08.29.08
Papers sorted…eventually!
Hi all
I arrived a week ago now and have been hanging around in Managua trying to get all my papers in order for residency status. My wee Nicaraguan lawyer from CEPAD (the protestant churches development agency), Blanca has been great and guided me through the process of getting translations from English into Spanish, legalising everything and form filling etc. It has taken a while, but all the papers are in now and hopefully in a month´s time I can pick up my residency card! I feel relieved and at peace that I have completed the first hurdle in this process! It has involved a fair bit of waiting around, but you need to get used to that in Nicaragua! God is making me more patient through the circumstances of Nicaraguan life! This week has been good though, since I last wrote, on Sunday I went to the First Baptist Church in Managua, where Rev Dr Gustavo Parajon is the minister, they have a great choir who break the sound barrier with acoustics to kill for! Their architects did a better job than those at Christ the King on the sound front! Gustavo is my link person here and he has been great in his support and help, he´s not a bad preacher either! On Monday I went to the book launch of Fernando Cardenal´s autobiography (he is the brother of Ernesto and one of the priests in the sandinista government of the 80s), lots of famous Nicas who I have read about and listened to their music were there, for those not au fait with Nica celebs I won´t bore you with details, if you are interested email me personally! On Tuesday I went to a study day on the present political situation with a talk by Nicho the mayor of Managua who is a sandinista dissident in that he has fallen out with the president, Daniel. He struck me as sincere, I warmed to him and although the session went on for about 3 hours in total, all in Spanish, it nearly gave me a sore head, I felt I have a much better grasp of Nicaraguan politics now. The last couple of days have involved paperwork and going to immigration and getting things translated, but I have had time to read some of Fernando´s book and the local papers which are excellent for my Spanish! The simple joy of being able to read a newspaper in another language is an underestimated delight in my opinion! I can´t get a flight back to Bluefields till Monday as all flights are full tomorrow! Never mind there are a couple of concerts worth seeing and a fiesta in the local barrio, so it could be worse! The concert tonight is a nicaraguan rock band and tomorrow there is a concert of choirs and sunday the event in the barrio! It has been a quick week, but it has given me space to reaclimatise(?) to Nicaragua and Spanish. I am well and looking forward to returning to Bluefields and Kukra Hill on Monday, but for now I´m in Managua so I might as well enjoy myself! Or sample the local musical culture! Go well all my lovely family, friends and fellow bloggers, love Stu x
Gonzalo said,
August 30, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Hola Stu, me alegro de saber que has llegado bien. Yo aún estoy en España… Mira esto: http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/08/30/internacional/1220065762.html. Me he acordado de tí al leerlo. Un abrazo,
Gonzalo
jane floyd jamie and rebecca said,
August 31, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Hi Stuart
Glad you are back safe and well
Will email you soon as gots lots to update you on
Thinking of you
Love
Jane Floyd Jamie and Rebecca
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Duncanario said,
August 31, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Estuardo,
No baby yet. Rangers just beat us 4-2 (4 defensive errors) so in mourning slightly. Even the holy goalie was lost. Glad you got back safely. As for your attempted extortion for the name of the indian restaurant for your own benefit well, i mean, that’s got to be a sin and another few years in purgatory for you.
hasta la tratoria siempre
Duncanario
Yoseph said,
September 1, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Hello Stu.
Enjoyed reading your blog once again – from the tip of Africa! Congratulation on becoming Resident of Nicaragua.
I am back at work in Cape town and will be seeing Mpine and family in about two weeks!
Otherwise, just getting on along well and ofcourse missing church family at Kents Hill and our mutual Gonzalo! (I will try to read the Spanish link he sent -been feeling inspired to study further).
Blessings.
Yoseph
James Evans said,
September 2, 2008 at 9:25 am
Hi Stuart!
This is the first opportunity I’ve had really to log on to your blog since your departure: but am delighted (and relieved) to know you’re doing well and that your residency status is going through ok. Sounds as if you’re also managing to fill your time fruitfully – I can see you becoming “Che Stuart” in a few months time…. still it’s good to know the lay of the land: socially, religiously and politically.
Have just got back from a week’s break. The hotel is still going well as now have a priest from Ghana staying with me until later this month! I should start charging!! Only kidding, each guest has been different….
Well, go well (as you would say. Off not to Team prayers at CTK, so will remember you in prayer!
God bless
James
Sandy Divine said,
September 24, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Hi Stuart
I have a job, working for asda. I had to make a choice and I had 2 jobs. Asda offered me Cd’s and Dvd’s so you can imagine taht I snapped it up immediately.
There is however one complication but Ron, my support worker says that I mustn’t worry about it. You have to be careful not to sell an 18 certificate film to a 17 year old or a 15 to a 14 year old because you could get into trouble and maybe arrested because it is against the law. It comes under the same law as selling a bottle of wine to a 16 year old it is illegal. I am creasing myself with worry but Ron says it will be ok and nothing is going to happen. Iain my line manager will give me the right support and training to help me and Ron might step in to help. It still shows little comfort to me. The tills have a stpppage on them so you can use yoru own judgement and ask them if you are unsure. You can also ask for ID but what if the ID is false. It is a big worry and I am scared. I will need alot of support of help me wiht this issue.
Anyway Dave Garner ’s wife has just had twins and Christina is married now. The wedding was good.
I heard you are teaching wild and cheeky kids. I am sure you will cope because you act like a big kid anyway and I see you quite like the girls there, got your tounge sticking out for them have you?
Cheers
Sandy.
Sandy Divine said,
September 24, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Ignore the lastfew lines. Your Cd’s and DVD’s are fine and God be with you
I am trying to join a small gorup because I will be working a Sunday Monday and Tuesday form 8 till 2
God bless
Sandy
That is my Christian side