I have now exhausted all excuses for not writing this blog sooner. My warm blood froze in both No. and So. CA so I was very happy to return to 80 degrees and finally get thawed out.
Although I arrived back in Managua, NI on January 4th, I have been to Managua three more times in two weeks. All were working trips with positive results. The gentleman sitting next to me on the plane from Houston to Managua is the president of one of the largest distributors of medications and related consumable products in NI. As he found out about my work with Aproquen, he offered to help me and the Roberto Clemente Clinic here is Limón #2 by donating medications from his company’s César Guerrero Foundation—the name of the company started by his father. Paul Guerrero is the president of Dicegsa one of the Guerrero Group companies. I do believe that angels look out for me. If I stick to my motto, “Listen and show up”, good things seem to happen. I am grateful that I sometimes have sense enough to listen and that Paul changed seats to sit next to me. Yes, Paul switched seats so that a couple could sit together which landed him next to me.
In between trips to Managua there were many friends to see before they headed back to their US homes after holiday visits to their RS homes. I was told by several friends that this was the most crowded they have ever seen it here at Rancho Santana during the winter holidays. Now that the road from Tola is getting better everyday as the cement blocks are being laid, more Managua folks are coming to spend time at our beaches along with the gringo owners. RS has received some impressive PR in the NY Times, Forbes, and several travel magazines. There was even a photo of a gal on the RS beach in the United Airlines Hemisphere magazine that I read on the plane.
My condo was rented through the holidays from mid December. Although my friend Nan took great care of the day to day staff details, I needed to handle some repair issues at both the condo and where I live here at the Wisley house. By next week, I think life may get back to normal again—whatever that is for me.
This past Saturday the Roberto Clemente Clinic had its annual Health Fair. Of course, I participated again this year by doing blood glucose checks with a glucometer. The César Guerrero Foundation donated money to purchase 20 glucometers and strips for the Clinic Fair. This year the weather was perfect and the wind didn’t carry off the cabanas set up for the variety of health triage stations. We had six specialty doctors and four internal med docs seeing patients for six hours. Another successful health fair for sure. My connection for the Clinic with the Guerrero Foundation will continue into the future.
The sale of my West Sacramento house was finalized while I was in the US. For this I am grateful. Now my only property is in Nicaragua.
The El Limón Salon is active again after the Holiday break. We had a small group on Jan. 17th. Half of the attendees were Nicaraguan. The topic fit perfectly for all of us. How the ego runs our lives and creates separation. Ego defined as Edging God Out. It was very interesting to have dual participation in the discussion especially since the previous two Salons were on cultural diversity and assimilation of cultures. Those of us gringos probably learned more from this Salon than we could have gained in a semester in school. I am slowly able to understand a lot more spoken Spanish and surprisingly think in Spanish as I listen to conversations such as at the Salon. There is hope for me, although my daughter, Rivka, wouldn’t quite agree yet.
Planes, Sansa and La Costeña Airlines, are now regularly flying from our new local international airport—Costa Esmeralda Intl.—to Managua and Liberia, Costa Rica. This airport is 15 minutes from Rancho Santana. As a result of the airport closeby many more people are coming to our little remote area looking for property particularly beach front and view property. I am grateful to have been here early or I wouldn’t be able to afford my property soon. Beach property is still 50% less than anything similar in the US, however. The NI government is now putting emphasis on tourism to offset the previous reputation of NI as an unstable and warring country. Although everything in life is subject to change, I trust the stability here.
The January “diablo” winds have begun which is drying everything out rapidly. The polvo “dirt” looks like devil dusts in the desert. The wind is keeping the temperature rather cool for us. My maid told me today that it is cold. I smiled, 75 degrees isn’t cold in my mind.
It became clearduring my holiday trip that I am needed here in NI more than in the US. My family in CA is functioning very well at present and my friends here–my gringo friends–need both physical and mentoring help. This help I can provide lovingly. Each day is a new adventure in my life. Thank Isis–the goddess–I am healthy and have lots of energy.
My Guasacate house is going up by leaps and bounds now and is very close to having a roof put on. I will keep everyone posted and remember to take some new photos.
I will try to be a better blogger in the future–my New Year’s resolution. No more excuses.
Margie Fincham in Nicaragua 