Small Triumphs

These past couple days, things have really begun to click here, which has been a big boost to my confidence. Tonight I went to my first meeting of the UNAN Experimental Theatre group. Naturally, I arrived at 6 o’clock on the dot. And naturally, no one else did. While it’s normal for people to be late, it’s also normal for meetings to not happen at all, (i.e. class), and of course I always miss the memo but everyone else mysteriously knows not to show up. So at 6:10 or so, I began to wonder why not a single student had trickled in. Suddenly, about 6:13, a whole slew of students burst in. Where the secret before-party was, I may never know, but I was glad that people were there.

I immediately met a guy named Byron who was also there for the first time (he looked a lot like Ryan Rodriguez- weird, huh?). People were pretty friendly- theatre kids tend to be extroverts, which can’t hurt. If there’s one advantage to being the only chela in the class or the only one speaking with an accent, it’s that people know I’m new and generally try to be accommodating. There were about 20 or so students and we did some physical warm-up exercises (including some awkward partner massages…) as well as some improv. I haven’t done theatre in a long time and have missed it, so it is good to be getting back in the groove, although the Spanish element throws a curveball once in awhile. But, if I don’t understand something, that’s what improvising is all about, right?

I’ve been making friends in other areas as well- with neighbors, people from church, and friends of friends. I’ve connected with a few of them this week and made plans for the weekend, so I am slowly regaining that feeling of being busy and having plans, a feeling which I have come to love and cherish in my college life. Even though I have always had quite a bit of self-confidence and am definitely not shy, I wasn’t sure how I would do with making friends in an environment where for the first time in my life, I am completely removed from every one of my previously existing social networks. Arriving in Nicaragua without knowing a soul has definitely put my extroversion to the test, and finally I feel like my efforts are paying off and I’m getting in the groove of things.

Still, I have been missing my friends at home a lot. You guys are the best and I have been realizing that having friends as wonderful as you is pretty rare. And my family… you guys are pretty great too! I’m praying for you 

In other news, I have taken to creating lots of lists… funny quotes, cultural noticings, etc. The latest one I’m working on is: Things that distinguish Nicaragua (according to Nicaraguans). So far I have:

1. The safest country in Central America
2. The most phrases and words unique to the country
3. The most vulgar form of Spanish, anywhere

Here are some pictures from our trip last weekend to Rio San Juan, a beautiful river and nature reserve on the southern border with Costa Rica:



We took a 12-passenger plane on a small domestic airline. These were our boarding passes- yes, they were made of bright pink wood. For some reason, I found that hilarious. This is Shea, me, Sarah, Gaby, and Mary.


This is Gaby, our assistant program director, who is 22 and has become a friend of mine.



We went to a chocolate making cooperative and got to make our own chocolate! I am still eating it. This is Sarah, Shea, Mary, and me.



Sarah and I joined in on a pick up volleyball game in town

My friend Shea and I



My friends Mary and David (the lone man in our group)