To Rivas!

This past week has been a whirlwind.  On Wednesday night, I said goodbye to my host family and was off to the Embassy on Thursday.  Friday we swore in as volunteers and spent the weekend in style in Managua.  On Sunday, I headed to Rivas.  Here I am, in my new home, with my new favorite snack, peanuts with salt and lime. 

My host nephew helped me to pack on Wednesday night and as he had decided the suitcase was full enough, decided to fit himself into my luggage.  He too, was Rivas bound.  

When I showed my host dad this picture, he laughed for the first time with me.  People have laughs they use for different things.  You know for everyone you are close to that they have a genuine laugh that they only use when something is particularly hilarious to them.  For my friend Charlie, this was when I busted my ass running on a slippery floor on Saturday.  This is neither here nor there.  I'm fine.  It was a really great way to say see you later to share that with my host dad.  My host mom decided that she would get up with me the next morning to make me pancakes before I left at 6 a.m.  She is awesome. 

As you can imagine, leaving our new homes to once again embark upon the unknown and say goodbye to our Nica 61 family as we head to different parts of the country, is an experience chock full of emotions.  This experience now changes from one that is communally shared to one that is individual.  To mark this transition, Peace Corps holds an event called "swearing in" where we are no longer referred to as trainees but are now, officially, Peace Corps Volunteers.  This ceremony is two parts.  The first hour is dedicated to our truly phenomenal trainee host families.

Patricio and I's host families.  Diriamba Represent.

The second of which includes various speeches and formalities which bring us from trainees to volunteers.  We sing the Nicaraguan and United States National Anthems.  This is the very beginning.  Singing our national anthem with Americans so dedicated to what the ambassador referred to as "the best form of diplomacy we have" was truly pride inducing.  We then are lead by the ambassador to recite an oath of service.  After which time we shake the hands of our country director, assistant director, particular sector (health) staff and are adorned with a Peace Corps pin. I was then fortunate enough to give a speech thanking everyone who have become so instrumental in our experience here, from our host families to facilitators to our Nica 61 Family and laying out the expectations we have for our service.

Like a boss.

Speeches were given by both business and health sectors for both this section as well as to thank our host families.  As with any rite of passage ceremony, the close was followed immidiately by CAKE!  Delicious Dulce de Leche cake.  We then said goodbye to Peace Corps Staff and our host families. 

Diriamba with our favorite Spanish Facilitator.

Nica 61 Volunteers with our Country Director (left) and Assistant CD (right).

After this time we spent a fantastic weekend in Managua.  Very fachenta indeed.  Fachenta is one of my favorite new words.  It is used when speaking about things that are really fancy or that not everyone has access to.  We spent the night both Friday and Saturday with each other, treated ourselves to sushi Saturday afternoon, copious naps throughout the weekend, and a generally blasty blast.  Let's just say, don't tempt me with a good time.  On Saturday night, I bet my friend Pat that Don't Stop Believing was entitled as such.  From this and a previous bet that Coolio is the artist responsible for Gangsta's Paradise, he payed out in 100 Cords or about 4 dollars.  I must have dropped it because towards the end of Saturday evening, my friend Charlie asked whose 100 he had found.  Feeling as though I had received another hundred cords, I began to run towards him, the floor slippery from pool water tracked throughout the night, which caused me to immidiately eat it.  Charlie and another friend of mine literally went to sleep laughing.  Laughing so hard that they were asked to leave the room because other people were trying to sleep.

http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/51429578880/when-my-friends-are-laughing-at-my-expense

The next morning, we were off to our respective sites.  Saying goodbye to the people that have become my closest friends was difficult, to say the least.  I am located in the South of Nicaragua, at least 4 hours from other volunteers in my Nica 61 family.  There are several volunteers located on the North in Chinandega and Leon as there are a wealth of NGOs and Government projects to work with in that region.  The concentration of volunteers is much heavier on the Pacific side of the country.  Though we do have volunteers in the Autonomous Region of the Atlantic Coast, they are far less than those on the Pacific side.  This difference holds true for international development organizations as well. 

As the taxi pulled away, the taxista blasted epic American ballads so that Celine Dion marked our departure.  When we got to the bus station, we (myself and another volunteer who is close to me) were weary of the mistakes we had made during our site visit.  For starters, we refused any offers to assist us in carrying our bags to our bus.  Last time, as soon as we were dropped off at the bus terminal, we were swarmed by people asking us if we were headed to San Juan del Sur, to call it a popular tourist destination would be an understatement.  When we informed these gentlemen we were headed to Rivas, they grabbed our bags to load them onto the appropriate bus.  They seemed to leave soon after.  When I asked my companero if he had paid, he told me he had.  Thinking it was odd that I didn't have to pay, we waited for the bus to fill up.  Once we had reached capacity, the cobrador came around to collect the 48 cord fee.  When he informed the cobrador he had already payed, he responded that he had not paid anyone who worked for the bus.  He was then made to pay twice, once to swindlers.  Secondly, we took the express, which heads down the panamerican Highway like a bat outta hell, which though it costs an additional 15 cords, shaves off about an hour from your journey.

Sitting in the very back of the bus, I was able to see the cobrador open the back door while the bus was still going full speed.  He held on with one hand to the ladder on the back of the bus while his other hand held fast to the luggage of a passenger about to depart.  When we had dropped the passenger off, he seemed to get a running start as the bus took off.  I asked him if he was scared once he had closed the door and I had inched away from the window, clinging onto my backpack, projecting my fears onto this man who seemed to have none.  He told me of the numerous injuries he had sustained, including two in which he fell from the top of the bus while fastening the luggage of passengers.  Despite these incidents and chronic problems with his shoulder and ankles, he continues with more tenacity than I can conceive.

When we got to Rivas, we headed through town in style, our bags loaded down in pedicabs.  As soon as I walked through the door of my new home, my service host mother greeted me with a hug, some water, and a glass of wine.  That night, I was introduced to more members of the family and the cool winter weather.  When I say winter weather, think of a Spring breeze, not an East Coast Winter.  A former volunteer who has been responsible for us as trainees, once tried explaining snow to a Host Country National and used the metaphor of a freezer.  To which the man responded, "I don't believe you.  If what you're saying is true, people are living in freezers, and nobody lives in a freezer." 

This morning I headed off to my first day of work, beginning my day with a bucket shower.  When I got to work, I met with the director of the health center, as well as both of my counterparts.  Being that I am exhausted from the weight of this transition and my feelings that despite the fact that I am completely unpacked, I still need to purchase several amenities with my settling in allowance, I was delighted to find that government employees have the day off this coming Wednesday and Thursday, the 29th and 30th.  The 29th of May marks the anniversary of the founding of Rivas while the 30th is a national holiday as it marks Mother's Day in Nicaragua.  The Centro de Salud is decked out in decorations for Mother's Day.  Though the gender roles are extremely rigid and confining here, it is heartwarming to see how much women, as mothers are respected.  Amas de Casa command a great deal of respect and are treated with the utmost respect by their children.  The way in which Mother's Day is celebrated is a great indication of that.  Having two full days out of the week off for two seperate holidays also seems to indicate a proper reverence for holidays.

With love, from Rivas, Rivas, Nicaragua.