Corn Puddin

ALGO ASI…SOMETHING LIKE THIS….
I am thinking long and hard about family today as it is the season and all that---also I know part of my family is gathering today to celebrate Christmas a little early. I miss all of you guys and love and appreciate each and every one of you SO much.
We’ve been spending our time here in site much like before, walking for hours on dirt roads visiting farms, eating eggs, beans, and tortillas, talking with strangers etc. Just yesterday we went to visit a farm that is in the family---consisted of a little bus ride, hitching a ride in the back of a pickup, taking a little boat across a river, and walking and walking and walking—oh yeah and carried live chickens with us—I found I was most comfortable holding them upside down by their legs…it was beautiful but quite a different world than what we are used to---as is most everything for us. We picked mandarins off some trees while some of the family made some tortillas beans and eggs….we walked through a field of platano trees….pigs and chickens roamed between our legs freely as we ate….we helped sweep the dirt as is the custom…then we visited a nearby neighbor, and oddly enough, we were invited in for some coffee and corn on the cob (or the Nica equivalent) while watching a videotape of the funeral of this family’s grandma. Yes, this is the second time I have witnessed such an event---apparently it is quite common for everyone to have a video of their loved one’s funerals and to watch them often. A little awkward—yes—sure—but it is a feeling I am adjusting to. Then we were serve corn porridge—pudding type stuff and had a hard time getting down the gigantic bowls we were served but managed it. How incredible is it that everyone wants to share everything they have is the thought I always keep in mind. We sat around for some time, which is also something I am adjusting to—and then the husband of the house showed up with his horses—saddled up one of them and one of the little kids led the horse around while Matt and I each took a turn riding. They really got a kick out of this. The trip home was much like that of the trip there---but took a lot longer as no ride came along and then we missed a bus and waited and waited in a little town between here and there---finally caught a ride in the back of a pickup and one of my possible students was in there with us (neat), but the truck didn’t take us quite all the way home…..we could have walked the rest of the way if it weren’t for the huge sacks of corn and beans we had with us that weighed too much for even Matt to carry…so we waited again…..eventually another bus came along that took us into town. All in all our day lasted from 6 am when the first bus left until about 630pm. Matt and I like to refer to it as Corn Puddin’ Day. It was really fun and beautiful and awkward all at the same time.
More to come---our internet service can be sporadic and there have only been a couple days so far where the electricity has been out most the day so that is a plus. Thinking about the school year and the conference we have coming up with our Nicaraguan counterparts. Also, have been recently informed we may be hosting another Teacher Workshop sometime in March….vamos a ver.
Missing a Texas Christmas

OH AND SOME EXCITING NEWS=OUR PO BOX where we can receive mail:

Julie Westerman/Matt Reid
Apartado Postal 21
Ocotal, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua´
Centroamerica