Farmer-to-Farmer Program: Day 1 - 2 Managua (Nicaragua)

After two delayed flights and a complementary personalized screening by those oh-so-kind Homeland Security folks in Miami, I finally arrived in Managua 20 hours later. The capital of Nicaragua sometimes gets a bad rap for safety, but I didn't really get to test this out. What with the -8 hours of jetlag, most of what I saw was the office or the inside of the hotel room. I did make a mental note that the security guards did patrol with a shotgun or handgun outside the hotel. However, I was told this was not necessary.

The first real day was spent in orientation at the Partners of the Americas office. In addition to the Farmer-to-Farmer program, the organization in Nicaragua has a variety of other development programs and projects, not all related to agriculture. They have a special relationship in particular with Wisconsin (their "Partner"), which explains why there seemed to be so many UW Badgers among the volunteers.

I am lucky to have a Partners Field Officer accompanying me during this assignment. Elisa will be my driver, translator, logistics coordinator, tour guide, and boss... and ok, maybe a little bit my babysitter. I also got to meet the other volunteer, Heath, who will be joining us for the first week. We discussed the proposed agenda, watched some videos we could potentially use in training, and struggled mightily and fruitlessly with the presentations I had prepared beforehand. Frickin' Linux! To be fair, Windows 7 wasn't playing nicely either.

I did get to see a couple of Managua's fiercely air-conditioned shopping malls. Other than the kiosks selling quesillos (creamy, cheesy, oniony things I can't wait to try) and haunting Movistar ringtones (which I had hoped to get away from), the malls could be in the States. Department store gift wrapping is still alive here though, and you can get guanabana (soursop) ice cream. Grabbing some quick bites to eat, the food courts have a dizzying array of options, including traditional Nicaraguan food. Beans, if not in the national dish of gallo pinto (beans and rice cooked separately and then fried together), come in a refried puree but with a dash of sugar. With those addictive forms of chips/crisps (ripe ones thinly sliced, fried, and salted) or tostones (green ones sliced thickly, fried or baked, smashed, and fried again), I've got to say "Yay for plantains!"