The Time Has Come...(the walrus said)

The time has come for me to start looking for my own place.  Sure there are a ton of good reasons to stay living with my host family, but I really think I'm ready to have my independence back and to have a place to call my own. I'm sure that once I find my home sweet home, I'll be asking myself why I left the many comforts of life with the school director, but I want to live at the socio-economic level of the majority here, and that is not what I'm doing right now.  I'm currently living in a house with painted walls that touch the ceiling, interior doors that close and seal securely, and an indoor bathroom with a toilet and a shower!  I can open my glass windows if I want a breeze, or I can just turn on the fan that's mounted on my wall.  I also have three amazing meals a day, along with some delicious frescos and someone that cleans the house, mops the tiled floor, and maintains the yard daily.  The only critters I've seen in here are the little lizards that run all over the walls eating the mosquitos (the ones we call anoles and keep as pets in the US – they're harmless and there are always at least 4 in sight at any given time, no matter whose house you're in) and of course a few ants, roaches, and PLENTY of mosquitoes. 

Why on earth move out, you say? Well, for starters, I hate having to explain where I'm going all the time, and it's really inconvenient coming home to a locked house on those days when all of our schedules conflict.  I also really want to be able to have visitors, and a hammock to just chill in, and believe it or not, I want to shop and cook for myself – someone remind me of that when I'm complaining about how I can't cook, and how I'm dying for some good gallo pinto.

The problem with moving out?  It's extremely rare for anyone, let alone a “muchacha,” or young girl, to live “solo” here in Nicaragua.  Traditionally, everyone lives at home with their families, until they get married, and sometimes even after that!  Therefore, the idea of little, helpless me living allll alone concerns some people.  Today I had two teachers telling me that it's just not safe because I'd have to sleep all alone at night – gasp – aren't I worried?  They also mentioned that sometimes there are people that smoke marijuana here. Bahaha it was so hard not to laugh at that statement – you know those dangerous pot heads...

Really though, Peace Corps told us this would happen.  It's no more dangerous to live alone here than it is to live alone anywhere else.  As a matter of fact, it's wayyy safer since I'll know all my neighbors and it's literally impossible for anything to happen here without everyone knowing – especially if it happens within a 500 meter radius of the gringa.  Still, it's unusual, therefore like I was told would happen, people are trying to convince me not to move out. 

Little do they know, a more convincing argument would begin with a discussion of snakes/scorpions/tarantulas/mice/roaches/komodo dragons...okok maybe not...but HUGE iguanas  creeping in to my house when I least expect it.  Yes I've seen a giant male iguana (much creepier looking than the pets I've seen in the US) enter someone's house through the open window when no one was looking – and yes there was a roadkill snake on the road this morning and a roadkill scorpion the other day.  Luckily, I have yet to see either of the latter two alive – knock on wood.  I will say that I'm a little concerned about such critters, but after having a calm conversation with the giant spider in my bed the other day, I realized my tolerance level for unwelcomed “wildlife” has raised considerably. Therefore I plan to just get a dog and cat and let them fend off/chow down on such impostors. Ahh yes, pets, another reason I want my own place! =)

Oops, did I mention there are basically no available houses to rent here in Belén? Haha, I guess this process might be a little longer than expected.  In the mean time, I'll soak up being spoiled with 3 cooked meals a day and relatively no fear of waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of rats  rummaging through my things – a horrifying reality that my fellow volunteer friend lived through the other night. Don't worry Mom/Omi/Gram, I'm a camper, remember?? (I know you were thinking that all along Dad.)

Happy February everyone! Love always. <3