Hi,
Well, it is the holiday season, even here you can tell by the increase in sales and tons of people in the street buying their last minute gifts. In the office, life is quiet, as most people have taken off for a break with their families, but I am still here. Mostly because in the office is where there is the most convenient phone to call friends and do internet. This week the office will be open for three days but we are rotating so that we all work half a day each, except the big boss who is in Australia.
I hate to start on a bad note, but I figure, then I can end on a good note... Work sucks at the moment.
I think I wrote earlier about problems I had with the new boss. Well, these have continued, mostly under the surface, but have come up again recently. Just before my last trip to Nicaragua, my boss and I had a conflict and it went so badly (not really the conflict itself, but how it was resolved - i.e. it wasn't) that I considered resigning. I was very upset that day. Since then I have reconsidered, but I still wonder if I can really continue in the atmosphere that has been created here in the office lately. I have talked it over with several other people, including my direct boss and one member of the board of directors and now I feel a bit better about it. At least I have friends here and outside that can support me.
Another problem for me at work is that a lot of people are leaving (leaving because of the atmosphere in the office) - Vanessa and Heidy are both finishing up within the next 2-3 weeks. With Andrea leaving recently too, that leaves few people in the office with whom I am close to. Although that is not the end of the world, it does make life a bit difficult given the current circumstances.
My current plan is to try to work it out (again) to some extent with Lorenzo when he gets back from his holidays. I don't imagine that we are ever going to be good friends, but I hope that we can at least be able to work together. Also, it is time to re-negotiate my contract with Canada (are you reading this up there?) so maybe some of the terms will have to change there as well...
Life here tends to be fun in spite of all the trials and tribulations. Been seeing a lot of people lately - a friend, Michelle came to visit this week and it was great to see her. Also, this time of year is very festive, not to mention the time in Nicaragua. We sang Karaoke recently, when another Canadian visitor was arriving (although her plane arrived late so she missed the fun). Not much dancing lately, but hopefully I'll get out soon - maybe tonight with luck...
Today, we went to a party for kids in a squatter community. I introduced my friend Jessica to Maria Luisa, a nun I knew in Nicaragua and Jessica has been working with Maria Luisa and 2 squatter communities all year. Today there was a pi�ata and games. (Naturally, I just show up for the party:) I was very tired after playing tag for 20 minutes with them. (I was "it" and had to catch _all_ of them) I got to climb a tree to set up the pi�ata - so that was fun too. It's been a good day so far, although naturally I got sunburnt. I didn't realise that the party was going to be outdoors so I didn't bring any sunscreen - oops.
All the kids received gifts and it was amazing - it just reminds you how much we have and how little others have. A small car or doll is the most incredible luxury for these people. So much so, that some kids tried to get an extra gift. It didn't work, and it makes one feel sad, but it is easy to understand why they would try... This community is as poor as any in Nicaragua I have seen... All the houses are made of tin and cardboard. Sometimes people think poverty doesn't exist in Costa Rica (or in Canada for that matter) but it still exists everywhere...
By the way, if I have answered a recent email from you, it is because I was in Nicaragua until a few days ago and I still haven't had a chance to catch up yet. I will slowly be getting to all the mail.
I just spent five days and a bit in Nicaragua. As always, a pleasure, but mixed with a bit of sadness - seeing the poverty there. I was there mostly to follow-up with our FOG partners, but I also had four meetings related to RJI. On the business side, everything went well.
On the fun side, I managed to get invited to two parties (one Purisima) so it was great fun. At the Purisima, I sang lots and met Virginia's family. Virginia used to help out in the barrio with us when I lived there and has been working for the UN of late - most recently in East Timor. The other party was in the barrio and it was the 10th anniversary of the project in El Recreo. I got a snazzy t-shirt. Yeah!
Well, enjoy your holiday, whatever your choice of celebration looks like. I am having lunch with my good friend Heidy at her family's house on the 25th and then will be working in the afternoon of the 26th and the 28th. On Friday we are going to the festival in Zapote to go dancing! Yahoo. Maybe after I will try to get away somewhere. Maybe not. I feel like I have spent a lot of money recently with the Nicaragua trip, so maybe I'll take a break from spending...
Un abrazo,
Rob