On Tuesday, I went out with the Movil in the morning, filming some more video, including an interview with one of the parents. School was out, so the teacher wasn?t there. But after I mentioned to Julio wanting to interview her for the video, we stopped by her house.
She was very articulate, and a strong supporter of the mobile program. When I returned to the library, I filmed some interviews with the kids who used the library. With the exception of one teenager (who Jane calls ?the future mayor of San Juan?) the kids were very shy, and froze up in front of the camera. I hit on the idea of having them read books on camera, and soon pinning on the microphone and reading became an amusing game. I then started slipping in questions about the library and its services. Hopefully I got some usable footage ? we?ll find out when we sit down to log the hours of tape after I return.
The plan was to leave for Managua Tuesday afternoon to do a few more interviews in Managua (including one with Rosa Aguilar, the head of the Nicaraguan library association.) But just as we were leaving, I started to feel queasy, and by dinnertime in Managua I was feeling weak and feverish. We were staying at the house of one of Jane?s friends, since all hotel rooms were booked up for the presidential inauguration, and I took the opportunity to go to bed early. I felt a bit better in the morning. But I soon realized that my case of what I?ll politely call ?Somoza?s Revenge? had not dissipated. So we postponed the interview and my planned sojourn to Leon and another library up north, and I instead spent the day resting, working on Jane?s website, and staring out at the distant lake through the hazy sky of Managua.
Hopefully tomorrow the cramps and associated other symptoms will dissipate and I?ll be able to move on with life. But in the meantime Jane?s friend Susan is proving an incredible host ? I?m very grateful!