Finding community in the unlikeliest of places.
So there's a lot that's been happening since the last time I posted and now.
Last Saturday I went to Ganacha on that special workshop I was talking to you about. Ganacha is a sort of artist town and is a cooperative that makes artisanal ceramics and gardens and provides retreats. FUNARTE hosts kids' workshops every Saturday but this Saturday they wanted the kids to get out of the city, explore some nature and show off some of their art. It was also a way for some parents to come along and have some parent-children time together. It was a really nice time out and now I've come to realize the stark differences between being in a city, even if it's small, and outside of it.
I've forgotten to mention the FOOD! La Comida! Well, it's good. Their cheese grilled in a tortilla is my favourite, along with plantain chips and fried and boiled plantain. My host mother makes a delicious vegetable and chicken soup on Sundays. But the best thing is the little bags of snacks that are everywhere on the streets - a small bag that has like 15 cheesesticks, for example, for 2 Cordobas (about 10 cents). For those of you who know how I eat, this is perfect for a snacker like me. There's also some buns I eat every morning that have the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Most buns in Canada and even Hong Kong-type buns are too sweet. These have a hint of cinnamon and the slightest bit of crystallized honey or sugar near the bottom and the rest is a light, fluffy, not-too-buttery bun. So good.
The public buses here are the same models as school buses. The buses come pretty frequently. You can get on in the front or back but sometimes you have to stand during the ride. A ride costs 3 Cordobas. Like a train in the olden days, there are fare collectors who come along during the ride and collect the fare. I love these fare collectors and I would love to make a documentary about them. They are also the ones who hang onto the back door of the bus and see if there is anyone at a particular stop. They whistle to the bus driver at the front if someone wants to get on or off. They are very good at remembering who has paid a fare and who hasn't. They have a really busy and energetic job and they go through these lively streets every day for I don't know how many times a day. But it must not be good for their lungs because the exhaust pipe is right next to them all day.
Taxis are flagged down and shared with others who are going the same way.
Finally, Toronto FC is playing against Estelí. The moment I heard this, I bought a ticket. Up until now, Estelí's football club has not had any money to host or go to any foreign matches. But according to my source, FIFA took a look at Estelí's stadium and said yup, it's big enough, and out of all the football teams in the world, Toronto will be the first foreign team playing here! I am so excited.
Nuances in culture that I notice while I am travelling abroad or while I am immersed in intercultural experiences, which is as often as possible. The URL name is inspired by Esbjörn Svensson Trio's album name, because wherever I am, it's where it is a strange place for snow.
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