#2: this keyboard is weird

hola a todos!
so i'm finally here in nicaragua.. and absolutely loving it! it is so good to be here.. i´m just taking everything in at this point.
so i flew in monday night to managua after a mostly uneventful day.. a few gate changes and even a flight change in memphis but mostly it was alright. but when i got to managua, i stood by the baggage claim for a while before i realized there were no bright purple suitcases revolving around... and that they wouldn't be there. so i talked to someone who worked there and he had me fill out some paperwork and describe my bags.. i gave him a couple phone numbers of people i knew in nicaragua and he gave me a phone number to call to see if they had gotten there. (but it's all good cause i got my bags last night! yay!) so anyway at that point i was a little bummed but then i saw omar (the translator, etc. at the project and a good friend) and it was such a relief. it was so good to see him. then we went back to pablo's house and saw isaac (another good friend and my host brother here) and met aaron, another norteamericano from texas. he's also volunteering at chacocente, but only until the first week in january since he has to go back to college. but he's a good guy.. it'll be nice to share christmas with another (north) american.
tuesday we went to chacocente for the first time. honestly i didn't realize how long it would take to get there until we went.. total, the three buses and 2 km of biking (or walking for now) take about two and a half hours. i really didn't realize how far away it was. but it works.. the bus can be a pain but it's actually really interesting too.. i feel like it's the best place to experience nicaraguan life. there are vendors everywhere on the buses selling water and juice in bags (they're like little sealed plastic pouches of liquid.. you just bite the corner and suck it out. it's fun! also it's a good way to stay hydrated.. they sell the water everywhere and it's safe and only 1 cordoba each- about 5 cents american!) and on most buses there are people with sweet breads and boñuelos (little fried balls of yuca... kind of like a donut). anyway it's been really interesting to just experience the culture and feel nicaraguan.. even if everyone on the bus stares at you when you speak english. and otherwise.
so anyway we finally got to chacocente, after three buses and walking through 2 km of peanut fields and plantain trees on little paths. the first kid we saw was nelson (one of my favorites) who instantly ran up to the three of us and gave all of us big hugs. he's such a sweetie.
so anyway the past two days we've just gone to the project and hung out with the kids and parents.. it's just so great to go and relax with these wonderful people after a long commute. it's totally worth it.
so i'm about to post a bunch of pictures to facebook but i'll put a few pictures on here as well.. i gave my camera to the kids both days, so there are tons of pictures.. they love taking pictures!

so that's all for now i guess.. thank you all for the thoughts and prayers and support! feel free to email me at m.horrell@gmail.com if you want, or comment on my blog.. or facebook.. or whatever!
love, maddie