Arriving in Managua

So I have arrived in Nicaragua! The flights and all went smoothly, and so we arrived in Managua around 11:30, local time, which is just two hours behind New York.

The view from the plane was amazing, of course. We saw many mountains and trees, craters filled with water. Lake Managua is very large, one of the largest in Central America, I believe. You can imagine, we were all very excited to be arriving. I had just a little trouble going through customs, because I was carrying multiple laptops, which added up to a value greater than the allowed cost of goods, so I had to pay a fee. It was to be expected.

We met with Amanda, who is the liason between ETHOS and Grupo Fenix. She is from Buffalo, NY, and traveled with ETHOS before graduating in ´03, and has done Peace Corps in Nicaragua since then. She now works for Grupo Fenix, who is the company that ETHOS works closely with in Nicaragua. Amanda has been amazingly helpful; she is answering our many questions and translating for us. She took us all in a van, with our luggage, to the house of the family that Vince will be staying with this summer. We are staying with them in Managua for two nights.

They fed us an exquisite lunch. It was made up delicious and fresh chicken, rice, tomatoes, plantations, and some other fruits we don´t even know. Served up with some I-don´t-even-know fruit juice and water, it was perfect.

After thanking the mother, Amanda took us to an ATM, which is by far the most trouble I´ve had so far. We need to take out enough money, in dollars and cordobas, to last us for awhile out in the Great Plains.

Then, we walked through a town for a bit, including a mall. Vince has it made. His mother cooks great food, but there´s also an ice cream place, a radio shack, a quiznos, and a mcdonalds right by him. It is quite nice. Apparently tourism around here is really booming. It is a nice city, but you have to come here with low expectations for ¨nice¨. Basically, people have cars, clothes, and homes, even if the cars, clothes, and homes aren´t the greatest. I personally think it´s all beautiful. And the people have been extremely helpful. Everyone gives us directions, and a man even gave us all maps.

We are now sitting in a very hot internet cafe (the pilot said it was 88 deg F when we landed this morning. I actually did not feel too uncomfortably hot until I sat down here). They sell burgers here, and internet for cheap. I am surrounded by my peers and locals who are asking me how to upload photos onto an email.

Tonight, Amanda said, the plan is ¨nothing¨. We will probably lay low and play some card games and get some rest, maybe try our luck at Spanish with the family (not many people here speak English at all). Tomorrow we are going to get a more formal tour of the city, including Grupo Fenix, where she works.

I am very excited to be here, and it´s hard to believe that there is much to worry about. So, don´t worry, things seem great. I am also excited to go out to Sabana Grande in a few days. Apparently my mother is one of the best cooks in the village!

From Managua, Nicaragua, I´m signing off for now,
-Daniel