El Limon

Yesterday I spent my first night with my host family in El Limon, a rural community about an hours bus ride from Tola, a pretty small city in south western Nicaragua. I had my head out the bus window the whole time, taking in the scenery- mountains, pastures, massive cows who meander along side the road and into the road at times (necesitating a lot of honking by the cars), pigs (large and small), beautiful fruit trees (mangos!) and dogs.
My host family is wonderful and I immediately got the chance to meet the extended family, because yesterday was Father's Day in Nic., and so we went to the grandparents' house for dinner. We only had to walk about 3 minutes along a dirt path away from the road to arrive at the grandparents' house. They have tons of animals, lots of them babies because its early summer, and I saw the tiniest chicks and cats I've ever seen. I also saw monkeys, tons of monkeys, scampering in the trees overhead, emitting these deep grunts that made me laugh. When the monkeys are extra noisy, it means it will rain. And it sure did- the most serious downpour I've ever experienced. And in a house with a tin roof, the sounds is deafening.
I'm in Tola right now, at the FSD office, and although I have a lot more to say, I should go. But here is the address to write me by snail mail:

Oficina de FSD, Jocelyn Wagman
del calvarrio una cuadra al oeste
Tola, Nicaragua.

More soon!