Thursday, November 19, 2009

Day 8

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUGH!!!

How did 10 days go by so fast?! One second we're flying into Managua, the next we're getting ready to get up at 3 in the morning. We had a celebratory dinner at the Princess Marina tonight and, when we got back to the hotel, packed like crazy. I got a duffle bag to put all my clothes in for the trip home and I'm using my rolly-thing to carry all the pottery and gifts I got.

Today we did the opposite of what we did on Tuesday. Those who went on the mobile went to the biblioteca and those who went to the biblioteca went on the mobile. I thought the mobile was going to be like a bus but instead, it was two tiny Toyota trucks. We all squished into them and rode to three schools in the hills. We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to all of them. I love that book...

I would like everyone of you to expect something to arrive in the mail in a few days. I got something for each and everyone of you and I hope you are not disappointed!

So long and So Long, Nicaragua!

Sophie

(P.S. I am going to publish one more post and attach my favorite photos of the trip. Stay tuned!)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Day 7

Hi everybody!

I'm up in the hotel room after a long day. First we went and helped out at the Biblioteca. Some of us went on the "Mobile Library" and the rest went to the actual library. The Mobile Library is a library on wheels pretty much. The people on it visit differents schools up the mountain and help kids pick out books and read.

After the library people got off their "shift" we hung out at the hotel and waited for the mobile library to get back. When everybody was back, we went down to the beach(it's like, 3 blocks from the hotel). However, the waters were INFESTED with jellyfish. Little ones. I got stung, wait for it...

ELEVEN TIMES.

They don't hurt too much. They sort of sting for a while and then they numb and then they're fine. I also saw a jellyfish. It was about as big as my hand and pink.

Then we got to go to the Infinity Pools. The Infinity Pools are a type of pool that looks like it's going on forever. They actually stop at a part and the water falls into a little trench at the bottom. There was a fountain there that, if you sat in it, would really really really sting the jellyfish sores. But it was okay if you were in the water. I got a lot of good pictures of the sunset.

I also finished all of my gift shopping. And all of my shopping in general. I can't believe I'll be home in two days.

Love y'all

Sophie

Monday, November 16, 2009

Day 5+6

Hola from San Juan del Sur...

Just ate a VERY delicious dinner in honor of me for sticking out with having meat for every meal. I never ate the meat but I had something different than everybody else and Mrs. Flickinger(the principal)decided that since I hadn't complained they should have an all-veggie meal. 'Twas called Sophie's Supper.

Today we went for an AWESOME hike in the rain forest next to Mambacho Volcano. The volcano is dormant(so it's pretty much sleeping, but it's still active)and we got to tour the cloud forest biome that's near it. We didn't see much wildlife but it was really pretty there and I got a bunch of amazing pictures.

Yesterday we went to the Los Cinchos orphanage for girls and got to meet all the "orphans" there. I put the quotation marks there because, as it turns out, they're not really orphans. They're just girls that lived on the streets with their parents(usually only their mom)and got a chance for a better life. What's another word to describe a child whose parents don't take care of them? There was also a really cute kitten there that I wanted to take home...

I've been noticing that there are a LOT of really skinny dogs and cats roaming the streets. They're strays and in Mexico, it's not part of their culture to feed hungry animals. I've also recognized dogs on the streets. They hang around a particular part of town like it's their territory. Mrs. Tiberio(English teacher)got a Nica cat a few years ago when Jane was just starting out her whole library business. Her cat(Senor Bob)got rescued off the streets and she fell in love with him. What I don't get is that there are so many animals to rescue and nobody is doing that anymore.

Seeya Friday!

Sophie

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Day 3+4

Hi folks...

We just got back from the fiesta we helped with and are getting ready to have dinner on the beach and go salsa dancing! The fiesta was awesome and I helped with face-painting the little kids

Yesterday, we went to the beach for the first time and got to swim. One wave was about 7 feet tall! We also got to go there later at night. One girl, Caroline, got stung by a jelly fish.

If anybody is trying to e-mail me, I'm sorry if I haven't been e-mailing back. We can't get letters, we can only send them. Which I think is totally unfair.

We're going to the orphanage tommorow and get to meet all the kids. The boys go to the boy's orphanage and the girls go to the girls. The guys get to make matchbox cars, play soccer, and make stuff. The girls have to sew. Which I think is totally unfair.

Hasta La Vista and see you later!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Day 1+2

Hi all! Well, here I am in San Juan del Sur! Sorry I haven't posted yet; it took me a while to connect to the internet.

On Wednesday, we had a full day of flying and waiting. We checked into a ritzy hotel in Managua and the next morning we went to the Masaya Volcano National Park. Then we did some shopping in a market in Granada(we had stalkers; they would stand outside the bus window and tap on the glass with their items for sale). After that we ate at the Tip Top Chicken(I'm going to avoid that place with a passion from now on)and then went on a speed boat ride on Lake Nicaragua. There are only two fresh-water sharks left in that lake. Then we went to a church and went up to the bell tower and saw all of Granada. The stairs you climb to get up there were really freaky...

Then we had a 2-hour drive to Jane's hotel and got ready to go to the Turtle Reserve. The ride up there was on a rickety old truck up a pot-holed canyon. One of the teachers, Mr. Wilson, told us that 2 weeks ago, a chupacabra had been seen up the road. After that, every moving branch looked like a chupacabra to us. We got back in the hotel around 1 a.m.(it was a long drive).

That was Day one and Day two of our travels. I'll keep you posted!!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

One More Week!!

The title says it all.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Hi everyone

Hi folks, Molly gave me this idea for a blog to keep in touch with all you guys while I'm in Nicaragua! I'll probably post an entry every night I'm there and I just thought I'd tell you ahead of time.

I'll send everyone the link when I get everything figured out.

Thanks,

Sophie