arrrrriba! abajo! al centro! adentro!

CHEERS Nica-style.  In addition to volunteering, part of the experience is simply enjoying life in Nicaragua.  It is vastly different than life in the US and quite entertaining to say the least.

Por ejemplo (for example):

Singing karaoke might as well be a commercial for Kleenex.  I think it's a requirement that a chosen song must have one of the following words: llorar (to cry), lágrima (tear), perder (to lose), lástima (pity).

at the karaoke bar

Our favorite club is shaped in a pyramid.  Every Thursday, the cover charge is 30 cordobas (~$1.50) for open bar.  It's open until SEVEN am, and it's completely normal to stay out until around 5am.  To top off the night, there are a number of hamburger stands right outside where you can get amazing burgers with bacon for the ride home.  JMU, instead of Jimdels, I think you should meet me at Chaman :)

chaman!

Baseball games are complete chaos.  Including rainshowers of booze on opposing fans, choruses of olé olé olé olé, little kids dressed up as mascots who dance in between innings, the opportunity to buy anything you could ever want... stickers?  noise makers?  coca light (diet coke)?  homemade tortillas?  All carried by kids, over-enthusiastic and insistent men, or women in aprons.  We planned to leave in the 8th inning to beat the crazy crowds, but León (opposing city) hit a grand slam to tie Boer (Managua's team).  The game lasted until the 12th inning when Boer finally won.  And good thing we didn't leave.  We were triple parked.

Boer Indians

gringo fans

We don't have a TV.  So any time we want to watch something, we go to a local restaurant, order a couple sodas to justify sitting there, and watch their cable.  A couple weeks ago, the guys had to watch the college national championship.  During that time, Nicaragua's president - Daniel Ortega - was speaking and cut off every other channel in the country.

It's moments like these you just laugh and say "que vida la nica!"