Holidays in Nicaragua

Dear Friends and Family,

Feliz Navidad! Merry Christmas! I hope you were able to celebrate this
special holiday with the ones you hold near and dear. I spent my
first Christmas in Nicaragua in Israel with my host family. We had
dinner together on the 24th then went to the "rio" (river) on the
25th. It was a nice outing but for me the feel of Christmas was
lacking. In many ways the lack of similarities in how Christmas is
celebrated in her Nicaragua and in the USA helps in lessen the missing
home feeling. I did find that in Israel instead of passing on
Christmas Cheer people were passing around Christmas "chisme" (gossip)
about the new person in town …ME!

Let me start from the beginning. On December 23 Israel had its last
promocion (graduation) for the 6th graders. In good Nicaragua fashion
it started 2 hours late and ran late. Lucky the DJ company had a
generator and we had some light in the building. (We had lost
electricity early afternoon that day.) Once the promocion was over
there was a "fiesta" planned (a huge dance party with a gigante video
screen). Up until the 6th grade fiesta I had stayed away from the
"Promocion fiestas," but since my host sister was in town and would be
going with her husband I figured I could attend and see what the party
is all about plus as a teacher I don't pay a cover charge. Sweet!

We went in and I planned to do more watching then dancing. I am not
there for more then 5 minutes and men beginning to ask me to dance. I
said no to each and every one of them. Not because I am better then
them or don't like to dance but because it's Nicaragua and I live here
in Israel so everything I do is watched and as I found out exaggerated
upon. So here is my reasons for not dancing with the men of Isreal:
Machismo is a big thing in Nicaragua. It is ok for men to have
multiple children with different women or date multiple women at the
same time or to drink excessively. So at this "fiesta" I am asked to
dance by men I don't know but am fairly sure they are married, they
are probably drunk, and I don't trust them to respect me. So I smile
and say no while shaking my finger at them (just incase they don't
hear me). Then there are men that I kind of know from the community
who ask me to dance. They are greeted with the same response why for
the same reasons but I know they are true and because they make me
uncomfortable or were rude to me. It is not ok to call me fat and then
expect me to want to dance with you. Never going to happen.

Side note: It is common place to call people out on physically
descriptions sach as fat, thin, white, dark skinned. Nicaraguans do it
all the time. Do they like it, that is hard to say. I am not a fan
of the fat thing but it's normal. My uncle told me one day "Oh you
look very fat today". "Thanks". In the same respect I have been told
"Oh you look thinner." Ok thanks. The new one I am hearing is you are
very Hermosa, which I learned in the USA means beautiful but it's not
true it is used to describe someone as pretty in a fat way. I chalk
it up to culture and go on with my day.

Back to the Fiesta. I did end up dancing with my friends in the
community, the hermanas (sister) Lopez, Haczel (my counterpart's
daughter), and my host sister. They attempted to teach me how to
dance the Nicaraguan music and I don't really get it. But I had fun
trying. I did teacher Chica how to dance swing, that was a lot of
fun. Towards the end of the party the men were drunker and at one
point one man was not happy with my decline to dance and Chica had to
block his advances. Then they started to throw beer and that was my
cue to leave. I heard later that a fight broke out and there were
guns. Possibly true or just more chime. Now because I attend the
"fiesta" the towns people have began to talk. Some of the men who I
declined to dance were saying that I would not dance with them and
that it looked like I was drunk. Really I think their egos are hurt
so they are going to talk bad about me. Then they wonder why I do not
talk to them. The other chisme in town is that I supposedly was
drinking at one of the local bars. Now it is true I do frequent one
of the local bars in town but not for the happy hour . Mirna one of
my friends in town and running buddy lives at the house that the bar
is in so I visit her and in turn visit a bar. So I have decided that
I will not be drinking in Israel anytime soon, if ever. I can only
wonder what the locals would say if I actually did something that was
worth gossiping about. Lucky the people that do know me in the
community know that the chisme is not true and I figure if I do not
give it the time of day it will become yesterday's news. But I will
keep you updated on any new "chisme".

At the end of this week Jan 4th I will have been in Israel for 6
weeks, the grace period for PC volunteers to live with a host family
then can move out on their own. It is also an important adjustment
time for PCVs in integrating into the community. PC gave me a laundry
list of things to do in these first 6 weeks which I have yet to
complete. Now don't think I have been on vacation all this time. I
have been doing/ starting things in Israel I am just doing it in my
own way. Here is a list of some of the work I have been doing:

1. Youth group meetings: made Christmas cards and abono (compost) so far.

2. English class: played go fish and reviewed numbers.

3. Running group: 5:30 am run 8 laps around the soccer field. 3 of us
usually go (Mirna (friend), Lisette (cousin) and me) but I had up to 6
people one day.

4. Visiting the community. On my visits I meet and talk with different
people in the community. More times then not I am feed or taught how
to do something. I have learned how to palmiar (make) tortillas and
make choco bananas.

5. Search for a House to rent. This process takes a while because in
Nicaraguan culture you have to ask indirectly about things. In the
states it is all business and you get straight to the point here no
it's small talk then some business and then small talk again.

6. Get to know my surroundings. I have visited two of the communities
near my town. One where I went horse back riding (Los {Pisotes) and
one where they sell really good bread (Bonete). I have also hiked two
of the Lomas (hills) around town. I found a snake on the last hike.
Good times.

7. Attend community meetings. I attended an NGO meeting with the
Alcalde (mayor) It ran late and the mayor never showed. Lots of
unhappy people. I attended a meeting about the promoccion date of the
kindergarten class. 2 hours of arguing and the date stayed the same
and half the group left unhappy.

8. Bus routes: I have been learning how to use the local
transportation system (school buses). I have the route down and I even
know what buses to take that will give me a free ride. I've saved a
few cords of free bus rides.

9. And there are plans for more such as a youth group English class
and a garden so I can eat more vegetables.
I feel like I am building a place for myself in the community. It is
a slow process but each day I make progress and for the most part do
enjoy being here in Israel in Nicaragua. I hope you al have a
wonderful safe New Years. I will be spending New Years with my host
family in Masaya. I am looking forward to a change for a few days.

I am sending puictures of the kindergaten graduation and the bathroom
and shower at my house. SWEET!

All the best
Olenka

Olenka Langen
Apartado Postal 77
Chinandega Chinandega
Nicaragua, Central America

Culture Shock and other stuff

Hola Fellow CountryMen and Women,

Lets talk Culture. One does not realize how deeply rooted culture is involved in every aspect of one's life. The culture one grows up with impacts how one views the world, how one sees what is "normal or strange" and how one interacts in another culture. Growing up in California I have been fortunate to see many different cultures and within my own personal culture development have a blend of German, Peruvian and US traditions. I thought I had seen many differnet cultures and would not be to suprised by the Nicaragaun Culture but... as I find myself living in this new country I call home I find that there is a lot to be said about culture and it's shock value.

TIME: In the states time is very strict. If the meeting starts at 10am you show up at 9:50 to make sure you are on time and not late. Camp Titan the summer camp I worked with at CSUF for the past 3 years had a saying "Early is on time, On time is late and Late is unacceptable". In Nicaragua the saying has changed to "Late is on time, On time is early and Early is unlikely". At school I have found that the school bell rings anywhere between 7:30 and 8am. Meetings start times are flexable along with Promociones (graduation ceremony) start times. I attended a Cabildo meeting this week which is a meeting with a NGO, the local mayor office and groups of youth from the surrounding area. I was excited to attend and meet the Alcalde and find out what possible projects are going on. Mareling ( a fellow teacher and part of the Cabildo commitee) said she come by my house at 8am to go to the meeting it starts at 8am. She shows up at 9am. Ok we're on Nica time. We get there and only half the groups are there. 10:30 the alcalde says hes not coming and the chairs have still not arrived. 11:00 The meeting consites of angry group leaders and An NGO trying to calm them down. I simply observe. 12:00pm Refresments are served and everyone is gone, oh and around 11:30 the chairs finally show up.

So I am learning how time works in Nicaragua and on Saturday i had a Promocion (graduation) of high school to go to. It started at 1pm I am told. I end up showing up at 2:30 I was late due to a Peace Corps Volunteer meeting in Chinandega. Turns out most of the graduates are not there either. 3:00pm the ceremony starts with a couple of Graduates still not there. From me with my US culture this is rediculas but for Nicaraguans its a normal part of life.

HYGINE: We are a culture fond of good health habits and health code. Nicaragua is very different. What has shocked me the most is nose picking. It is expected of small children to pick their noses but not of adults back home but here in Nicaragua it happens all the time by everyone. At first it shocked me but now I just look away when I see some one going in for the kill. Spiting and blowing ones know with out a tissue is a norm and if you have a dirt floor it happen inside too.

I have picked up on some Nicaragua habits like shrunching my nose when I done understand something or pointing with a lip pout in the direction of something, but spiting or picking my nose is not something I plan to adapt into my life.

RELIGION: I belive that I am a very tolerent person when it come to realigion and people having a different faith then mine. I like to learn about other religious and even will attend religious event. The moment I got to Israel I was asked are you Catholic or Evangelical. Then when I said Catholic I was told who went to Catholic church and that I could go with them to church. My host family is Evangelical and they did invite me to go to church with them. I figured it was good to go and be seen and to try soemthing new. Well it has been an interesting expreience goting to Evangelical church. There is a lot of loud singing and we play games that are to teach us a moral. I also have attended Catholic service for the conception of the virgan mary which is a big holiday here in Nicaragua.

Again there was a lot of singing and at the end candy was passed out to everyone. Then on the 7th everyone when around town for the Purisima to sing to the virgan marys set up at peoples homes. I went to a few homes and after a sad attepmt at singing a song I had no idea how to sing I was given candy, cookies, oranges, a cup and some fireworks. To me it felt like Halloween just without the costumes. I enjoyed the cultural exchange and then went home with my good. My host mom was not to all excited about my attending the Purisima something to do with praying to idols. But she didnt say much to me which told me she was not happy with me for the moment but thats life in Nicaragua. And now everything is fine so it all works out.

Everyday I find that there are things that to me are not Ok but I must remember that I am not in my own culture and I must adapt. For the most part I have. Sure the first few weeks were hard in my new town but I find now that I am enjoying my new Life in Israel. I take things slowly and try not to jugde with my american culture and be open minded to life here.

Other intereting happenings in my new Home of Israel:

I went to visit a Finca (farm) we had to walk 4 km to get there but lucky Don Monico came riding up on his horse so We only walked 1 km of the way there and 1km of the way back. It was fun to see the finca and ride some horses.

I decorated a chistmas tree with my host family and even though only half the lights works it very much bring the christmas season into the house.

I went on a hike up one of the lomos (hills) near my community and got a veiw of the pueblo. With Janet, Mareling, and Nancy who I would say are my new friends in town.

I am sending a bunch of pictures. Some are form Masaya and some are from my new Home. Enjoy.

Hope all is well. Happy Holidays

All the best,

Olenka Langen