"You know what? I could actually get used to this!"

April 5, 2012

“You know what? I could actually get used to this.”

So on the last night of Sarah's stay here in Nicaragua, as she was coming back in from using the latrine, she said, “You know what? I could actually get used to this! Actually I'm used to it already!”

During her week here, we visited the beautiful island of Ometepe, where we stayed in a quaint little Nica hostel with a gorgeous view of Volcan Concepcion. 

Was is a five star hotel? Well considering this is what we found in our bathroom sink one morning, I'd say no.

But it was absolutely gorgeous and run by amazingly hospitable locals, with great food options, access to local beaches, and one of the best views on the island. At $10 a night for a private room and private bathroom, who could ask for more?! While on Ometepe, we biked out to a breathtaking waterfall on the other volcano with Andrew and some other pretty cool volunteers/friends. It was a longggg haul, but after biking on arguably the worst road in existence through a few communities and along the lake shore, we made it to the reserve.

*Biking the outskirt of the island along Lake Nicaragua*

*Entrance to the Waterfall Reserve...that's Volcano Maderas behind us*

From there we hitched a ride two thirds of the way up (while Andrew and company hiked) and then hiked up the last stretch where it was impossible for any type of vehicle to enter. 

The payoff was absolutely worth every drop of sweat along the way. See for yourselves...

*We were standing on a rock here, it was deeper than that*

*We even refilled our water bottles with the ice cold, pure waterfall water!*

After two days on the island...hitching rides in the backs of pickup trucks, eating all delicious local foods, biking through normal Nicaraguan communities, visiting Andrew in his site, etc...we headed back to my town. Sarah chilled with my friends and I in my house, we went to a local beach all together, and we walked around my street meeting my neighbors and taking pictures all over town.  She even helped me wash clothes one morning!

I'd say that of all my visitors, Sarah definitely got the most genuine “Nicaraguan experience.” I remember at first she said it was amazing that I was able to “live like this,” with bucket showers on "no water" days, with a latrine, in an unfinished house etc. I tried to tell her that anyone can do it...that those things are just “things” and that they don't matter at all, but I've found that that's not something you can explain. Luckily, because Sarah's awesome, I didn't really need to explain it at all...because after just two nights in my house, she exclaimed that she indeed could get used to the way things are here - that she actually already had.

Living here is in no way a sacrifice. I absolutely love my friends. I love the work I do in the schools. I love my town. There are sports leagues, youth groups, church groups, kids that play baseball in the streets, an ice cream shop, bars, a club(!), restaurants, a beautiful park, a lazy winding river, giant hills, people that take care of each other, people that take care of me...I could go on and on.

*Catholic church in the entrance to my town*

*Central Park, Belen (a block from my house)*

If you think about your life right now, wherever you may be; what are the things that make your life so great? Your family, your friends, your neighbors, your job, your daily interactions. It's definitely not your new furniture, your flat screen TV, or your iPad. All of that is just stuff...just props...the setting in which the beautiful story of your life takes place. The material things really don't change the quality of your life, and if you think they do, I challenge you to live without some of them for a while, to see what it is you're really missing out on. Human connections are what really matter. Relationships, smiles, laughter, learning, being active, staying healthy, finding something in common with someone new, relaxing on an off day, sleeping late once in a while, indulging in a chocolate bar (or insert other tasty treat).

Before she left, Sarah told me, “You know what, you really do have a life here now. You have...a completely normal life here.” And it's the absolute truth. I do normal things with normal people and all of that has formed my new normal life here in Nicaragua. Thanks Sarah, for seeing it how it really is! =)