Nicaragua experience

I had to Get up at 330…Kelly and I took a taxi to san jose. From there, we got on the bus at 6am and were headed to Nicaragua!!!! About four hours into driving, we arrived to the border. It was CRAZY! When we first got off, we were harassed by about 15 guys wanting us to exchange our money with them. To finally get into Nicaragua…you have to pass two different borders, one for costa rica and one for Nicaragua. There are different processes at both of them, depending on which way you are traveling. We got back on the bus after the costa rica border, and then went to the nicaragua border. We had to get our bags checked…here, we saw lots of people walking around and asking travelers for money…so crazy. Moms would make there little kids walk around and ask people for money. How sad!

After the Nicaragua border, we got back on the bus for another four hours. Kelly’s friend miguel was waiting for us at the bus stop in managua-capital of nicaragua where he lives. He showed us around managua-we saw lots of historical things. We went to the mall to eat and then went to one of his friends house to pick her up then went to another friends house and hung out and drank. When we were driving around managua looking at the historical things, at the stoplights…kids would come up to the windows begging for money…and would get on the car and touch the windows and try to grab things inside the car. At first, I was very very scared. This doesn’t happen in Costa Rica at all either, so I was somewhat caught off guard. After the first couple of times, we started rolling up our windows at every stoplight.

Random information I learned during our historical tour of Managua:

*There is a lot of publicity for the current president of Nicaragua…and more than 60% of the Nicaragua population hates him.

*I cant say if Nicaragua has more poverty than Costa Rica or if it is just hidden better in Costa Rica. The statistics show Nicaragua has more poverty, but that is besides the point. I saw a lot of houses that weren’t really “houses” and I cant even begin to imagine having to live in one of them.

*Nicaraguans were very friendly and started conversations with me on the bus, just talking. It was so neat to have a conversation in Spanish and actually understand everything. I think costa rica is paying off!

Saturday-we woke up around 830….ate breakfast at the hostel then miguel came to our hostel and we took a bus to Grenada. Grenada is the “spain” of Nicaragua. It resembles spain so much. We got on this little carriage thing for five dollars that was pulled by horses to a lake nearby. It was so so pretty. We walked around grenada the whole day. Took lots of pictures, shopped, and ate pizza. After grenanda, kelly and I went back to the hostel and took a nap, showered, and got ready for the night. Miguel came and picked us up, we went to dinner/drinks, then we went to a discoteca. SO MUCH FUN! I was introduced to a guy from HONDURAS! We was super short, but he asked to dance, so I did. I got owned on the dance floor, that is for sure. He was attempting to teach me how to dance to swing and all this random stuff. I was not so good at swing, fyi. He was so good! At the discoteca, there was girls standing and dancing on the bar, that usually doesn’t happen in the bars that I have been to back in the USA.

Sunday-woke up at 830, we ate breakfast at the hoste, then said goodbyes :(

Overall, Nicaragua was such a great experience. I can’t believe I had the opportunity to go there. Now, I just need to go to Honduras and meet my step family!!!

This past weekend, I went to san pedro on Friday with Daniela, my tica friend. We went to the street full of bars where all the college students go. Saturday, Kelly and I went to Alajuela and went to the Casino, called Fiesta. It is super close to the airport, where I will be in 23 DAYS to pick up my mom and sister! After the casino, we went to a bar near our university.

Its starting to scare me that I have less than 30 days here. As much as I miss my friends and family back in the USA, I don’t really want to leave. If it weren’t for my wonderful family and friends, I would honestly consider moving here. Buuuut, good thing I have the best friends and family a girl could ask for. Thank God.

I am super busy right now with final stuff, so off to studying I go.