Semana Dos

You know how when you take a trip to south America or anywhere that is a third world country you are always warned not to drink the water? Well that’s a pretty simple thing to do, just drink a whole lot of bottled things, water, soda, beer, and liquor, simple. Well what they don’t warn you about and should is the ice!

I’m doing something I would do regularly anywhere, go to a café and order a cold drink. Think nothing of it. Well in places like Nicaragua you should think about it. Because if you don’t a few hours later you might be running to the bathroom ever hour or having your stomach cramp up so badly you just want to die. That may be a little bit of an exaggeration when it came to my situation, but it helps you get the picture. Don’t drink the ice!

Luckily I have a pretty good immune system and can generally get through something like this in about a day or two, but damn, why did I not heed all the advice? Live and learn, I will at least never do that again.

Spanish class: ser and estar, por and para. Why do there have to be so many words in Spanish that mean the same thing? All you need is one word, to do, for, simple. But as for now I am having to remember when to use ser and not estar (I have gotten into the habit of only using estar) and when is the right time to just por and not para (also in the habit of using only para) sigh, I will get this eventually!

A random fact about Nicaragua: you by no means should flush the toilet paper. The septic systems in Nica are not up to par with those in say, the United States. At every toilet there is a special waste basket for all the paper the does not go in the toilet.

So one thing that I do not like about Nica, and Spanish culture/ men in general is the incessant lip smacking and cat calling wherever I walk. Yes I am a single female walking by myself. Yes I am foreign. No I am not going to swoon over you because you called me a pretty lady. I mean seriously, guys, what is even the point of acting that way? Has it ever gotten you anywhere other than slapped? I don’t know, maybe it is because I am gay that this particularly annoys me, but I can imagine it annoys many straight women as well. I just don’t understand. I also think it is funny that the only words that a man might be able to say in English may just include, hey pretty lady, real useful.

This week’s afternoon activities included visiting two churches/ museums, cooking vigeron, touring the isletas, and a dance class.