My Nicaraguan Dish Wish List

While my gallo pinto came out fairly decent, this is only one of the many Nicaraguan dishes that I hope to make while living here. A few other tasty bites that are on my list of things to try to make are:

1. Cuajada- a type of cheese made with milk and a pill (yes, like the medicinal type of pill…)
2. Arroz Valenciana- basically fried rice with carrots, chicken and other veggies
3. Pupusas- similar to a quesadilla but the tortilla is made of corn flour
4. Tortillas
5. Coffee- I am still trying to perfect making coffee here. Today I got extremely close- our safety and security officer told us that there are some things that we should be willing to spend money on in order to keep our sanity. For me, a few of those things are coffee and the proper fixings. This morning I ate a slice of watermelon, some oatmeal and had a delicious cup of coffee with powdered creamer (while the powdered stuff is not my favorite…it does do the trick) and a few dashes of sugar.
6. Nacatamales- a typical Nicaraguan dish- steamed while wrapped in a plantain leaf…the nacatamale…I am actually not exactly positive what it holds inside…
7. Chancleta- baked chayote (green vegetable) stuffed with mozzarella chees
8. Churros- I’ve made the Argentine kind of churros, but these here are filled with cheese and are more of a savory dish, than a sweet one.
9. Soy Milk- homemade soy milk to add to my coffee
10. Manuelitas- large sweet pancakes wrapped and filled with either cheese or meat- they are delicious!

Tasty Bites and More Thoughts on Food

The phrase “comfort food” exists for a reason. Food is comforting. It really is that simple. Or is it? Perhaps I should rephrase that; food can be comforting. It depends on what you are eating. For example: fish eye balls…for some strange reason just does not do it for me. They just are not comforting. Neither are chicken hearts nor livers nor any innards really, in my opinion. I know that they are supposed to be a delicacy and many people may find them to be comforting. They may remind you of your family, friends, a certain holiday or restaurant…but for me…they just sort of make me cringe. My mom’s homemade macaroni and cheese, on the other hand; definitely comfort food. I feel the same for her pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, my grandmothers homemade meatballs and fucili, my other grandmothers Christmas tree cookies, my aunts’ chicken wings and ice box cake, my dads coffee (a simple dish, but so delicious and really not the same when anyone else makes it). All of these dishes bring up memories for me-holidays, birthdays, late night homework in high school, family…the mere smell of certain ingredients can bring me home. The smell of cinnamon, for some reason always reminds me of winter break from college; being at home on a snowy day with a fire going in the fire place, my mom baking. When I lived on my own in Boston, I used to cook cinnamon sticks- just cinnamon sticks and water in order to infuse that smell into my kitchen. It actually works really well and even on the coldest of cold days, can make me feel cozier and warmer. Here in Nicaragua, though, I would define comfort food a little differently. Here my comfort food is my host mother’s gallo pinto and my other host mother’s baked chayote and mozzarella cheese. It’s a good cup of coffee that is not over-sweetened and a meal that is not over-salted or over-fried. While I could try to recreate recipes from home, in order to have the same definition of comfort food, I think one of the reasons why those foods are comforting, is because of who is making them. I could try to make them, but it just would not be the same. Also, the ingredients are extremely different here and I cook on a 2 burner camp stove, which has 1 broken burner and no oven.

Now that I live on my own, though, I must make my own comfort food. I started with an attempt at making gallo pinto. I think it actually turned out pretty well...I ate it for lunch with a tomato and pipian (a squash type vegetable) salad. It was delicious! Before actually trying gallo pinto, I thought it was just rice and beans...and it basically is, but the technique to cook it is different than you may think. The rice is first washed- you must pick out any rocks, bugs etc... that may be inside. The rice I buy does not have to be washed too carefully, but I do find rocks in there every once in a while. While you are washing the rice, you fry chopped onions (and I like to add garlic as well), in oil (I use soy oil). Next you fry the uncooked rice (sounds strange I know...) After frying the rice for about 2 minutes, you add water and allow the rice to cook the same way that we would cook the rice at home. After the rice is done, you fry the beans (which are already cooked-I buy mine pre-cooked from my host family) for a couple of minutes. Next you mix the fried rice with the fried beans and yes, you fry them both together. This dish may not be one of the healthier dishes in Nicaragua, but it definitely is delicious and I think when I leave here in 2 years, I will miss it. This dish may just become one of the recipes I bring home with me to add to my list of comfort foods.

The Wheels on the Bus

First- I'd like to offer an apology. It has been a month since my last blog post and a lot has happened in the past month. I will attempt to update you all on everything that has happened, this week. As I do not have a lot of time today, I will leave you with one story and some photos and will get back to you with the rest.

Our bus steams down the highway; bus in actuality being an extra large 20 passenger van, which usually takes no less than twenty-five passengers. The bus helper stuffs us all in, making sure that every possible spot that could fit a body, does. Some days the heat is completely unbearable, but today, with all of the windows open, we actually have a decent breeze running through. This allows me to relax enough to enjoy the scenery that we are passing by. Leaving the island, we cross the Paso Caballo bridge that was constructed fairly recently. I think I read somewhere that they are trying to claim this bridge as the longest bridge in Nicaragua…if you have seen this bridge, you will understand where my doubt comes from. In the distance the San Cristobal volcano watches over us, its crevices filled with smoke and clouds, its cliffs and ledges outlined in a dark forest type green that you would expect from the fir trees of the Northeastern states. Even though volcanoes are not typical in Massachusetts, this one somehow reminds me of home. And then I look out the window again, and realize I am most definitely in Nicaragua. We pass by herds of cows with their shepherds and men leading horses attached to carriages towing wood, scrap metal and other random things. We pass by large rich farms enclosed by ornately decorated gates and gardens. Brown and white spotted horses eating their grassy breakfasts; small family owned restaurants with a 2 or 3 option menu. I usually enjoy riding the busses here (unless it means I am squished up against a large sweaty man or having my body contorted in ways I thought impossible). Otherwise I like it. I like that the busses take routes that allow me to see parts of the city I may not have the opportunity to travel to on my own. It’s also great people watching-I see old women who remind me of one of my grandmothers-they tote around grandchildren while gossiping with friends. ..young girls with tattooed eyebrows, heavily painted faced, wearing brightly colored dresses and shirts…groups of students in their matching colors, the same as their matching schools, symbolizing the colors of their matching country’s flag…men wearing knitted winter hats confuse me in this always hot weather country…people lounging on the streets sipping on their Caballito-a very cheap and very local liquor…shops with bike parts, car parts, toy cars, colored buckets, cups, rope, household appliances and other random metal pieces mix with the fruit and vegetable venders to give the street character. At times, I feel like Im on a bus on my way to work heading into Boston...but then i open my eyes. All of these people and things passing by remind me that I am living a pretty sweet and interesting life.

9 de Junio: A Day in the Life

7:40 am- Alarm goes off.

7:50-8:20 am- Bucket shower, which consists of me throwing cold water on my body, hoping most of it gets clean and at least will help wake me up; Getting dressed-semi professional dress is required…flip flops sometimes make an appearance; contacts and minimal make up with earrings and daily face lotion with SPF= my beauty routine.

8:20 ish-9 am- Breakfast- Today is gallo pinto (rice n beans) with cream, cheese, bread and coffee-eaten while watching CSI Miami or The Dead Zone.

9am- Bike to a meeting in the house of someone who I do not know and where I do not know. Luckily I run into a neighbor, who shows me the way. Yay! (but not yay for long) I arrive at the house to find myself the only one here, standing in front of the nurse, who lives there, still in her bathrobe. The meeting, apparently, has been postponed until tomorrow.
-I bike to the Casa y Clinica(CCA), where I catch up with Xiomara and Christian.
-I go to print something, to realize that in my 1 minute walk from the CCA to the hospital, the electricity has gone out. Brilliant. I head back to the CCA and the lights come back on 5 minutes later.

10:30 am- Bike to the Gertrudis school to give an hour long charla on Domestic Violence to a great 6th grade class. Charla goes very well and I am greeted by a huge applause and shorts-my self-esteem and happiness is very high right now!

11:30 am- On my way back to the CCA, I stop for lunch at the comedor of Dona Teresa-it’s a small food stand with 2 counter seats and 2 tables located outside on the main street in between the bus station and food store. We talk about my trip home and cultural differences while I sip on homemade beet juice (which is actually one of my favorite juices here!)and eat chicken with rice, beans, tortilla and salad. Great company and great meal all for 30 cordobas ($1.50)

1pm- Head back to the CCA, where Xiomara and I discuss our 2 governments and how the education systems differ. For example, there are free universities here- FREE college…wow. But you have to pass a difficult exam to get in, so most of the people who go to school end up paying.

2pm- Bike back to the Gertrudis for my 2nd charla of the day only to find that the afternoon 6th grade does not meet on Thursdays…who knew? Not me.

2:15pm- lots of biking! Back to the CCA…Vago around for a little bit, read up on breast cancer etc..

3pm- Xiomara and I take a taxi to another health center in Corinto to drop things off. We drop by the houses of 2 brigadistas (community volunteer health workers) to get their info for a training. We are only about a 20 minute bike ride from my house, but the climate here is totally different- much more tropical. The front yards of their house and the surrounding houses have a well-kept rainforest feel with bright green leafy plants growing next to hot magenta flowers. The bugs are more pesky here and I am sweating more, but it is beautiful.
-Next we visit the house of a youth health promoter and make plans for me to visit his youth club next week to present myself and play soccer. After recruiting a group of boys to come to a few events, we hop on a big yellow school bus back to the CCA.

4:30pm- done with work for the day, I take my final bike trip back to my house.
-chat with my host family a little then head to the internet cafe

6:30pm- show my host sister pictures from home and of the wedding.

7pm- Telenovela numero 1- Pasion de Galivanes- great country novella complete with beautiful mountains, horses and of course: murder, husband and wife stealing and all around drama.

8pm- Telenovela numero 2- Cuna de Gato- very suspenseful story- tonight Deborah and her boyfriend find out that they cannot date because they are brother and sister, only to about 10 minutes later, find out that they are actually not related at all because Deborah’s father is actually not here father. He is only the father of her boyfriend. Very intriguing.

9pm- read, bedtime and sleep so that I can wake up and do it all over again tomorrow!

More Interesting Happenings, Thoughts and Explanations

1. Marango- a very nutritious plant that can grow very very tall when not cut. The leaves can be added to any meal to boost up the amount of nutrients you are eating. We grow this at the comedor and use it in most of our meals.

2. Some Current Enemies of Mine- flies, small pesky bugs, too much oil, salt and sugar, cockroaches, the Yankees, rats

3. Breast Milk- there is a lot you can say about breast milk and the importance of breastfeeding…unfortunately I was not trained on this. Because of my so-called artistic ability, I have been recruited to make a large poster highlighting why new mothers should breast feed. While talking to a “wise” friend of mine about this, his response was, “well…you have breasts…”-like that somehow makes me a breastfeeding expert. Although he is right, mine have never been used to feed anyone, therefore I will have to rely on books to give me this information.

4. Apparently I have had a cough and a congested head for the past week because I walked in the rain once without a jacket and in flip flops.

5. There is a Sherwin Williams here in Chinandega! I’m thinking a nice lilac will be a good way to brighten up my new home.

6. We have 3 computers in the Casa y Clinica-they are all broken.

7. Tuani/Salvaje- both really awesome and fun words to say that mean “cool”

8. There is no real translation to Spanish for the word awkward…many times I have wanted to use that word.

9. Whoever said that the winter/rainy season here would be much cooler…you have obviously never been to Corinto.

10. Go BRUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, Wednesday and Friday: the children come to eat: babies, families, 16 year old mothers with their 2 year old babies, barefoot boys who live on the streets…there are usually anywhere from 20 to 35 children who come to eat. 3 out of the 27 meals there are in a week seems so little in comparison to what they need. Speaking to a very skinny little boy the other day, I asked, “When you are not at the comedor, how many meals do you eat a day?” His response was, “one…sometimes two” It was sad. There is not much else to say about it-I would like to do more, but cannot really give food or money. From how I have described this boy, you probably have a picture in your head of how he looks and acts. You may be picturing one of those children from the heart-wrenching TV ads for the Feed the Children program. At first glance, from the eyes of a stranger, you would be correct. But once you introduce yourself, you will receive a huge hug, lots of laughs and a beautiful smile. Once you start playing with him, you will realize that he has so much energy and creativity. You’ll find out that at the age of 8, he can make you a kite that actually flies, dragging its long tail behind it; or weave you a giant fishing net. This child, while small, has a big heart. All of the children who come to the comedor do. They show it by helping to clean before and after meals, by stacking chairs or by passing food out to the other children. They draw pictures of beautifully rainbowed houses by flowing rivers, spaceships and aliens attacking the world (in the most positive way possible) and eating me and Christian (they do actually like Christian and me-the kids that is, not the aliens). While they may sometime say means thing, ask too many questions or do things that they shouldn’t, they are children and they deserve a childhood. Some days I do get frustrated-having 10 jovenes asking at the same time for their toothbrushes, while another 5 are busy throwing rocks-my patience is tested. Always closely following an annoying episode, a child will ask or do something so child-like, so hilarious, that I cannot help but laugh and continue to dole out brushes and paste. Although I cannot personally give more food or money, hopefully with the help of toothbrushes, aliens and games; I am giving something.

Its Raining Men!

June 7th

Just kidding...but it is raining...a lot. It is officially the raining season. The rain falls hard off and on today, with thunder rumbling not too far away. I sit in the living room, enjoying hte cool breeze that is a stranger to the department of Chinandega. Last night I even slept in long pants and socks...and I was not sweating. This is something I had not experienced yet here in Nica. As I sit in the house with my host sister and mother, the rain continues to fall and the street begins to fill with water. It has been raining hard for about 40 minutes now. There is a dog standing on an island of dry land in the middle of the street. On both sides, where the street dips down, the water reaches half-way to my knees and has a current strong enough to carry a bottle or stick from one end of the street to the other. People bike by in bright yellow ponchos and walk with umbrellas. I half expect someone to float by in a rubber raft, but this does not happen. I am still waiting. In some places the water has risen over the curb, but it does not flow over into our house. Our hallway though, is full of buckets catching rain water from the many holes in the roof. My host family just puts the buckets where they need to be and go back to their novela-this is normal for them. For me though, the rain filled street and the way Corinto is transformed, still intrigues me. I could stand out on our covered patio and watch the rain, the running river our street has become and the people going by, for hours. My heart does go out though, to the poor dog, still standing on the island, just waiting for his home to return to normal.