12th May, 2005 // Nicaragua
Managua, Current Events, & Swimming Practice
Since I am sure that news in Nicaragua is not the number one news seller in the States, I will update you on last weeks events. For the past few weeks, there’s been some pretty intense rioting going on in Managua. The conflicts are between the “terrorist university students” and the police, and then the general public and the taxi drivers versus the government and their excessive gas prices. The Students and general public are angry that their bus and taxi fares are going up, while the taxi drivers are angry that their fuel prices are escalating. The police are trying to keep the peace, but seeing as the force is made up on high school grads (maybe) with very little peaceful conflict resolution training, there’s just a lot of chaos in Managua. Students are burning tires and setting off bombas (not as threatening as they sound….they’re really just good for their little flash noise---there’s very limited destruction capability.) So, in response to this craziness, the Peace Corps has put all volunteers on “Stand Fast,” or lock down. We’re not supposed to leave our sites and under no circumstances are we to go into Managua (barring medical emergencies). You’d never know there was so much happening in Managua by the state of things here in San Isidro. …everyone’s keeping pretty tranquillo.
Unfortunately, these events ruined my weekend plans!! I have been in my site for a month now and for one reason or another I have not been able to leave to explore the two departmental capitals that are close to me, Esteli and Matagalpa. In one respect this is a good thing, because I am able to find things to do in my site and I am forging new friendships. On the other, I am getting a little “cabin fever” and need to hang out with some other PCV’s who have are experiencing similar feelings. Thus, this upcoming weekend I had plans to breakout of San Isidro and head to Chinindega to spend 3 quality days at the beach with 3 girls from my group. However, safety is more important, so I stayed put. I did manage to have a little fun though…
Mayela, my host sister, has been asking me to teach her how to swim since I mentioned I could. The majority of Nicaraguan’s can not swim, but if you ask them if they can they say, “Mas o Menos, more or less.” However, generally this means they can do the doggie paddle. But, Nicaraguan’s don’t have any embarrassment about it because the way they phrase it is perfect. They never say that they are going to swim (nadir), rather they say they are going to nadar (swim.) This distinction is brilliant because that is exactly what they are going to do bath because they know they can’t swim.
We recently went to the beach with about 60 people from her church, but after taking one look at the enormous, surfer’s dream-like waves, I decided the beach probably wasn’t the best place to teach someone how to nadar. I knew a pool would be ideal, but where was I going to find one? …Well, who would have guessed, but there are actually 3 within an hour’s drive! The first one we went to was super filthy and I began to think I had gotten my hopes up, but the second one was PERFECT! The reason there are pools to go to is because they are located along side hotels. We simply have to pay to use them. We had a lot of fun. I taught her how to breath out through her nose, swim freestyle, and we practiced a few dives. She explained to me that she was afraid of the deep end and that we could not go there. I assured her we wouldn’t, but once she learned how to swim well she wouldn’t be afraid of the “deep end.” She wasn’t so convinced. Just knowing that there is a pool makes the heat a little more bearable.
All for now, will report back once I actually get to the Municipal Capitals.
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