Today was Mother’s Day in the United States. I love Facebook because I am able to see how all my friends & family were able to celebrate it and all the sweet gestures by husbands and kids. My tradition used to be mimosas & breakfast at a not-so-busy restaurant with the family then I would get dropped off to enjoy a massage. It was perfect. I could get the same thing every year and be completely satisfied.
Last year was our first Mother’s Day in Nicaragua and my husband tried to keep this tradition going. Sadly, as the US Mother’s Day is always on a Sunday, it was impossible to find a spa open for my massage. We had to settle on just breakfast and the hope that I’d be able to celebrate more fully on Nicaragua’s Mother’s Day on May 30th.
Kharron’s mom is in town and she’s been wanting to spend the day at our most beautiful beach, Playa Hermosa. We left the house around 9am and were able to score the large palapa with comfy couches. It was a fabulous & surprisingly relaxing day.
Both kids were able to take a nap so we were able to stay longer into the early evening. Azalea boogie boarded for the first time, and even Kharron & I got to play in the waves.
Kharron’s mom did discover that at Playa Hermosa they still do massages on Sundays, so she was able to enjoy her Mother’s Day fully.
I think Mother’s Day is better than my birthday and I feel so lucky not only to get to celebrate it, but that I have such an amazing family to celebrate it with.
When you come for a visit make sure you check out sjdsdirectory.com
My husband & I built this website out of necessity. When we moved here we could not find the stores we were looking for and had no idea the variety of products that could be found in San Juan del Sur.
SJDS Directory includes not only a description of the store, but also hours, products, Facebook & website links, as well as photos and menus.
They say it takes a village and San Juan del Sur Day School is part of ours. This week Titus started going to the same amazing school as his sister, for two days a week. I love how Nicaraguan families live and raise their kids together, its a practice that disperses the responsibility of a family outside of the North American norm of just mom & dad. This allows their children to be cared for by the family members who are not working. Younger siblings help cook and clean, and grandparents grow old and are cared for in the same home they were born in. Even with my envy of these strong family values, I am thankful that my family can afford to send our preschoolers to a formal school where the goals of education, growth, and independence can be nurtured.
On the first day of school for Titus we took the bus from our normal spot by the park. It was fun riding the bus with all the crazy kids and singing “The Wheels on the Bus” as we made our way up the hill to school.
Titus & Azalea were excited about going to the same school together and we made sure Azalea knew that as a big sister she needed to be a good role model and show Titus how to be a good student.
It was hard to leave him the first day, when I said goodbye and walked away I could hear him crying and pleading, “Mama…” I know that this is what is best for him and his growth to independence. I ran the 6km back to my car by the park, which I think I’ll make my weekly routine.
Titus’ wonderful teacher sent me pictures of him throughout the morning enjoying his first day at school.
The second day of his first week I parked at the bottom of the organic farm where the school is located and we road up to school on the bus from there. He was a little more hesitant when we got to school and didn’t want me to put him down. I finally coerced him to the floor by playing with an animal puzzle. As soon as he seemed more comfortable I said goodbye and gave him a kiss. Again, I walked away to the heartbreaking sounds of his cries. Again I had to tell myself that this was what was best for him and reminded myself that on the first day he only cried for a few minutes after I left. I had a nice leisurely walk down to my car and then enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Barrio Cafe with some friends!
Titus had a blast at school the first week. He arrived off the bus very sleepy. I am so glad that San Juan del Sur Day School is part of our tribe. I look forward to watching him grow and now get to participate in all the fun school events.
I wanted to share a fun event we went to on Sunday, Mango Rosa’s first annual Chili Cook Off!
For only C$100 (less than $4) you could sample 9 different delicious chili’s. Each set of cups came with a judging sheet & crackers. My method was to sample half at a time. It was great! One came with corn bread, another with a mini corn tortilla. Each chili had a creative name and was served to you by the chef.
My kids not only enjoyed trying the different types of chili, they also had a blast swimming in the huge
pool, jumping on the trampoline, and playing in the grassy area with corn hole games, tether ball, and soccer.
A local band, Pippy’s Posse played music that my son bobbed his head to all afternoon.
Its events like these that make me so happy that we’ve settled into San Juan del Sur. We have lots of friends and there are always a lot of kids around.
Buttered Side Down
We were exposed to this dilemma for the first time when we stayed with my friend at a surf camp he ran. He was giving us the tour of the camp & rooms and when we got to the bathroom he asked, “You guys do know you need to put your toilet paper in the trash, right?” We both nodded our head yes and I began to feel guilty for the plumbing problem I must have left behind at the hotel we stayed at for our first few nights in Nicaragua. Then he said something I will never forget, “Just make sure you put it buttered side down.”
Now that we’ve lived in Nicaragua for over a year, I can honestly say, putting my soiled toilet paper in the garbage is the norm for me. At every establishment there is always a small trash can next to the toilet just for this purpose. Since we live in a Gringo town, it is usually accompanied by a sign telling you what the bin is there for. On our first trip home I had to correct myself a few times after placing my tissue in the trash. Here we have a house cleaner that works for us 6 days a week. I assume one of the most unpleasant parts of her job is to empty trash daily. This ensures that even on the hottest days, our bathroom doesn’t smell like an outhouse.
“Why,” you might ask, “is this necessary in Nicaragua?” Its my understanding that in Central America they use the cheaper 1/2 inch pipes. When you place a wad into the toilet bowl, especially the amount used to wipe succeeding a defecation, the smaller pipe cannot handle the mass of TP. This coupled with the lack of water pressure, creates an even lesser chance of the tissue making its way all the way down to the septic. The pipes are also sometimes without a significant angle, leaving less gravity to work for you.
Many Gringos refuse to adapt their hygienic practices to Central American plumbing. I would rather not have that uncomfortable conversation with my landlord, so I surrendered and I do my dooty the Nica way. Now used tampons…that’s something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.
