Everything about this place is lovely. Everything. Now that I have learned some Spanish, I am so enjoying spending time with our Nicaraguan video partners at Vimau. They are so kind, funny and inviting, and the language barrier is becoming non-existent as we bond over our shared passions and strong work ethics. We are making a video about the children's band at the cultural center and I'm extremely excited to see the finished product. Thanks to technology, I know we will stay in touch via Facebook and I would love to come back and teach them traditional darkroom photography, which is something they would like to learn. Though this would be a difficult task because of logistics, in Nicaragua, where there is a will there is a way. I also embrace that outlook in the States and I feel like with some joined efforts we could make it work. My father always told me the harder you work, the luckier you get, and so far throughout my entire life he's been correct.
There are many things in Nicaragua that I have never seen before, but the most captivating thus far has been the view from the bottom of the waterfall. I live in Philadelphia and I don't leave the city very often to venture into nature. When we walked to the waterfall yesterday and finally arrived at the clearing where we could see it, the view took our breath away. The water was very cold but we all talked each other into going in and swimming to the waterfall. Maria and I and some others were scared, but we had the strength to swim there because we did it together. As a team, this group functions very well together and as we all swam toward the falls I felt as though we were kind of moving as one being. Being behind the waterfall was surreal, it was someplace I had never been before. Alison warned me that if I was going to swim through the falls, I would feel like it was hard to breathe. Again, I was scared but decided to go for it. As I swam through the forceful waterfall I felt myself lose my breath a bit, and I felt as though the water was holding onto my body - I definitely had to swim faster to pull away from it.
The most beautiful, priceless moment occurred as I rolled onto my back while emerging from the falls. The water was rushing toward me, so powerful and amazing, and the little drops fell so slowly, as if they were suspended in time. Watching the waterfall from that perspective made me feel so present and alive, and it was as though the water was a metaphor for my trip to Nicaragua. It reminded me that I must take every opportunity to slow down and watch for the precious moments that are suspended in time.
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