Category Archives: Living Here

Stuck in the Mud

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There are two consistent things about living in Nicaragua:

1) If you own a car here (even with 4WD), it is guaranteed to get stuck at some point – in the mud, in a river, in the estuary – somewhere, sometime.

2) If you do get stuck, hordes of people will help you out…and a few will sit and watch the process!

At a time when I was feeling incredibly homesick for the convenience of things in the States, the amount of help we received renewed my faith in living this different lifestyle.

For the new car owner, I suggest purchaing the following items for your car (all easily found in Managua at either PriceSmart, SINSA, or a local ferreteria:

-Durable chain with a hook (for pulling your car out of sticky situations – ropes tend to break)

-Flashlight

-Tire pump (these can be charged at home and then carried in your car or you can plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter)

-Jack

-Jumper cables

-Large jug of water (cars tend to overheat easily here – it’s important to check your fluids regularly and refill your radiator before this happens)

-Patience – can’t buy this one, but be sure to bring plenty with you!

 

 

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That’s the Weigh it is

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So, we’re back to our daily lives in San Juan.   Upon first seeing some of our Nicaraguan co-workers after 3 weeks home, the first thing the girls said to me was “oh – que delgada…” (“how thin”), with smiles on their faces.  I’ve finally become accustomed to this ongoing evaluation of my body, but…

During our first week here back in January, both women in the office told us that we looked much fatter than the photos they had seen of us. My jaw nearly fell to the ground and I was close to tears, having skirted around the issue of weight for 30 years in the States. However, after a week or two here in San Juan, I realized that people are simply more straightforward and say what they think and feel – something I have come to find quite refreshing. Cheers to being honest, I suppose!