Frontier Goes to Nicaragua: Day 4

Journey of a lifetime by Trish and Jasmyne

We start our walk to work like every morning. We could fell the moisture in the air from that night's rain. As we arrived to work the group started to prepare the materials to mix concrete for the floor of the learning center. Doug called Trish and I over to begin our journey to buy a latrine. We walked through streets of Pantanal, the community the we are serving. We got the chance to experience new parts of the area that we normally wouldn't go to. Exploring these new parts of the town, we got to see a lifestyle different than that of the people living near the main roads. You could tell that the people were poorer than the people on the main roads. Finally, we got the right tool. Then, when we got back to the work site, we started breaking up the dirt around the main wall to help support the fence. Other volunteers were leveling out the ground to prepare for laying the concrete floor. Then we made our way down to Ramona's for lunch we had rice, beans, and beef. We returned to the hostel we chilled out for a few. Some Amped staff took us out for smoothies. Afterwards, Serina and I left with Jeff to buy and prepare dinner for the group. While we were there we made a salad and cooked chicken with some gallo pinto, a traditional Nicaraguan dish of rice and beans. The rest of us went walking around Granada. We got to visit vendors on the streets to buy jewelry, clothes, and souvenirs. We also walked to the lake we were on yesterday, Lake Nicaragua. Later, we headed to the house to eat the dinner that Jasmyne and Serina had made for us. After dinner, we sat around talking for a while. During dinner Doug and a few other people including myself talked around the table about the people, schools, jobs, and great ideas that everyone had about helping the community. It was great listening to everyone's ideas.

Today we learned so much about the different communities in Pantanal. It was interesting seeing some of the poverty up close. It is a very interesting mix walking through the beautiful towns then next thing you know you're walking on dirt roads with houses made out of tin and wood. It really changes how you think about your life at home, and shows you how people live outside of the life you're accustomed to. It kind of makes you wonder when they see you walking down the streets what do they think of us, and how do they think we live?

Playing with the gringas.

These horses trot by us on the street everyday.

Moving sand and rocks was our main job today.

The project is progressing.

The contractors we work with are incredibly resourceful. We are commonly using homemade or repaired tools. Nothing truly goes to waste when your livelihood is at stake. This bucket is an example.

Quick rest after a shoveling session.

We have delicious lunches at Ramona's everyday. The building is a failed soup kitchen project that turned into a home for Ramona's extended family. Ramona, the matriarch, lives in a small tin hut in the backyard.