I’ve been here a few weeks now, and I’m happy to say that I’m definitely feeling pretty well adjusted to daily life in Managua. However, I have been mentally keeping a list of the handful of things that I miss a lot about home and will be especially excited to return to come April. They are sort of in order, but I really miss all of it quite a bit (especially #1).
20. Year-round precipitation - the dry season/wet season extremes here are pretty intense.
19. Universal acceptance of credit cards – I have used my card twice since I got here…not exactly racking up the points!
18. A Chase ATM on every corner – getting to the bank is a bi-monthly occurrence and requires a cab ride.
17. Garbage cans – seeing garbage laying all over the streets and grass gets a little depressing after awhile.
16. Addresses – I think I’ve already discussed this one in depth.
15. Quiet between the hours of 6 and 8 am – though the dogs and wood chopper are an interesting alternative to an alarm.
14. Cell phone reception – At home, I rarely receive incoming calls unless I put my phone outside.
13. My bed – Oh pillow-top mattress and down comforter, I miss you.
12. Hot, daily showers – Pretty self-explanatory, and perhaps too much information on the frequency side of things.
11. Running water – Storing up water for a whole day during the three hours it runs at night is a chore.
10. Clean water – Never realized how much I took this one for granted before getting here. We do okay at home with our purifier, but not having clean water is an unfortunate reality for a lot of people here.
9. Semi-reliable public transportation – I will never criticize the CTA again.
8. Sidewalks and Street lights – Now I know why packing guides suggested you bring a flashlight here.
7. Being able to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without worrying that the flush bucket might not be full – Again, self-explanatory.
6. My dishwasher – Since I am pretty useless in the kitchen, I’ve designated myself as the live-in dishwasher, a task that usually takes at least 30 minutes every night.
5. Air conditioning – I know all of you in the Midwest don’t want to hear about it, but it is HOT here and getting worse…and it’s making me grumpy!
4. Not itching perpetually from mosquito bites all over my body – Yeah, there are a lot of mosquitoes here.
3. Language fluency – Not being able to express myself to co-workers and neighbors who only speak Spanish has been extremely frustrating at times, though I like to think I’m learning.
2. Not worrying about mice in your bed, scorpions in your shoes and lizards in your bathroom
1. All of you!
Have a great weekend – and please watch the Marquette game and Super Bowl for me and send updates!
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