The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes - and Lost Luggage!

                I arrived safely in Managau yesterday, but my luggage did not.  I could feel my anxiety rising as I watched the luggage on the carousel go round and round and my second suitcase, the one stuffed with 50 lbs. of donated soccer equipment, failed to show .  Airport workers pestered me to let them help me load my luggage onto a cart for a tip, but I was nervous, afraid of getting scammed, and worried about that other bag, so I used my best Spanish and kept saying “No!”  Finally, I saw the delayed luggage sign and next to that desk was the missing – and damaged – suitcase.  I was just happy to get it, but I am sure I cut quite the ridiculous figure dragging the 2 – 50 lb. suitcases (my other suitcase lost a wheel en route), loaded down with a full backpack on my back and toting a second smaller gym bag.  My look just screamed ‘AMERICAN TOURIST!!!!’.  At this point I welcomed a luggage cart from one of the workers, probably over tipped him,  and breezed through customs to find my driver, Luis and his young son, Luis, Jr. waiting for me with a sign saying  ‘Escuela de Espanol Mariposa’.  Once I was in the van, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and I certainly felt less anxious.  The ride to the school was under an hour, through Managua and then into a much more rural area.  Along the way there were many potholes, rough, unpaved roads and speed bumps.  I am convinced that Luis understood speed bump, not as an adjective noun combo, but rather as a command sentence. “Speed! Bump!”  It was a rough ride! They had set aside a lunch for me when I got here of the most delicious fresh avocado and tomato salad, black beans, rice and chicken.  It felt very welcoming.