... these are the thoughts and updates on my life as I begin my 27 month service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua in the health sector, "Estilo de la vida saluable.." This is for my family, closest friends, anyone interested in the Peace Corps, or anyone interested in Nicaragua really. Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

What We Take for Granted.

The entirety of one’s Peace Corps service allows for much self-reflection, and I have been especially nostalgic as the end of my service nears. My health group, “Nica 58,” officially ends its 27-month commitment March 28, 2014, but I will be extending until June 6, 2014 in order to finish a series of workshops that I am organizing and facilitating with nurses for volunteer health workers from rural communities that is funded with a grant from USAID.) With my emotions ranging from excited to go yet sad to leave  Nicaragua, I have found myself vacillating from one end to the other. Therefore, I have compiled two conflicting lists, one consisting of the many amenities that we have in America that I cannot wait to get back to, and another of the many things that I will miss from my second home.

As a disclaimer, I would like to state that this first list may look pessimistic, but it is followed by another list of the many things Nicaragua has got right that America could learn from. Therefore, when people ask me “Which country is better?” I say that is not a question that has a definitive answer, as each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. I have many Nicaraguan friends who went to the United States to work legally for long enough to save just enough money to get back to Nicaragua and live comfortably. They appreciated the States but Nicaragua was their end goal. The Nicaraguan lifestyle is more relaxed and less stressful. In the States, we cram our lives with work, while still making time for happy hour. We don’t sleep. Some can’t sleep, others stay up late playing on their gadgets or watching the latest shows. Others simply continue working. The United States and Nicaragua have many similarities, but are ultimately very different; one is not better than the other and both should be appreciated for what they are.

Ok, here is goes…

Things we take for granted in the United States (in no particular order).

·     * Enforced maximum capacity limits and safety regulations on public transportation: In the States, we have standards for public transportation. Buses usually come with air-conditioning and guaranteed seats with a ticket. Here, I travel on “Broward County” elementary school buses that were donated in the 1990s. There are not enough buses and many times it is an unpleasant ride. I have stood for five-hour bus rides, and sitting three-deep in a seat made for two elementary students is not uncommon. I have been puked on (gallo-pinto is not pretty coming up), been a victim of theft, been accosted, made friends, held unknown babies, and dodged belligerently drunk men on the buses. And my parents wonder why I hitchhike… (Don’t tell PC!)
·      *Animal Control: Animals are not pets here. They are items, picked up by humans at whim, and the responsibilities of owning an animal are discarded like trash out the crowded bus window. We have a dog, named Gabby, affectionately nick-named Crabby-Gabby by all English speakers that have met her. She is the only dog that has been with my family my entire two years in San Fernando. I have witnessed the birth (and death) of four others. I am attacked by dogs on 80% on the runs that I go on, and my mom can tell you horror stories about the gangs of dogs in heat that roam my town at night. The NGOs that give free animal neutering and spaying are doing a wonderful service for the animals and the humans around them, and I would like to invite them to northern Nicaragua. If not, just give me the tools, I’ll figure it out.
·     * Indoor plumbing/Reliable water source: Many of my PCV friends take the legendary “bucket bath” their entire 2 years of service because they do not have running water -especially those Ag volunteers. I must admit I am not as hardcore as them, since I have one faucet, one sink, a shower, and a toilet in my house. However, it is not uncommon for the water to stop working in entire towns for days on end, which can get especially rough during the dry season. One of my favorite memories in site is going with Jessica, one of my closest woman-friends, to the river to bathe, although I think we actually came out dirtier. Can you imagine if the water in your house or town went out for the next few hours? Now try the next few days?
·      *Reliable power: Just like running water, the electricity in this country is a fickle friend. “Se fue la luz” (the light went away) with a shrug of the shoulders is a common phrase here, and we have to accept it. It can strike at any moment and can last for indeterminable periods of time. It has happened to me when I hosted “movie night” with my youth group (they ate the popcorn but did not enjoy that movie), had been cooking with an electric stove, (is there such thing as “egg-sushi?), and during the evening (hence my occasional 7:30pm bedtime).  Remember when the electricity for the SuperBowl went away for thirty minutes, and the country was in uproar? Ha! Here, it’s just another day in the life. Oh look! The lights just came back on!!
·      *Hot water: A little piece of my soul dies with every cold shower I take…
·      *Food diversity: I guarantee that you, sitting there with your laptop, smart phone, tablet, etc, have access to at least three different ethnic food options within twenty minutes of you. You have “alternative” or health food options. The culture here does not cater to that, dining out is an expense that many can not afford; therefore there is not a demand for cafes, Japanese steakhouses, or Taco Bells (there is not even a Taco Bell in this country) This makes PCVs get more creative with the preparation of their food (I’ve learned how to make homemade peanut-butter and pesto, among other things) but wouldn’t it be so nice to walk into a Whole Foods store after meeting up with friends for sushi….
·      *Running in shorts as a girl: The running culture has yet to catch on in the more rural areas. My town thinks I am always sprinting away in fear of something (probably the dogs!!).
·      *Expecting good customer service: In the States, I’ve already heard such emphasis on “satisfaction guaranteed!” and “the customer is always right!” Here, I bought a “new” cell phone from a company representative that didn’t work, and guess what, I had to eat the costs. What?!? Isn’t there a hotline I can call and whine to, and then I’ll get a new iphone? Nope, actually, no one cares if you aren’t happy with your experience, you shouldn’t have been stupid enough to get conned, been lured onto a bus going the opposite direction, or ordered food that the cook didn’t feel like preparing (beef is almost the same thing as fish, just eat it and quit trying to send it back.)
·      *Education opportunities: As much as we whine about our educational system in the US, it’s amazing. For the most part, teachers have experience and have degrees in their field; teachers with math degrees, teach math, not art. Students are taught critical thinking skills.  Kids go to school from 8am-3pm, and have a certain number of days that HAVE to be taught. Here, the days last from 7:30am-12pm or 12:30pm-5pm, and accordingly to nonofficial studies of PCVs that work in the classroom, 50% of scheduled classes are cancelled due to national holidays, fairs, meetings, or the teacher’s personal issues. Even if the teacher is experienced in their field (and hasn’t just been switched from math to literature at whim) and cares about the students’ education, the structure of the education system puts these kids and their teachers at a disadvantage before they have even begun.
·      *The highway transportation system: The other week, I saw a dead horse in the middle of the highway. It had been plastered by the truck I saw with the broken windshield 30 meters up the road. I see semi-trucks passing semi-trucks, both emitting black fumes and neither passing safety standards for emissions. Driving rules, when they exist, are not respected. Never in the States had I seen a mother, father, and their two kids in between them on a motorcycle.
·      *Accessible Internet: Every blog I write, I write from out random locations, save them onto my computer, and wait until the opportune moment of internet access presents itself. Some PC Nicaragua volunteers have wifi from their homes (and they probably have jobs by now), but I yearn for the day when I can send an email when I want. Oh America, the land of milk and wifi….
·      *Mass communication: Want to send a funny email to your colleagues?  When only 80% of people have cell phones, and that damned 1% has internet, good luck getting that message out. Smoke signals or messenger pigeons are your best bet to tell someone about that meeting tomorrow at noon.
·      *Recycling Programs/Environmental Awareness: Although America is one of the top producers of greenhouse gases and trash in the world, there are many program in place to alleviate the problem. My favorite weekend activity as a child was going to the Gilkey Recycling Center with my dad to put green glass in the recycling container with other green glass and throw plastic bottles in the container with other plastic bottles. We were doing our part to keep the world greener! I remember seeing multiple trash-cans on the street, one for every possible material to encourage recycling. Here, there are not recycling programs (although I have seem some in gringo-y areas, such as Corn Island). It hurts me every time I see a plastic bottle in the trash-can. Environmental awareness is a new idea here, when kids are done with their candy, they throw the wrapper on the ground. Trash is usually burned, as many towns do not have reliable trash services. The geography and natural landscape of Nicaragua is absolutely beautiful (just ask anyone who has come to visit!), yet the importance of protecting it is lost.
·      *The presence of toilet paper in people’s houses and public facilities: A seasoned Nicaraguan brings toilet paper with them everywhere they go. Most of the time it is not in home bathrooms, and never in public restrooms. I have to bring toilet paper with me to the bathroom in my own house.
·      *Extracurriculars and hobbies: Most people here do not have the luxury of leisure-time. After washing clothes (by hand) all day, chopping firewood, maintaining a fire for hours to cook beans, waiting hours for packed buses or walking miles in a day, most people don’t have the energy to learn how to play guitar or read books and contemplate existential matters. My brother once mentioned Aristotle’s idea of “the responsibility of leisure,” which has stuck in my mind ever since. It is the idea that those who have the privilege of free time have a responsibility to use that free time to better themselves intellectually and, in turn, humanity. While many people here are focusing on day-to-day survival, we have the privilege of being able to dedicate time to enriching our minds and communities. Therefore, we should not abuse or waste it.

Remember, these are things that I will appreciate so much more when I return to the States. However, there are a multitude of qualities that Nicaragua and its society has that I never experienced in America, and I will miss these dearly.

Things I will miss about Nicaragua:

·      *The best tasting tropical fruit: I did not like bananas until I came here. To ensure that bananas arrive to the States appropriate for consumption, they are cut prematurely and shipped to the States. They may look yellow, but never had the time to properly ripen and develop the sweet, wonderful flavor that bananas have here. During March, April, and May, I can walk into my backyard and hunt a delicious mango. I have eaten here at least 5 different types of fruits and vegetables that I never knew existed (mamones, jocote, nancite, anyone?).
·      *That 10 cent cup of coffee: ..or that $40 rent. That $4 pedicure. I am nervous for my transition back. (You want $10 for lunch?!?! That is outrageous!!)
·      *Walking down main street with a donkey on your side.
·      *Running the back mountain roads of northern Nicaragua: It’s moments like those where I think about where I am, what I am doing, and I feel so good about life. It’s pretty cool.
·      *The sense of community: I am able to pop into someone’s house unannounced to have a chat, drink a coffee, or watch soap operas. The majority of Nicaraguan towns still have that “small-town friendly” feel because, well, they are small towns.
·      *Asking your neighbor for some sugar: It is perfectly acceptable to pop you head into Doña Silvia’s house while cooking and ask for some tortillas or beans.
·      *My outhouse: I know that indoor plumbing was on the list of things I can’t wait to get back too, but I’ll actually miss my outhouse a lot. It’s so peaceful out there in the morning.
·      *Normal portion sizes: When I first got to this country, I kept thinking that the family restaurants were underfeeding us, (which I couldn’t complain about since meals cost 1-3 dollars). Yet I realized, I was perfectly satiated without the super-size-me-hamburger and 60-ounce Coca-Cola. I actually felt a lot better about not spending $15 on a portion size I could never hope to eat but hated to waste. We have gotten used to outrageous and unnecessary portion sizes.
·      *Hitchhiking: It is so common here. I was nervous my first time hopping into the back of a stranger’s truck, but there is only one highway, and everyone is usually empathetic and open enough to let any traveller in their extra space. It’s one of the quickest and cheapest ways to get around. Nevertheless, once I’m stateside, I don’t think that it will be socially acceptable or safe to stick my finger out and hop in the back of any random car.
·      *The pristine sunsets over Nicaragua’s numerous beautiful backdrops. Whether it’s coastline, mountains, or tropical rivers by the jungle, they are incredible.
·       

There you have it- a bit of reflection after a couple years in country.