Not enough days in a week
Door: Rebecca
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Rebecca
06 November 2011 | Nicaragua, Managua
Monday: A tropical fruit salad with the most delicious granola ever made looks like a great way to start the new week. While all the students walk into the kitchen to get their breakfast and a well needed cup of coffee to wake up, the kitchen ladies (and I) prepare the warm breakfast...gallo pinto with scrabbled eggs, fried plantanos ( bananas) with a little tomato salad on the side, toast with eggs or something else. Everyday a different warm breakfast on the menu, but everyday liked by almost all the guest. Just a little before 8 o clock, Bergman, the head of the teachers, asks for a moment of attention. He wishes everybody a good morning and announces who will be teaching/receiving lessons from who. After this short announcement classes start...but not before most of the student pass the kitchen for their second ( or third) cup of coffee.
Tuesday is market day. In the morning the empty pick-up truck leaves La Mariposa for the market of Jinotepe. While we in the kitchen prepare the lunch with the last bits of vegetables left, others are on their way to shop for fruits, vegetables, rice and more. Shortly after lunch the pick-up truck arrives at the gate. The boys that work in the garden (and are taking care of the animals) carry big boxes of groceries into the kitchen. Soon the empty shelves are filled with fresh vegetables and fruits: red tomatoes, white and purple eggplants ( aubergines), light green chayotes, dark green peppers, orange carrots ,bright pink pitayas, yellow orange pine-apples and many more. Freshly baked breads are placed in the box on the top shelf and the sugar, used in large quantities in the many cups of coffee or the delicious postres ( dessert) that Chayoo makes, is placed in the big half empty bucket under the counter. Two dozen or more toilet rolls, a bag of washing powder and cleaning detergent are moved to the storage room while Armando, one of the helpers, carries the last box with groceries in.
Wednesday is a quiet day with the usual lessons in the morning, a history class in the afternoon and a pizza outing in the evening. During the history lessons Bergman and Paulette inform the guest about the history of Nicaragua from beginning till now. The story is interesting, but long as well, since lot of things happened in the past and are still happening. There are always many questions from guest on why or how things happened...or are still happening. Especially now that the elections are so close ( Sunday 6th of November) The outcome might just change the course of history again.
At around 5 the guests hop into the La Mariposa mini-van...to San Marcos to eat some pizza. Pizza isn't the same as the pizza at the pizzeria at your hometown, but it does taste good and it's actually unbelievable that the young chefs that run the place are able to prepare all those pizzas in the tiny kitchen with just one oven.
It's Thursday now and my last evening at my very friendly host family, where I stayed two and a half weeks. Ruth is visiting me and we try to explain the aspect ' Sinterklaas' to my host family....quite a difficult task. This time it isn't the Spanish language that makes it hard to get this strange Dutch tradition across...it's more that the story itself...a white old saint on a horse, who walks on rooftops, with black funny helpers, and who is giving away present to children sounds rather strange when you try to explain it to others. The fact that children put carrots and hay in their shoe, sing songs for the man, receive ' pepernoten' and so on, doesn't make it all sound more ' normal'. But then again...there're a lot of ' strange' legends here as well. What to think of the Gigante...a long and tall woman with her Big headed friend or the ox-cart..pulled by dead, skeleton oxes that indicate death is near?
Friday.. After the first two hours of class in the morning the students group together on the terrace, talking about grammar while enjoying a freshly squized orange or lemon juice. It is the last day of classes for the week and it's good to hear that the students who did not speak a word of Spanish at the beginning of the week are already able to form short, simple sentences now.The first weeks I too had classes, but the last few weeks I am working (almost) fulltime in the kitchen as a volunteer..peeling oranges for the morning and afternoon juice, cutting tomatoes, onions and carrots for the lunch and helping with dinner as well. The kitchen ladies are full of energy and always in a very good mood, which makes working in the kitchen loads of fun. And even though I do not understand all they say (and by times it is probably better so) I do have nice conversations with them and learn a lot about the Nicaraguan kitchen in the meantime as well. And it is great to see and notice that the always fresh vegetarian food ( no canned veggies here) is greatly appreciated by all the guest.
No sleeping in at the La Mariposa for students that like to go on the tours...at 8 o clock this Saturday the car leaves for Mombacho, one of the many volcanos in Nicaragua. Great views are promised and on a clear day views are indeed spectacular. Ruth and I went there last year and even though we would like to visit the volcano again, we decided that this Saturday we would stay at the eco-lodge. And what a great decision...with all the guest left I finally have time to catch up with my younger sister Ruth. She is working at the school/eco-lodge as an intern together with her friend Venice. In the afternoon we take a very full mini-van to Jinotepe, where we drink a coffee in the colorful park, shop for second hand sport shoes for Ruth and browse through the boxes full of bad copied dvd's in search for a nice movie.
Sunday morning, finally sunny and with a light breeze...a perfect day. No horseback riding today, cause a few of the muchachos
( boys) who are guiding the horse-tours on the Sunday are ( and have been) occupied with the elections. And today is The Big Day for them and all rose early ( some as early as 3) in order to help, observe or vote. The last few weeks a lot of conversations, in class and on the street, were about the elections and on the streets it was quite clearly visible that the upcoming selections were important....parades with flags and banners, music, flyers, big posters and freshly painted murals or black and white colored lamp-post. Vivid and bright colors and lots of sounds. Almost everybody expects Daniel Ortega to win this times elections.
Well, so far a view of a week at La Mariposa. Times flies and I should have written more and earlier, but there're just not enough days in a week. After my last blog, in which I described a sunny morning I have been busy learning more Spanish and volunteering in the kitchen. The sunny days were soon over and cloudy days and heavy rain followed. A few already poor Nicaraguan families in the neighborhood lost their houses due that rain and are living in a small community center on the moment. But more about this and other projects of La Mariposa next time. For now abrazos and take care.
Tuesday is market day. In the morning the empty pick-up truck leaves La Mariposa for the market of Jinotepe. While we in the kitchen prepare the lunch with the last bits of vegetables left, others are on their way to shop for fruits, vegetables, rice and more. Shortly after lunch the pick-up truck arrives at the gate. The boys that work in the garden (and are taking care of the animals) carry big boxes of groceries into the kitchen. Soon the empty shelves are filled with fresh vegetables and fruits: red tomatoes, white and purple eggplants ( aubergines), light green chayotes, dark green peppers, orange carrots ,bright pink pitayas, yellow orange pine-apples and many more. Freshly baked breads are placed in the box on the top shelf and the sugar, used in large quantities in the many cups of coffee or the delicious postres ( dessert) that Chayoo makes, is placed in the big half empty bucket under the counter. Two dozen or more toilet rolls, a bag of washing powder and cleaning detergent are moved to the storage room while Armando, one of the helpers, carries the last box with groceries in.
Wednesday is a quiet day with the usual lessons in the morning, a history class in the afternoon and a pizza outing in the evening. During the history lessons Bergman and Paulette inform the guest about the history of Nicaragua from beginning till now. The story is interesting, but long as well, since lot of things happened in the past and are still happening. There are always many questions from guest on why or how things happened...or are still happening. Especially now that the elections are so close ( Sunday 6th of November) The outcome might just change the course of history again.
At around 5 the guests hop into the La Mariposa mini-van...to San Marcos to eat some pizza. Pizza isn't the same as the pizza at the pizzeria at your hometown, but it does taste good and it's actually unbelievable that the young chefs that run the place are able to prepare all those pizzas in the tiny kitchen with just one oven.
It's Thursday now and my last evening at my very friendly host family, where I stayed two and a half weeks. Ruth is visiting me and we try to explain the aspect ' Sinterklaas' to my host family....quite a difficult task. This time it isn't the Spanish language that makes it hard to get this strange Dutch tradition across...it's more that the story itself...a white old saint on a horse, who walks on rooftops, with black funny helpers, and who is giving away present to children sounds rather strange when you try to explain it to others. The fact that children put carrots and hay in their shoe, sing songs for the man, receive ' pepernoten' and so on, doesn't make it all sound more ' normal'. But then again...there're a lot of ' strange' legends here as well. What to think of the Gigante...a long and tall woman with her Big headed friend or the ox-cart..pulled by dead, skeleton oxes that indicate death is near?
Friday.. After the first two hours of class in the morning the students group together on the terrace, talking about grammar while enjoying a freshly squized orange or lemon juice. It is the last day of classes for the week and it's good to hear that the students who did not speak a word of Spanish at the beginning of the week are already able to form short, simple sentences now.The first weeks I too had classes, but the last few weeks I am working (almost) fulltime in the kitchen as a volunteer..peeling oranges for the morning and afternoon juice, cutting tomatoes, onions and carrots for the lunch and helping with dinner as well. The kitchen ladies are full of energy and always in a very good mood, which makes working in the kitchen loads of fun. And even though I do not understand all they say (and by times it is probably better so) I do have nice conversations with them and learn a lot about the Nicaraguan kitchen in the meantime as well. And it is great to see and notice that the always fresh vegetarian food ( no canned veggies here) is greatly appreciated by all the guest.
No sleeping in at the La Mariposa for students that like to go on the tours...at 8 o clock this Saturday the car leaves for Mombacho, one of the many volcanos in Nicaragua. Great views are promised and on a clear day views are indeed spectacular. Ruth and I went there last year and even though we would like to visit the volcano again, we decided that this Saturday we would stay at the eco-lodge. And what a great decision...with all the guest left I finally have time to catch up with my younger sister Ruth. She is working at the school/eco-lodge as an intern together with her friend Venice. In the afternoon we take a very full mini-van to Jinotepe, where we drink a coffee in the colorful park, shop for second hand sport shoes for Ruth and browse through the boxes full of bad copied dvd's in search for a nice movie.
Sunday morning, finally sunny and with a light breeze...a perfect day. No horseback riding today, cause a few of the muchachos
( boys) who are guiding the horse-tours on the Sunday are ( and have been) occupied with the elections. And today is The Big Day for them and all rose early ( some as early as 3) in order to help, observe or vote. The last few weeks a lot of conversations, in class and on the street, were about the elections and on the streets it was quite clearly visible that the upcoming selections were important....parades with flags and banners, music, flyers, big posters and freshly painted murals or black and white colored lamp-post. Vivid and bright colors and lots of sounds. Almost everybody expects Daniel Ortega to win this times elections.
Well, so far a view of a week at La Mariposa. Times flies and I should have written more and earlier, but there're just not enough days in a week. After my last blog, in which I described a sunny morning I have been busy learning more Spanish and volunteering in the kitchen. The sunny days were soon over and cloudy days and heavy rain followed. A few already poor Nicaraguan families in the neighborhood lost their houses due that rain and are living in a small community center on the moment. But more about this and other projects of La Mariposa next time. For now abrazos and take care.
-
06 November 2011 - 20:05
Ruth:
Can I just copy this for my blog??? Gracias hermana for you blog. I'm happy you're here and it's nice we find the time to talk at the bus stop. Love ya loads and see you somewhere in the lovely Mariposa. I'm happy with you and the Mariposa in total. Love ya -
06 November 2011 - 20:05
Ruth:
Can I just copy this for my blog??? Gracias hermana for you blog. I'm happy you're here and it's nice we find the time to talk at the bus stop. Love ya loads and see you somewhere in the lovely Mariposa. I'm happy with you and the Mariposa in total. Love ya -
06 November 2011 - 20:37
Henny:
Hi dearest Rebecca, it is everytime a great pleasure to read your stories. You could be a good guide on paper, or a storyteller. Your audience has to close their eyes and the guided tour begins. Thank you for that!
Enjoy your time and don't forget to make 'pepernoten' on the 5 th of December.
Love and a big hug, Henny -
06 November 2011 - 20:57
Joke:
Hello Rebecca, and again I enjoyed all you wrote this time. You are a hard working lady, that's for sure. And you have a good time, too. That's very nice and good. Did you already prepare a dutch meal for the students? In a personal e-mail I will write you more. For now: many greetings from Breda, where it's very nice in the woods: people can walk on golden leaves. Autum; a very colourfull season at the end of the year. And yes: we are waiting for Sinterklaas and his black men. How nice, the way you wrote how to tell it to other people.
Dear Rebecca, I wish you all the best and send my regards to Ruth too. Houdoe, bye, arriverdeci, ciao, dag, tot later. groetjes, Joke -
06 November 2011 - 21:52
Hetty:
Wauw. als Daphne eens wist hoe de studenten daar te eten krjigen, zou ze jaloers zijn!!
Heerlijk om jouw levendige blog te lezen, het doet mij goed. Geniet van iedere dag en heel veel liefs, ook voor Ruth. -
06 November 2011 - 22:37
Bert:
What a way to give creative therapy, sounds.....good? :-) -
07 November 2011 - 07:01
Naomi:
Hi Dear Sister,
thanks for your lovely blog; colourful and interesting as usual! It's really great to hear that you've found yourself a place and the work that you like to do at this point in your life...I hope that the rest of your time in Nica (or elsewehere) will be as exiting, lovely and rewarding as your time on the Mariposa!
Love, kisses and hugs (for Ruth too) and I'll keep in touch, Naomi -
08 November 2011 - 18:10
Sarah:
Hola! Siempre me gustan las cosas que escribes, muy bonito y vivo asi que me siento capaz de imaginar tu mundo alli con muchos imagenes....:) Oye, pero cuando vuelves tendras que cocinar algo nicaraguariano para mi eh! :o) Te mando muchos saludos y muchas gracias para tus novedades en este blog. Abrazo!!! -
09 November 2011 - 20:20
Mariette Engels:
dag lieve Rebecca,
het blijft een feest om jouw verslagen te lezen. Ik bewonder je inzet, bij echt alles wat je doet. Wat moet het veel voldoening geven om de studenten iedere keer een lekkere maaltijd te kunnen voorzetten!
Hoe lang ga je blijven daar?
En ga je proberen het Sinterklaasfeest daar met Nicaraguanen te vieren, of aleen samen met Ruth en Venice?
lieve groet,
Mariette
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