Nica please!: Settin' Goals

In 2012, in lieu of the typical New Year’s resolutions set forth and generally given up on by February I decided to set goals for the year. My goals included visiting New Orleans and Buenos Aires (both of which were with my dear friend Perri and her now fiancé Guille), to run a marathon, and to volunteer for South by Southwest. Setting goals, all of which I completed, motivated me throughout the year to manage my time and resources to achieve them. Since being in country I have set a few monthly and weekly goals for myself. In August it was to run 4 times a week, which apparently everyone in town, even those I have yet to meet, have noticed the chela who runs the carretera to San Jorge. This past week after two weeks of devouring seasons of New Girl and Cougar town like I imagine myself doing to Chipotle chicken tacos upon return, I decided to set a goal to not watch television OR movies for the week.

It’s funny how once you are told you can’t have something, it’s all you want. Not two hours after committing myself to the idea, I had to stop myself from pulling out Mean Girls and Clueless. My go to relaxation was no longer available. So, to replace it, I found new means.

This past week I saw to several chores, kept my room clean, spent more time with my host family, and pushed myself into my community.

On Wednesday night, a day after setting my goal I called my Rivense friends to solicit a date for the Tigres vs. Gigantes* game. An hour before the game was to start; all possibilities seemed to have previous plans. So, I went for a run. Now, there are two women who work for ProFamilia that I have been joining as they walk the carreterra to San Jorge. It just so happened that I ran into them and invited them out. Neither had ever been to a game despite being from Rivas. As I waited for them to arrive, I ran into my neighbors and a friend. I sat with my neighbors as I waited for my friends to arrive. In the last inning, as Rivas sloppily tried to salvage the game, a batter lost his grip on the bat and it soared above our boys. Thankfully, no one was hurt, except this gentleman’s pride.

Thursday I gave a charla to a group of 5 pregnant women, in the health center for their monthly check up, on the benefits of breastfeeding, warning signs and prevention; went to a meeting that had been cancelled, and was falsely accused of shoplifting.

Friday, I turned my goal of averaging 1 charla/week in the month of November into a reality at the health post a block and a half from my house on the importance of yearly PAP exams. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death for Nicaraguan women. Yearly, 869 women are diagnosed and more than 400 die each year. The country rates 6^th highest in terms of morbidity due to cervical cancer. Annual PAP exams can save women’s lives. At the end of my charla, I ask for reasons why women wouldn’t get a PAP. The answers range from embarrassment to distrust to misinformation. The one I find most interesting is distrust. In a culture where news travels by chisme or gossip, women fear that their doctor may disclose confidential information to their friends and family.

After meeting some of the women in attendance and their children, I headed to the Casa de la Mujer for our monthly reunion where we were swag to adorn tomorrow as hundreds of participants march through the streets of Rivas for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. From there, I headed to a café to Skype with a friend back home. Once back to my Rivense home, I called my granpa. That evening, rather than unwinding with a couple glasses of Cougar town, I met with a friend for pupusas, fresh squeezed OJ, and batidos. Not before I enjoyed a nice visit with my host mom.

Saturday morning I slept in, something I’ve lost touch with. I woke up to banana pancakes topped with walnuts and home-made syrup. That’s right everyone. I’ve officially become a commune living hippy who makes her own syrup, washes her hair with soap when she runs out of shampoo, and has taken to replacing deodorant with hydrogen peroxide (thanks Granpa!) since her last stick broke. After my luxurious breakfast, I headed into the center of town where I ran into a friend’s son. Seeing him led me to pay her a visit. She gave me some melocoton fresco, which I do not care for in the least, and told me that I was dressed provocatively as I arrived in skinny jeans, a white tank top, and sandals. Walking home, passing the Iglesia San Francisco, I decided to stop in. Feeling as though I’d found some respite, I decided to journal (12 Cords, best purchase I’ve made in a while, aside from my caramel batido). Not shortly after I’d begun, attendants began filing in. I was greeted by a friend who informed me that there would be a funeral procession following mass. Feeling severely underdressed and out of place, I was glad to hear from my counterpart who asked me to meet her at a beauty salon of her sisters. Upon getting there, I was bombarded by a makeup artist who saw to a complete and glamorous makeover. I later met them all up for some salsa dancing, a dance, much like cumbia and bachata, that I have yet to master but look upon with the utmost awe.

This morning, Sunday, I set out to the community of Ochomogo, a quaint pueblo where the Casa de la Mujer hosts a youth group. This past Monday, I gave them a charla on Unplanned Pregnancy. As I enjoyed the pico (a large piece of fresh baked bread laden with sugar in the shape of a triangle so as to resemble a beak or pico) we had all been provided, the girls invited me to their softball game this Sunday at 10. I arrived at 10:30 (a la hora Nica) to discover that the game had been pushed back to 1. In the mean-time, I visited with some of the girls from the youth group, met their families, and was invited to lunch which consisted of seasoned beef so tough you have to gnaw it from your hand. I was treated as a guest of honor and invited to play alongside the team. Had I been outfitted in different shoes I would have jumped at the opportunity. As it stood, I was on the sidelines cheering on our team with what could have only been the entire town, bolos and all. Bolos, I might add, who seem to think they are, in fact, the coach of the team. Upon return, I had a chat with my mom for her birthday. In reflecting on what it is that I am grateful for in my days here, I often find that calls from or to home are among the things that I am consistently thankful for. For this reason, I have decided that I am going to make it a goal of mine to have 1 chat with family, friends from home, PC BFFLs each week for the month of December.

I just got off the phone with my mama, round 2!! We got to talking about her and Ads visit. Having them meet my host family, get to see my site, enjoy the country I live in, and to be able to spend an entire Christmas week with them is such a blessing. This will be our first family trip as adults. I am so inexplicably excited and blessed to be able to pass the holidays with such great friends and family. Thank God they’re not bringing a dark cloud.

*Professional baseball leagues. Tigres represent Chinandega, Gigantes represent Rivas. There are 4 teams which also include Boer from Managua and the Orientales from Granada. Tigres trail while Gigantes lead. However, Wednesday proved to turn the tables as Chinandega beat Rivas 3 – 2.