’m talking about go to New York and find a Hallal truck-I have my favorites but any will do. Order a gyro. Ask for all the toppings. Enjoy the ingenious combination of rich flavor and mouth-watering textures. Then come back for seconds and order a plate of falafels again with all the toppings. Enjoy every single bite. Then search for crumbs you may have dropped and savor it once again.)

Now that you know what I’m talking about, how delicious it can be, you understand my terrible withdrawal. A few weeks ago it got so bad that I decided I just had to make my own gyro with falafels. Finding the ingredients wasn’t as hard as I was expecting so I ended up making it for everyone at a volunteer dinner. Now it wasn’t anywhere near as good as the street vendors but I can now say the withdrawal is subsiding and I’ll be all right for a few more months. Check out the picture below!