What I Like About You

In celebration of our 100 days in Nicaragua we want to share some of the things we like the most about this country.

Aileen
Aileen is still avoiding the blog, but we got her to make a list:

• Our hammock
• Butterflies
• Kids happy with the new school we built in their community
• Birds
• Sunndy days when the soaking wet laundry hanging on a clothesline dries in an hour
• The new tires on my truck
• In Nicaragua, people talk about body size and shape and joke around about it without getting offended
• The old people whose deeply creased faces reflect decades of living under a brutal dictator, through devastating natural disasters, war, and poverty, and they're still smiling

Jeff

There are many things that I enjoy about living in a different country.  However, I have yet to discuss the things I enjoy about Nicaragua.  In fact, I have spent a fair amount of time making bad jokes and negative comments.  I suppose it is time to share some of the wonderful things this country has to offer.

First of all, I really enjoy the natural environment we live in. Nicaragua's beauty is a subtle one but beautiful it is. The subtropical landscape is lush, especially in protected areas that have not been deforested (like the place I worked for example). The colors, foliage, birds, insects, sounds, temperature, rain, lakes, volcanoes, seashore and other things I am forgetting all combine to make something very special. It is not as dramatic as the Sierra Nevada mountain range or as magical as the Amazon rain forest but somehow the combination of it all works well. During the past ten years many public and private nature preserves have been created thus adding to the number of places where the beauty of this country can shine through. You have to work a little harder to see some of the natural wonders of Nicaragua, but that is part of the fun. Sometimes working harder means long and sweaty hikes. Other times it means just paying attention to the new and wonderful things right outside our front door.

Sunset at Finca Esperanza Verde

What I like even more is the people who live here. Nicaraguans are generally very warm and loving people who enjoy the company of their fellow humans regardless of where they are from. The United States has done so much harm to this country during the last hundred+ years you would think there would be resentment against Americans. However, I have NEVER encountered any anti-American animosity in Nicaragua. On the other hand, every time I have been to Western Europe (which the USA rebuilt after WWII) I ALWAYS encounter some anti-American sentiment.  Most Nicaraguans are also very generous with their time, resources and love.  Not a week goes by that our neighbor (who lives in a shack) does not send over some food for us to try.  Not a day goes by that someone does not grab Emma and Hannah and give them a big hug.  That loving and generous spirit which permeates their culture makes it impossible to not love the Nicaraguan people.

Recently I have been thinking about why this is the safest country in Central America and one of the top 25 safest countries in the world. There are likely some complex economic explanations but that only tells part of the story. I think one of the reasons Nicaragua is so safe relative to its neighbors has to do with its people.  Nicaraguans avoid direct confrontation with others. This is sometimes hard for me as I try to be as direct as possible at all times. However, I have to say this non-confrontation thing makes for a more peaceful existence. I believe another reason why crime is so low is because folks have a "we are all in it together" attitude. Aileen feels this cooperative attitude is due to the Sandinista revolution and a quick look at crime stats would confirm that. I also think Nicaraguans really enjoy joking, laughing, dancing and having a good time and crime tends to put a damper on all of that. I am not saying that crime does not happen here; in fact our house got burglarized when we lived here in 2000.  I am just saying that this is a relatively safe place and I think it is largely due to the culture of those who live here.

What I Like - by Hannah

Jeff asked Hannah to tell him what she liked about Nicaragua.  Here is her response:

• My neighbors
• My teacher Yesenia
• Coloring with my friends
• Butterflies
• Our house
• When I get letters
• Playing with my friends
• Getting stickers at the after school program
• Our pets

Can I go now, this is boring?

Teacher Yesenia

I Love You San Ramon - by Emma

The following was written by Emma and copied into the blog letter for letter by Jeff:

1. I like that I (or Hanna) can go where I whant. (when I whant to).
2. I also like all the peoble, evrybody is very nice.
3. I LOVE my teacher.
4. I am very sorry I am going to chang the subject, I think it very funny that a boy in my class (Carlos, who I think very much loves me) wrote on a white bord this, Emma "mi" love ("mi" is my in Spanish).
5. Oky let's get back. I like studying in my school and studying Spanish and guitar.

Classmate Francis



Teacher Carmen