06.07 & 06.08

I have some journaling that I did last night, so I will share that with you, as well as my thoughts from today's events :)

06.07.11 5:45 p.m.
About to go to church located "up the hill". It seems that this is the way to describe where things are--it's either "up the hill" or "down the hill". Where is the store? Down the hill. Where does Dina live? Up the hill.

It's been a productive day. I met the women who make the ETCA purses. There are about 8 of them currently. I went over some new design ideas with them, as well as taught them complimentary colors. I helped them put fabric combinations together for their future bags. They are a talented bunch as far as craftsmenship, but I hope to teach them more about putting colors and patterns together.

Scott spent the day figuring out where the library will go. I think they have decided to put it on Julie's property. Scott is meeting with the Mayor, pastor, and a woman from another non-profit, NICA, to finalize these decisions so that we can start purchasing books.

We had our first venture to the beach today. The sand is black and ashen, like a pile of cigarette ashes in a gigantic ashtray; or like a vessel of ground pepper. The texture is very gritty. The waves are so loud, such that you must practically shout to be heard.

One thing I have noticed today is how little time is spent indoors. This is probably because it is so hot and humid. Everyone works outside. Everyone sits outside. Everyone eats outside.


06.08.11
Church was.... interesting last night. Let me just tell you first that church STARTED at 5:00 p.m. and ENDED at 1:00 a.m. NO, that is NOT a typo. Church was 8 hours long. Holy moly. I love my Jesus, but an 8 hour church service in a language that I don't know well...... no thanks. Did we stay the whole time? Heck. no. We arrived at 6:30 and left at 9:30. Yes, 3 hours was enough for us. Especially since we don't know the language very well.

Today, we met up with Julie for breakfast at 8:30. I spent the morning putting together some bag samples for the women and posting pictures for the blog. Scott spent a good part of the morning fixing the door to the bathroom at the Arts Center. It was necessary. You could go in just fine, close the door just fine, but flush and try to leave the bathroom..... not gonna happen. You have to bang on the door to have someone let you out, haha. But! Not anymore! McGyver fixed the door.

This afternoon, I went back to our beach house and baked muffins with one of the local women, Dina. She speaks no English and I speak little Spanish, so it was interesting. For example. How do you explain to a sweet Nicaraguan woman that I put the eggs in the back of the refrigerator, where it is really cold, and thus the eggs FROZE. Yes, when I cracked the first egg, what emerged.... or rather DIDN'T emerge, was a rock-solid clear mass with a golden eye. She just started laughing, and I had to laugh too. Our solution? Put it in the sun. Who knew you would have to DE-frost your eggs in Nicaragua? A first, I'm sure.

After baking, Dina, her son, Eddi, and I played "Go Fish". Went surprisingly well! Then I taught Eddi some English for about an hour or so. He was also helping me with my Spanish, of coarse. There was lots of pointing and gesturing and "Que?" and "What?" I'm surprised we got anywhere, ha ha.

Well, that is about it for today! Scott and I plan on sitting in our hammocks and reading for the rest of the night....

Hasta luego! (see you later)

HK