First Week in Nicaragua

One of the many rescued cats that live at La Mariposa

$200 cordobas (approx. $8 USA) with the Nicaragua National Bird on it.

      The National bird of Nicaragua, as seen above, is the Turquoise-Browed Mot Mot (Guardabarranco). I believe this is one of my favorite tropical birds because of the two long tear drop tail feathers. 

Our homestay and family dog called Donkey is guarding the house.

Typical desayuno (breakfast), coffee, sweet bread and fruit.

Dan and I live with a Nicaraguan family near La Mariposa. The woman of the house is Melva and she works at La Mariposa while her husband is an electrician. They have three kids fifteen, and I think eleven and seven. Our weekday starts with breakfast (7 am) with the family then we head off to our volunteering for four hours then head back to La Mariposa for lunch. After lunch and break we have four hours of spanish classes. After this we have dinner with our family and get to bed around 9 pm. For weekends La Mariposa offers a day trip and Sunday is free time.

Daniel enjoys some coffee next to the water well and behind him is the kitchen.

        The typical Nicaraguan home is very simple and they use what they have around them. In this home the toilet is across from the kitchen and a hole in the ground with a bed sheet for a door. The area where one cleanses the body is next to this. To bathe we have to get a bucket from the water well and bring it to the enclosure. I like to say, "I'm going to take a splash now" as saying I'm going to a shower is not appropriate. Sometimes I take a "shower" at La Mariposa because they have a larger area outside with solar warmed water. This is a luxury, I needed to cleanse one evening and it was a little chilly out, Melva laughed as I screamed, "ahhh! Que frio!! aahhh!!! No me gusta!!" which translates as "ahhh! What cold!! ahhh!! I don't like!!!" She replied in spanish, Terra its good for sleeping, very fresh.

      Yesterday was Saturday and we went on a trip an hour away to Reserva Natural Laguna Apoyo which is a huge lake formed after the eruption of a volcano 20,000 years ago. It was very relaxing as we got some sun, went swimming, and conversed with others. Our ride was late so a family from the UK and I observed birds. We saw so many! The Trogon, Matazuma Oropendola, Great Kiskadee, Motmot, and more.  

      I'm going to study some Spanish now but next week I will write more about working with the kids and post some photos. So far I have had so many memorable experiences with them.