Leon: my new home for the next 3 weeks

I made it to Leon on Wednesday which was quite the success. I had multiple bus transfers from Esteli and was not as lucky in finding Nicaraguans that wanted to be patient with my level of Spanish. However, one Nica on the bus bought me a coke in that I only had a $20 bill which in America is like trying to pay for a piece of candy with a fifty dollar bill at a baseball game. I showed up to La Isla Foundation and was greeted by Josue and Collin, the director and spanish school coordinator. I was given a tour the of the foundation office/ home and fell in love instantly.

I have come to notice that every house in Nicaragua has the same lay out, a rectangle shape with a court yard in the middle. Making the houses always feel like a home, a community. My accommodation is the dorms that La Isla has for their volunteers and other visitors. Being that it is slow season, I'm the only one volunteering so I have an enormous room and private bath to myself. Tall ceilings, beautiful tile floor and a huge glorious wooden door (I have a thing for doors).

After settling in Collin informed me that we would have to wait for the rain to stop before we went to the community, which is about 45 minutes outside of Leon. A hurricane hit the Atlantic coast on Sunday and the Pacific side was now experiencing the changes in climate, well there ya go the constant rain made more sense now. So since my arrival the rain has not stopped. However, I have spent my days taking full advantage of the rain and cooler temperatures. Workouts in the morning, Spanish class, studying Spanish with multiple cups of coffee, baking, reading, blogging, watching Dexter and skypeing Berlin, Thailand, Canada and of course home. I'm one content little speck in the world right now. I'm truly and fully loving the change of pace and the fact I can somewhat unpack my bag.