5th week Nicaragua

Geplaatst op 29 mei 2018 om 05:51 uur

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This is the second last story that I will be posting online. There should’ve been about 4 or 5 more to go, but since we decided to leave Nicaragua on Thursday there won’t be much more to tell except for the pictures that I will upload. Let me explain how things changed so quickly.

Last week I was talking about how Granada feels like this bubble, right? Well that hasn’t change a whole lot. Whatever happens in Granada is out of sight of the tourists, because who would want to ruin their own chance of earning money (like that’s not what they’ve already been doing…)? For example, when I went to Subway for a sandwich and there was nobody there, the staff was watching a governmental dialogue, which as soon as I walked in was switched off. It’s crazy how people think that all this could go past us.

So during the day, not so much happens. During the night though, it’s not that nice. People are so afraid of getting robbed they aggressively protect their stores with baseball bats and bandanas in front of their faces. Also, at night is the time when the people from opposite political views (in favour or against the president) see the opportunity to show what they think of each other. On Friday night, I woke up twice because of the sounds of guns and firework guns banging. Believe me; when you wake up, thinking you heard thunder and then realize that there is none, not very nice. So I was glad that we left to the coast right the next morning.

The decision of leaving might just be the hardest I have ever had to make. I love the kids from education plus, they have taught me so much I can’t even describe. Their little hearts are so filled with love and happiness, I feel that no one I have ever met in my own country could ever compare. And look what they have… They live in a house made from corrugated sheets, bedsprings and other sorts of plastic they can find. Inside there is no floor, just dirt and they live there with their entire families. Their clothes are often dirty or ripped, yet every single day when the little 3/4-year olds enter the classroom, these priceless smiles come up yelling: “look at my shirt, look at my shirt! I got superman!” And when you reply to them, saying you really like that shirt, they just glow… 

You might think, well she might not be able to leave Granada because of safety reasons, but why not stay in Granada and work with the kids? Well let me explain. On the day we arrived in Nicaragua, this revolution started. Everyday since, I had to nervously wait for the latest news. Every hour there was a possibility that the situation would get worse. Every minute I had to be sharp and cautious in case anything were to happen. When you pass through Nicaragua for one week in a six-month backpacking trip that is very doable. But after five weeks of this, I was exhausted. My head was full, I couldn’t get a good night sleep and it got to a point where I almost couldn’t bring it up to give the kids the attention that they need. And that is something they do not deserve.

The situation is not changing, the president is not giving the people what they want, and tourism here has reached rock bottom which means that this country’s economy is pretty much done with. People protest and block roads but there is not a single response from the government as a result of that. Chances are that Nicaragua will go into civil war like it happened in the last revolution, and I do not want to wait around for four more weeks to let this happen while I’m here.

It honestly makes me very sad that it had to be this way. Nicaragua is so beautiful, and we barely got to experience any of it. I really hope I can come back one day. Currently we are spending our last few days at the coast in San Juan del Sur. This is more peaceful then Granada right now and it’s a nice place to be. Yesterday we went fishing out at sea. We caught four big “Mahi Mahi” fish and we actually got to take them with us, so we went to a little seafood restaurant where they cooked them for us. It was the best fish I ever ate, and I caught it myself!

Today we went horseback riding along the beach. It was so great, I think on a horse is definitely the best way to really see a country from up close. Tomorrow I might go for my first ever surfing lessons. San Juan is a major surfing town so it is almost offensive to come here and not give it a shot, so I'm guessing why not. Curious to see how it will work out. After that we still have part of Wednesday here, but end of the afternoon we will be heading towards Managua. Our flight is on Thursday, but to make sure we won’t be missing it because of roadblocks, protests or riots we’re going extremely early and are spending the night in a hotel that is walking distance from the airport. I hope the weather will stay as nice in the Netherlands as it has been, because I don’t know if I’m ready for anything below 25 degrees…

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