Happy New Year
If I do say so myself, this has been a wonderful start to the new year. To think that one year ago today I was in San Francisco, about to start a new job at Lieff, not even able to conceptualize a long-term travel adventure. And now, here I am in Granada, Nicaragua — we successfully navigated two bus rides without incident, found a beautiful cheap hostel, and had two conversations (not that halting at all) with Nicaraguans on the way. We’ve come quite a long way since stepping off the plane in Cancun all wide-eyed and completely freaked-out.
We spent a good deal of new years eve on the steps to the largest cathedral in Central America (in Leon), watching the night unfold for the countless young Leonesian families that frolicked together in the central square. Seven-year-old boys rode the lion sculpture to our left, a three-year-old girl to our right was treated to cotton candy, which, of course, enthralled her. “Algodone! Algodone!” (“Cotton! Cotton!”) she cried, her face all pink and sticky.
After dinner, we wandered the streets, crowded with revelers, and stopped into a few different bars to toast to the New Year. We decided to stop by our hostel for a bathroom break around 11:30 and immediately got sucked in to celebrate. A few hostel mates and the family that runs the place were clustered around a stack of cohetes (fireworks) on the sidewalk — and soon, so were we.
As soon as we sat down, the matriarch of the hostel leaned over to Sarah and me and informed us that the old man (“viejcito”) in the room next to ours was dying. “Surely you must know by now…” Now, Nicaraguan Spanish is nearly incomprehensible to me now that I’ve finally become accustomed to slow, clear, Guatemalan Spanish. In Nicaragua, they pronounce neither “s” or “d” sounds, preferring to slightly aspirate an “h” instead; they also frequently swap the “ie” dipthong for the simpler “e”, which doesn’t make understanding verb conjugations much easier. “El vehito ehta murendo…” However, I was pretty sure I knew exactly what words she was using. Unfortunately, in this case, understanding the words did me little good. Why would an old man be dying next door? Why would she tell us, her guests, on New Year’s Eve? I laughed nervously, thinking that the old man that she spoke of must be the year 2006, like those silly political cartoons with the old man year being replaced by the baby. I remained vaguely concerned after I said, “oh, you mean the old year…” and she replied “no, the old man.” I hoped that this was one of those lost-in-translation moments.
We settled down with the cohetes and had a load of fun throwing them in front of cars and scaring ourselves when they exploded. Sarah screamed each time. In between screams, I noticed that she was whispering with the mother, laughing often so that I knew she might be understanding their conversation. After exhausting our supply of fireworks (and watching one particularly short-fused cohete explode a foot away from the youngest daughter), we said our goodnights. Sarah, having successfully navigated a whispered conversation in Spanish, whispered to me that the talk about the old man was a trick on the youngest daughter, who was visibly concerned about the dying old man. The mother and two daughters solemnly approached the door behind which there (supposedly) lay a dying old man. When they reached the door, the youngest daughter paused and crossed herself before entering… only to find an empty room. She was duly laughed at by her (older and wiser) family members. We both felt a little bad for her.
So, that’s how the New Year was rung in — with big bangs, mean pranks, and of course, some really watery Nicaraguan beer. It was perfect.
Happy New Year,
-Megan (with help from Sarah)
Tags: Central America, Fireworks, Leon, New Years, Nicaragua, Travel
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I’m thinking that the mean prank didn’t really happen but rather, it is YOUR prank on your mother, getting her back after all these years for knocking on the kitchen table and telling you your coach was at the front door. I remember not being able to stop laughing, only because you competely “fell” for the trick…only to suddenly feel utterly cruel because you DID fall the trick and it devastated you. Thinking you hadn’t made the All Stars Team…which you did and STILL maintain the record of the only girl who played All Stars Baseball!!! Did I ever tell you I was sorry? Not that you made the team, but for making you doubt yourself? It’s your birthdy eve and I am missing you..and loving you..and remembering all the things I could have done better.
I wish I was in Granada. If there is a special place you would like to stay, I will make arrangements for you and Sarah and know that you are celebrating the way you want. I love you both and wish you not only a very special 25 birthday but an incredible new year as well.
love,
mom
Happy New Year, for sure. I’m proud of you both. You’re living your dreams and having a bit of life we are all envious of.
You are great young women, and strong spirits!
Megan, your Mom is right on. I wish I was in Grenada too.
Sarah, I’ll speak first for the Kavanagh-Schneider village… we all wish you the happiest 2007 possible.
Here in the US, we are proud of a woman taking the Speaker’s chair today. It’s a bit of stagecraft, but real all the same. Mazel Tov!
We will hopefully have some more personal milestones to talk about, soon… Meanwhile, congratulations for the great happiness you are revelling in in Nicaragua!
Love,
Dad
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear conjugator, Happy Birthday to you.
I enjoyed being a part of your first quarter of a century and am looking toward the next 25 years of surprises as well.
Tomorrow, I am off to Olympia to look for a house so enjoy your special day and we’ll get in touch next week.
Love DAD
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!!!!
Here’s hoping that you both have a wonderful celebration of the amazing fact of you. I know that we’re certainly glad that you were born! -Lool & Ceej
Little Megan. Happy Happy b-day. As you reflect on your 25 years, wow, you have a whole trunkful of memories already. I still remember waiting for you to be born. I polished your mom’s toenails and waited and waited. Then came a snow storm. I had a small emotional meltdown and left Seattle to come home. Of course you were born that afternoon. Well worth the wait, I might add. Celebrate your good fortune, your lovely life and all the people who love you — including yours truly.
Aunt Connie
Happy Birthday Megan!
All the best to you on reaching the quarter century mark! It’s been great to be a part of the last few of those years with you and Sarah. Here’s to many more happy returns and happy trails followed.
Love and Good Wishes,
Bill
Happy Birthday Megan!!!
I hope you have a great day. It’s been amazing to hear about all your adventures–burning trash and scorpions and all (now I will never go to Atitlan because I am too scared).
I’ll be seeing you in Bolivia! (There aren’t scary spiders or scorpions there.)
Love,
Alison
Cumpleaños felices!
25 is gettin up there big sis, I wish I could be there to celebrate with ya, but instead I have to read about turn of the century Cairo. Maybe you shoulda traveled to Cairo, then I could visit you and call it a field trip. I guess I could call visiting you in Nicaragua a field trip too since I DO go to Evergreen…
You’re lucky you got a lil bro that loves ya and doesn’t trick you, unlike some other family member I know. Hopefully Sarah will take you out to a nice place that is devoid of watery Nicaraguan beer, and is full of decent NW beer.
Love ya, and hope you’re havin a fun/safe/cool/rad birthday.
-Austen
Megan:nrnrJust had dinner with your mom who misses you so much and is so excited for all your travels – so am I!! nrGlad to be able to travel with you posthumously (sp) and wish you both godspeed in you journeys. nrLooking forward to many new adventuresnrnrHappy Birthday!!SM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY… I know that the date stamped says the 8th. I GOT CONFUSED! Sarah’s the 8th and I translated Megan to January 8th in my mind. Oh well, My Bad!!! birthdays should last entire weeks (will that work as excuse)? Anyway, 25 is really a milestone, and what a better place to turn 25 than in the middle of an adventure? I’m going to turn twice that in a few years… maybe I should be sure to be somewhere fabulous and adventurey…. YES! A plan. Inspired by the fifty years between you (as Sarah’s actually in her 25th year and you, Megan, are in your 26th). Bill turns 50 in … a couple of months. Book a ticket now, Bill!!!
Lots of Love to Megan of the Quarter Century,
becca
Dear Megan — Happy, happy, second day after your birthday! And many little licks from Loki on your chin and nose. She didn’t forget — she just couldn’t quite get the message through to her typist, who was off in Providence playing “find the treasure” with Becca in the antique barn ultamatum that sits right next to a little restaurant where you can sit and watch ducks and Canada geese and a waterfall and eat the best clam chowder in New England. What fun!! But now I’m home and I did get my Loki smooch this morning. She batted around a tinfoil ball, took one flying leap at Nellie and got royally hissed at, and is now sleeping it off in a basket I fixed for her under the oil tank in the basement. Her two favorite spots are behind the bookcase in the upstairs back bedroom and under the oil tank in the basement. Go figger. I loved your stories about the walk through the dump and the dead man behind the door. Seems to me that you are quite advanced in your Spanish, to be dealing with jokesters and pranksters. I have a candle (belated) burning for you today, Megan darlin’ — happy unbirthday toooooo youuuuuu.
Pat (AKA G’ma)
Darling Dumplings, Xela says hullo right back. Today I made bread, and as you will shortly see on my blog, also attempted to make pasta but was waylaid by the bugs, yes BUGS, and LARVAE, in my pasta. GROSS. Not as gross as walking through piles of trash, however. Also, according to Olga, I am a gordita (and have fat cheeks) and also, shirley gives me lots of grief about you know what, and…well lots of things. Love to you both!zil