Anna Ross's Guest Blog From Nicaragua
As you may know, at MSLO, there is an open invitation for employees to share travels and experiences on my blog and here is one offered by Anna Ross, Assistant Photo and Research Editor.
In November 2011, I visited Megan Vander Wyst, a college friend living in Managua, Nicaragua. She was a volunteer supported by the Capuchin Franciscan Volunteer Corps based in the United States, and for a year and a half she worked with a small non-profit NGO in Nicaragua called CANTERA. Founded in 1988, CANTERA is committed to working with some of the poorest and most marginalized communities in Nicaragua. While living in Nicaragua, Megan taught English and photography courses at the La Soya youth center in the Jorge Dimitrov neighborhood. She also taught photography workshops in nearby urban and rural neighborhoods in preparation for the annual CANTERA photography contest. I had the opportunity to visit the youth center, attend several of Megan’s classes, and help her hang the final photography exhibit at the National Cultural Palace.
We took several day trips and excursions, including a midnight sea turtle expedition with the hostel Casa Oro. We traveled to La Flor Wildlife Reserve to see the massive arrival of the turtles. Every November, 30,000 endangered Olive Ridley turtles arrive on this beach to lay their eggs. Every turtle lays approximately 100 eggs per night, but because of predators, only one turtle from each nest will reach the water once they hatch. And sadly, only one turtle from 1000 eggs will reach adulthood. Nicaragua is a beautiful country with rolling hills, volcanoes, and tiny villages scattered along the ocean. But the beauty of the people impressed me the most. Some of them may not have as much as we do, but they are happy, warm, and welcoming. It was an eye-opening experience that made me better appreciate the opportunities and privileges we have in this country.
1 The main market in the city of Masaya, which is known as 'The Cradle of Nicaraguan Folklore' - This market sells a diverse selection of merchandise, but it is best known for its hammocks and woodcarvings.
2 There were plenty of colorful hand-woven hammocks for sale.
3 One morning, we went to the ChocoMuseo in Granada and took a chocolate making class using organic cacao beans. Making chocolate requires a great deal of time and patience, but is so worth the effort! The first step involves roasting the beans. Approximately 300 beans produce one pound of chocolate.
4 After roasting, the beans are peeled.
5 Then they are ground using a mortar and pestle.
6 We learned how to make three different kinds of hot chocolate: Mayan, Aztec, and Spanish.
7 We also made our own chocolate bars. Megan added peanuts to hers and I added crushed coffee beans to mine.
8 We bought delicious oranges from this vendor in Granada.
9 Mamon chino fruit,also known as rambutan, is native to Malaysia and Indonesia. You peel off the skin and eat the white, translucent flesh inside. But, you must spit out the seed inside because they can be poisonous.
10 It is important to take breaks in the shade, since the heat can be oppressive.
11 Even the shops and cafes are colorful in Nicaragua.
12 Resting in the shade
13 All Nicaraguan school children wear uniforms.
14 We had delicious ice cream from an ice cream shop called Eskimo.
15 Granada sits along a large freshwater lake called Lago de Nicaragua.
16 Megan lived in a neighborhood called Batahola Sur, and this is the view from her front steps.
17 One day we took an excursion to Volcano Telica. This photo was taken in a small village outside the city of Leon where we rented horses for the day.
18 The countryside was beautiful for horseback riding. We rode for 2-½ hours and then hiked for 2 more hours to reach the top of the volcano. Then we had to make the long trip back to Leon, which made for a tiring but worthwhile trip.
19 An interesting seed casing along the trail
20 Here we are taking a break from the hike.
21 Volcano Telica from a distance
22 The inside of the crater - Telica is one of the most active volcanoes in Nicaragua, last erupting in 2008. The sulfur smell is so strong that it became difficult to breathe after 5 minutes of standing near the rim.
23 Here I am capturing the beauty of the crater.
24 Our guide, Anry, found edible berries along the trail called nancite, that tasted bitter and a little sour. Nicaraguans make helados with them, which is a typical Nicaraguan ice cream/frozen treat, made with local fruit. They can also be fermented and turned into wine.
25 La Soya youth center where Megan taught English - Here is an excerpt from CANTERA’s mission statement: to contribute in the creation of a more just, equal and sustainable society by strengthening the identities and capacities of people, both individually and collectively.
26 This is the 2011 photography exhibit that was displayed at the youth center.
27 More photographs from the exhibit - Megan taught photography workshops in all four of the urban cities where CANTERA has youth centers - Jorge Dimitrov, San Judas, Mateare, and Ciudad Sandino - in preparation for the annual photography contest.
28 Megan’s class schedule - She offered basic, intermediate, and advanced English classes. All of the classes were free to anyone who wanted to learn, regardless of age. Her students ranged in age from 13 to 57 years old.
29 The children at the youth center enjoyed posing for photos.
30 Diego lives in the Jorge Dimitrov neighborhood and often spends his afternoons playing soccer at the youth center, since he is still too young to attend school.
31 One of the other volunteers started a community garden in the center’s backyard. They grow tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, corn, chiltoma (a type of pepper), and pineapple.
32 This is pineapple growing in the garden.
33 We took a weekend trip to San Juan del Sur, which is a beach town along the Pacific Ocean.
34 I loved photographing the buildings in San Juan del Sur.
35 A colorful spot to rest
36 Walking home from the market
37 Walking through town
38 Tostones and queso frito (fried plantains and cheese)
39 The beach in San Juan del Sur
40 Here we are on the turtle excursion. It is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had, watching over 500 turtles on the beach laying their eggs at the same time. There were so many that we had to be careful to not step on them in the dark.
41 This is one of the hundreds of turtle nests that were on the beach. We were not allowed to use our camera’s white flash because it disorients the turtles, but we were given red flashlights to find our way around the beach.
42 Megan cutting down a plantain branch
43 Showing off the plantains we cut down with a machete
44 This is a clump of coffee cherries, which turn red when they are ripe and ready to be picked. The seeds of these fruits are what we call, coffee beans, and they need to be processed as soon as they are removed from the tree.
45 Megan washed her laundry by hand using soap and a washboard and hung them on a clothesline to dry. This was one of the many things I witnessed in Nicaragua that made me better appreciate how easy our lives are in the U.S. compared to other parts of the world.
46 Since the volunteers have not grown up with drinking Nicaraguan tap water, they have to use clay filters to purify their drinking water.
47 This is the Cathedral of León, also known as the Real e Insigne Basilica Catedral de León Nicaragua.
48 The view from the top of the cathedral as a storm approached
49 Megan and I hung all of the photographs for the annual CANTERA photography contest in the Palacio Nacional de Cultura, or the National Cultural Palace. The theme for the contest is always based on the environment, and the theme for 2011 was: Nicaragua, Thinking Positivity.
50 The National Cultural Palace - The students could focus on the beauty or the destruction in the environment. Megan helped select 20 finalists and one winner. The gallery opening at the National Palace also included a theater performance and dancing.
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Thanks Anna. That is an interesting place. But, picture #29 is a classic...kids will be kids no matter where you find them.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | August 15th, 2012 at 12:52 am
What a beautiful country! Thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences and great photographs with us. I really enjoy these kinds of guest blogs- when we get a chance to see good people doing good things in the real world.
Posted by: Carla | August 15th, 2012 at 6:48 am
Thank you for this information
Posted by: ann | August 15th, 2012 at 6:57 am
Anna, you have such a gift in capturing beauty with your camera in such ordinary surroundings. pics #'s11 and 13 and 35 are so lovely. What an adventure you had in Nicaragua, you certainly made the most of your trip! How admirable for your friend Megan to spend a year and a half teaching in Nicaragua. I'm sure she came away with memories she will never forget!
Posted by: Cindy F | August 15th, 2012 at 7:00 am
Anna! You are a novelist in your photos, in that they tell a thousand words! Your great adventures have truly shaped who you are! Glad you had this opportunity and can share all your travel stories
Posted by: Nikelle G. | August 15th, 2012 at 8:55 am
Hi Martha, Once again we have the pleasure of seeing a wonderful blog post by one of your delightful employees! Thank you so much for sharing Anna Ross's terrific visit to Nicaragua to see her friend Megan Vander Wyst! Hi Anna, thank you for sharing your awesome blog with all of us who are fans of Martha and all of MSLO! It's easy to tell that you and your friend Megan had a fabulous time being together there in Nicaragua! All of your photos are stunning and your comments are fantastic! I love that you are allowing us to tour so much of that fascinating country! I have never been there before, but now I will add it to one of my great places i was allowed to visit through Martha's fantastic blog! Especially enjoyed seeing the turtle egg laying, you two visiting that volcano, and all of the great people who live there, especially the little kids! Thanks again for sharing this delightful blog and hope you have another great day! Please wish our dear friend Martha to have another great day, too! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | August 15th, 2012 at 10:15 am
I've had the pleasure of working to create brands and branded environments for resort and hospitality projects in Nicaragua since 2007. It is a spectacularly beautiful country, and as the article mentions, the warmth and openness of the Nicaraguan people make the energy of the country very different than others in the area. There is a unique vibration that surrounds you in Nicaragua. Maybe it's the rumble of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Maybe it's the earth itself. It's as if everyone in the country is on the cusp of something new and exciting that's about to happen… so they are waiting. Calmly, and with grace.
Looking forward to going back in January 2013 for the grand opening of my Client's hotel. Everyone should visit soon.
Posted by: Leslie Handshoe-Suter | August 15th, 2012 at 10:31 am
Anna,
Very interesting thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | August 15th, 2012 at 10:40 am
Thanks Anna for your great pictures and comments and also for including an excerpt from the CANTERAS mission statement. I especially liked “strengthening the identities and capacities of people” which is what teachers do and why we need teachers. How great of your friend Megan to volunteer her services to this end. Nicaragua may have many poor communities that would be a shock for any American to see simply because we have so much but people there seem happy just the same. I see it in the eyes of the children who must have very loving parents. Picture #8 made me smile and I thought of Martha when I saw it. If she happened to be in Nicaragua and saw that women peeling fruit with that huge knife, I think she would have given her a quick lesson on using the right tool for the job, and in this case, a smaller knife would have been more appropriate. (Grin.) I was also intrigued with her utilitarian and attractive apron and wondered how many oranges she could carry in those pockets! Thanks again for an interesting blog. Trish
Posted by: Trish | August 15th, 2012 at 11:11 am
Hi, Martha and Anna,
Thank you very much for a fascinating journey! I loved all the color mixes. Yes, I, too, was made to appreciate all that we have in the US.
Martha, the new website look is wonderful! Very attractive and easier to navigate!
Thank you!
Posted by: Bobbie | August 15th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Thank you for sharing your experiences...places I'll likely never see! Enjoy your photography and, especially for sharing it!
Mary Anne
Posted by: Mary Anne Kraus | August 15th, 2012 at 11:36 pm
Very interesting seeing your posting and pics! I just returned from Guatemala for a short term mission trip (8 days) with a group from my church. Very similar countries it seems, at least from observing your pics.
Posted by: Dave W. | August 16th, 2012 at 12:05 am
Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures!!! I'm form Nicaragua and I think they capture the essence of the Nicaraguan people and culture!
Posted by: Marcela | August 16th, 2012 at 1:24 am
My wife was watching you new show today where you revealed your new kitchen. She noticed that you use All-Clad cookware and not your own brand. Shouldn't you be using the Martha Stewart line? Doesn't seem to bode very well for your line of cookware. Rachel Ray and Emeril seem to use their line on their shows.
Posted by: Ed Burk | August 17th, 2012 at 10:26 am
Hello Anna! Imagine my surprise and delight when I opened this months copy of Martha Stewart Living and saw your face. As your elementary school art teacher(along with Mr. Mandli), we recognized your talent from an early age. I am so happy for your success and all that you have accomplished. Just checked out your photos from Nicaragua. Amazing!! Wish you all the best. HOORAY!!! Ann Henkes
Posted by: Ann Henkes | August 27th, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Anna, Amiga,
I am here with Megan in Milwaukee reading and looking at your blog.
Fantastic! Martha is very fortunate to have a young talented photographer such as yourself working in this industry. It would be cool if they would send you and Megan on location to photograph for Martha's blog in cental and south America. As Martha said in her email she has not been to Nicaragua and this would be a great opportunity for an experience of a life time. I wish you all the best and keep up the good work you are doing!
Posted by: Timothy Abler | August 31st, 2012 at 8:54 pm