Hola,
Well, lots happening these days... After my last big note, Mark and I went back to Quebrada Arroyo to visit the community that we had worked in last October.
Mark and I started on our journey to Quebrada Arroyo by meeting at the Coca-cola bus terminal at 5:30am to catch the express bus at 6am. We sat together waiting - lots of time to kill, we both arrived earlier than our 5:45 meeting time for some reason - making random small talk while we struggled to get fully awake. There were two buses to Quepos, so I went to ask the second bus which one it was, even though we were pretty sure it was the one nearest to us. I left my bag where it was, beside Mark, thinking it was safe... Some woman asked Mark some question, and probably while he was distracted someone took it. (I claim that the woman was gorgeous and scantily clothed, it makes the story more interesting :) I was gone less than 60 seconds and I noticed almost right away as I sat down. We looked around, but it was nowhere to be seen... I couldn't believe it. Jerks! Second time lucky, I guess. :)
So I lost my journal and my camera, again, among other things. The thing I miss most these days though are my flip-flops, so I am thinking of going shopping for some today.
Anyway, we went to Quebrada anyway, hoping that we would somehow be taken care of. We met up with Julian and Asdrubal and their families (they worked at MAG - the government agency that was our main contact in Quebrada) and got a ride into the town with them - it was a bit crazy, Mark counted 20 of us piled into the MAG truck. The weather is very dry these days and we were quite dusty when we arrived.
Everyone was happy to see us and we caught up a bit. The amazing thing was that the community had finished the suspension bridge - 127m long and 40m high - in the last few months. One amazing thing is that the floor of the bridge is made with ladders! Mark thought the bridge was a bit "dodgy" but I think it is part of the fun. They are almost ready to open the project for tourists...
After a great visit, Mark and I started to hike out (easy for me with no pack) but we got a ride from some tourists at another site into Londres where we caught the bus back to Quepos and home.
A few days later, I was off to Nicaragua, but not alone as originally planned. Mark and Kit were both heading north, so we arranged to do the trip together. Several other people heard us talking about it and suddenly I found myself sitting on a bus with seven friends from the office. It was great.
We stayed with my friends in Managua, in the poor barrio I had worked in during 1996-7. It was a tight squeeze, with people scattered all over the floor, but it was fun. We did a tour of the El Recreo projects and everyone was very impressed by the work being done there. After that, they mostly did day trips to Leon, Granada and Masaya, while I did FOG things.
I had several FOG meetings which went very well (more details in my FOG trip report, if you are getting that too, if not, ask me) and also had some meetings for RJI which went very well. The project for RJI/YCI to next year is looking more and more plausible. I even got to see our FOG project in Posoltega for the first time.
I was there for 6 days, driving lots of people crazy with my inept guitar practising, but it was great. My guitar classes are going well, but the power went out in the middle of our last class, so we are going to have a longer class this week.
Since returning, I have had dinner at the Marriott with an alumni from our Asia class that is now working there, seen a fantastic Nicaraguan folkloric dancing performance (amazing costumes and dancing and music) and am now recovering at home, trying to rediscover what life at home is like.
Still waiting to hear about the job situation, should get some concrete stuff when my new boss, Heather, comes from Toronto. My current boss, Tomas, is resigning, moving on to other things - he has been in RJI for eight years, I think, so he is happy to move on.
Not much else for the moment, except that at home we now have a kitten. It is very cute, even though it has already peed on my bed and destroyed various little items around the house. I think it was taken from its mother a bit too early and we are now suffering for it. Oh well, it is all good.
Take care, hope to hear from you soon,
Rob