"Hell Hath No Fury Like a Ripped Off Peace Corps Volunteer."

Getting on the last bus to Managua from Rivas is a chore.  Tons of people are hoping that they will be able to fit on schoolbus whose intended capacity is 65 but undoubtedly holds 200 as people spill out both the front and back latch door, protected by cobrador's (the men who collect your fare) who are hanging out of the bus holding on for dear life.
Generally, this bus ride goes off without a hitch.  That is, after you clamor your way to the front of the line, pushing other passengers aside so you can make your way on the bus.  Politely standing at the end of the line will lead you stranded.  Once you make it, perhaps you stand on your feet for the entire bus ride, surrounded on all sides, venders, cobradors and those passengers that get off along the way pushing their way through as the bus itself becomes a game of tetris.  Reconfiguring your body in the small space you have, at one point nearly sitting on your neighbor so that people can pass.
Tonight, I earned my seat.  The pasaje or fair from Rivas to Managua is 60 cords if you take the expreso which "makes no stops" and 48 for the ruteado that makes several stops and takes about 30 minutes longer.  However, the fact that I am privy to this information is not written on my face.  So, as the cobrador asked for my pasaje, I gave him my 60 cords.  Generally, he would then pass to the next passenger asking for their fare.  In this case, however, he tapped me on the shoulder after counting my money and told me that the fare was 120.  At which point, I told him that the bus from Rivas to Managua is 60 cords.  He told me that he had said it was 120 before we got on.  I repeated myself and told him I only had the money it took to get to Managua.  He said he would give me back my money and I could get off and wait for the next bus.  No thank you, I said, in not so many words.  He said he'd call the cops.  He was obviously bluffing.  This idea implicates that he would stop the entire bus full of passengers eager to arrive at their destination while we waited for the police who would no doubt, never arrive.  The man next to me told me not to get off.  Even though I was shaking, I stood my ground.  I told him he could look through my wallet to see the 2 cords I had left if he wanted.
At this point, a woman a few rows back became equally idignant.  She gave him her pasaje of about 40 cords from Rivas to Catarina, about an hour outside of Managua.  She told him that it wasn't fair of him to charge people more who commuted everyday to work in places like Isla de Ometepe and Rivas.  The woman next to her informed the cobrador that if he insisted on taking that much from each passenger, he would have to take all of us off.  At this point, he knew he'd been beaten and begrudgingly gave me my ticket.
At the next stop the last woman to come to the defense shouted that the pasaje was 120 and then yelled for us to get going as it was a very expensive EXPRESSO (direct bus).

Being here it's sometimes difficult to stand up for yourself.  You're not always sure what's culturally appropriate.  Or you don't want to burn bridges.  In the past week or so I've been falling back into my skin in this regard.  It felt great to stick up for myself with a bus full of Nicas right there next to me, on my side.

To quote one of our facilitators from training "Hell hath no fury like a ripped off Peace Corps Volunteer." 

La Purisima

As a result of Spanish colonization, Catholicism is King in Nicaragua.  The first week of December, the country goes all out for a celebration of the Virgin Mary known as La Purisima.  Each day, in cities throughout the country, neighborhoods are awaken at 4 in the morning by drums, trumpets, trombones, and the like to be at mass by 7.  Our neighborhood celebration was Sunday, December 1st.  My host mom, a very active member of the church was runnin' this.

For special events such as the 19th of July (anniversary of the Revolution), birthdays, and religious events, an early morning, big band wake up call is run of the mill.  You're waken up on the 19th by trucks slowly passing by, loaded down with concert speakers blasting the phrase "Viva Sandino" in a voice that sounds as antiquated as the revolution itself.  On Sunday, I woke to a big band procession, unaware that it was our neighborhoods Purisima and chalking it up to the circus that has been posted on our block, I went back to sleep.  I woke to find my entire house bustling by 9.  My host mom's family had come in from Managua, there was a giant bowl of Spaghetti cooking in the courtyard to feed those praying to the Virgin Mary, stationed on our corner, and young boys and men constructing and decorating the carosa or float that was to carry the Virgin and several angels (all young girls from our barrio).

We sat outside in our rocking chairs for a few hours to rest before the actual procession which began at 8.  The entire neighborhood was in attendance as we walked the 8 blocks to the PanAmerican Highway, doubled back and ended at the Church where the Virgin was placed on an alter and prayer continued.

The Carosa Construction.

Maria nos lleva a vivir la Eucaristia.  Mary leads us to live the Communion.

Angels on the Float.

The Purisima passing the PanAmerican Highway.

        This whole week, the first of December, these same processions will be happening throughout the country.  Each day, different neighborhoods celebrate the Purisima with their own floats, each one more elaborate than the next (a competition of sorts).  On Saturday, the griteria takes place throughout the country, a tradition originating in Leon.  In Rivas, the calle de milionarios or street of millionares, named as such as before the revolution, this main street was where many wealthy families lived, will serve as the setting.  It's been likened to Halloween in that families pass out fresco, pan, and other assortments.  As per my host mom's suggestion, I'll be bringing a pillow case this Saturday as fellow Rivenses walk through the street asking "Quien causa tanta alegria?"  The response being "La Concepcion de Maria!"