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!
At Last!! Muchos happy to hear from you Ruby, We were about to send out a search party.... we have sent u lots of gmails and emails so check them out. Graham N just gave me some info on INGES which translated means Institute of research for social management (English) So glad yr doing ok, bummer about the bleeding noses, keep smelling the brick!
ReplyDelete(strange)! We love you lots and miss u heaps. Keep the updates coming if u can, we love to hear your news. lots a love Mum n Dad n Haz
Hi Ruby. Great to hear from you and that all is well with you apart from the nose bleeds. I had a giggle when I read about the shower location and curtain height, plus washing clothes in the river. It's quite a different world from ours. I hope you're taking lots of photos - brick included! Dad was round the day you sent your latest update, he and June would add a comment if they could figure out how to use this piece of technology! Dad was saying he thinks you're an extremely gifted writer and he is very impressed with how well you've written your blog. Blake is back at school today - he wasn't terribly excited about going back. He prefers to do everything he wants and not what the teacher wants.... interesting attitude for a 6 year old! Last Sunday I had an incident with a dead akeake shrub I pulled out of the garden... I have since had a lot of pain resulting in cellulitis, x-rays, antibiotics via an IV and home calls by community nurses!! GREAT!!!! I think the broken branch went into my arm about 2.5cm... not nice at all. Ayway I'll say farewell and look forward to hearing from you again - one day soon. Take care. We love and miss you lots Karen, Nev and Blake xx
ReplyDeleteThis comment is on behalf of Grandma Anne - I think she would say "Hi Ruby, its been wonderful reading your blog... I wish we could respond but have not worked out how to! Enjoy the rest of your travels. Keep safe and I look forward to hearing all about your trip on your return! much love Grandma Anne and Terry"
ReplyDeleteHey Ruby, hope you're doing ok. I sent you an email a while ago but i have no idea if you got it so i'm trying to leave you a blog thing instead. Its good to hear that you're doing so well and you seem to be enjoying yourself.I still boggle at the thought of going somewhere so out of the zone all by myself but i think it's great that you did. We have a lot to catch up on but i'll save that for another time-don't want other people reading my life story haha.Anyway, we really miss you back here and hope that your cold goes away.Tons of love, Charlotte (and Eleanor of course!) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteCharlotte & Eleanor:
ReplyDeleteI miss you guys! Im so glad to hear from you, I hope youre doing well, yes we will definitely have to have many sleepovers and movies etc when I return! Hope you have all your uni things sorted and if not I advise Eleanor to take Spanish with Harry and I haha. Cant wait to catch up and hang out lots it a couple of weeks, I love and miss you both!
Grandma Anne and Terry:
Sorry about your difficulties commenting on the blog but thank you for your thoughts while im over here, Iv gained much of an appreciation for how brave Arnika must be on her travels! Only a couple of weeks to go now and its gone very fast, I miss you and will see you very soon!
Karen, Neville & Blake:
Oh no, im sorry to hear about you arm that sounds awful! You poor thing...I hope youre recovering quickly, the thought of it makes me shudder! Thats funny to hear about Blake, I was thinking about him the other day and what a different life he would have if he lived here... You see 6 year old boys carrying huge things of water along a dry dusty round for miles or begging and selling things on the street instead of going to school. But I can understand him not wanting to go to school, to bad he has another 12 years or so haha. Thank you for passing on the message from Bryan and June, send them my love. Im am taking lots of photos although I cant really be in any myself but I will look forward to sharing them with you all when I return! Love you all lots and missing you heaps!
Ruby
Ruby Love your blog keep up the good work we miss you just being around.Love Terry snd Anne
ReplyDeleteRuby!!!, through at last!!,as you are just about on your home.Love Terry****.
ReplyDelete