The title of my one and only blog entry is my meager attempt to convey the essence of this incredible experience in Nicaragua. David and Victoria have done such a great job of keeping you in the loop that there’s not much I would add in the way of specifics; however, I will chime in with some general impressions as we all too quickly approach our departure.
Every day was like a cup runneth over, complete with a “close to the bone” element or two. Revele is the community chorus of roosters that serves as loud alarm clocks every morning (often times much, much earlier than our respective waking-up times)! It certainly felt “close to the bone” to ride in the back of a pick-up truck over bumpy dirt roads to reach one-room schoolhouses in the countryside, as part of the biblioteca movil project. While back in town and working at the library it’s “close to the bone” to look out on the main street through an open door, seeing and hearing the local folk greet the librarians as they walk by the biblioteca, some even stopping to talk and ask questions through the Dutch door that opens onto the main activity room. “Close to the bone” is working in a hot, muggy space with no electricity for hours on end (Jane’s hotel has a generator, but the library does not). “Close to the bone” is translating library policies with the local librarians and witnessing their implementation of some of the policies while you work. “Close to the bone” defines how you feel when a cadre of barefoot children surround you with palm fronds or other items they have made, hoping you’ll be able to give them a few of your cordobas. Close to the bone…the meat is definitely much sweeter.