Bats and more

Thursday marks the start of my fourth month in Nicaragua! I can hardly believe it. Today is the start of week two in Somotillo, Chinandega and I'm already feeling right at home. At first I was incredibly disappointed that I won't have the option of living alone after our mandatory six-week homestay in site is up. Turns out though, I'm warming up to the idea. The woman I live with rents two other rooms in the house so she is used to having people go and come as they please but is also very warm and caring. It's a good combination. My house is right off the park (which is the center of town), in a well let area. My room is HUGE and even has a stove/oven and gas tank just for me. My new house also has a toliet instead of a latrine which is a huge bonus. The bucket baths are even more enjoyable here because it is so unbelievably hot here. The only down side to my new home is the bats. My room apparently has a bat colony living in the ceiling. Three have fallen to the floor, victims of the fumigation that took place last week. Yesterday morning I woke up to a bat hanging from the outside of my mosquito net. Only in the Peace Corps. :)

Initially I thought the move to Somotillo would be a bigger adjustment for me than moving to Nicaragua because of how close I have gotten with my family there. Somotillo is literally 10x the size of Nandasmo. My fears were calmed though when my very first night in town girls stopped me in the street and asked me for help with their homework. They already knew my name, knew that I would be their teacher and were very welcoming. The bienvenida offered by the girls was only the beginning because everyone I have met since then has been equally as friendly.

As part of my assignment as a business volunteer, I will be working with Save The Children and the Agro-business center they opened in Somotillo. The center is now independently running and I will be acting as a business consultant and also giving business workshops to the agriculture cooperatives in the area. Turns out, one of the guys I will be working with also rents a room in my house. This came as a huge shock to me but I have since recovered and don't think it will pose an issue. The three guys I will primarily be working with at the center are really excited to have me on their team. They already got me a desk and a big comfy chair, introduced me to everyone in the office and offered me a motorcycle. I OF COURSE turned them down, because as a good PCV I will not be riding any motorcycles. I explained that riding on a motorcycle is an automatic plane ticket back home, a cost too high for me to pay. Luckily, our office is less than a 1 block walk from my house. I think I can manage it on foot.

In other news, I MISS MY (Nicaraguan) FAMILY! I have already talked to my cousin three times, as well as my aunt, my other cousin, my two sisters, my little brother and my mom.


My cyber time is running out but I promise to update this more frequently! My conveinently located house is next door to a internet cafe. :)