News from Nicaragua – February, 2013
For those of you who have interest, I will attempt to write a short Newsletter each month. It doesn’t seem possible that I have been here almost a month already. Time flies when there is so much to do—aha, you thought I was going to say, when you are having fun.
My friend, Marjory Clyne, and I arrived without a hitch with my 15 pieces of luggage/crates. We swept through customs with the man opening only one crate out of three that were pulled aside. Since I had numbered each crate and had an inventory of each number, when he opened the first crate, it had exactly what I had read to him. When he gave me the numbers for the other two crates and I read him the inventory, he didn’t bother to open them. My NI friend, Ana Zavala, picked us up with her SUV but it wouldn’t hold all the luggage so she had to take Marjory and half the crates on the first trip and come back for me and the remainder. Fortunately the hotel where we stayed was only a five minute drive from the airport. Ana kept all but four of the pieces of luggage in her garage in Managua. She picked us up at the hotel the next morning, took us to her house where we loaded a pickup with everything. After many stops to purchase stuff for Ana’s clients and for me, we finally headed off to the village of Limón Dos where I live. Since the truck was loaded to the top and Marjory and I holding stuff on our laps, we took the longer road to our area and arrived here about sunset.
The first two days Marjory and I unpacked, moved stuff at least twice and settled in. I picked up a rental SUV owned by one of my friends in RS who lives in FL. So with wheels, I began showing Marjory around a bit. She told my daughter that I knew everyone in NI. The first weeks that seemed to be the case since everyone both local and gringo were happy to see me and stopped by the house or came to greet us at Rancho Santana where we had to go to get internet connection. Marjory was in the Peace Corp in Samoa in her early life so she wasn’t put off by the area where I live.
There are seven casitas in the Guzmán compound, some are three sided buildings, some are regular casitas. In the backyard there are cows, pigs, chickens, dogs, and birds that make noise at varying times during the day and NIGHT. It took us about three days to get used to the noise. The compound is on the main road so we also have trucks, cars, motorcycles, dogs, and cows going by and making noises too. Marjory was hysterical yelling at the barking dogs—as if they cared or would listen to anyone.
After introducing Marjory to a lot of people and showing her RS, and my new property, we planned a trip to the island of Ometepe located in Lake Nicaragua. My retired nurse friend Carol Dorsett—from Temecula—who lives at RS went with us to show us the area. We took the ferry from San Jorge to Ometepe and stayed at Charco Verde, an ecological hotel and reserve on the Lake. It was a great overnight stay. I had never been to Ometepe in the seven years I have been here.
The car that I was renting from my friend was muy malo. I had to repair a bushing on the transmission the first week and it was in the repair shop in Rivas the whole time we were on our little trip. Fortunately, I have enough friends who know how and where to get things repaired at a reasonable price. Marjory left for her return trip to San Diego from San Jorge when we got off the ferry. I picked up the sick car in Rivas and followed Carol back to my area. I decided it was better to return the car to my friend’s house, put the cover back on it and take the three wheeled motor taxi in the future. MotoTaxi, called Tug Tug here, costs $3 per trip from Limón Dos to RS. The car was costing me $50/day and I was afraid the suspension was going to break plus the AC didn’t work.
After putting the word out that I was looking for a good car, and Ana was doing the same in Managua, my friend who is the RS engineer and development manager, called and said that he was interested in selling me his 2006 Toyota Forerunner. He let me use it on Tuesday to drive to Rivas-22 KM, dirt roads—to see if I liked it. The car was perfectly suited to my needs, 93 KM, automatic, diesel, 4WD, in excellent condition for $24K. We made the deal, he had oil change, new belts, air and all filters changed, four new tires and I got the car yesterday. YEAHHH. Now the next big project is to get internet here at the house so I can use my printer. Since I don’t have a USB to USB cable for my Apple, I am stuck for printing invoices and wholesale lists for the Bio2 Cosmeceuticals SunBlock that I am selling.
I found one great thing just before Marjory left—Google Plus Hangout. It is like Skype but you can have up to nine people in a hangout. So my kids and their families and I have had an hour hangout for the past two Saturdays. We can all see and talk to each other all at the same time as long as there is an Internet connection. Leah get a computer with a camera so we can see you her and family instead of a cartoon photo.
The weather here has been great. My little casita is quite comfortable with fans in three rooms and an AC in the spare bedroom which we never used.
The Guzmán family where I am living is wonderful to me. Sra. Guzmán and I share the same birthday. She has a little pulpería about ten feet from my front door, very handy for buying eggs, home baked bread from the outdoor oven, and incidental paper goods. I’ll send you photos.
I have attended four BDay parties since I’ve been here, three at RS and one here in the compound. Each had its own unique flavor and all in different areas with great food and comaraderie. It reminded me of the Nugget Bdays in West Sac at 6:00 am.
Until I receive consistent internet here, please hold your communication that isn’t vital as I end up with too many emails to deal with in the brief times I get to RS to check them. Since Leah and I are still a work in process as to bills, banks, and other necessary business, those issues take precedence in my attention. This doesn’t mean that I don’t want to hear from you when I get consistent internet access.
There is so much to tell you all and in the future I think it will be easier. For now, take care of yourselves and each other.
Margie Fincham in Nicaragua 