My Motorcycle Diaries

This past Tuesday, on my 11th month anniversary in Nicaragua 3 robbers broke into my house with guns and stole all my stuff! THANKS A LOT! I will be leaving with less cosas but more amigos!

Being white here in Nicaragua, as in many places, brings both positive and negative consequences to my everyday life.  It helps when I go into stores because no one ever makes me check my bag. I could literally carry a body bag into the grocery store ready to steal tons of food but they would never say anything…that is because I’m white and therefore rich and would never steal. Although the service here is horrible no one wants to get a gringa mad because they don’t want to lose their job if I go to the boss to complain…and I would do that because I am a white woman and so I can say things and drink alcohol and stand up for myself and its okay. Oh also, I am smart and I somehow know how to do things and should know everything even when people don’t tell me…like when we do and do not have school. That one usually backfires.

Now lets see, the bad parts…I get hooted and hollered at 24/7. I don’t even think ‘hooted and hollered’ does it justice. I have been proposed to numerous times by strangers and also people I know (who are married, that’s fine!) I have been grabbed, whistled at, kissed at, stared at, etc, etc. And no I don’t get use to it and no I don’t take it as a compliment, I want to punch them in the face…and I almost have. Most people think I am rich so they often ask me for money and my things. One time I was in a big Department Store here and accidentally dropped a ten-dollar thermos. Because I am white both managers tried to make me not only bribe them but then pay for it. They asked me where I was from and how much money I had on me. I was like what the hell does that have to do with anything, plus this is an international huge store that has money for those kind of accidents. In the end I didn’t pay because we suggested talk ing to the police. Also, I am a huge target while walking around (especially in the markets) and also while taking cabs.

These are just a few examples of each category and everyday I observe more realities of being a chelita. I am curious to see what it will feel like to no longer be the minority when I’m back in the USA in just a few weeks!

LOOK AT CHAKA FOR EVERY GIFT YOU NEED!!!!

This is an amazing website supporting artisans here in Nicaragua, including Fabretto! It is an amazing way to really give back around the holidays while finding unique and beautiful gifts for everyone on your list!

Please check it out:

http://www.chakamarketbridge.com/

This past weekend some friends and I went surfing in San Juan del Sur near the border of Costa Rica! We took lessons and immediately started catching some righteous waves! We went to CHICABRAVA my friend Ashley’s all girls surf camp! Although we got rocked by jellyfish and our boards we all stood up and just had a blast! Look it up! http://www.chicabrava.com/ and try it out!

Te siga usando asi, robándote en mi inspiración. Mientras siga viendo tu cara en la cara de la luna. Mientras siga escuchando tu voz entre las olas, entre la espuma. Mientras tenga que cambiar la radio de estacion porque cada cancion me hable de ti.

I’ll keep using you like this, robbing you for my inspiration. As long as I still see your face on the face of the moon, as long as I still hear your voice amid the waves and the foam, as long as I need to change the radio station because every song talks about you.

constancecroghan:…Okay, so it definitely sounds better in Spanish.

Last night my two roomates and I were innocently watching a movie when Gillian got up and discovered …on the wall….just a few feet from us…the biggest tarantula spider i have ever seen!!!! Literally it was the size of two of my hands, TWO! Now I have killed a lot of bugs and spiders in my time here without problems, but this was scary! So I naturally ran to get our guard and had him machete that ginormous animal out of the house!!!! I still feel like there are spiders all over me!

After about 9 months of amazing work for Fabretto in Cusmapa my two Spanish sisters are leaving and traveling south to Peru for two months! I miss them already and can’t wait to visit them in Barcelona!!! Buen Viaje Guapas!