Elizabeth's view on Nicaragua

These are the things I already know I will miss:

The little airport full of families waiting with love

Seeing the sky and lake and mountains while eating every day

The horses that happily munch grass while surrounded by cars and motorbikes

The bats whose home we invaded

The dogs who have never heard of leashes

Maria's grandma, the little old lady who ordered a cerveza while everyone else had juice

The food which is simple and delicious and served with care

The parrots at the hotel in masaya who told me "hola" every morning

These are just a few. I know there will be many more to come.

First Impressions

One of my friends came home from Nicaragua two days before I came here. We went out to dinner, and I told her she could pick, since she was probably craving some particular food. "Actually, I'm still craving rice and beans" she told me. I was a little taken aback,  rice and beans are good but why would you crave them? Once I got to Nicaragua and ate gallo pinto for the first time, I completely understood. The rice and beans are delicious, I could eat them all day, and thankfully they come with almost every meal. Over dinner, my same friend told me that it had taken her less than two days to decide to return to Nicaragua after she graduated. Being in Nicaragua, I see why she would fall in love with it so quickly. Everything is beautiful here, especially the Posada de la Abuela, where we stayed our first few nights. The eco-lodge overlooked a lake that used to be a volcano, and the water is unbelievably clear. Only my lack of swimming abilities kept me from jumping right in. I spent most of my free time on the dock, watching the fish, and at night the bats. Over the next few days we visited many different landmarks, and even though they were fun to see and learn about, I'm excited to start working with our partners at VIMAU in Estelí.

Letter to my High School History Teacher

Dear Mrs. Bruce Lockhart,

I had a hard time placing why I felt so drawn to Nicaragua’s history until yesterday. We took a bus into Managua and were given an overview of the country’s history from a man named Mark Lester. He repeated FDR’s famous quote about Somoza.

“He may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.”

Shortly after we saw the iconic photograph of the women with the rifle across her back and a baby in her arms. It all came together. Somewhere in the back of my mind there were bits of Nicaraguan history from our American history classes.

The other interesting thing about Nicaragua is that it is in the same position that South Africa was when I visited in 2009; fresh from a revolution and approaching the re-election of the same party responsible for the nation’s liberation. Jacob Zuma and Daniel Ortega both represent freedom from their tyrannical predecessors, but also have controversial ruling styles themselves.

It’s all tying in beautifully to the things I learned in your class. More than that, Managua and Granada remind me of a strange combination of Johannesburg and Buenos Aires, as if they had been written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. There is such beautiful humanity here. It is green and dirty. Colonial and poor. Bright and Loud.

The resilience of the people here is stunning. I think it is the perfect place to do really meaningful community arts work. I feel challenged by the language and supported by the people who have committed themselves to their art here. If I ever wanted an example of a place transformed by art, Esteli is surely it. The streets are filled with paintings of Daniel Ortega, there are museums dedicated to the mother’s of killed soldier, and specifically and film collective that just finished a piece of the life of Sandino.

Sending love from Nicaragua

Emma (Amelia)

First Impressions

     Changing money at the airport really underlined the economic disparity between Nicaragua and the states, and the route of the bus ride from the airport to the restaurant we ate at for lunch on the first day passed through some very poor areas around Managua. Stray dogs are commonplace, and the livestock we saw from the bus were very thin. The restaurant, however, was awesome, and had a wonderful view and great food.

The place was tucked away from the road and seemed to come out of nowhere. Traveling in this country definitely requires a guide who knows where things are and how to get around, as well as a driver who's used to the Nicarauguan way of driving and the roads here. The hotel, too, was great (and would have also been impossible for me to have found on my own). It was on the lake, and the water was an unreal shade of greenish blue.
     The people here are incredibly humble and kind, and it makes me wish I could give money to everyone who asks for it, but that would be an impossible task due to the sheer amount of impoverished people in Nicaragua. Hopefully through our work with our partners in Vimau in Esteli and in Limay, we can affect some sustainable change, even if it is only bit by bit. I'm excited to get to work, and looking forward to pick up more Spanish as we go along.
   
That's all for now. More to follow.

-William

First Impressions

            Nicaragua’s a poor but beautiful country.  I feel like an outsider, observing the world through the bus window. Even when I’m interacting with Nicaraguans the linguistic and cultural differences form a sheet a glass between us. Nevertheless, everyone is friendly and I can communicate just as well with a smile as with rudimentary Spanish skills. The buildings are crumbling and horses and dogs wander through the countryside and city streets; hand-painted buses blare dance music as they pass; storms can explode in a matter of minutes. The United States seems ridiculously sanitary in comparison.

First Impressions

“If you’d smile at me, i would understand because that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language.” - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

After only being in Nicaragua for five days, I feel like I’ve been here for quite sometime.  It’s interesting to me that I feel strangely connected to this culture in a way that has not yet manifested into a conscious understanding.  It’s almost as though there is a secret here to reveal, or some kind of revelation to be uncovered.  I’m sure there is, and I am sure I will make the discovery in due time.  I am so excited by the interactions that I am having with the Nicaraguan people.  Even though I don't speak Spanish, I have found that a smile goes a long way here and is always returned.  This is a lovely country and I feel very fortunate to be learning about its history and culture from other artists.

Todos los Videos

¡Amigos, por fin llego el momento que hemos arreglado todos los videos de nuestras colaboraciones en un lugar fijo! Aquí los pueden compartir para presentaciones, distribución, exposiciones o por cualquier motivo. Gracias por combinar nuestras habilidades para crear proyectos que nos han hechos amigos inolvidables. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Hey everybody, the moment is finally here when we've organized all of our video work under one link! Here, you've got access to present, exhibit, and distribute our work for whatever reason. When we come together, our skill sets made these projects a reality and for unforgettable friendships. Happy New Year!

Por favor noten que los sitios previo de "vimeo" ya no funcionan.

Please note that all "vimeo" links prior will no longer work.

http://vimeo.com/channels/artofsolidaritymica