Bienvenido

To whom it may concern,

I have officially entered the blogosphere.  I had resolved to start one of these hum-dingers in anticipation of my semester abroad in Nicaragua.  However, as I am lazy, I am just getting around to it now.  

I have already wasted many valuable writing topics.  Namely, initial responses to the city of Managua, including, but not limited to: horse-drawn carts on the street, the absence of traffic laws, the paucity of safe-looking areas and the general uncleanliness of a third-world capital city. 

The city is bastante (nice, huh?) chaotic and upon first impression, I decided that I would never walk through it by myself.  Finally over the initial culture shock and confident enough to walk through the city by myself--so long as it is daylight--I am beginning to familiarize myself with the city and what it has to offer.

Managua is a vibrant city and I am starting to find that it offers an insight into Nicaraguan culture as a whole.  Whether I am on the street, in the market or the only chele (gringo) on the bus, I am treated with respect, courtesy and always greeted with a smile, even if it sometimes is a curious smile.  

This is a brief introduction to what I plan to use this blog for.  It is meant mostly to be a means of communicating my experiences and findings to people that care--if said people even exist--without having to overburden myself with sending e-mails.  Heaven forbid I should devote time to any of you, personally.  I plan to write publish a post describing the 30th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution sometime later.  But if I don't, owing to my general laziness, ask me about and I'll give you all the deetz.  

Until then, I'm going to continue to keep it real in el tercero mundo and I'll try to keep the posts coming.  Hasta luego.