Nicaragua, Muslims, and Coffee

By: Kelly

Good lord, this is going to be a mammoth of a post. SO MUCH has happened. So much that I'm going to be forced to cut out details, which is almost as hard for me as it would be to cut limbs off of my own children. Let's provide a general outline of what has happened: I'm planning on going to Nicaragua for three weeks in May, I had an after Ramadan feast with a bunch of Muslims, I got a job, I went sky diving, and I got box seats for the first football game. So, FROM THE TOP!

1. Nicaragua- I joined this club on campus called Recurso that is basically a club devoted to all of the topics I discussed in my laureate paper. It's literally the perfect club for me- they talk about aid, microfinance, developing nations, etc. I really didn't want to join a club that has like 300 people in it and is focused on really general topics like "human rights" because it's too impersonal and I would never be really into it. But Recurso only had about 30 people there so it's a nice little niche. And they do trips to Nicaragua every May for three weeks- it's entirely student-run and paid for and they provide direct aid to the people there by building schools, providing medical supplies (used supplies there spill out of trash cans at the only hospital they have), and teaching people how to brush their teeth. There is a trash heap in the center of the city where lots of people live and make a living by scavenging for useful things they can sell. It's the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. I had to apply in order to go because they only accept 25 people but I think my chances are pretty good. It would be great experience for me and would look great on a resume, especially since I might get a job in microfinance or aid someday. I was so giddy after the first meeting and felt so motivated. It's funny how much I worried about finding my place here when I was still in high school- it finds you, as cheesy as that sounds. Any success I have here has nothing at all to do with me and everything to do with luck and incredible opportunities given to me that aren't deserved.

2. Ramadan dinner- Last week, I made plans to eat with my roommate and some of her friends at this "Ramadan's over, let's feasy" dinner at the dining hall. But I ended up eating with the high school group and was coming back to my dorm to tell Natalie I wasn't going to make it. But as I walked up to the dorm, I saw her standing outside with our friend Matt (the one whose girlfriend is at West Point and who watches musicals with us), and John aka Vegetable Boy, looking very desperate (Natalie, not John). I immediately had to evaluate the situation and make a decision. I wasn't going to leave her with two boys so I told them I'd come along even though I had already eaten. So rather than make her look awkward with two guys, we looked like we were on a double date (which was even more awkward, natürlich). Halfway there, as if we needed to look any weirder, we were intercepted by a wizened old Muslim man with a two foot long flowing beard and traditional Muslim garb. He asked us where the dinner was at so we offered to walk with him there (as if we had a choice). He asked me what I thought of the mosque at Ground Zero controversy and the September 11th Qu'ran burning that a sect of the Westboro Baptist Church (godhatesfags.com) is doing here in Gainesville. I told him my plans on protesting it and he asked for my email address so I could sign a petition to create a law that would make it illegal to burn any book (which in my opinion, would impinge on people's rights). Apparently John, being this extreme libertarian, agreed and proceeded to tell this poor man why he was wrong. Before I continue, let me tell you what my roommate saw John doing earlier that day. She was walking through the hall of our building and saw him crouched on the ground picking his own lock with some weird metal device. She asked him if he was locked out and told him he had a few free lock outs before he had to pay for another key. He said "No, my roommate is in there, I just wanted to see how long it would take me." So now I'm terrified he's going to break into my room. He also got suspended from his middle school for hacking the computer database, so this probably isn't a safe medium. He has knocked on our door a couple of times, and every time he has, I freeze in silence and pretend I'm not here until he goes away. Anyway. Then we had dinner and it wasn't TOO weird, mostly just funny. Matt is a swimmer and is built exactly like our friend Steven.

3. School is really easy so far...I mean, I shouldn't say EASY but school is always the same. After fourteen years of it, you get the hang of it really. I spend so little time thinking about the academic aspect of college and it worries me. Still, I know I study more than most people here so I should be okay...and I do have a really relaxed schedule. Which leads me to my next point.

4. I'm 90% sure I have a job!! When I was at the skydiving place, I got a call from Gator Dining, which is the company who runs most of the food places on campus. I applied for a job online in the first week of school but was positive I wouldn't hear back from them, so I was really happy. I'm supposed to go in on Tuesday with my original birth certificate and social security card and discuss which hours I can work. Most likely, it'll be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays working at a coffee cart. Money is money, so I'm not picky. I also applied for an honors job working in an office on the same days and they want a freshman to do it for pretty much the next four years. They're only hiring one person but if I do get the job, I'll take that one and drop the one I have now. I'm really happy I'll be working regardless because I feel like I waste so much time here and I really want to save money. I want to have a mini goldmine by the time I graduate so I'll be able to go to graduate school or get a nice place to live in, or whatever. Plus I will not feel independent until I am providing for myself, and that drives me crazy.

You know what, I'm going to put sky diving and the game in a separate post. Toodaloo!

Also, I propose we add a segment to every blog listing one thing we miss. This week, I miss Cuban food and music. It's funny because one of the reasons I love my German class so much is because of the little cultural things we learn. I can always identify with them which makes me so happy. Examples: Germans are always early and being on time is considered late. Germans are known for saying, "Hope for the best but expect the worst because then you'll be pleasantly surprised." (Everyone in my class erupted in laughter at this, but I've always thought that way) Germans only ask "How are you?" if they genuinely care. Because if you know the person, they will actually tell you how they are unlike in America, and if you don't they'll think it's weird that you're asking. And that's how it should be I think. Anyway, even though I never associated very much with Latin culture because German culture is the polar opposite in a lot of ways, there are aspects of it that I really miss, like I said. I had good old rice and beans for the first time in ages the other day and it was heaven. And I saw a gangster kid and he ACTUALLY peaked my interest. I guess I couldn't appreciate their swagger as much when I was surrounded by them 24/7 and 99% of them were idiots.

K bye.