OK, so, today we mostly had meetings, except for our unplanned adventure which I'll get to later. The meetings were extremely interesting though. I know, I'm such a geek.
First we met with Sofia Montenegro, a real Sandinista veteran, a leader in the revolution (I would have swooned or something if I could do that--maybe I should wear a corset or something). She was extremely cool (massive understatement).
She had this way of sitting, her elbows flopped on the table and her face flopped onto her hands, her eyes half-closed, that made her look almost sleepy... but if you were sitting near her, you could see that her eyes glittered sharply and shrewdly from behind those drooping eyelids. She chain-smoked and waved her hands while she talked, looking somewhat jaded like she'd seen it all before... which no doubt she has... but at the same time the fire was still there.
For example, she said "we need people inside the system and outside, but when they asked me to run for office I said no way, I gave my LIFE (flash of fire) for this movement and I'm gonna give the rest of my life to the movement."
I'll write more about what she said, if I have time, but the cafe is gonna close in half an hour so I gotta hurry... so for now, on to the next meeting.
It was the Network of Women Against Violence (Red de Mujeres Contra La Violencia), where we met with two amazing women, Juanita and Jamila (Jamila was gorgeous (sorry lovey), with green eyes... At first you'd think was 25, but as she talked you gradually realized she was probably closer to 40 if not older). They have done incredible work here... changed the law to punish domestic and sexual violence more harshly within the family (instead of less harshly as it was previously) and to bring these issues to the forefront of public discussion in an unprecedented way.
Last we met with a sociologist, Sonia Agurto, who has studied agrarian issues and land tenure under the Sandinistas and continues to study it today, collecting data monthly. I had a chance to ask all kinds of questions about land reform, why it failed, etc. which was fascinating (did I mention I'm a huge geek?)
Oh, shoot, I only have one minute left!!!
In the afternoon our bus broke down and we stood by the side of the road for an hour but all's well and we are in Leon a gorgeous colonial city and and and.... aaaaah!!!!!
Love you!
Monday, June 12, 2006
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1 comment:
Hi baby!
So you're a sucker for the green-eyed women who look half their age. What else is new!? :)
You must leave more time for posting, we need to know more details! What were the revolutionista's wearing? Where were your meetings? Who rescued you from the side of the roadside and how did they know you were there? And, most of all, what did you eat today?
So many questions, so few answers. I'm estatic that you are having a rewarding time. All these years when you never went anywhere unless I went too was a big mistake for us. You need this kind of thing to keep you on track! Not that I'm glad you're far away from me right now, I miss you. Today I even thought to myself, "maybe 11 days is too long." But, I know you are having the time of your life and I'm so happy you get to do it.
I'm back on track after a couple of staying up too late nights and sleeping in too late mornings. It's so easy to be indulgent when no one is around to notice. But today I got up at a reasonable hour (for a college student, at least) and got some work done on my proposal and got an interview from a guy. It was very much worth the hour and a half rush-hour traffic nightmare that took me half way to Joliet!
What are you bringing me back from Nicaragua? I'm so curious!
Come home soon, xoxo,
your luvey
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