Hi there,
Sorry for the lack of long and wordy emails, I know that you were missing them. :) Well, for part of the time I was travelling and didn't feel much like writing, then I returned to Managua and sometimes I feel like there is not much happening, as I am still without a job, so there was nothing to tell.
However, there is lots to tell, I am just not sure how to tell it. Sometimes I see things and I wonder how I can explain it all to you. Being surprised on a walk to the store, and noticing that the animal is a 2 foot long iguana, 2 houses from my house. (Often comes in my backyard too) Places where people just throw their garbage, also near where I walk to the store. One image, a couple of days ago, was 4 or 5 big piles of garbage, fairly fresh, with 2 dogs and one human rummaging through it, looking for food. Visiting the family of Stuart, who came down with me the first time and married a Nicaraguan, and watching possibly the most horrible program I have seen on TV (the TV in the place I am house sitting is safely stowed in the closet) - PowerRangers. Although I must admit the last episode I saw (it always seems to be on when I drop by to visit - the TV is always on) had a theme of not getting too sucked in to video games to the detriment of one's studies or friends. A good message, I suppose, but still a stupid show.
How to explain what my daily life is like. Walking to the nearest traffic lights to buy a newspaper from the vendors that daily risk their lives selling amongst the traffic. Going to the market to buy vegetables and making sure I don't get ripped off for having white skin, which marks me has having money, power and privilege and therefore able to pay more. Unfair, but true, I do have the advantage. Getting so used to the Nicaraguan way of speaking and acting that I think nothing of calling other white people, "Gringos" or "Cheles" (Whitey), in spite of the tendency towards racism and race/class division that it implies. For them it is just a physical comment or observation, not necessarily a good or bad thing though.
On a more specific note (but trying to be somewhat brief), I went home to Canada for a visit and for a wake of sorts for my Grandfather. First, however, I went to Costa Rica again since my flight was still arranged out of San Jose. I was just there for a couple of days but it was a lot of fun, seeing some friends, taking orders for purchases from MEC, as usual, and generally getting into the start of my month long vacation.
Just thinking about the 10 hour bus ride to Costa Rica, it is quite the experience. Last time I was returning to Nicaragua, the people (mostly Nicaraguans visiting home to visit) brought a fridge, a big, old TV, a washing machine and a bicycle. Crazy. There was hardly any room for the luggage...
In Toronto, I arrived just in time for the celebration the next day. I stayed at my Grandmother's house and we spent most of the time visiting with relatives I haven't seen in years... It was good to see everyone and to see the photo albums, 2 huge ones, that my Gramma put together over the last few months. They are full of photos from early this century to now, with the occasional newspaper article, like the front page Winnipeg papers from when my grandparents crashed their airplane and survived. It made me think about my pictures and that I had better write names on them so I won't have Gramma's problem on not remembering who the people are...
Also spent time with my immediate family, especially enjoying my time with my four year-old nephew.
Saw a lot of friends as well in both Vancouver and Toronto. As usual, the time never seems to be enough.
As well as visiting friends and family, I tried to get some chores like taxes, banking, etc. done. Perhaps not as fun as just visiting, but I suppose these things need to be done.
Didn't even go hiking or anything, although I had the opportunity - didn't have decent shoes with me, so had to abandon that idea.
Well, then I returned, happy to be back, although not used to the extreme heat and humidity anymore. Remember how I said I had a maid's house but no maid, well now I have a maid. She was hired to house-sit while I was away, and my friend decided to just hire her permanently until she returned so as not lose her to another employer. So, I have a maid. It takes getting used to. I keep wanting to make my own breakfast or wash my own clothes but she keeps being more sneaky than I am and getting my clothes from my room, etc. Oh well, I suppose I should just enjoy it while it lasts - until Virginia returns in mid-October. One Nicaraguan friend said to me to let her do her job. If I don't she could get used to that pace and then have problems when the real employers come back... I don't know about that, but I guess I will let her make breakfast...
I guess that's all for now. No job yet, but I do have an interview/meeting this week, so we'll see what comes of that... Hope to hear your news soon...
Rob