PJ and ROB in Central – NC 17

PJ and Rob, two of my best friends from the university came out to see me a few weeks ago. As expected, they came with a stated purpose of drowning me in vodka and getting into trouble. Their bags were equipped with little more than a Costco sized package of Gold Bond medicated powder and the biggest bottle of Grey Goose vodka I’ve ever seen. In all reality the combination is probably the best Managua survival kit one can pack. Regardless of the fact that we are all now “self-sustaining respectable adults with jobs”, we wound up drawing vulgar hieroglyphics all over Rob’s passed out corpse within hours of them getting here. It was the closest to home I’d felt in a long time.

During their trip we went to the Laguna de Apollo where we played cards on the floating deck (consequences of losing a round? …getting slapped on the hand with the might of three margaritas). The rest of the time at the Laguna was spent unsuccessfully trying to stand upright on the kayaks and getting into heated discussions with assorted Euro-granolas at our hostel about to what continent Nicaragua belongs.

After the Laguna I took them to my school so they could see what I do out here. Peej and Rob are definitely more fit for an adult crowd, but I was impressed with how they handled my class. It was like watching Kindergarten cop live. Hilarious! They “caveman-ed” their way through the class, getting my students out of their seats and laughing. The kids loved them and still ask about them.

As a reward, we headed to Costa Rica (a far less exciting and mucho more expensive Central American country). In Costa we got to surf and P and R taught me how to juggle fire (a skill that should not be picked up by the uncoordinated). We even found time to film a music video for a song I wrote with my roommate Vince about my niece Stella. It will be up on You Tube soon for all to see just how cheesy we can get. Unfortunately, PJ and Rob eventually had to go and I got back to work. Plans for the New Years reunion tour are already in the works.

BIRTHDAY AND MORE BIRTHDAY

I celebrated my 25^th birthday here in Nicaragua last month with real style. It was a work day, so I had to go out to the school. My roommates woke up at 5:30 am to catch me before I went to work. They sang “las Maňanitas” and gave me a bowl of cornflakes (a rare delicacy here) and a huge Bloody Mary (even more rare). I arrived early to work on some accounting stuff and found all of the students gathered and ready to sing me Happy Birthday in English. It sounded more like “apio verde to jew”, but it was beautiful none-the-less. They then performed a few dance numbers and a couple of kids lip sang to some popular reagaton songs. I received all kinds of gifts in kind, ranging from bags of peppers and avocados to hair gel to ceramic jugs (yes, that’s plural). I was really taken back by everything they had done. We generally don’t celebrate birthdays at work, and most of my friends really don’t have the means to be giving gifts. I definitely recognized and appreciate the sacrifice they made to make me feel loved.

It didn’t stop there. The next day, I showed up to work to find that classes had been cancelled. They purchased a piñata, and cake and soda for the kids. The kids played music on our old beat up boom box and they all danced. My coworkers prepared a huge breakfast feast and each made speeches. They finished the party with their rendition of a really sappy song about friendship. Again, I was overwhelmed.

It still didn’t stop there. I then went to my second job up the hill and found the whole center decorated with crepe paper and signs wishing me a feliz cumpleaňos. Again, classes were cancelled and we had another piñata and more cake and more soda. My already shaky hands were now on over drive from the days sugar intake. Each group of students I teach (there are five) prepared a special performance and gave mini-speeches, many in English. I almost lost my biz when my sidekick Checho who is 9 and isn’t in my class, got teary as he told me in what must have been hours of memorizing for his ADD mind “Please, no leave. I am sad”. Checho has trouble reading still and I spend a lot of time with him these past few years trying to get him on track. His parents are not around and he lives the life of a basketball being passed back and forth between relatives. Despite everything, he is the happiest little kid you will ever meet. I am especially attached to him.

The day finally ended and I made my way home with two heavy bags of assorted goods and an even heavier lump in my throat. I still feel battered with humility from the generosity and affection of this community. I have so much to learn about putting others before me.

OTHER STUFF

Stinky and Dark

Nica is in yet another energy crisis. As you know, power and water normally go out for a few hours a day in Managua. Now, our maldito power company Union Fenosa has taken to cutting power for as much as 8 to 12 hours a day. We never know when it’s going to go, and I’ve spent countless steaming in my hot- box room. My body is starting to resemble a dried out raisin. My only refuge… a nice bucket shower and a cold beer.

Breaking the Seal

My roommate Vinny’s parents came down a few weeks ago and gave us some much- needed wisdom. The most appreciated was a speech regarding coming back to the states and rejoining the consumer culture after two years of living on 40 bucks a month. According to Mr. Prietto, “You can’t just pull the whole top off all at once here boys. You gotta break the seal a little bit. Relieve the pressure.” Good little miňons, Vince and I took the twenty bucks he gave us to break the seal and blew it all on steaks and premium beer. It was excellent, although we felt kind of dirty afterwards.

Volcanoes, Glamour Shots and Amish People

I climbed volcano Mombacho for the second time! It was a lot harder this time. My body has a lot more mileage on it these days. Highlights were singing dirty songs to my roommate Adri in an effort to motivate her to keep climbing, meeting a random Amish family once we reached the top, and taking glamour shots in the jungle around the craters edge. I took some sniper photos of my Amish friends. They were beautiful, but honestly, who hikes a volcano in suspenders and cowboy boots? And the women… bonnets. Yes, I said it. Bonnets.