sometimes you just can´t leave

the question has come up quite often recently as to why i have spent so much of my time in Nicaragua. of course the easy answer is, "oh it is a beautiful country with much to see and do" and that of course is a true answer but not quite sufficient. a country is more than it´s beautiful lakes, forests, beaches and mountains. we all know this. and a country is more than it´s food and traditions. a country is those and so much more. and what i have found here in Nicaragua is the opportunity to experience the ´so much more.´by visiting and revisiting cities, by discovering little known places with other travelers, through introductions to foods by locals, through inpromptu conversations, and certainly by spending hours with Nicaraguans.

i have been incredibly lucky in my travels to meet so many different types of people from all over the world and have been exposed to so much through them all. but i find myself even more grateful for the people who have opened themselves and their lives to me here in Nicaragua. from the owner of the local internet location who shares thoughts and ideas about life in Nicaragua and asks for help in his comprehension of english literature to the pre-teen girl who had infinite questions about music and films in the US and shared with me her hopes and desires for her life as a ´teenager.´the day to day interactions and the deepening friendships make it easy to stay longer and longer. and these are two examples of unplanned conversations that at least with the owner has become a regular thing. these types of conversations happen quite often and always leave me with a feeling of appreciation for the moment. there are other relationships though, forged on common interests, which have developed into deeper friendships where understanding culture and life circumstance are as important as language. these are the ones i will carry with me in my heart, these are the ones i will remember not for the stories or the content but for the emotional connection that was shared.

and still as my heart and mind hold Nicaragua dear, i know that my time is limited. with still 1 country to discover (El Salvador) and one to cross (Guatemala) before i end my time with more travels in Mexico, my day of departure is looming. in my trip i gave my self 2 weeks per country, knowing full well that in some countries i would want more time and in others less. it has worked out well thus far and i do not regret spending more or less time in any of the countries i have visited.

hmm...for the first time since Mexico, i am sad to leave a country.