Derrick's 5 fun new things in Managua (in no particular order)

We did a little post like this for both Lia and Silas and then there was a request from our good friend Martin to do one for Rebekah and myself as well.  So here is Derrick's!


1. Taxis.  Thank goodness for people who know where they're going!

2. The ice cream salesman. Harrisonburg has a lot of things going for it, but I will say this ice cream experience wins over the Hburg ice cream truck: bells (vs. digital music), quality for cost (US $0.36 for the special today), fewer carbon emissions, and our increased need for him!


























3. Coffee.  Local. Hot or cold.








































4. Skype.  It has been a big switch to talk and/or work with people in Canada, the U.S., and Honduras on a near-daily basis. Especially fascinating is when we have tech questions and the MCC tech guys from where ever in the world will take control of my computer and I watch the mouse move around and they magically do whatever. (The following picture might have been nicer if I would have actually told everyone I was taking a screen shot, but the kids were wiggly and silly at the moment and I didn't know if knowledge of a picture would be helpful or not.)

5. Good people. Sharing meals with family, MCC staff, experiencing the goodness of friends and family in the U.S. in new ways, and so on. I don't have a good single picture for this one so I'll re-use a few.

 

Silas turns 3!

This afternoon MCCer Ariane organized a great gathering to welcome our YAMEN participant Dency and our family.  By coincidence, the plan took shape on Silas's 3rd birthday, which was perfect. I should have gotten a group picture while everyone was together in town, but we'll have to try again for that the next time we're all together. Here were some of the highlights:

Messy hair moment with his birthday cupcake.

Later, for supper, our family went out to the neighborhood Tip Top restaurant, which does fried chicken stuff, but more importantly, has an indoor playground area, ice cream, and air conditioning. We went back outside to warm up (it didn't take long).

Yolanda was back from vacation and together she and I (Derrick) went down to the post office.  Very first mail in Managua!  Thanks to the Y-K family and Debbie!

These next few aren't from today.  But not sure when some of them might fit in any blog post.  Just a few everyday life things.

The new way we do baths.

The new way we do temperatures.

The same old way we do bedtime stories.

In other news, we hear our good old way of getting around has been sold.  Special thanks to Dad and Dad-in-law. So long good friend.  (Michael, take your family out for supper and email me the receipt!)

Life is chaotic (at least for now)

Here we are, we’ve arrived in a new place with new jobs and a new home.  It feels like it has taken a while to get to this point but we have a long way to go yet before we’re settled.

Just a few months ago I was living in a city which has more or less been home for 14 years.  That is incredible to think about.   Before that I hadn’t lived anywhere for more than 6 years and had moved 8 times by the time I was 16.  So after 14 years in one city (a couple different housing situations) I felt pretty rooted.

Just a few months ago I was working a job which was a work in progress but where I felt very competent and trusted.  I could participate actively within my organization and could build bridges to other similar programs to collaborate on new ideas.  It wasn’t necessarily an easy job but I felt like I knew how to get somewhere.

Just a few months ago our kids had a routine, a great babysitter, a great day care, strong friendships, and favorite spots to go (library, parks, and the back yard).

Just a few months ago our home was an easy place to host guests.  I could cooks, clean, and wash clothing and feel on top of things (not that I always did feel that way).

Now here we are and we are glad to be but I just want to describe a little what this part of the transition feels like.

We’ve lived in this city for two and a half weeks.  I know a few people and a few places.  I don’t feel rooted yet, this doesn’t feel like home yet.  It makes it hard to relax and rest.

We are stepping into a role that is very new.  I don’t feel competent in this job (yet).  I cannot communicate very well in Spanish which makes everything from using email, the phone, or talking to coworkers hard.  I don’t feel like I know how to move forward.

Our kids don’t have a good routine yet.  They are stretched at a preschool that uses Spanish only (that’s the teachers and the students), they don’t know their babysitter well, they don’t have a lot of spaces that they are comfortable in. They are incredibly resilient but they are tired and it is harder to parent with tired and tightly wound kids (true anywhere in the world).

Our home is becoming a place to host guests!  Still, I don’t know how to cook very well here.  I’m not sure what groceries I can or can’t find so we end up shopping often and sticking to pretty basic meals.  It’s hard work to keep up with cleaning even with the extra help we get from the woman who watches the kids twice a week.  I’m grateful we could host twice (both from our team which made it a lot easier).  Most days we’re too tired to think about hosting.

This is life now.  It won’t always feel this hard to do “life.”  Right now it is.  We’re thankful for all those we keep reminding us to have grace for ourselves (most other people are readily extending it to us).  Keep us in your prayers.

-R

Silas's 5 fun new things in Managua (not in any particular order)

1.Geckos.  Fast little guys who are there and then they're not. I sat down this evening waiting to see one, and when I followed it outside and threw a flash (thanks Dad!) I was lucky to discover a second as well.



















2.  Horses and carts.  A regular sight around town.  And Silas is thrilled every time.

3. Riding bikes and trikes (Thanks to our predecessors who left these behind!).  It's nice to have a little park just across the street.











4. Swings. Also found in the park. There are actually a surprising number of swing sets given the size of the park.












5. Amaranta, our dear tortuga. Silas learned the hard way that she is not a toy.  After being lifted, carried, dropped, etc. she decided it was time to bite.  The other day when Lia was holding her, the turtle peed on my shoe.  Apparently, we're new at this.

Lia's 5 fun new things in Managua (not in any particular order)

1. Bananas. Bought from the folks who walk up and down the street with carts of fresh fruits.

2. Gates (which are everywhere). Because "they're fancy." Here's the "fanciest one" we found on our walk from our house to the MCC office. I should mention that here Lia and Silas are snacking on a leftover tortilla.  The kids love to echo the lady who walks calling out, "Tor-TIII-yeeh!"

3. "Tortuga," probably the first Spanish word our kids picked up here.  Amaranta is an old turtle and the kids are nuts about her. (I hope she can survive us.)

4. School. She's so positive about this, it amazes me. "Sometimes I don't understand, but I just clap along when they sing or whatever."

5. Our house. After all these months on the move, it is nice to have a place to settle in and call home, even if it doesn't feel that way right away for all of us.  Here's Lia and Silas making a train, still in their pajamas.

We'll see if we can get Silas's five choices up soon.

A few ups and downs of Week #1

This week has been crazy, juggling our own adjustment, the kids' adjustment, and trying to learn a new job in a new place. And trying to find something to make to eat in the evening.  The MCC staff have been wonderful, supportive, and flexible with our family in all of this. The kids have done about as well as anyone could hope.  Our trial run with a baby sitter (kind lady, Spanish-speaker) went well. Today's trial run with school also went well (it took a little for the kids to let go, but eventually they were ok).  All of this is overwhelming for them, but Lia seems to (most) always see the bright side when she talks about things and Silas does his own thing, finding ways to use his energy and humor.

We had an additional challenge yesterday with a urinary tract infection with Silas.  We ended up going in to find a doctor at the Baptist Hospital: an unplanned part of our orientation.  He's doing well now, but we realize how we need to be even more intentional than we thought we were being about hydrating everyone in the family.

Here's a pair of pictures from this morning.  Silas being ornery in picture #1, and then our better shot in #2.  After that, Silas jumped on Lia in a wild hug, and they toppled over together and Silas clunked his head on the ground. Ouch and Sigh.  And then we went off for the first day at school. Which, like I said, went about as well as we could have hoped in the circumstances.

First visit to Parque Luis Alfonso

Parque Luis Alfonso is Managua's big children's park.  It gets its name from a boy who supported the Sandinista revolution in the 1970s and was killed by Somoza's national guard. The park includes several playground areas, different athletic fields and courts, some small rides for children and a splash park. Very nice place.

Silas climbs.

Instead of gravel or mulch, this area has volcanic rock.  Don't trip. (Lia learned the hard way.)

 Best part of our new "Rainbow Park" - the splash park area!

 Soft serve at "Nice Cream" in the park.

 Lia cuts and pastes; Silas joins us in the living room and enters a second stage of his nap time.

The front patio

 Apparently gates are for climbing and jumping off. 

 Close-up of the flowers from the last picture

Lia and Silas's room. They were putting socks on hands and feet to go "scuba diving."