Estoy Enferma

I'm here, in the capitol for the weekend under medical observation for an upper respiratory infection. The med office wants to keep me here to be under observation through Monday to see if I get better and get the medicine to work without the other irritants, such as fire ash, from my site to worsen my system. I've gotten a chance to hang out with a lot of the volunteers in the capital who are giving charlas, leaving town, on other official business, or sick for various reasons--it's been really great!

It's amazing just how different the capital is from my training site. I'm two weeks in, and coming to the capital with malls, paved roads, no chickens running around on the street, more stable internet, air conditioning, etc...has been one huge reverse culture shock in itself. Things are a LOT more expensive here too, in all aspects--food, shampoo, groceries, etc.

Hmmm...what else has changed since I've been to Nicaragua? I go to bed at 9 or 10PM and wake up at 5:45AM, and start my day. I'd rather sleep in, but it's pretty impossible with the commotion in my training site just with the roosters, kids getting ready for school in the morning, people cooking with firewood, and me wanting to take advantage of the coolest time of the day to workout. We've had some rain in the past week, mostly at night, and it's been a LOT cooler than it was when our group arrived (keep in mind this doesn't mean it's actually cool though).

The bus strike ended last weekend and briefed by the security officer that we're now off standfast. There's been talks here in Managua that the strike may start up again this upcoming week. It's literally debilitating because people from small pueblos can't get to the bigger cities like our department capital of Masaya to get veggies or other needed supplies. President Ortega has subsidized the price of gasoline at $72 a barrel for public transport and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the autobuses will keep running.