|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| << | >> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I may have mentioned this before... the first time that I came to Nicaragua, I was so excited about the prospect of having 15 bible studies that that became my main goal. Get as many studies as possible. It was fun, and I did have plenty of studies... but I also felt like I was so busy with these people but sometimes they didn't appreciate what I'd go through to have a study with them. First I'd have to study in English, then in Spanish, then I'd make notes on special points that I'd want to bring up and figure out how to say it in spanish, then I'd go to the study, often a lot of walking, or at least bus fare, just to find that they're not there... they had something to do, or whatever. So I'd reschedule the appointment, and to keep everything fresh in my head, I'd do it all over again the night before the next study. So much work!!
Well, this time I decided a different approach. When I went to visit Guatemala, I remember meeting a special pioneer sister. I asked her how many studies she had, and her answer was...
[ more.. ]
I've been SOOOO crazy busy here. There's a brother named Lars (from Canada) who will soon be moving to El Crucero. He found a house for rent before I arrived and signed the contract on it.... But the problem turned up when he was accepted for a surgery that he had applied for in Canada. He's supposed to be leaving for Canada the same week (this week) that he was supposed to move in the new house. So, since I still don't have my own place yet, he called me and asked if I would like to live in his house, take care of it while I'm gone, and that will buy me some extra time to keep searching for my own house and in the meantime I can enjoy his excellent furniture.....
While Ashley and Kelly were here, we definately had some interesting things happen. They got a good taste of crazy Nica life. The adventurous
shake-your-head-because-there's-simply-nothing-else-you-can-do life. On Thursday we decided to go to the beach... We'd been pretty busy with preaching and studing all week... and then it was time to relax! Everything started out normal enough until... *click*, we walked out the front door and closed it behind us. Ashley turned the key in the lock and it completely jammed.
It wouldn't turn, it wouldn't come out. It was completely and totally stuck....
You've never been in service until you've crammed the entire service group into the back of a pick up truck for lack of automobiles. Wednesday is our long day for service, and normally we get a nice big group who goes out together. We bring our lunches, umbrellas, water bottles, walking shoes, sunblock, lots of literature, and I usually bring my camera. Boy, am I glad I brought it today! We worked a territory called Las Nubes....
I DID IT!!!
I can´t believe it... haha. I´m here, I made it. Back in Nicaragua! I arrived Wednesday and got picked up from the airport and brought right to El Crucero. Doorstop service. I can´t really explain all the things that were going through my head as I was heading up the long winding road to El Crucero. How alone I was about to be.... Maybe I could get a dog? or a piglet? Pao and I wanted a baby chick before, but she wanted to eat it after it grew up, and I wasn´t down with that. I think a chicken would be safe now....
Well, I'm sitting here at the Charlotte Airport. Huddled in the corner soaking up the last tidbit of broadband that I can. Withdrawl starts in 30 minutes.
The airport is relatively empty at this time in the morning. The roads were also very clear. Who gets up at 3:30 in the morning to get to the airport? Perhaps a crazy person.... so then what do you call someone who didn't go to sleep at all??
That's right, I stayed up all night. And now I sit here, looking at my airplane, contemplating the level of sanity that I posess, and the very uncertian and quite intimidating turn my life is about to take.....
El Crucero. We arrived on a school bus stuffed full of witnesses who were all riding back from the convention together. The town of El Crucero is about 30 minutes away from the outskirts of Managua. It's far enough away so we feel safe here. The town is quite small. I think there are technically a lot of people who live in the town, but there really isn't much of anything available here as far as stores, resteraunts, etc... There are 2 little tiendas (stores) the size of a small bedroom that are basically are INSIDE the owner's house and they just sell chips, sodas, deoderant, toothpaste, and chicklets.
There is a small "hotel" if you would call it that....
Wow, After all this time. All this planning, i can't believe we actually accomplished this! It's really pretty amazing! We arrived safely into San Jose, Costa Rica and our friend Dan arranged for us to have a place to stay with some friends in the english congregation down there. The past week getting ready to leave had been very exhausting so we just spent a day trying to relax and recover and it was welcome! Costa Rica is so beautful! Around 12:30 we decided to walk to a nearby mall to get some lunch. It was a bit of a walk (and our first day completely without transportation
so we started out just going for a relaxing little stroll. About halfway there, a big fat drop of water splashed on my forehead. I looked up and instantly I remembered! "Paola! What time is it???" "1:10, why?" "It's after 1! It's going to rain!" Costa Rica is so cool... it's like clockwork, everyday after 1pm it rains.....
[ more.. ]
The time has come to say goodbye to John and Jeanna. Wahhh! We had such a great time with them. They really changed the dynamics of this trip. I hope they enjoyed coming as much as we enjoyed having them......
So far so good! Granada is really pretty. Very colonial city, and as far as I can tell they’ve got plenty of conveniences. The only annoying thing so far is that occasionally the electricy goes out for no apparent reason. Everyone has generators to keep thier business going and as soon as the lights flicker you hear all those engines start up.
We stayed at this awesome little hostel called The Oasis. And it really was! Comfy hammocks, internet, cheap rooms, clean bathrooms, clean water, good (and cheap) food! You reallllly start appreciating stuff like that after a while! So, we decided to take a tourist day. We’re relaxing, kicking back. We decide to look into doing a canopy tour. John and Jeanna have done it before...and they were trying to describe it. It basically sounds like they strap you in and you swing from the trees like a monkey! Sounds good to me!!
..........This morning set off for the volcano Arenal.... again. I've got this monster green backpack that is SO heavy. John keeps making fun of me.... I really didn't pack that much stuff but it seems like I did because the backpack is just so heavy. Fortunately it's a lot easier to carry when it's on and when you're standing straight up... but in your arms, it's a ton. So I'm lugging this thing around, but its ok. I've got a handle on it! We pile into the Land Cruiser and Nathan brings us to the bus stop and where we needed to wait for the right bus to take us up to Tilaran. It's going to be a while. It's about 11:20 and our bus doesn't pass until 12:30. So I sit down on a wooden bench to wait.... ouch!
Something just bit my foot!
OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!
I look down on my feet and I have about 30 ants running around chomping down! Ah! I scream and try to brush them off, but I couldn't, there were too many and they just kept on coming.....
[ more.. ]
HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...........
Oh my goodness... I can´t believe how long its been since I was able to write here. Sorry for not being able to keep in touch very well.... I was really surprised because when we arrived into San Jose, we went straight to the Bethel and it was far away from anything touristy so there are no internet cafes or anything nearby. So far we have had an absolutely FANTASTIC trip. I´m keeping record of everything and will write more details soon. Just as a quick update, we spent time in San Jose with the English Congregation and it was really really nice, but to me it was like the spitting image of Cancun. We met some really wonderful brothers and sisters there (and I even ran into some old friends) hahaha.... More stories to come soon....
After we left San Jose on monday we made our way down to Changuinola in Panama. It is in an area called Bocas del Toro which is touristy because of the nearby islands on the Carribean Ocean......
[ more.. ]
Getting ready for this trip has been fun.... very stressful... but exciting. Who leaves for a month long trip with only 6 days notice?? hehe.. But that's quite alright. At least I'm going. It's sad too because I feel like I have to say goodbye to everyone... even though I know I'll be back in just 30 days. But I know that everyone wants to see us and wish us a nice trip before we take off, so it's been nice......
This crazy obsession with traveling through Central America started last year, April or so of 2006. When Amber, Curtis, Nadja, Shelley, Kyle, Josh, Ashley, Jared and I ventured through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. It was one of the best times of my life! It was fun, adventerous, and the entire time we were surrounded by beautiful brothers and sisters that we met in all the different towns.
From that trip, I made my decision to come and serve in another country.....
[ more.. ]
Ok so here's the story.... bit by bit. First, August 16th we left for Mexico City to go to the District Convention in the state of Queretaro, Mexico. For the middle of August I thought it would be pretty warm there - and it was, in the sun... but on a cloudy day or at night it was a tid bit CHILLY! As soon as we got there we went to Bethel and met up with some friends German and Abner and we were invited to dinner at Bethel. Later we went into Mexico City at night to do some sightseeing. It was very beautiful and I had another successful and safe trip into the city with no problem! 
Thursday we left for Queretaro to get ready for the convention - as soon as we arrived, there were witnesses everywhere....