Since I have not made a post in a long time I decided that maybe to my 5? loyal readers would like to hear that I have not dropped off the face of the earth. What can I tell you? There is so much to say that I don't even know where to begin. Let me tell you about my placement. Each day I arrive with a vague notion of my plans for the day and week. For instance, I plan and teach an English class on Saturdays. Good thing speaking English qualifies me to be an English teacher. I enjoy teaching though (it may be a family thing) and look forward to the possibility of perhaps teaching or leading another kind of workshop sometime this year. I also got a new project yesterday. I am the lucky winner of a once in a lifetime opportunity to translate the Center's by-laws into English. I also have the chance to go to different charlas or talks to learn more about Nicaragua. One I went to last week talked about the area affected by the hurricane, and the area of Nicaragua that is now flooded. I learned that because this planting and harvesting season is ruined, and because Nicaraguan farmers sell a lot of their produce to Salvadoran companies (who give a better price) Nicaragua could be in a state of food insecurity for nine months. That is a problem in a country where about 30% of the people live in extreme poverty. And actually, since 1996 the amount of poor people in Nicaragua has increased despite a lot of money going into the country. However, I am happy to be working at a Center that provides more than money to people. It focuses on the development of the whole person, promoting self-esteem, equality and and a more just lifestyle. I think it is this kind of project that makes a difference in people's lives. Even if people don't get jobs because of the courses they took there, they receive something infinitely more valuable. That is a goal worth pursuing. But did I have to go this far to learn something so simple?

Inspired by fellow SALTer Stephen Abernathy I decided that I would write you all a cast of characters, as in, who has become a part of my life since I arrived in Nicaragua. It will also give me an opportunity to show you that for all those who were praying for me to find friends, that God answered your prayers and mine. The anecdotes I will give you are from the last week in which my birthday was very well celebrated.

MCC team:
MCC rep: Angela Opimi. She is from Bolivia and worked there with MCC for a long time. She knows my aunt and uncle, which I think is cool. She is also very happy (so it seems, who knows, she could just be polite) to listen to me speak at great length about anything. I appreciate this. I am looking forward to getting to know her, and the rest of the MCC team, better.
Alan and Beth: They arrived in November. Beth is technically the one in charge of me, because she is in charge of all the SALTers. Among other things. Alan teaches at the UPOLI and Baptist Seminary. They live about 10 blocks (or more, or less, I really am still learning how addresses work in Managua) from my house.
Fellow SALTers: Kayon, Emma and Paul. Paul lives far away and I haven't seen him in a long time. He just graduated from high school and so I am impressed that he went away this far.
Kayon and Emma are cool too.
There is also another family, but they live in another city so I don't know them well yet. But they have very cute kids.
Lydell: is just about finishing his MCC term in Boaco and is getting married to someone with the same name as me.
That is all from them.
They gave me a birthday party on my birthday that involved a lot of cookies, ice cream and a wonderful dessert provided by the Center where I work called Tres Leches (Three milks in a cake--condensed milk, cream and regular milk I think). Anyway, it was really good. On Sunday my host mom made vigorón, which was not as good, but typical Nicaraguan. It involved yucca (like potatoes, with the texture of squash), cabbage salad (cabbage and tomatoes) and deep fried pig skin (better than it sounds).
On Saturday I went to a wedding of people I didn't know with some friends I've made here at the Center. Actually, I think they adopted me out of the goodness of their hearts, but I'm OK with that. So I had three birthday celebrations. What more could a girl want?