After a few initial hiccups (an all-day power outage in an unfriendly, depressing, pitch black, and damp hotel and a very disturbing interaction with an American drug addict) I found an amazing hostel and expatriate community here in Estelí.
Janie, the owner of Café Luz and Hospedaje Luna (Light Café and Moon Hostel), is from England and has a beautiful two-year-old daughter. All proceeds from her hostel and restaurant support sustainable agriculture in the nearby Miraflor reserve. Even though this hostel is more expensive than my first choice, it is SO worth it. In addition to supporting a great cause, I have made fast friends with all the local staff here, who are very kind and supportive. I also meet new people every day from all over the world—lots of Peace Corps volunteers and Europeans. On top of that, I get free organic coffee all day, a hot shower (my first in over two months), and amazing, healthy food (i.e. not fried!).
I’ve also had amazing luck in my interviews this week. I was a little apprehensive because Estelí is a Sandinista stronghold (which is why I chose it), and I wasn’t sure what kind of reception I would receive; however, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Estelianos now have a very positive relationship with North American and European organizations. I wasn’t surprised about a positive European connection—they have NGO’s all over this country—but I am still amazed that Americans are so welcomed here after all the damage that the American-financed Contra forces caused in Estelí during the Sandinista revolution in the late 1970’s-1980’s. Estelí was the hardest hit municipality in the country. There are still bullet holes in the thick concrete walls of some local homes.
It’s only my first week and I have already had several great interviews with three different organizations: the Citizen Participation Directive of City Hall, the Literacy Campaign Office, and the Youth Commission. I have attended several meetings with the Youth Commission, including a forum with the mayoral candidates today, in which students presented their concerns to the candidates and the candidates spoke about how they would address these concerns and signed a pledge. Hopefully these initial meetings will open up further meetings with community members and parents. (This is what I have been promised anyway.) I’ll start my school visits this coming week.
Other than a great living situation and wonderful fortune regarding my fieldwork, I am really enjoying having my own space and having the freedom to walk about safely on my own. The streets here are much cleaner and tamer than Managua, and the horizon is covered with tropical forest and mountains. I feel like I can finally breathe again!
Tomorrow my new friend Sally, who recently graduated from Dartmouth and is taking Spanish classes in preparation to volunteer on an organic farm, and I are going on a guided hike tomorrow in Miraflor. I’m sure I’ll have some incredible pictures to share soon. (I was planning on adding some pictures of Estelí today, but apparently I didn't transfer them onto my flash drive.)
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