The neighborhood life in Nicaragua is like nothing I have ever experienced. It seems that each residence on the street has some sort of small business, or is a farmacia, or a venta (a cornerstone) and there is actually a gym right across the street. Our next door neighbors cook up traditional Nicaraguan food to sell each night for dinner, the neighbors across the street sell some produce or packaged goods, a few houses down there is a woman who makes the best corn tortillas EVER. <– slowly but surely becoming my BFF. My host family sells both frescos and a fast food-ish thing called repolechas. Its a fried dough with refried beans, cabbage, cheese, and ketchup and chili sauce on top.
You need not walk more than 10 steps for any of these things, and there are people that walk down the street and sell produce or other goods in carts as well. There are places that sell nacatamales – which is similar to a tamale but they are literally so big – places for sweet breads or desserts made from fruits, places for candy and snacks – for laundry soap and toothpaste. Ten steps people. Okay maybe 20.
Managua isn’t so much a tourist destination. When I tell people I am staying here for a few months they are surprised and ask why and what I think about it. In all honesty, Managua is big and chaotic, a bit sketchy at times, hot hot hot and there are only few things for tourists. BUT I am not a tourist. I am a student.
I am learning the ways of the city buses. I take them everyday to get where I am going – which is something I did not anticipate. The city buses are sometimes pretty chill, but sometimes they are a sweaty mass of people squeezing past each other, falling over onto each other and either trying to get off the bus or trying to find a bearable place to stand for the duration of the ride. For this gringa, it can be pretty stressful at times – otherwise it’s just so ridiculous how many people are squeezed into one space that I have to laugh. I am pretty much the only white person on each bus I get onto which is a bit unnerving, but most people are kind and if I give a smile, I will usually get a smile in return.
I have learned how to wash my clothes by hand. I will literally never take a washing machine for granted again! I sweated and scrubbed and scrubbed and sweated the other day doing my clothes and I am pretty sure I’m not totally doing it right either. My host mom kind of had a little grin on her face watching me.
I have learned how to navigate (more or less) the Mercado Mayoreo and find the various places I need to go in Managua. Each new place that I make it to alone is a small little victory and I cheer silently at myself from the sidelines. It’s truly all about the small victories people.
I am enjoying life in the Barrio. In the evening, it is not uncommon to find some family members sitting outside the house just watching the world go by. Watching as the sun goes down and the neighbors fire up their grill and feeling the coolness of the evening blow in. Someone usually hands me a fresco and life feels pretty good with a cold sweet fruit drink in my hand and the heat from the sun fading away, while the world slowly moves on by in front of me.
Maybe Managua is a bit dreamy and poetic under all the noise 🙂
Time is moving more quickly than I anticipated here and my last weeks are filling up with trips to other parts of the country. Next post on highlights of Nicaragua so far!
