My time here is nearly finished... Tomorrow morning at 8.00am I begin 22 hours of flying to my beautiful country NZ! There were many sad goodbyes in Somotillo but we all exchanged emails etc and hope to keep in contact.
It has been an amazing 6 weeks and has gone so quickly, I have picked up some Spanish and many friends along the way but now my mind is set on getting home, where power, water and toilet paper are all readily available (for which I have a new appreciation!)
I arrive around 10.20am in the domestic terminal of Christchurch airport on Thursday morning!
Thank you for following me on my Nica journey and I cant wait to see you all soon.
Ruby xx
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Chuapa and Esteli
Just a quick update about a wee excursion I had this weekend!
On Friday one of the guys who works for INGES invited me to his home town to meet his family in Chuapa which is approximately an hour from Somotillo and its always good to take up any opportunities to see more of the country! So we set off in the big 4WD on Friday night and the road was absolutely terrible! We went an average speed of about 20km per hour and when we arrived in Chuapa the wind had blown over the power poles so there was no power. He introduced me to his wife, his daughter (who is also studying Economics at uni) and his son who he wants me to marry so that I will stay in Nicaragua!
We went out and had tacos for dinner and came back and looked at photos etc with a little torch. That night it was so windy I thought the roof would lift off but luckily it never did! The next day we went to another town called Esteli which is the business centre of Nicaragua and they showed me the Central Park and the Cathedral then we looked around a few shops before heading back to Chuapa.
Before we left Somotillo he said we would have to come back on the motorbike because someone else needed the car, he assured me it was only an hours drive and he drove his motorcycle to and from Chuapa every weekend. So after a couple of days in Chuapa we set off on the motorbike, Nicaraguan style... That means no helmet, no road rules, no speed limit! It was good fun, however I did fear for my like on a couple of occassions! It turns out the 1 hour ride was actually 2 and a half hours after which I was very keen to get home and never ride another motorbike again!
All in all it was a nice weekend, his son was very nice although I cant say it was enough for me to stay and marry him! This time next week I will be on the plane to LA on my way home, how crazy!
On Friday one of the guys who works for INGES invited me to his home town to meet his family in Chuapa which is approximately an hour from Somotillo and its always good to take up any opportunities to see more of the country! So we set off in the big 4WD on Friday night and the road was absolutely terrible! We went an average speed of about 20km per hour and when we arrived in Chuapa the wind had blown over the power poles so there was no power. He introduced me to his wife, his daughter (who is also studying Economics at uni) and his son who he wants me to marry so that I will stay in Nicaragua!
We went out and had tacos for dinner and came back and looked at photos etc with a little torch. That night it was so windy I thought the roof would lift off but luckily it never did! The next day we went to another town called Esteli which is the business centre of Nicaragua and they showed me the Central Park and the Cathedral then we looked around a few shops before heading back to Chuapa.
Before we left Somotillo he said we would have to come back on the motorbike because someone else needed the car, he assured me it was only an hours drive and he drove his motorcycle to and from Chuapa every weekend. So after a couple of days in Chuapa we set off on the motorbike, Nicaraguan style... That means no helmet, no road rules, no speed limit! It was good fun, however I did fear for my like on a couple of occassions! It turns out the 1 hour ride was actually 2 and a half hours after which I was very keen to get home and never ride another motorbike again!
All in all it was a nice weekend, his son was very nice although I cant say it was enough for me to stay and marry him! This time next week I will be on the plane to LA on my way home, how crazy!
Friday, February 6, 2009
My vacation in Leon etc
After 3 weeks in Somotillo, I was off for a much needed vacation in Leon, one of Nicaragua most beautiful cities! However before that I spent the weekend at my friend Candidas house in a town called Jinotepe. We managed to get a lift down there instead of the 6 hour bus ride (on 4 different buses!) but the car was jam packed and for the whole 4 hours I was couldnt move a whole lot and the greater part of my legs were dead... Her family were very welcoming, she has one sister and 3 brothers, one of which can speak perfect English, Spanish, German and French (Woah!) but sadly he is the only one that doesnt live there anymore. One of her other brothers began English lessons while I was there and was very greatful that I could help him with his homework. They took me out to the market and to get hamburgers at night and when I said I liked one of the girls t-shirts she gave it to her mum who took it in at the sides and gave it to me as a gift! They were very generous and it was a really nice weekend.
On the Sunday I caught a bus up to Leon to meet my friend Lauren and another girl she knows called Jana who is from Germany. It was rather interesting because Lauren speaks English and Spanish, Jana speaks German, Spanish and can understand English but finds it hard to speak and I know English and a tiny bit of Spanish! So the language was constantly changing between English and Spanish, occassionaly even in the same sentance.
We spent 2 nights at a really cool youth hostel in Leon and did a bit of shopping and looking around the city. I bought a few things, a cool pair of jeans that were only about $20!
Then came the part I have been waiting for my whole time here..... The beach! Of course to get there we had to take another jam packed boiling sweaty bus road over a bumpy dirt road but it was well worth it. Our dorm room was literally on the beach and when I woke up in the morning I could see the water and feel the breeze, yay!
We spent a night there and swam during the day, drunk exotic juices and watched the sunset over the water, the perfect few days I would have to say. In the morning Lauren and I took a boat ride up a river to an island that apparantly had emerald pools to swim at...If there were we certainly didnt see them sadly! Although it was still a nice wee boat ride and something a bit different.
After our trip to the beach we spent another night at the hostel in Leon and had like the best meals of our lives... It was such a novelty to get to choose what you want to eat because in Somtillo its pretty much Gullo Pinto, Gullo Pinto, Fried bananas and more Gullo Pinto (Rice and beans). We also bought icecream and cooked up apples and cinamon for dessert and finished off a packet of mini reeses peanut butter cups (my absolute favourite!)
So all in all Leon was the perfect break and really good to catch up with Lauren and get to know Yana.
Now I am back in Somotillo (I actually missed my friends and family from Somotillo while in Leon) and I think I will spend the rest of my time here- I was going to go to the capital for the last four days but there is a big party here for Valentines Day that everyone is talking about already so I think I will stay for that!
So theres a nice long update for you all, less than 2 weeks left here now but I think weeks will be the perfect amount of time. Im starting to feel sad about leaving and wondering whether I will ever see all these people again but I am also really really looking forward to seeing you all as I do miss you like crazy!
Much love Ruby
On the Sunday I caught a bus up to Leon to meet my friend Lauren and another girl she knows called Jana who is from Germany. It was rather interesting because Lauren speaks English and Spanish, Jana speaks German, Spanish and can understand English but finds it hard to speak and I know English and a tiny bit of Spanish! So the language was constantly changing between English and Spanish, occassionaly even in the same sentance.
We spent 2 nights at a really cool youth hostel in Leon and did a bit of shopping and looking around the city. I bought a few things, a cool pair of jeans that were only about $20!
Then came the part I have been waiting for my whole time here..... The beach! Of course to get there we had to take another jam packed boiling sweaty bus road over a bumpy dirt road but it was well worth it. Our dorm room was literally on the beach and when I woke up in the morning I could see the water and feel the breeze, yay!
We spent a night there and swam during the day, drunk exotic juices and watched the sunset over the water, the perfect few days I would have to say. In the morning Lauren and I took a boat ride up a river to an island that apparantly had emerald pools to swim at...If there were we certainly didnt see them sadly! Although it was still a nice wee boat ride and something a bit different.
After our trip to the beach we spent another night at the hostel in Leon and had like the best meals of our lives... It was such a novelty to get to choose what you want to eat because in Somtillo its pretty much Gullo Pinto, Gullo Pinto, Fried bananas and more Gullo Pinto (Rice and beans). We also bought icecream and cooked up apples and cinamon for dessert and finished off a packet of mini reeses peanut butter cups (my absolute favourite!)
So all in all Leon was the perfect break and really good to catch up with Lauren and get to know Yana.
Now I am back in Somotillo (I actually missed my friends and family from Somotillo while in Leon) and I think I will spend the rest of my time here- I was going to go to the capital for the last four days but there is a big party here for Valentines Day that everyone is talking about already so I think I will stay for that!
So theres a nice long update for you all, less than 2 weeks left here now but I think weeks will be the perfect amount of time. Im starting to feel sad about leaving and wondering whether I will ever see all these people again but I am also really really looking forward to seeing you all as I do miss you like crazy!
Much love Ruby
Monday, January 26, 2009
Half Way Through!
I have been here 3 weeks now with another 3 to go, the time goes quickly but in a strange way it feels as if I have been here forever and I am never going home again... But alas I am really enjoying having a bit more of a routine staying here in Somotillo, I have been working with INGES during the week, most days are spent going out to a few of the smaller villages and running workshops with women or farmers etc from the area. They educate them on things such as borrowing money and managing money, safe food practices etc etc. There is one guy who works with us who knows a bit of English so between us with my little bit of Spanish we can discuss various things!
On the weekends we take all the clothes from the week and wash them in the stream and swim etc and it usually takes the larger part of the day because there is like 10 people living in our house! Most nights we all sit outside and play Volleyball with teenagers from the community and I feel like Im building friendships despite the language barriers. The girl who I live with said I was her best friend last night! Last week the whole villiage had a massive street party because they had just elected a new mayor, there was hundreds of people and lots of dancing etc. It was quite strange walking through the crowd, its like being in a zoo... You get all sorts of looks and comments and plenty of persistent young men asking you to dance with them!
This coming Friday I am going to Managua (the capital) to spend the weekend at Candidas house (The girl I work with) Then I am off to Leon for a week with Lauren and possibly another German girl she has been working with.
No sickness from bad food or drink or anything but I have ironically caught a cold and have had 4 full on bleeding noses in the last few days, the hot and dry combination is not a good mix! When I have a bleeding nose, my family insists that I sniff this brick because apparantly it stops it but im not convinced and feel rather silly whilst doing it!
I like to see people commenting me on my blog, I feel so disconnected with the rest of the world! I havnt seen the news or anything nearly the whole time Ive been here.
Hope you are all well and safe in the bonita Nueva Zelanda!
On the weekends we take all the clothes from the week and wash them in the stream and swim etc and it usually takes the larger part of the day because there is like 10 people living in our house! Most nights we all sit outside and play Volleyball with teenagers from the community and I feel like Im building friendships despite the language barriers. The girl who I live with said I was her best friend last night! Last week the whole villiage had a massive street party because they had just elected a new mayor, there was hundreds of people and lots of dancing etc. It was quite strange walking through the crowd, its like being in a zoo... You get all sorts of looks and comments and plenty of persistent young men asking you to dance with them!
This coming Friday I am going to Managua (the capital) to spend the weekend at Candidas house (The girl I work with) Then I am off to Leon for a week with Lauren and possibly another German girl she has been working with.
No sickness from bad food or drink or anything but I have ironically caught a cold and have had 4 full on bleeding noses in the last few days, the hot and dry combination is not a good mix! When I have a bleeding nose, my family insists that I sniff this brick because apparantly it stops it but im not convinced and feel rather silly whilst doing it!
I like to see people commenting me on my blog, I feel so disconnected with the rest of the world! I havnt seen the news or anything nearly the whole time Ive been here.
Hope you are all well and safe in the bonita Nueva Zelanda!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Granada to Somotillo
Ive always considered myself a rather independent and brave person but theres nothing like putting it to the test! I left Granada on Sunday with Lauren and Julie (my lecturer) and her partner then we had a night in the capital and now my real trip has begun... as in the part where I had to leave my nice friends and become the only one in the entire town who speaks English! I was rather nervous and absolutely exhausted after having 5 hours sleep and waking up to go walking with Lauren on Monday morning at 5.30am! The drive up to Somotillo was 4 hours and the last hour was extremely bumpy and dark abd rather scary!
I arrived at mi casa and im definitely more aware of the fact that im in a third world country.... Its crazy but the family were so so nice and the teenage girls age 18 and 19 took me walking around the villiage and introduce me to people and we spent hours with a big group and English and Spanish books having a good laugh. Today I am working at INGES (The organization) to see what they do etc. We have been using the internet to translate for us but Im worried I am more of a burden than a help! The girl who is here to work with me is really good though and she said it doesnt matter because she wants to improve her English so she is happy.
I am here for 2 weeks at this stage then in Leon on vacation for 1 week and back up here for another 2 weeks before I go home!
At the moment I am just trying to adjust to a very simple lifestyle (no shower just a bucket etc) praying that I dont get sick and getting use to eating their food...rice and beans extravanganza!
I may not be able to update this as much these coming two weeks but I will try!
I arrived at mi casa and im definitely more aware of the fact that im in a third world country.... Its crazy but the family were so so nice and the teenage girls age 18 and 19 took me walking around the villiage and introduce me to people and we spent hours with a big group and English and Spanish books having a good laugh. Today I am working at INGES (The organization) to see what they do etc. We have been using the internet to translate for us but Im worried I am more of a burden than a help! The girl who is here to work with me is really good though and she said it doesnt matter because she wants to improve her English so she is happy.
I am here for 2 weeks at this stage then in Leon on vacation for 1 week and back up here for another 2 weeks before I go home!
At the moment I am just trying to adjust to a very simple lifestyle (no shower just a bucket etc) praying that I dont get sick and getting use to eating their food...rice and beans extravanganza!
I may not be able to update this as much these coming two weeks but I will try!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Hola!
I arrived in Granada yesterday to start our conference! We got a bus down from Managua and I had a very slow but quite entertaining conversation with a guy called Alejandro who is studying economics at the university. We exchanged email addresses and may meet up later in the capital where I asked him to take me to his church.
It is very hot here and our room is like a little dungeon! Im staying with Lauren, a student from Victoria university and we get along well. Im incredibly greatful that she is here, its helped me to adjust and recover from feeling so home sick!
The conference has been really interesting, I wont go into the content but iv learnt some really cool but random stuff and thankfully a lot of it has been in English!
Im heading up to Somotillo on Monday after a night in the capital and Im feeling slightly anxious about it as I will be the only one who doesnt speak spanish...Lauren has written some helpful things out and helps to interpret for me which is really good!
It is totally different here, little kids dance on the street for money and they will do it in the middle of the road then not move until the people in the cars pay them, quite a good tactic I thought! We had dinner at a restaurant and I only managed to eat half my meal so the kids who linger round while youre eating come and scrape the rest of the food off your plate and sit down beside you on the footpath eating it.
I have put some photos up on my facebook page of LA and Miami but dont have many of Nicaragua yet (will try and get some up soon).
Overall im doing well, recovering from my jetlag and homesickness, but I still feel its going to be a massive challenge but it will be so worth it!
I love you all and miss you lots, thank you for your prayers and comments and I will try to keep everyone updated!
It is very hot here and our room is like a little dungeon! Im staying with Lauren, a student from Victoria university and we get along well. Im incredibly greatful that she is here, its helped me to adjust and recover from feeling so home sick!
The conference has been really interesting, I wont go into the content but iv learnt some really cool but random stuff and thankfully a lot of it has been in English!
Im heading up to Somotillo on Monday after a night in the capital and Im feeling slightly anxious about it as I will be the only one who doesnt speak spanish...Lauren has written some helpful things out and helps to interpret for me which is really good!
It is totally different here, little kids dance on the street for money and they will do it in the middle of the road then not move until the people in the cars pay them, quite a good tactic I thought! We had dinner at a restaurant and I only managed to eat half my meal so the kids who linger round while youre eating come and scrape the rest of the food off your plate and sit down beside you on the footpath eating it.
I have put some photos up on my facebook page of LA and Miami but dont have many of Nicaragua yet (will try and get some up soon).
Overall im doing well, recovering from my jetlag and homesickness, but I still feel its going to be a massive challenge but it will be so worth it!
I love you all and miss you lots, thank you for your prayers and comments and I will try to keep everyone updated!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Nicaragua, at last!
This is mostly just a message to let mum know that I'm alive and well! I have made it to Managua, the capital of Nicaragua and it is incredibly hot even though it's 10 o clock at night... It's going to take me a while to get use to this!
It's rather daunting being alone in a country where most people don't speak your language but hopefully ill pick it up a little bit during my time here! It was approximately another 8 hours on the plane today from LA to Miami and then to here so Im rather exhausted. I would appreciate your prayers in regards to picking up the language and not feeling so home sick, also that I would be able to use every opportunity even if it is all pretty scary!
I will try to give another update when I have experienced a bit more of the country in a few days or so!
It's rather daunting being alone in a country where most people don't speak your language but hopefully ill pick it up a little bit during my time here! It was approximately another 8 hours on the plane today from LA to Miami and then to here so Im rather exhausted. I would appreciate your prayers in regards to picking up the language and not feeling so home sick, also that I would be able to use every opportunity even if it is all pretty scary!
I will try to give another update when I have experienced a bit more of the country in a few days or so!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Chillin at the Holiday Inn!
My trip began with a very teary goodbye at Christchurch airport, to my surprise I was even worse than mum! It wasn't until I was half way to Auckland that I manage to get it together again... Time passed quickly as I wandered around the airport ready to board my flight to LA. This was the longest flight I've been on so far and it wasn't too bad! I watched a movie and Trinny and Susanna- it's not the size but the shape that counts ladies- had a very yummy dinner served at around 11pm then went to sleep for the greater part of the rest of the flight (I even slept right through breakfast!)
I've met lovely people here, an Irish couple on their way home, a lady named Linda who was heading on a cruise to Hawaii and a textiles lecturer from a nearby university!
Today in LA I went to Venice beach which was a true American style location, gangsters playing basketball, people roller skating, miles and miles of little junk shops selling fake labels. This was also the location where Baywatch was filmed! I bought a lovely silk scarf and some glasses (I thought they would make me look sophisticated at the conference!) I visited Santa Monica and the star studed Rodeo Drive. Every shop was Gucci or D & G and a vase I looked at was a mere $46,000 (thats US). It was a really gorgeous place and quite surreal to imagine this is where all the stars are snapped doing their shopping. After it got dark we went to Hollywood Boulevard, LA's equivalent of Time Square. It was all aglow with neon lights, I took pictures of the stars on the footpath, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Tom Cruise and stopped off at a massive shopping mall. There were so many cool shops but sadly I ran out of time & after nearly buying a $380 jacket I thought it was time to get out of there!
It's crazy seeing a real skyline with huge sky scrapers and driving on those spaghetti like highways on the left side of the road! So far I'm really enjoying it, it such a crazy and cool experience! Things i've noticed especially is the number of people bombarding you about strange religions you've never heard of and random guys on the street with walkmans shouting "I'm as good as Kanye! Take a listen!" If you turn them down then it's "you'll be wanting my signature when I'm famous!" It's certainly a different culture and lifestyle here but it's really cool and huge... A tour guide said to me- you know how you have suburbs in your hometown, well we have cities in ours" The number of cars in LA is more than the population of Australia!
I'm missing everybody and would love to share it with you but I have taken lots of pictures and they will have to do! Im off to Miami then Managua tomorrow where I will spend the night before heading to the conference in Granada, I will write whenever I can.
I've met lovely people here, an Irish couple on their way home, a lady named Linda who was heading on a cruise to Hawaii and a textiles lecturer from a nearby university!
Today in LA I went to Venice beach which was a true American style location, gangsters playing basketball, people roller skating, miles and miles of little junk shops selling fake labels. This was also the location where Baywatch was filmed! I bought a lovely silk scarf and some glasses (I thought they would make me look sophisticated at the conference!) I visited Santa Monica and the star studed Rodeo Drive. Every shop was Gucci or D & G and a vase I looked at was a mere $46,000 (thats US). It was a really gorgeous place and quite surreal to imagine this is where all the stars are snapped doing their shopping. After it got dark we went to Hollywood Boulevard, LA's equivalent of Time Square. It was all aglow with neon lights, I took pictures of the stars on the footpath, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Tom Cruise and stopped off at a massive shopping mall. There were so many cool shops but sadly I ran out of time & after nearly buying a $380 jacket I thought it was time to get out of there!
It's crazy seeing a real skyline with huge sky scrapers and driving on those spaghetti like highways on the left side of the road! So far I'm really enjoying it, it such a crazy and cool experience! Things i've noticed especially is the number of people bombarding you about strange religions you've never heard of and random guys on the street with walkmans shouting "I'm as good as Kanye! Take a listen!" If you turn them down then it's "you'll be wanting my signature when I'm famous!" It's certainly a different culture and lifestyle here but it's really cool and huge... A tour guide said to me- you know how you have suburbs in your hometown, well we have cities in ours" The number of cars in LA is more than the population of Australia!
I'm missing everybody and would love to share it with you but I have taken lots of pictures and they will have to do! Im off to Miami then Managua tomorrow where I will spend the night before heading to the conference in Granada, I will write whenever I can.
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