The Beauty of This Place

I just don’t want to forget the beauty that I see everyday around me here in Jinotega. Recently, I have found myself waking up and completely taking advantage of the view outside my window. For the first week, it amazed me everytime and now I am just kind of getting used to it all. But I don’t want to forget how lucky I really am for the amazing view.

Explaining with only words can prove to be rather difficult. But just imagine a city sitting in the valley with mountains surrounding every single side. Each direction you look all you see is mountains. On clear days, the blue skies accent the mountains. And on cloudy days, the clouds hang right below the peaks of the mountains and they look closer than ever. Some days it only mists and it seems as though you are walking through the clouds. After all, the city is nicknamed “La Ciudad de las brumas” (the city of mists).

Don’t worry, I am taking tons of pictures, but pictures won’t even do it justice.

I have found myself complaining a lot about the recent weather here. It has rained for about 5 days straight now. All day, everyday. Today, it didn’t rain ALL day, but it rained. Even though the weather has been frustrating and COLD, I want to remember how lucky I am to be in the beautiful mountains of Nicaragua, learning a new language and culture and living life 110% (that’s for you, cousin Ash. Ha.)

This weekend went really well. We did a lot of going out and about. First to Matagalpa for a volleyball tournament. No amazing volleyball, but still fun to go out and see some different parts of the area. And today, Sunday, we went to Lake Apanas, which is really close to the city. It was quiet the adventure. To actually SEE the lake we walked all the way through a field…a flooded field….it was one of those moments that was totally ridiculous that all you could do was laugh. I was laughing the whole 30 minute walk to the lake, but on the walk back I was a bit more frustrated. It was nice to say that we saw the lake, but it really wasn’t anything too amazing. Ha. Oh the adventures of SST…


I will end with a song by John Mayer that pretty much sums up how I feel right now about what I get to see everyday here in Jinotega.

3x5--John Mayer
I'm writing you to
catch you up on places I've been
You held this letter
probably got excited, but there's nothing else inside it
didn't have a camera by my side this time
hopping I would see the world with both my eyes
maybe I will tell you all about it when I'm
in the mood to lose my way with words
Today skies are painted colors of a cowboy's cliche'
And strange how clouds that look like mountains in the sky
are next to mountains anyway
Didn't have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world with both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it when I'm
in the mood to lose my way
but let me say
You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
it brought me back to life
You'll be with me next time I go outside
just no more 3x5's Guess you had to be there
Guess you had to be with me Today I finally overcame
tryin' to fit the world inside a picture frame
Maybe I will tell you all about it when I'm in the mood to
lose my way but let me say
You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
it brought me back to life
You'll be with me next time I go outside
no more 3x5's
just no more 3x5's