Photo album

I've got more pictures from Nicaragua here.

Three days 'til shipping

Shippers are coming on Sunday to take away 4 boxes of what will apparently be my most important and worthy possessions. I'm not quite sure what they all are yet, as I have only about 1/8 of the total box space filled so far. Turns out there's a lot of yarn in there--after my e-bay linen yarn buying spree, linen and cotton from my mom's stash, and (after tonight) using up my yarn co-op credit at the best knitting salon in Boston: Circles. That was all well and good when I thought my main responsibility was going to be feeding our menagerie on the hill. However, now that I'll have real responsibilities (i.e. a job), it's harder to know when the knitting will happen.

My main concern with the shipping right now (or, more precisely, the packing) is that the books appear to be multiplying when my back is turned, and I'm no longer sure they'll fit in the one small "book box" I'm allowing myself. The second biggest concern is knowing how to pack stuff so potentially fragile items won't break.

Actually, I was thinking about the boxes the other day, as I began packing in earnest. The theory is that books go in the smallest box, b/c they are heavy and you don't want to load up lots of heavy things into a large space. That's great logic, but I'm noticing that some of the bigger boxes also have heavy things--like a drill, for instance. That sucker weighs a ton. And what about the iron skillet? At what point have I missed the general idea of keeping heavy things confined to smaller containers?

Happily, all these questions will be anwered by Sunday afternoon, and then I'll just have to wait for the chosen items to arrive at la Colina. The extra good part is that my Dad will be helping me pack on Saturday, and he's the best packer I know. If he can't make it all fit, it just wasn't meant to fit.

el Carpincho en su casa 

La Colina

This is a picture I took in June of la Colina, the natural habitat of the Carpincho Azul. This is also where I will be living, starting 15 days from now.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't look quite like this any more. First, this foto was taken at the end of the dry season, so it doesn't show much greenery. And anyway, the Carpincho has been doing a lot of work over the past few months--planting coco and plantain trees and flowering plants, re-seeding grass, creating terraces on the hill, painting the buildings, &c., &c. For example, the building on the right (which used to be Radio Pirata) is now white, or maybe blue--at any rate, the grafitti has been covered over.

What you don't get a sense of from this picture is the view from the top (de hecho, since this shot was taken from the bottom). You can see Lake Managua in the distance, and a good bit of the city all around. 10 years ago, la Colina was surrounded by fieldsl; now it's surrounded by sub-developments and the expanding barrio.

And what no picture can show is the cool breeze that keeps the top of the hill comfortable even when folks at the bottom are baking (or steaming, depending on the season). It's a great place, as I hope many of you will learn when you come to visit me!

Farewell, Esperanza

Today's major milestone is saying goodbye to the first car I ever found and bought on my own, my green 1996 VW Golf. I think this is the hardest part of moving away so far. Esperanza (because green is the color of hope) has been so great over the past 4 years. Comfortable, stylish, practical. I just keep telling myself that there will be other green VWs in my future.

Now that I have a job, the Carpincho wants us to buy a Jeep. Not the same, but very likely more practical for maneuvering the hit-or-miss paving in Managua. That will definitely wait until income has been received.

At any rate, I'm off to run errands (address change, wire money), then it's time to drop Esperanza off to her new family in Weymouth. Adiós, querida.

A new job!

I'm feeling excited, overwhelmed, thankful, stunned... ummm... speechless! I was just offered a job to work here starting almost as soon as I arrive in Managua.

More on Batahola later, and what I find so exciting about the Center, the team, and the opportunity that now stretches before me. I just had to put this out into the world to help me feel it's real, and everyone I know is already asleep.

At rehearsal tonight Hobert said all of us helping at a special event this weekend would get a hard blessing (church talk for something real big). I'll have to let him know mine came sooner than expected. Thanks, God!

Countdown begins

The Carpincho Azul last appeared in Barcelona, circa New Year's 2004. Hopes are high he'll be found at the Colinita in Managua.

We're now at T-19 days to transcontinental moving day. Things left to do:

- money stuff
- finish packing
- try to get rid of more stuff!
- make sure everyone gets scheduled in who wants before I take off
- last appointments for hair, teeth, health, etc.
- figure out health care and mail system in Managua

I'm sure I'm forgetting more than a few things. At least the shippers are all set up. And travel docs seem to be in order--a quick trip to NYC (and some cash) took care of that. I wish we'd had more time there, though.

the Carpincho is spotted in Barcelona