It's easy to do when you live in a place where you can trudge through a foot of snow to your car and listen to the radio while the defroster works its magic on a 10-degree day, or take a hot shower any time you want. Little things make me or take notice of the conveniences small, large and seemingly huge now every day. Today, there was a funeral for an elderly man who died in the church. My host mother went to the service. A procession of loved ones carried the coffin through the streets and into the sanctuary.
Later, Yacarely told us that if someone dies Ocotal, the mountain community, the people must carry the coffin down the mountain road to El Sauce. Everyone gets buried here, in the cemetery on the edge of town.
Since there's no public transportation and most people in Ocotal walk here or come on horseback, it's the only way to do it. It takes hours.
I am also reminded daily in small ways that I am in "Nicaragua."
It is not often that a woman who has just turned the corner with a bag of purchased items on her head smiles and greets me while holding her dinner by its feet, the rooster looking at me.
In the office today, I looked up and an ox-drawn cart and driver creaked by. Twice.
No comments:
Post a Comment