Day Six (el 7 de enero de 2009)

Another day of working on the wall, teaching English, and seeing El Saucueño life. Don't ever get addicted to Nicaraguan coffee because the morning you go without it (today) will begin terribly. Today at Pepe's the large plank that me, Megan, and Kris built on Day 4 was integrated into the wall and filled with cement. It is the halfway point to keep the wall balanced. During work Pepe put on a CD of American rap songs, some of which I translated. We also took a ride in the pick-up truck to another part of El Sauce to pick up planks of wood for the next project in Pepe's house, part of the roof. The best part was standing in the back part of the truck while we drove. Unfortunately I got a bad sunburn on the back of my neck and I think it dehydrated my body such that I was like a zombie during lunch and when I returned to work. Pepe noticed how slow I was so instead of working we talked for about an hour and he bought me Traspado (lots of ice with honey). I wasn't aware of it at the time but I was instantly hydrated and energized again. Coming home from work I saw a coffin in a pick up truck with about 100 people following it (including one of the people on Kellan's bball team). I ran into Megan who briefly described how it works and the funeral in El Sauce that took place when the mayor's daughter died. She showed me her house and backyard and adorable dog Esperanza. She also told me that she was expecting a group of volunteers from PregnantCow.com of whom were going to work on a separate 4-Walls program. Ha, beat them to it. In English class, I graded 3 presentations (2 pass and 1 fail) and we role-played with the students. I helped a group form questions for Meredith in an interview and then went to Meredith's group to be interviewed with the questions she helped them form. Then the whole class played competitive pictionary. My stomach feels pressurized, probably due to a piece of chicken I ate during the wood-pick up, and even eating great food at the Hotel Blanco, I need to relax and de-pressurize my stomach. Update: I ended up throwing up all that food at the end of the night (graphic, I know) but somehow I felt instantly better. I had sweet dreams and work up revitalized!! (Photos: Me looking cool [notice the half finished wall in the background], My co-workers looking cool, Megan with Esperanza, and a night shot of a church and mountainside)