back to hot water and cold A/C

My last week in Nicaragua, I convinced my parents to come visit Granada to share this place and these people with me.

On Friday, my piñata women and my English class girls surprised me by working together to throw a wonderful party. It was complete with music, dancing, lots of tearful and heartfelt speeches, and of course, a piñata to break. As heart wrenching as it was to say goodbye, it was amazing to get to experience this beautiful despedida with my parents—everyone wanted to talk to them and share with them. I felt so overjoyed and blessed; I can’t even put it into words.

Later that night, my parents were invited to a final goodbye dinner with Doña Marta and my host family as well. After some great food, laughter, lots of translating back and forth, and a few more tears, I packed up my luggage and, ready or not, left Granada with my parents.

~~~

After saying goodbye to Granada, my parents and I headed off to the island Ometepe for one night to catch our breath, unwind, and revel in the some of the beauty of Nicaragua. There we hiked partway up Volcán Maderas (the volcano that I climbed a few weeks earlier) to a waterfall about 1/3 of the way up. I must say, I was pretty impressed with my parents—although it was definitely less demanding than my previous trek up the entire volcano, the waterfall hike was no easy trail. After a couple hours of hiking, climbing, and wading upstream, we reached the base of a tall, gorgeous waterfall just as a typical nica rainstorm rolled in. Not another soul in sight. My parents and I stuck our tongues out in the rain and waded into the small lagoon at the base of the waterfall… pretty unbelievable, huh?

After a night on Omeptepe, we swung by Granada one more time for some final goodbyes and then spent our last night at one of the most gorgeous places I’ve ever been too— the Laguna de Apoyo. On our way to the laguna, we drove up to the lip of the active Masaya volcano. Looking down into the massive crater with steam billowing out, I felt like I peering down into Mordor or something (It was seriously cool—they would never let people get this close to an active volcano crater in the US!). Looking through the fumes down into the craggy dark volcano (did I mention that this thing erupted in 2001?), I could’ve sworn I saw Gollum scurrying along crater’s edge :)

After departing Middle Earth, I took my parents to the Masaya artisan’s market for some shopping before heading to the laguna.

My mind finally beginning to settle down from the chaos and emotion of the past couple of days, I was ready to see that beautiful, calm crater-lake again.

Lying in bed in my cabana, I tried to stay awake and think— to process and reflect on my time and my experiences here. Soon however, I was engulfed by the overwhelming sounds of a rainstorm brewing over the lagoon in the crater valley, and I gave up and fell asleep instead.

~~~

Waiting for my luggage at the DFW baggage claim, I noticed that everyone was speaking English; everyone was clean, well dressed; things were organized. Where were the horse carts? The dirt? The trash? The street vendors? I suddenly started to feel a little claustrophobic, panicky even. So many gringos, so much wealth…

Is this culture shock? Or I suppose the proper term is “reverse cultures shock” now, isn’t it? If that’s the case, I wonder: Was I going forward before and now I’m going in reverse? Or was the life I lived before that which was backwards and now I’ve straightened out again? (Or could it be that we’re all just directionless?... I think I like that option the best…). Whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll have many more thought on this subject as time passes.

Well… my last abrazo has been given, the last photo has been snapped, the last gallo pinto eaten, and now, the last blog post uploaded. I guess this means that my “trip”/“internship”/“experience” (or any of those other words that I find unfitting and inadequate in describing my time in Nicaragua) is over. Although I feel like I should have some concluding analysis or momentous thoughts with which to close this blog, I can’t seem to come up with anything. I guess I don’t feel compelled to express any kind of thoughtful conclusion to this blog is because I can’t help feeling that the “experience” (if that’s what we’re calling it) isn’t really over. In leaving Nicaragua and coming back to the States, I don’t feel like I’m necessarily closing a door or finishing a chapter in my life. In fact, the doors now appear to be open wider than ever! Although I will be the first to openly admit that I still have no idea what my future holds— where I will be, what I will be doing, or with whom— I can’t help feeling that this wasn’t my last time in Nicaragua (she says with a mischievous grin).

: )

Finally, here’s a link to view some more photos from Nicaragua (don’t worry, non-facebookers can access these photos as well):

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053359&id=1521540271&l=de478b698c

A million thanks to everyone who supported me this summer through prayers and emails, facebook messages and skype conversations.

And of course, a very special “thank you” to everyone for reading this blog.

Until next time!

LOVE TO ALL,

sarah

“I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them…Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you. … I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth… Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert… For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground…

Sing O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it!”

- Isaiah 42:16, 43:4, 6, 18-19, 44:3, 25