Hmmm....I've been putting off talking about my trip to Nicaragua because everyone I tell responds by saying "it doesn't sound like you had a good trip". In some respects, I didn't. But the overall goal was achieved and that makes it a success in my eyes...and crazy mind!
The whole purpose of the trip was to spend time with the family and see my relatives and basically have a little reunion back "home" in Nicaragua and to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents. Can you believe it!? I think it's a miracle they didn't kill each other! But despite their differences, it's easy to see now how much they care and love each other. They got married in 1955 and my dad headed to America in search of the "american dream" and better opportunities. My mom stayed behind with a newborn and waited until my dad had saved enough money to bring them both back to America with him. That took about a year. Since then, they had two more kids, lived in two houses, managed to make the payments on blue collar jobs, lived through car accidents and hospitalizations and have two grandkids. There have been a lot of ups and downs over the last 50 years but they've stuck through it...and I am proud of them. They wanted to celebrate this in Nicaragua, surrounded by the original members of the wedding party at the church they got married in way back when. So details went into full spin just a mere month ahead of the anniversary. It was difficult figuring this stuff out when thousands of miles away, working like crazy, looking for a new job AND interviewing, dating very attention-needy men and trying to keep my life from falling apart all together. But you know what? It all worked out really well.
The renewal of vows was at the same church they got married 50 years ago and for the part where they actually exchanged vows again, we were moved from the main alter to the mini alter they knelt before 50 years ago. It was very heartfelt and touching to be there and experience what they had so many years ago. The love was evident. And that made the bad things about the trip so worth it. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't even be here and despite the bickering and the fighting that I would always hear growing up as a kid, it was determined that day that under it all...love existed and that was all that mattered.
But I have to mention the bad...the mosquitos, heat rash and sunburn. Ack! Now I know why I live in foggy SF. There is no or very limited A/C and I can barely stand 75 degree weather. It was 90+ and humid in Nicaragua and I was dying and sweating everyday. Not to mention the mosquitos! OMG, they were eating me alive and ummm, did I forget to mention that I am allergic?! Yea, these bites swell up, get inflammed, itch like mad and I look like some weird pink polka dotted freak. I am not a happy camper!! Add heat rash cuz I am sweating (see 90+ and humid) and a sunburn. Luckily not a major one but seriously, I was out in the sun for like 15 minutes without any sunscreen and *ka-blam*, I'm all pink. *sigh* All a girl wants to do is tan around here!!
So...YES, there were some rocky parts about my vacation (which was almost a month ago...can we say I am behind on blogging!!?) but I had a good time, the parentals were happy, I bonded with my cousin and I left sad and wishing I still had a day or two to do the rest of the things I didn't have time for. I mean, I was even starting to get used to the heat! Can you believe it!? Me...used to heat? It's unheard of!
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