Nica attitudes, behaviors, customs, gestures

The word 'pascuas' carries the Old Testament sense of Passover, making the sacrifice of Christ's life a deliverance from a 'modern' sense of bondage, whereas the anglicized name 'Easter' is for the bunnies, IMO. (Druids, besides oaks, worshipped rabbits, I learned someplace or other.) It happens the first Sunday after Spring begins ('equinox' is near meaningless here in the tropics) in a new lunar month (begun with the full moon).

I just posted my personal observations on Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala on A42. I encourage comments as to why I am loco.

Christmas in Nicaragua resembles Christmas elsewhere in that it varies much with the individual and family. For some it is deeply religious, for others it is a more secular holiday that provides an excuse for family gatherings, and for others still it`s a giant exercise in hyper-consumerism.

An article in GayStarNews about a trans-gender woman being stabbed and beaten by a group of men in Estelí. The article goes on to discuss the police response.

When González tried to file a complaint to the local police station she was laughed at and told she was asking for trouble because she ‘went looking for men’.

Right or wrong, I think the police response was pretty accurate. But, has something changed in Estelí?

http://www.laprensa.com.ni/blog/2012/07/09/%C2%BFtenes-que-pitar-jodido....

I've always wanted to be able to say: that really sucks! and now I can:

"Bueno, lo que realmente me pudre . . ." and this is cute too: .." “ ...pescando mordidas .. ”

And (my kind of girl): " En una ocasión salí del carro a gritarle a un taxista: ¿Tenés que pitar, jodido?" I take it "jodido" is the Nicaraguan equivalent of "pendejo" or the English "butthead"?

" me sacaba el dedo… " But how do you give the finger?

And finally:

so strange after all:

http://now.msn.com/man-charged-with-illegally-feeding-gator-that-bit-off...

So it's that time of year to celebrate the overthrow of Somoza. So, how should we celebrate?

First, let's dedicate the fiesta to the $andini$ta Youth who spend most of their days dazed on guaro and sitting in indoctrination classes celebrating "comandante" Daniel and Comrade La Chamuca.

Next, we'll totally disrupt the transportation infrastructure of the country (especially -- oh most especially Managua) by commandeering over half the public transport for 3 days.

Then, just for shucks and grins, we'll make an admitted pedophile and Marxist the guest of honor!

How does modern, technology-driven society deal with death? Mostly by profitably 'helping' others to avoid confronting it.

Because Nicaraguans - Latin American cultures - face death so very differently, dare I say, so much more maturely, it seems a fitting new forum topic. Death from the visible-to-all mayhem of wars is barely one generation removed from today's Nicaraguans. Putting the once-loved body in a box, covered with a flag &/or 2 meters under glorious marble, barely lessens death's sting.

First off, happy Semana Santa to everybody!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te-Uf4KVPMk

For the first time in a decade, Nicaraguans are feeling good about the direction of their country, according to a new CID-Gallup poll.

Full Article

The article goes on to say that this is a huge change in perception from when Ortega first returned to power. Now you don't have to be on this website for long to know there are also strong anti-Ortega views, but what over the last five years has changed the poll results?

It is now 11am on Monday and our live-in M-F domestica has not shown up yet. She is the 3rd lady we have gone thru in 5 weeks. I just got a text from her son that she is on the way but I think she is on the way OUT! If this is how she is going to do during her trial period then i can't imagine how she will be once she feels more secure in her job! She had to leave at lunch the past 2 Fridays also so she is basically working 4 day weeks. She gets room and board (M-F) and 4000 cords a month, there is only 2 of us in the house and I am NOT demanding at all. Perhaps this is my problem?

There are 3 meanings for Piropo on the RAE dictionary. For the topic discussed on Sherif's post the word Piropo means Lisonja which means ' alabanza afectada, para ganar la voluntad de alguien - praise in order to obtain someone's favor.

Piropos, i did not even know the English word for it - turns out there isn't one that exactly describe it (Verbal Sexual Harassment) . In Arabic there is, and it is/was an annoying and embarrassing practice in Egypt. Anyways it is refreshing that a news paper article is finally discussing this. It should be an offense, it probably is, but again enforcement is an issue.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/235168-piropos-otra-forma-de-...

Jan 30, 2012: UPDATE

New articles about Women fighting back in Matagalpa: