When I left Nicaragua almost 4 years ago, I made a promise to come back. As excited as I felt to return to the USA and see my family and enjoy state side amenities, it broke my heart to leave
Momotombo and saying good-bye was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. So I promised to myself and to my dear friends, colleagues and neighbors that I would come back to visit. I explained I didn't know for sure when I would come back, but I joked with Margarita and my adopted family that by the time the tiny mango tree they had just planted in the yard had the first fruit, I would be back. They never forgot this promise and neither did I. Although I was not able to contact Margarita or any of her daughters - she laughed when I showed up at her house by surprise one afternoon. "I've been expecting you!" she says. And she leads me into the back patio where the mango tree is 12 feet tall and has just flowered for the first time. This year it will produce the first fruits, and Margarita announces she knew she would be seeing this year.
Elsa and Humberto had some idea I was coming to visit. I had been able to reach another neighbor by phone and asked her to let them know the day I would be visiting. After four years, Elsa has not forgotten my favorite food and her delicious Nicaraguan soup is hot and waiting for me when I arrive. Sitting out on the patio, sipping soup, and chatting with the family in the house where I lived for 3 months I can imagine that no time at all has passed. The friendship feels strong, we re-connect immediately and I feel right back at home. It is not until the "babies" from next door come over to say hello that I realize how long it has been since I was last here! I meet Michelle when she was an infant, and now she shyly introduces herself as a 1st grader. I feel shocked and a mix of sadness to see how big she is, and the feeling is repeated every time I see one of my students or a "baby." Michelle is not the baby anymore - in fact she is a big sister to a little 2 year old now!
And on the subject of babies - while the little ones I had known had grown up over the past years, there were lots of new babies to meet!
Kaylin's little boy is 4 years old and I met him at the
pre-school.
Heydey introduced me to her little one year old who is already more of a little girl then a baby.
Sandra's
pre-school room is filled with new faces, but the room and her enthusiasm for her students is unchanged. Her little boy, Wilson, was born just after I moved to
Momotombo. He came over to me at the school and said hello. I thought, what an outgoing boy! But I did not even recognize him until Sandra asked me if I knew who he was. I had a sudden flash of
homesickness and imagined seeing Tucker and not being able to recognize him because he got so big while I was away!
Another peace corps volunteer working with an
Americorp project helped organize some gifts for the
pre-
schoolers in
Momotombo. School children in the USA put together small knapsacks with toys and
toothbrushes and stickers and pencils. I was happy to provide
transportation for these packs lovingly made by kids here in the USA and the Nicaraguan kids were thrilled at the gift.
Fatima is my friend in
Momotombo that I have kept in touch with the most. She has a reliable phone and when her number changed she called me to let me know the new number. She just spoiled me and Kathryn when we went to visit her. The three of us girls chatted in the main room while Arlington (her brother and house helper) made us fresh cold
Pitahya juice. After we finished she suggested we walk to the beach and take pictures and then come back when Arlington finished making our lunch. I eagerly agreed - and also wondered out loud if Arlington would like to come live with me and prepare my meals? Fatima laughed and refused to us kidnap her brother.
Sure enough, Arlington had lunch waiting for us when we got back from our walk. We were impressed by the food and we were practically being waited on hand and foot! I was tempted to just stay and live with Fatima if I couldn't take Arlington home with me :)
Posing for pictures on the shore of Lake Managua. The water was higher then I had ever seen it before and some of the bars and
ranchitos had been washed away. Fatima and I posed for the
classic photo in front of Volcano
Momotombo. On a side note - some of you may remember that I had to walk done to the beach any time I wanted to use my cell phone in
Momotombo. Well now there is a new tower and there is cell signal all over the town! Everyone has cell phones, however, no one has the money to put minutes on their phones!
We couldn't pass up the photo op on the highway turn off towards
Momotombo the ruins of Leon
Viejo. It was so wonderful to go back to
Momotombo. In fact, it was even better than I hoped for or expected in many ways. I didn't make any promises, such as "I'll be back once the
mangoes are as big as softballs!" However, I hope and I plan to return to visit again in less then 4 years this time!
When I left Nicaragua almost 4 years ago, I made a promise to come back. As excited as I felt to return to the USA and see my family and enjoy state side amenities, it broke my heart to leave Momotombo and saying good-bye was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. So I promised to myself and to my dear friends, colleagues and neighbors that I would come back to visit. I explained I didn't know for sure when I would come back, but I joked with Margarita and my adopted family that by the time the tiny mango tree they had just planted in the yard had the first fruit, I would be back. They never forgot this promise and neither did I. Although I was not able to contact Margarita or any of her daughters - she laughed when I showed up at her house by surprise one afternoon. "I've been expecting you!" she says. And she leads me into the back patio where the mango tree is 12 feet tall and has just flowered for the first time. This year it will produce the first fruits, and Margarita announces she knew she would be seeing this year. 
Elsa and Humberto had some idea I was coming to visit. I had been able to reach another neighbor by phone and asked her to let them know the day I would be visiting. After four years, Elsa has not forgotten my favorite food and her delicious Nicaraguan soup is hot and waiting for me when I arrive. Sitting out on the patio, sipping soup, and chatting with the family in the house where I lived for 3 months I can imagine that no time at all has passed. The friendship feels strong, we re-connect immediately and I feel right back at home. It is not until the "babies" from next door come over to say hello that I realize how long it has been since I was last here! I meet Michelle when she was an infant, and now she shyly introduces herself as a 1st grader. I feel shocked and a mix of sadness to see how big she is, and the feeling is repeated every time I see one of my students or a "baby." Michelle is not the baby anymore - in fact she is a big sister to a little 2 year old now!
And on the subject of babies - while the little ones I had known had grown up over the past years, there were lots of new babies to meet! Kaylin's little boy is 4 years old and I met him at the pre-school. Heydey introduced me to her little one year old who is already more of a little girl then a baby.
Sandra's pre-school room is filled with new faces, but the room and her enthusiasm for her students is unchanged. Her little boy, Wilson, was born just after I moved to Momotombo. He came over to me at the school and said hello. I thought, what an outgoing boy! But I did not even recognize him until Sandra asked me if I knew who he was. I had a sudden flash of homesickness and imagined seeing Tucker and not being able to recognize him because he got so big while I was away!
Another peace corps volunteer working with an Americorp project helped organize some gifts for the pre-schoolers in Momotombo. School children in the USA put together small knapsacks with toys and toothbrushes and stickers and pencils. I was happy to provide transportation for these packs lovingly made by kids here in the USA and the Nicaraguan kids were thrilled at the gift.
Fatima is my friend in Momotombo that I have kept in touch with the most. She has a reliable phone and when her number changed she called me to let me know the new number. She just spoiled me and Kathryn when we went to visit her. The three of us girls chatted in the main room while Arlington (her brother and house helper) made us fresh cold Pitahya juice. After we finished she suggested we walk to the beach and take pictures and then come back when Arlington finished making our lunch. I eagerly agreed - and also wondered out loud if Arlington would like to come live with me and prepare my meals? Fatima laughed and refused to us kidnap her brother.
Sure enough, Arlington had lunch waiting for us when we got back from our walk. We were impressed by the food and we were practically being waited on hand and foot! I was tempted to just stay and live with Fatima if I couldn't take Arlington home with me :)
Posing for pictures on the shore of Lake Managua. The water was higher then I had ever seen it before and some of the bars and ranchitos had been washed away. Fatima and I posed for the classic photo in front of Volcano Momotombo. On a side note - some of you may remember that I had to walk done to the beach any time I wanted to use my cell phone in Momotombo. Well now there is a new tower and there is cell signal all over the town! Everyone has cell phones, however, no one has the money to put minutes on their phones! 
We couldn't pass up the photo op on the highway turn off towards Momotombo the ruins of Leon Viejo. It was so wonderful to go back to Momotombo. In fact, it was even better than I hoped for or expected in many ways. I didn't make any promises, such as "I'll be back once the mangoes are as big as softballs!" However, I hope and I plan to return to visit again in less then 4 years this time!
