We No Speak Americano

Hello from Managua!

My last week in Granada started a little rough with a little stomach bug, but I kicked that by Wednesday and was good to go! We went swimming (and kayaking!) in la Laguna Apollo on Wednesday and in a well/spring from Volcano Mombacho on Friday. Funny story about that - someone had told us that you sometimes see monkeys in the forests around the stream, and right before we left I was telling Ana I just wished we could see some! I literally mentioned it, looked up, and spotted two or three little monkeys at the top of one of the trees almost right above us! It was crazy! I think it was my first time ever seeing monkeys (arguably my favorite animal) in the wild (the isletas excursion doesn't count.. those were put there and can't leave the island because they're scared of water). I was soo excited! The pictures aren't great, but they're a little proof!! :)

The week of class was very productive -- I can't believe how much I learned, now I just have to remember and use it all! I also realized there's a ton I still don't know, which makes it a bummer that classes are over already. Hopefully if I really challenge myself to use what Spanish I do know I will be able to continue learning.

Our last day with the kids:

I also got to spend quite a bit of time with my host family throughout the week.  My host-mom could not get her mind wrapped around the fact that we"ll be here for a year and a half, but she's really excited that we'll be able to visit every once in a while!  Jose Miguel, my "nephew" (pictured below), has his Baptism in Granada next Sunday and they invited us to attend, but we'll have to see what the weekend has in store for us once it gets closer.

With Jose Miguel:

And my entire host family in Granada:

We arrived in Managua on Saturday afternoon and started getting settled right away! It's such a feeling to not be living out of a suitcase for the first time in over a month! So far things are great in Managua - we've just been exploring and getting to know the two previous volunteers, Megan and Courtney (with whom we will be living until January). They have a lot planned for us in the next week or two, but I'm looking forward to it!

Now that we're here, we'll be spending a lot of time checking out the city and our work placements.  I had originally been told that I would be doing social work in a school and helping with delegations (translating, accompanying, etc) from all over who come to Managua on shorter service trips.  Once delegations start up again in January or February I will be helping with that, but the other time is still up in the air. There's talk about me working in a preschool or with a literacy program for kids, but I will have the next couple weeks to check things out and decide what's most needed and what I have to offer.  Please keep me in your prayers as I discern about what God may be calling me to do next!


If you haven't had a chance, you can check out some of our pictures from Granada in my latest Facebook album: We No Speak Americano.  The name came from a song that we heard all the time while we were there.