Today is Nicaraguan Independence day so we could not work on our project. Instead, we packed our day with cultural excursions. We visited El Coyotepe, a political prison turned tourist attraction, and then Masaya Volcano and markets. After a short rest at Oasis, we braved the crowded streets of Granada in mid-festival on the way to dinner and did some sight-seeing on the walk back.
I talked with Halle, the only one down here not directly associated with Frontier, about her experience so far. I've transcribed part of our conversation here:
Joe: Compared to some of your expectations going in to this trip, what are some of the things that have surprised you or that you didn't expect?
Halle: I've had a lot of fun. I like all the people, they're funny. I was not expecting such hard work! Its very difficult.
Joe: Like, physically?
Halle: Yeah.
Joe:What are some of the images that have really stuck with you over the last 4 days that we've been here?
Halle: Definitely the trash on the street and how poor the communities are. How unsanitary almost everything is.
Joe: So, I've noticed you playing with the children a lot that live next to the work site. Give me one story about what that has been like.
Halle: Well, when they were playing with our phones it was really cool to see the excitement on their faces holding that technology that they've never seen before. We also played games with them like hopscotch and kicked around a ball.
Joe: How about the excursions that we've done? What are some of the things that really stick out?
Halle: The prison was really shocking. Learning about how they were treated as political prisoners.
Joe: Hearing about the history was really cool. What is, like, an image from the prison that really sticks out?
Halle: Definitely imagining people hanging from the hooks and being tortured.
Joe: Lake Nicaragua? Boat tour?
Halle: That was amazing! I thought seeing all of the islands was so cool.
Joe: Going back to the work site and the project that we are working on, building a center for the sole purpose of after school help and programming, what is your impression knowing that in Nicaragua there aren't really that many opportunities like this?
Halle: I mean, I think that they will definitely use the center because they don't do anything otherwise. And I think they want to better themselves. The kids we talked to said they liked school.
Joe: Cool. Anything else?
Halle: Umm...
Joe: Are you excited for the beach house?
Halle: Yeah, that will be nice!
Here are some pics from today!
Myles and Hannah trying a licha spiny fruit for the first time at breakfast.
Molly walking across the walls of El Coyotepe before our tour.
On the first level there are bullet holes everywhere from the most recent regime change about 30 years ago. The horrors that occurred in this structure happened much more recently than many would like to admit.
This is a poor picture but the graffiti on the wall reads "Yo quiero morir" which translates to "I want to die" in English. Scrawled into the wall nearby is a phrase that translates to "Only Christ can save us." Thousands were tortured and killed in these rooms over the span of about 40 years.
At Volcan Masaya.
Masaya is an active volcano. It had an eruption just 3 years ago.
Looking fresh heading out into Granada during the Festival Hipicos, the largest party of the year. Nicaraguan independence day.
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