cosas pequeñas, cosas sencillas

Just a week or two ago the weather was much cooler, with a strong breeze blowing in off the lake, and it became necessary to sleep with 2 sheets instead of just 1 at night. Now we are inching back up to the level of sweltering, busting out the hand fan, taking more showers. It is all pleasurable and by no means is this description a complaint. If you know me, you know I'll take sweltering 365 days a year.

Ripe mangos have become available for purchase recently as well, which is definitely a plus because green mangos are SOUR! But apparently there is quite a market for them here as well.

We've started running conversational English classes with a handful of local women, 2 of whom have been teachers for over 12 years which automatically means "me cae super bien", (we get along fabulously) and 2 of whom are studying tourism at the university. They are all very lively and full of smiles. We really enjoy the new connection and if we are lucky they will take us out salsa dancing! And we are further entertained by not only our silly slips of the tongue but theirs, "my grandma has to eat my dog when I am not there".... hmmm... perhaps "feed" was the word you were looking for.

Last weekend we were privy to witness the battling of the two rival cellphone companies here, Claro and Movistar, as both companies put on large concert type events just around the block from each other. We caught the end of the free Claro show who's band played a mixture of cumbia, salsa, and merengue. Then we walked about a block down to the Movistar concert but decided to not pay the entrance fee and instead enjoyed another free concert, drinking beer and looking in through the chain link fence, as the Nicaraguan group Perrozompopo started out with an acoustic guitar and singing show and then picked it up into full Spanish rock. A major highlight of the second show being the digital displays projected onto the facade of a favorite colonial church. Nothing like mixing the old with the new.

Summer school has been extended by a week or two, which means more time to play teacher. It also means I am going to pull my hair out because of the quantity and aggressiveness of the mosquitos at school. Seriously my least favorite living thing ever! The littlest kids have started yelling out "Mateo no se bano" (Mateo didn't bathe!) every time he puts repellant on as surely that's why the skeeters love him so much..... me on the other hand, there is no other explanation than pure sweetness.

We had to hand over out little feline amigas this past week which was definitely sad to say the least. After getting a smack on the hand from the owner, we decided our adventures in raising mousketeers had to come to an end. Good luck gallo pinto, we miss you already!

And basically loving every day and soaking in every little part of this beautiful country we have come to call home.