It’s nice to be home! Monday I was in Malacatoya all day at a swimming hole for lack of a better word though the vast majority of Nicas don’t know how to swim. Of the fifteen 11^th graders I was with, I’d say about a third could swim well enough to confidently enter “the deep end.” We had some brief swimming lessons where a few guys and gals first practiced the dog paddle and leg kicks. There were two small waterfalls falling from a 15 foot cliff which the boys took turns diving off of. I’m still really peeved that I forgot my camera mostly because one of my male students wore a girls’ swim suit all day long. Actually, twice he traded outfits with other boys he’d convinced to wear the suit—a lovely red, black, and purple Speedo style suit. The girls shrieked when asked to try it on as if it were a string bikini or something. Must be something cultural that I’m missing. I personally wore a tank top, sports bra, underwear, and shorts—as instructed—even though I have a perfectly good ladies’ swim suit in my house. The water was freezing but the sun was scorching hot. We spent the day passing from cold water to hot sun. There was some Frisbee throwing and napping too. We left on the 7AM bus, walked 15 minutes from the road to the swimming hole, and returned home around 4:30PM.

Tuesday morning at 5AM I took a direct bus to Managua in order to take another express bus to Jinotega, a lush, mountainous department in the north. The thing about express buses is that they will stop to let people off but not to pick folks up along the way. If you want on, you have to get to the bus station, buy a ticket in advance, and get on the bus in number order. When I got to Managua there was an “expreso” leaving in 15 minutes but it was standing room only. No thanks. I don’t know if I was ever very clear about how terrified I used to be to travel in Managua. I never used to travel alone to or in Managua. I think most new volunteers pass through this stage and it’s very healthy to follow all rules until you know what’s safe, normal, expected, et al. Nowadays, I like to think I have it all figured outJ So, once I became aware that I would have to wait two hours in the stifling heat of Managua before my next bus I quickly fashioned a new plan. First I talked to the taxi drivers inside the terminal which are “safer” but slower and more expensive. From them I got the name of the closest air-conditioned grocery store and a price for taking me there. Then I told that guy they charged way too much and marched away to find a cab driver right outside the bus station. I wasn’t able to get that much better of a deal outside but I did find a cab waiting for just one more body to fill the packed back seat. The cabbies like to fit at least four adults into a compact car to make it worth their while. It sucks but it’s life. Anyway, I got dropped off at the closest grocery store where I ate some yogurt, charged my iPod, and used the servicio. And yes, I had the foresight to purchase my bus ticket when I first arrived in Managua so I returned to Mayoreo Bus Station around 9:40AM to await boarding of the 10AM express bus. We arrived in Jinotega around 12:40PM after climbing up and up and up into the central mountains of Nicaragua one kilometer above sea level.

Jinotega has a great coffee cooperative called Soppexcca. Small producers from all over Jinotega, the second largest “state” in Nicaragua, bring their coffee crop to the capital city where I believe it is toasted. There are other steps and processes before the toasting (wet mill, dry mill), but I don’t really understand them . . . yet. Anyway, they say Jinotega produces about 80% of the coffee in Nicaragua. At Soppexcca the coffee is called “Flor de Jinotega.” It is shade-grown at an average altitude of 1100 meters. A bag costs $3 and if you ask me, it’s phenomenal. Anyway, after coffee I decided I deserved to stay in the nicest hotel in town, Hotel Café. For $45 a night, I got a single room (full-size bed), air-conditioning which isn’t even needed in Jinotega, one of the coolest parts of The Nic, cable TV, internet access, a hot shower, and breakfast. Other perks included an evening birthday party in the restaurant in the hotel and two hours of mariachi music.

I did get an excellent night’s sleep, did an hour hike on Wednesday morning and then walked around town for about an hour and half. Again, I went to the bus station to by my ticket in the morning to make sure I’d get a seat. I returned a half hour early for my bus, bought a gray Polo baseball cap for $3, and a CD for $1. I also got my boots shined for a quarter. Man, I get such a kick out of that. The bus was packed but at least I was sitting down. I should have realized what a bad sign this was but I had no choice but to travel on Wednesday afternoon. Transportation stops from Thursday to Sunday so that buses can take people to bathe in the river. It’s what everyone is doing. I’m just glad I got my bathing out of the way on Monday before the waters got too murkyJ Anyway, I paid for the express bus but got off about 40 minutes outside of Managua at San Benito to await a passing bus headed to the east. Finally, I was able to jump into the back of what I’m calling a mosh pit on wheels. I’ve never seen anything like it. I didn’t even have to hold on to anything to steady myself as the bus stopped and started. There was simply no place for my body to go. More people tried to get on and finally we ended up driving down the road with the emergency exit open and people hanging out the back. I rode for an hour this way and finally fought my way out. I proceeded immediately to my final bus which was parked at the entrance to the town of Teustepe, 25 km from my town. I really intended to drink a diet coke but when she didn’t have any I decided beer was my best bet and I downed one fast. Needless to say, I was feeling slightly frazzled and preparing myself to sit through a 90-minute off-road trek into the mountains in a school bus. I don’t know how this all sounds to you but this is what I’ve come to know as “life.” That last bus was packed too. I had a seat, used it for 45 minutes or so, gave it up for lady with two small children, stood for 10 minutes, and then a guy gave up his seat for me. Must have been my gross hair, sweaty shirt, and swampy jeans. We got to San Jose around 7PM and I was in bed by 9PM I think. I found myself wide awake from 1AM to 4AM so I finished a book and wondered from where my anxiety was emanating. It could be from the following detail which is exciting but carries with it some hurdles like finding a new place to live and moving. Moving always makes me nuts.

That said, this seems as good a time as any to announce that I’m staying for another year in Nicaragua. And NO, that is not an April Fools’ joke but it’d be a real good one wouldn’t it? I still have to do some paperwork and go through medical exams to make sure “I’m fit” to stay but let’s say I’m 98% sure I’m sticking around for year three. Peace Corps celebrates its 50^th Anniversary next fall and with our big budget increase, it’s a great time to be involved with Peace Corps. I’ll be a part of our growth here in Nicaragua as I continue working within the TEFL and help train yet another group of new trainees to do what I do: coplan and coteach with Nicaraguan English teachers, make materials for class, and sing lots and lots of solos! The rest of my work plan is under construction but I’ll keep you postedJ