Michelle Trip Part 2

So Michelle is taking Nicaragua by storm.  And as luck would have it, it was bring your novia to work day all week!

PS: So Monday – Thursday I had local and regional business plan competitions.  What’d ya think?

MK: I would be lying if I said that I didn’t initially think that attending four business competition plans would be a drag. However, I loved them! I got to meet all of Pete’s counterparts, saw three of the four high schools where he teaches, met huge groups of his students and even learned about costos fijos (fixed costs).

PS: Business is boring?  Hah!  Monday was Pala’s and my rural communities.  Which group was your favorite?

MK: The winner (that also got to go to Thursday’s regional competition) made clothes for Barbie dolls out of banana leaves. The outfits were actually very intricate and well-made (and foreshadowing…they won ‘Best Business Plan’ at the regional competition). There was also a group that made lamps out of primarily natural materials. Oh! And side note: I think the most dangerous thing I did Nicaragua was try food made by Pete’s students at these competitions (cheese, yogurt, marmalade…) – everything was tasty, and both our internal organs seem to be in working order for the moment…

Pedro with the winning team

 PS: I can’t help it, I’m hungry.  A couple other products were flowers made of string, earrings and clay wind charms.  The competitions went well after being postponed from my temporary minor sickness.  While you were there, you got to see my Nicaraguan home and family.  Thoughts?

MK: Your family is great! The children (namely, Maria Jose, the oldest daughter) can be a little hyperactive, but cute. Carmen (host mom) is really nice/cool, as are the many other family members that filtered in and out during my visit. As for your house – your house itself was pretty nice by Nicaraguan standards (meaning it has five rooms total), however it was smaller than I have been picturing all along. Also, Pete lives a little ways outside of Pala’s very tiny ‘downtown’ and we had to wind through a range of chicken/stray-dog filled dirt roads to arrive at his casa.

My host family

PS: Yup, I’m pretty lucky.  We ate lunch there (Indio Viejo a kind of chickeny paste thing–sounds gross but both of us liked it) and then wandered around a little.  Think you could live there for two years?

MK: No, I couldn’t Pete. You are so much braver and more rugged and hardcore than me. :P (maybe could, doubt I ever would – you get lots of mid-visit credit for living here!). 

Mirador in Palacaguina

PS:  You sass haha.  We visited the coffee cooperative (Michelle is bringing home gifts!) and the local restaurant.  I also introduced her to several people I know in the town and everyone was super excited to meet her.  After some quick shuteye (the foxes were much quieter this night), it was off to Condega’s competitions.  How’d it compare?

Power Girls and Profe Pedro

MK: Poor Pala, far superior. According to Profe Stephan, the quality of the presentations/business plans were better in Pala, but the products in Condega were much better. Also the competition was hosted in a big outdoor venue in the center of the high school (unlike the stifling hot classroom of Pala!) and Maria Christina (Pete’s Condega counterpart) hussled that competition along with an iron fist. We were in and out in three hours. The winning product was plastic curtains made by a team of girls (see photos!) – they were so incredibly excited to win; it was adorable. Other great products included mirrors decorated with patterns made out of pieces of broken glass bottles, greeting cards and a gas that could be used for your stovetop.

PS: Yeah I was impressed with all of my students but Condega really exceptional.  After the competition, we went to a tiny pre-Colombian ceramics museum and saw the downed contra airplane that was shot down.  Then it was off to the city of Somoto!  How was Somoto?

Look I'm a plane!

MK: Somoto was a lot nicer than Palacaguina, and even Condega (because, as Pete explained – it’s the Madriz department capital). Infinitely more paved roads and a few more options for hotels/dining, etc. I would say we definitely the most upscale (so far) in Somoto. We went to a place with really good pizza (a ten slice pizza with veggies/chorizo for seven dollars!) and also had an amazing chicken in mystery sauce. We didn’t really do any Somoto sightseeing – most of our sightseeing these two days was in Yalaguina.

PS:  Yup.  In Yala we had another business plan competition (the least impressive of the locals).  The winner was a clean burning stove which was kinda cool.  What’d we do after the competition?

MK: WATERFALL! I did not really have anything on my agenda for this trip, except for one thing. I wanted to see a waterfall, so we hiked up to check out Yala’s. We went with Jenny, the Yala health volunteer and Carol, the brand new (60+ years of age) Yala TEFL volunteer. Afterwards we went to lunch at a place filled with hanging hammocks, so I checked another Nica pastime off my list.

I also want to back up to the business competition. In Pala and Condega, to the students, I was never introduced as Pete’s novia – I was just the mysterious gringa all day. However, in Yala, Pete’s counterpart introduced me as the girlfriend and the class flipped out – there was catcalling, whistling, etc. for at least two minutes before Profe Stephan managed to regain control. It might be the funniest moment of the trip so far…

PS: I’m not sure why my students thought it was crazy that I had a novia…Michelle are you really that far out of my league?  Well that brings us up to midday Wednesday, any closing remarks?

MK: Nope! Off to breakfast :)