Kara in Rwanda

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

A PCV from Rwanda recently asked me about the health fairs we have here in Jinotega. Reading her note on my blog was amazing. And, being able to share my experiences as a PCV half way around the world felt great. I hadn´t realized how rewarding being a part of the PCV community could be.

¿Feliz Navidad o Feliz Purisima?

Christmas in the States is big, really big. Everyone who´s celebrating has a tree in their house, lights on said tree and on said house. Lights in their front yard. Really, the list goes on. If you ask me, it is amazing. I love Christmas!

Here in Nicaragua, it´s a little different. Some people have trees in their homes. And, they do have lights on their trees. But, their houses don´t have lights, their stores aren´t full of lights and they aren´t nearly as Santa Clause crazy as we are. In fact, if you ask a typical 8 year old who Santa Clause is they´ll likely respond, ¨he gives gifts at Christmas and wears a big red suit but, he is not real.¨ And if you ask if they ever believed he was real, their answer will definitely be, ¨NO.¨

I understand. Christmas is expensive. In the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, Christmas is just not practical. So of course you would teach your kids that it is a time of giving, even a time to put up a tree in your living room and decorate it but, you wouldn´t teach them that Santa Clause was a jolly old man who reliably gave gifts every December 25^th.

Don´t worry though, Nicaragua has plenty of other fun things to do during December, mainly Purísima. On the 8^th day of December everyone celebrates the Virgin Mary´s Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ. Celebrating Purisima though is not limited to just the 8^th. Everyone (at least where I live in Jinotega) celebrates daily for 10 days before the 8^th. Every afternoon mass is held in front of a Virgin Mary. At the end we all yell, ¨Virgen Maria SI, Virgen Maria SI . . . ¨ And, they give out oranges with bags of candy. This doesn´t happen only in the cathedrals. In the health center I work in we have mass in the courtyard. My landlady holds a service in her house. Purisima is bigger than Christmas in Nicaragua. I´m into it.

Thanksgiving Nicaragua Style. . .

Día de Acción de Gracias

Pues, aquí en Nicaragua no hay Día de Acción de Gracias. Obviamente. Pero, como voluntarios de Cuerpo de Paz es un día especial para reunirnos, divertirnos y celebrar nuestra cultura. Entonces, este último viernes de Noviembre nos reunimos en Jinotega. Era una cena rica. Abajo tengo el menú-

Roast Pork

Rositary Chicken

Chili

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Cranberry Sauce

Salad

Green Beans

Bread Rolls

Real Butter!

Apple Pie

Cookies and Brownies

Honey Mead

Wine

No era igual que los EE.UU. pero para una cena en Nicaragua era perfecto.

Gracias a mi familia en los EE.UU. para su apoyo. Gracias a mi familia de Voluntarios de Cuerpo de Paz aquí. Y, gracias a Nicaragua para su amistad.