Hey,
were in a small town in nicaragua called masaya,its close to granada.Since we are heading back to el salvador in a few days we have been doing a lot of shopping for souvenirs and gifts since masaya is a artisan town.The coolest thing for me has been the pottery,we were able to go in to a potters house-workspace and watch them make there pottery pluse (try) to make one our- selfs.The steps to making a nicaraguan potters piece is,

(1)find the clay.

(2) since the clay is not very good and comes in a more like dirt then clay texture they most need for almost 2 hours before it becomes a clay-like substance.

(3) they must throw the clay,this is almost the most difficult part since their wheel is not electric but by foot,the guys who work there say after awhile it is very easy and the foot hand coordination is no problem(for us it was nearly impossible and my pot wrecked several times)

(4) they put the pot in a plastic bag to keep it moist and carve on it on and off for about 1 week.

(5) the pot is fired for about 2 days.

(6) they paint it.

(7) the final step of the process is the pot goes in their brick kiln for about one week before being shipped to the united states or sold at their local markets.

for me watching this was amazing and even more so making one, it was extremely difficult and my pot broke several times on the wheel and I was unable to take it off without it braking.

VIENNA

Ceramics Nicaragua Style

hey everyone!
I{m looking forward to coming home so much! In the past few days we have been is Masaya Nicaragua,it is beautiful. On the second day we were here I had one of the most amazing experences! I was able to see potters. Got to go,

Vienna

Hi Everyone, Noelle here: Wow, What an experence! We got to go around a beautiful village called Masaya and see leather Products in the making! It was stunning, we went to a shoe factory, and saw all the steps, and bought some of the final products. The way they made them was the following steps:

1.) Cutting a stiff cardbord peice to support the leather sole.
There was one guy who would cut out this stiff cardboard to support the sole, he did it all by hand, and he was the only one to cut out these hundreds of soles.

2.) Cutting the leather pieces for the sole, and the different designs.
For this project, they had hundreds of templates, and they were constantly cutting out pieces for the shoes... ALL of this was done by hand, and they were soooooooo fast, there was only two people, and they were cutting them out like they were indespensable!
3.) the 3rd step was too sew the pieces together.
Surprisingly, there was only one REALLY old sewing machine, and one person sewed EVERYTHING! He sewed the desingns together, and the soles!
4.) There were two people that pieced everything together, the would put a nail through the sole into a wooden template, and then, glue the flip-flop part in.
5.) After they were pieced together, they would remove them from the template, and put on a rim, and the bottom of the sole.
Only 2 people were doing it... but they were efficent.

It was AMAZING how fast this all went, it was like going back in time, nothing more said!
Miss you all,

Noelle

Nicaragua

We are in a city called Masaya outside of Granada. It is a very "artesian" town and we are busy visiting and seeing how everything is made. Yesterday we went and watch them make Hammock. All the brillant colors of cotton and the weaving as rapid as as a sewing machine along with talking with the people made this an wonderful experience. I can{t believe that I CAN CARRY ON AN HOUR CONVERSATION IN SPANISH. It is a kick in pants.
Today we went to a pottery village called San Juan de Orient where we tried to throw pots on a an old fashion pottery wheel. "Dificial!" but what fun as we laughed at ourselves while the locals laughed at us. The pottery is beautiful, they carve and inlay it with pictures of birds, monkeys, turtles and more. We blew our budget buying thing.
Tomarrow we will go watch horse saddles, shoes, hats, leather crafts and furniture be made. Then we{ll horseback ride up a volcano to peer in the crater following it up with a swim in a crater lake.
Our traveling days are winding down. We will return to San Pedro Nonualco on Sunday and finish out our last month here in Central America. I look forward to seeing our friends in SPN and not having to constantly move and be on guard. While traveling is exciting and fun it is hard work. Believe it or not I can{t wait to cook and clean my own house and not use so darn much hand santitizer. Que le vaya bien Lisa

OH MY GOSH!!!!

ONLY 1 MONTH, I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH! Hey guys,
We just went on the coolest tour in my life! We went to Monte Verde, A cheese factory, and saw the cheese being processed step by step! Firs, they had to make shure all the milk is good, and then, they put it in a mixer, and mix it for 9 hours straight, by machine, and helping a lot by hand! After that, they drain the Wei, the curdled milk, and the cheese on the top, and what is left on the botom, they pour in hot water, and it squeezes through a machine, and then presses into blocks, and put in a cold room for a different period of time, depending on the type! Mozzarella has to stay in the cold room for 6 months, for Parmesan, 9, for Cheddar, 6, for Monte Rico, a local cheese, 10 days, Gouda, 10 days! This Factory was started by the Quakers, and was a small business back in the 1900s. It became a larger and larger factory, and now is sold throughout Central America. The coolest thing was, they have a huge scale pig farm, i mean, 3 thousand pigs, and they feed them the Wei mixed with barley, and soy bean meal. We were asking about it, and they said we could go down and look at them,of course, we said YES, and a older couple with there daughter walked down with us! We got there, and the family that watches the pigs was leaving to baptize their son, so... we didn't want to interfere, but they said, we will just tie the dog up and you guys can look around. They also told us that the dog was dangerous so we were cautious. Once we went in, we were not really shure were the dog was, and the girl and her parents were freaked half to death! Her parents ended up leaving, and us and the girl went to see the pigs! We slowly made our way (for she would throw a rock around the corner before we were alowed around), and Finally, we were there! We got to see millions of pigs, and they were all ADORABLE! This first barn that we saw was the growing pigs. Next, we saw the Baby, Vienna and i made shure we took our fair share of pictures (two hundred in 10 minuets.). We said our oows and awes,and got a ride back but what an amazing experience, i cant wait to tell it to you all in person!

Well i better go, we only have one month left and i am like EXPLODING, like REALLY SERIOUSLY, because i am SO incredibly exited!!

Miss you all,

Noelle

Wow, I am actualy here in Costa Rica! I cant believe how beautifull The National Parks are, they look like our Natural parks with Rainforest! Today, we went on a canopy tour! We went on 14 Ziplnes exept we were attached like we were on a bunge jump, and we just got to RIDE! It was amazing but my favorite part was the Tarzan Jump! You free falled for about 5 seconds exept witha harness on! After the canopy ziplines, we went on 8 suspention bridges, it wa an amazing day, and tomarrow, we are going on a cheese tour factory!

About a week ago, we were in Pueto Viejo and Chauita! They both had beautifull Beaches and they were a blast! We Also went on a 8 mile bike ride, it doesn't seem that long, but it was a dirt road so... my legs felt like noodles afterwards! I just can't say enough but I should tell you about our Horrible Bus Rides!

About our bus rides, EEEK! I got so sick I had to take bovine every time! The roads were like spagetti noodles, but a million miles long! TOO MAKE IT WORSE, they were dirt, and had no air cond. I am still Practicing my spanish and it's getting better, well, got to go

Noelle

zip lines!

Today was absoulutly AMAZING!We went on 14 zip lines that were up to 1660 feet long and 60 feet up, it was totaly awsome! But I had to have a guy come across with me some times because I didn´t know how to slow down when we came to the platforms! The longest and highest one was soooo much fun but really scary! You were harnessed in and clipped to the top and you had to grab the line with your back hand to slow down! I have to go but I might write later.
vienna

costa rica

hey guys,
Were in Costa Rica right now! We were on the carribean coast, and now were in san jose costa rica!
I think my favorite place on the carribean ocen was Cahuita it was a national park! One day in Chauita we walked 5 miles each way to a really nice beach in the national park! Before that we were in puerto viejo and it was very nice to but the beaches were far away,one day we biked to manzinillo from Puerto viejo and it was really fun!
when we were walking through Chuita national park we got attacked by monkeys cause they saw us eating m and m´s so my dad picked up a stick and we ran past it was really cool! We also sall tons of sloths ,lizzards, crabs and birds it was really amazing to see all the animals that most people never see in the wild! I have definatlly enjoyed seeing the monkeys the most they are soooooooooooooooooo cute when they look at you! Tomarow we will leave san jose and head to the monta verde volcano its supposed to be really nice! Well i miss you all tons and cant wait to see you!
vienna

costa rica

hey guys,
Were in Costa Rica right now! We were on the carribean coast, and now were in san jose costa rica!
I think my favorite place on the carribean ocen was Cahuita it was a national park! One day in Chauita we walked 5 miles each way to a really nice beach in the national park! Before that we were in puerto viejo and it was very nice to but the beaches were far away,one day we biked to manzinillo from Puerto viejo and it was really fun!
when we were walking through Chuita national park we got attacked by monkeys cause they saw us eating m and m´s so my dad picked up a stick and we ran past it was really cool! We also sall tons of sloths ,lizzards, crabs and birds it was really amazing to see all the animals that most people never see in the wild! I have definatlly enjoyed seeing the monkeys the most they are soooooooooooooooooo cute when they look at you! Tomarow we will leave san jose and head to the monta verde volcano its supposed to be really nice! Well i miss you all tons and cant wait to see you!
vienna

carribean coast

Hey guys!,
Well a couple of days ago we made it(FINALLY!!!)to the carribean coast. It is really nice and the water is great but it does not quite match my carribean dream! It is very poor and run down and the beaches are nice but still not my carribean dream!
Today we went on a boat trip to the coral gardens and to red frog beach the coral was amazing!There were so many differnt colors and different fans of coral I think it was the best snorkelling i have experienced.Though the fish dont quite match Hawaii!
Yesterday we had a wonderful experience at red frog beach it was beautiful and the walk there got us all ready to jump in! There was one thing that stood out in my day as a funny and kinda weird experience my mom and i were walking along the beach trying to find red frog resort and this security guard comes out and says your trespassing on private property. And we say we were just looking for red frog resort and he goes well you have to go into town so get off! were like well thats odd a hotel will not let pepole on there property but what ever!Tomarrow we cant decide to go on up the coastarican carribean coast or stay here a nother day. And then head on,up through costa rica and nicuragua and finally el salvodor and then 1 month and Ak here we come! And save us some snow would you!We need to cool down!,
love you and miss you millons,
vienna

We traved from the pacific ot the carribean in one day!!!!!!!!

Hello to all, as you all know, we had a great time with the dunns and we are now in the Carribean! Well... i should tell you a little more about the time we had on the pacific side, and you can then get a feel for it!

On the Pacific side, we went to a wonderfull island called Boca Brava (in english it would mean strong mouth!) it had tons of beaches just a walk away, and a prestine white sand beach, a 15 minuet kayac ride. The first day we ahd there, we just spent the time exploring, and we Kayaced over to the white sand beach, the watter was SOOOOOOOOOO nice! It was amazingly worm, and i could ahve stayed in for hours had i not had to get out and stay away from the sun for a wile! On the second day, we went to a REALLY nice beach that was supposed to have some nice corral, but we expirinced the corral to be VERY dull. Again, the beach was wonderfull, but the second one that we went to, was pretty dissapinting! well... thats about all i have to say about the Pacific, and now you can try and see the contrast between the Pacific and The Carribean!

The Carribean! You know how everyone always talks about the Carribean and how they would love to go there? Well, for me at first i was acualy very surrprised because i was expecting all the houses to be on the beach front, and for everything to be REALLY UP scale! For the first day, we didnt even get to go to the bech because we came in too late, so... i was very supprised and complaning a bit that it wasn´t at all what i had expexted. But my parents, too wise for me, just told me to wait and see. The next day, we Walked and Walked to the beach, and i was trying not to have expectations, because here, i have learned that they can stab you in the back with dissapointment! When we finaly got to the beach, it was what i had dreamed the Carribean would look like! so, we went to a nother beach today and it was just the same, beautiful, prestine, and a bit too hot! Tomarro we will test out the snorkoling, but as fun as snorkoling sounds, i am soo scared! I get really freked out by the fish, and am scared that ther is going tobe a shark we... i better go, my time is almost up!

I miss you all, and i hope all is well for all of you,

Noelle