1. As I sat in church today, I couldn't help but wonder how your first Sunday in Nicaragua was!! Were the members friendly and welcoming? How many wards are in Managua? How many are you assigned to?
Yes friendly and welcoming, but I can't understand most of them. I don't know the ward numbers. Just that We had about 80 people on Sunday.
2. How are you and Elder Lopez getting along?
3. Since you're in the "big city" do you have a car for traveling? or just walk everywhere? How large of an area do you guys cover?
4. Grandma Vogt has been concerned with the weather there - she is hopeful you have AC! Do you?
5. Do the members feed you dinners or are you on your own for dinners? What sort of things are you eating?
Rice and beans and bananas. That's what it mainly is. But we get fed dinner and lunches. (lunches always by the same person) and we buy breakfasts every morning.
6. What's the thing you liked best about this week?
I think having a baptism was really cool! I got to baptize a member. Ooooh also, I knew this one goat while it was alive, saw it while it was being cut up, and ate it after it was dead. The circle of life.
7. What was the hardest thing about/from this week?
8. Is it just you and Lopez in the apartment (or is there another set of Missionaries with you?) and is your apartment pretty western and comparable to what we'd see here in the states?
9. I know it's your first Pday but what do you have planned for today? Do you do your own laundry? go grocery shopping? Are you at an internet cafe or where do you have internet access to write to us? How long are you allotted to email?
10. What's been your impression of Managua (of the city and the people) this first week in the country?
Hot and humid, very dirty, but so much green. There are plants everywhere.
11. What does it smell like? As a guy who has been in 12 countries, every place has a different smell.
It depends on the house. It smell kinda just dusty and stuff like that, humid, but some places you can really smell their bathrooms.
12. What is something that really stands out about the country? I remember being surprised about all of the eucalyptus trees in Iraq where we lived.
I was really surprised about the humidity. Like wow. It was intense the first day or so. Also just how green it is. But I think the biggest thing is every single house and building has bars, and gates, and fences over their windows, doors, just everything. Some of the walls are sheet metal, others concrete. Just depends. But all the bars, and spikes, and barbed wire on top was the strangest.
13. How are things going with Elder Lopéz? Is he a patient companion? What can you tell us about him? We want to know all about him
It's going okay, but it's difficult. Because he doesn't really understand English, it's hard at times. I don't talk all too much. But I'm learning more every day, and I can hear more every day. So that's good. He is patient, and we have a similar taste in music. Like he likes Metallica, iron maiden, rammstein, and lots of similar stuff. Also tell Ben, they say Turn Down For What a whole lot here..
14. What is the food like? Is there anything you have tried there that you really like that is Nicaraguan?
Nah, just mainly Beans, Rice, and Bananas. That's been about it. There was this one thing, that I'm not sure what it was. But it was kind of a mix between oatmeal, and icecream. But I enjoyed it. Also the soda here is really good. Same types and flavors. But it's better. Not sure if it is better, or it is just in contrast with everything bland here. But there are stores on every corner where people will just buy soda or breakfast or whatever. We have one 3 doors down from us and across the street.
15. How was your first time teaching someone? We're you nervous? Scared? Totally confident?
I had no idea what was going on and the heat puts me to sleep. So I like the night time. Since geographically we are like south of Georgia it gets light here a lot earlier, and dark here around 4:30. So we do most of our teaching at night.
16. Is there anything you would like us to send you? Also, if it is something you can get there in country, we are more than happy to just put more money in your account? We can get most anything here, and I don't think I need anything. We have enough money each 15 days from the mission fund. Thanks though
17. Do you carry pocket sand? You never know when it might come handy ;) So I was thinking about the Swiss army knife and then thought. Hey that's probably what they sent me. So I opened it Saturday and carry that around just in case. But it's really safe here.
18. Are you wishing you had a messenger bag or whatever it is that they are calling it instead of the backpack? I like having the backpack, plus most people around here are using the backpack. But I haven't used the camel back. I just fill my water bottle with the filter.
19. Are you guys on foot all of the time? Do you ever get rides? How are the feet holding up in the hush puppies?Yeah foot most of the time unless going far, then we take the bus or use these almost motorcycle taxis. They hold 6 and are everywhere, but very sketchy. Feet are holding up good, but my shoes are always dirty. There is no place in this country that is not covered in dirt.
Yes friendly and welcoming, but I can't understand most of them. I don't know the ward numbers. Just that We had about 80 people on Sunday.
Fine, but we don't talk all too much. If we have questions we will, but we don't make much small talk.
Nope, walk. And I don't know the area size. Most of the places are really close by, but a couple I've had to travel for a while on foot. I sent more about some transportation in the email to dad.
Nope No AC, like no where does, but most people have fans that you plug in, so I have one. It's nice. Though it's hot and humid here always. It's alright though.
Rice and beans and bananas. That's what it mainly is. But we get fed dinner and lunches. (lunches always by the same person) and we buy breakfasts every morning.
6. What's the thing you liked best about this week?
I think having a baptism was really cool! I got to baptize a member. Ooooh also, I knew this one goat while it was alive, saw it while it was being cut up, and ate it after it was dead. The circle of life.
The heat and humidity, not falling asleep due to it in lessons. And the language.
Just us. I have pics I'll be sending to show you.
No laundry on our own, yes shopping. Internet Cafe. and we only have 1 hour. And we played games at the stake center with other missionaries earlier today.
Hot and humid, very dirty, but so much green. There are plants everywhere.
11. What does it smell like? As a guy who has been in 12 countries, every place has a different smell.
It depends on the house. It smell kinda just dusty and stuff like that, humid, but some places you can really smell their bathrooms.
12. What is something that really stands out about the country? I remember being surprised about all of the eucalyptus trees in Iraq where we lived.
I was really surprised about the humidity. Like wow. It was intense the first day or so. Also just how green it is. But I think the biggest thing is every single house and building has bars, and gates, and fences over their windows, doors, just everything. Some of the walls are sheet metal, others concrete. Just depends. But all the bars, and spikes, and barbed wire on top was the strangest.
13. How are things going with Elder Lopéz? Is he a patient companion? What can you tell us about him? We want to know all about him
It's going okay, but it's difficult. Because he doesn't really understand English, it's hard at times. I don't talk all too much. But I'm learning more every day, and I can hear more every day. So that's good. He is patient, and we have a similar taste in music. Like he likes Metallica, iron maiden, rammstein, and lots of similar stuff. Also tell Ben, they say Turn Down For What a whole lot here..
14. What is the food like? Is there anything you have tried there that you really like that is Nicaraguan?
Nah, just mainly Beans, Rice, and Bananas. That's been about it. There was this one thing, that I'm not sure what it was. But it was kind of a mix between oatmeal, and icecream. But I enjoyed it. Also the soda here is really good. Same types and flavors. But it's better. Not sure if it is better, or it is just in contrast with everything bland here. But there are stores on every corner where people will just buy soda or breakfast or whatever. We have one 3 doors down from us and across the street.
15. How was your first time teaching someone? We're you nervous? Scared? Totally confident?
I had no idea what was going on and the heat puts me to sleep. So I like the night time. Since geographically we are like south of Georgia it gets light here a lot earlier, and dark here around 4:30. So we do most of our teaching at night.
16. Is there anything you would like us to send you? Also, if it is something you can get there in country, we are more than happy to just put more money in your account? We can get most anything here, and I don't think I need anything. We have enough money each 15 days from the mission fund. Thanks though
17. Do you carry pocket sand? You never know when it might come handy ;) So I was thinking about the Swiss army knife and then thought. Hey that's probably what they sent me. So I opened it Saturday and carry that around just in case. But it's really safe here.
18. Are you wishing you had a messenger bag or whatever it is that they are calling it instead of the backpack? I like having the backpack, plus most people around here are using the backpack. But I haven't used the camel back. I just fill my water bottle with the filter.
19. Are you guys on foot all of the time? Do you ever get rides? How are the feet holding up in the hush puppies?Yeah foot most of the time unless going far, then we take the bus or use these almost motorcycle taxis. They hold 6 and are everywhere, but very sketchy. Feet are holding up good, but my shoes are always dirty. There is no place in this country that is not covered in dirt.
