the number 23

I don´t know why, or how, or if it´s just a product of my imagination coupled with the positive energy placed on it, but 23 really is my lucky number. Yesterday was the best day I´ve had in a while.

To start things off, after breakfast with my family, who have assured me that the mountain of sugar of my dreams is good luck (and then made jokes about our mountains of fruit, pan) as Mamatica and I washed the dishes, she told me some of the most wonderful things. She said that my time here had flown by so far, and when I said something about it being the same for all of her previous students, she disagreed. She went on to tell me some of the kindest, sweetest things. Things I needn´t reproduce here, but nonetheless, they were exactly what I needed to hear in terms of my downtrodden mood, feelings of guilt regarding familial matters. She said though, that I felt like her daughter. One of those times when my Spanish just isn´t quite enough to completely communicate how grateful I was for her kind words. Darn it.

Then, in Spanish, felt comfortable with yet one more use of subjunctive. I´m beginning to wonder how idiotic I´ve sounded in the seemingly endless times when I should be using it. Good thing no one really pronounces the ends of their words here, I´m going to try and stop too, that way I can worry a little less about these conjugations. (On a side note, I should have been using the alternative, friendly, informal form, vos, more, apparently it´s all that´s used in Nicaragua. Will be a must in a weeks time.)

Lunch wasn´t exceptional, but the gym (and most certainly the walk to) was also quite fulfilling. My very mancha friend was wearing a white dress, which apparently is even more of a magnet for catcalls, etc. If I had counted, it would have most assuredly, been in the 30s, 40s, the number of guys calling out to her. Most entertaining, a white, shorter semi truck that actually slowly followed as we walked, getting all the more creative with their means of attention getting. I couldn´t contain my laughter.

Music class was cancelled. We learned that our exam was take home. Because of Vanessa´s and my trip next Wednesday, next class was cancelled. I had an empanada for dinner. When I walked into my basement area, host brother was there and had just started Love, Actually. When Papatico walked in, he called me his hija. I got a 45 minute shut eye. Had a wonderful Daquiri and a few beers at Ciros to complete my night. Along with what I can remember as a very deep and intellectual conversation that gently grazed topics like feminism, politics, communism, liberalism, love, and of course the upcoming journey to Nicaragua.

It really was a wonderful day.

Could it possibly be that we are a mere week and a half away from this election? Hoping to try and print out my ballot and vote through facsimile. Fingers are crossed.

An event from 2 days ago that still has me just a bit unnerved. I need to get it out, the negative feelings, so that I don´t dare dwell (more). Reading through a local newspaper, I saw that Jolie was planning on another adoption, potentially. When I verbalized this, a girl in the program, visibly annoyed, expressed her distaste with such a circumstance. Immediately, I jumped on the defensive (psychologically, though physically I remained completely motionless-wordless, for a few seconds, hoping for a good explanation). She went on to say that the kids would not be given a “normal life,” here is where I began to get a little too agitated to control it further. I´m sorry but are they better off as orphans in third world countries? Is it not justified, her, and any other celebrity for that matter, that has the money to pay for the adoption and subsequent care needed for these kids. She countered with some story about her own family that had been unsuccessful at adopting overseas and that it wasn´t “fair” because they would have been able to provide a “normal life.” Again, maintaining as much self control as I could muster, I said, there are plenty, half a million at any given time, children in the U.S. that need families, and upon having a home study done (to ensure the people aren´t crazy), foster care and adoption really isn´t that difficult. It may be unfair that those with the money, the clout, can save these kids from around the world, but there are far too many in our country to be complaining about that. Don´t tell me, a girl who was adopted from foster care, out of inner city Cleveland, that adoption is difficult to achieve. Don´t argue with me that because a celebrity (a knowledgeable, caring, good mother) wants to adopt her 7th child (4th adoption) that it isn´t right. What the hell is wrong with it, even if she doesn´t have the time she says she devotes to her kids, she undoubtedly has some of the best nannies, assistants, money can buy. Regardless if the kids are “normal” (and really, who is?), how in the hell are they better off without families. I frankly don´t care if the UN worker (who, OK, I do admire) uses all of this as a publicity stunt, if it helps that many more kids, leave it alone. My God. People sometimes just astound me.

I feel better now.

San José today. Dancing tonight?

Homecoming weekend. Go Gators.