F.A.Q.'s

I am now back in Nicaragua and felt this would be a good time to answer some Frequently Asked Questions. Feel free to ask more, my life is an open book.
Who are you?
Joy Christina Eklund. The fourth and last child of John Gregory and Jackie Laverne Eklund, born March 16th, 1984.
Where do you live?
I am a Concord native who spent my last few years living in Davis but now rest my head in Managua.
Um...Where is Managua?
Managua is the capital of Nicaragua. Nicaragua is in Central America right below Honduras and north of Costa Rica. There is a population a little under 1,400,000. We speak Spanish.
Oh, so do you speak Spanish?
Do I? Yes. Can I? Sometimes.
What is the political state of the country?
I never claim to know much about politics but according to Jeremy and Cristina's doctor the country is now being run by a rapist and a witch.
Who do you live with?
I live with three amazing girls. Two of them are from the States and the third is from Canada. We live in a typical American apartment complex complete with a maid and guards walking around with machine guns.
Can you drink the tap water?
Yes. It tastes not so good but neither does Davis's.
What do you do in Nicaragua to restore self confidence?
I walk down the street. At any time there are plenty of Nicaraguans to profess their love for me. What more could a girl want?
Why was this posted on Thursday, instead of earlier this week?
I had a scheduled lunch with Matthew (the director of my school) today and figured that would give me some details about what I'm doing.
So what details do you now have?
Well lunch was postponed until tomorrow so the specifics are still a little up in the air. What I do know is classes start Monday. Last semester I taught 1-3 grade English at a private primary school. This year the school is expanding to include some secondary grades but I don't know how that will affect me. Although it is private, in Nicaragua that does not have the same connotations. My students pay approximately $6 a month. Yes the cost of living is low here, but that does not mean that my school is nice. We recently started a before school free feeding program because so many students were complaining of stomach and head aches and our director realized it was because they don't have breakfast. The majority of my students come from broken homes and all from an extremely low socio-economic class. The school has limited curriculum and no library and the most disgusting bathroom I have ever seen. Regardless, it is a happy place, and I like working there.
This food a little spicy, do you still want it?
No
When are you coming back?
I am committed to be here for the entire Nicaraguan school year which is from February to November 2007. I am scheduled to come home for a month at the end of June.
At Papa John's do they serve chips or bread sticks for appetizers?
I have no clue, every time they serve something different.
What do you miss most about the States?
People, hot showers, independence. In no particular order.
What do you like most about Nicaragua?
Having a maid, the slow pace of life, never being cold.
What do you eat?
Not Mexican food.
How much does a Costco-sized box of Cheerios cost?
$18. To put that into perspective there is a family that I go to church with, two parents a first grader and a two month-old, they pay $15/month for rent. They don't by Cheerios.
Why are you in Nicaragua?
When deciding whether or not to return to Nicaragua I really had to examine my motives. I could have decided to stay because I really thought I was going to change the lives of everyone I meet, or maybe so I could continue to write these e-mails, or to avoid trying to make a decision about my future in the states. But I had to come to the realization that those weren't good enough. So then I was presented with the task of figuring out what a valid reason would be. I still don't know specifically what that "valid reason" is but I felt a complete peace from God that I should stay. So I did.
What is your favorite..?
Seriously I hate that question, I think because I don't like making decisions and picking a favorite could be a very big decision, and I don't think I'm ready for that type of commitment.
What type of day should I have?
A great one, of course.

I just couldn't wait until Christmas

My uncle recently sent me an article from the San Jose Mercury entitled "Nicaragua, the next Costa Rica?" I think I am going to become a travel writer, but actually tell the truth about the places instead of talking about how the juice colors contrast very nicely with the teal of the tables in one restaurant in Granada. I mean is that really reason enough to visit a country that lacks consistent electricity? Oh well, on Saturday I am returning to the loveliness that sometimes I accidentally call Home. In honor of returning I figured there are two obvious topics this e-mail could discuss. Option one would be to write about my stay in the US of A, option two would be to talk about what I am doing in Nicaragua. Because I don't actually have a firm grasp on what I'll be doing when I return, I figured option one is the best bet.

An Ode to Life
(This is in true Thomas/Lee poetry form so really you can't make fun of, or analyze it like more traditional poetic styles)

I returned to the States the end of November,
And stayed here for most of January, and all of December.
So in this poem I'll recall some events of my life,
While leaving out details that may cause strife.

I took many hot showers,
Saw lots of dead flowers.
Was frequently cold,
and saw places of old.

As for specifics I have some to share,
Like on Saturday, Stacy styled my hair.
What else could be written? Possibly favorite food?
By two restaurants I am particularly woo'd
Zachary's and Zia's are my favorite places to eat,
Something about Z names can't be beat,
At other times coffee shops are a good place to chill,
Especially when someone else foots the bill.
This may sound pathetic, like I'm super poor,
But I worked nine partial days, I know "it takes a little more."

After two months some things I am ready to leave,
But others less so, to what do I cleave?
I saw lots of great friends, during my trip
It amazes me that people still think I'm hip.
Then there is my family that is amazingly rad,
They also love poetry that is particularly bad.
I love it how here I can be free,
To express all the different phases of me.
But life here is fast, speedy, and quick,
And the stress of it all tends to make my stomach sick.

My mind battles between which life I desire,
But then I remember my calling is higher
In Nicaragua,California, or wherever I rest,
God has a plan that will always be best.
I just have to remember that Christ gives salvation,
Regardless of trials in every situation.

Love, Joy

A day late and a dollar short

Hello people, sorry for the delay I was in Davis and couldn't get to a computer or think of anything to say, but alas maybe on Thursday nights my e-mailing skills are even better.
On Sunday I was telling one of my friends that I have been feeling emotionally detached lately. Today I was chopping pecans to put in my mom's birthday pie and I started crying. Yeah not with onions but pecans. I could give you a long analytical reason why but instead I won't.
In Nicaragua there are all these things to write about and they are rather separate from life here. But here most of my life is relational and those issues are probably better in "Dear diary" form than in "Dear everyone I have ever met" form. Oh well, as you have probably noticed I still find plenty to say.
Last night I got reprimanded because I was sitting at the table at Starbucks that you are supposed to make available to customers with disabilities. I stayed there, I am just as disabled as the next customer. Then later last night I was watching TLC and it was a special about 16 year old conjoined twins. As much as I love my sister I am glad that we do not share a body, although I'm sure then people would have no problem with me sitting in the table for the disabled.
Today the ol' Celebrity gave me a scare, I was driving home and it started shaking like crazy. At first I thought it was just a lot of bumps on the road but then it didn't stop. I'm still rather confused by the whole situation, at the time I was pretty sure that I was going to explode. One positive side effect was, since it rattled less when I drove slower, I did a very good job following the speed limit for the first time in my life. Except on the freeway then I would purposefully position myself behind a big truck so then I wouldn't feel totally left out driving 45 miles per hour. Did I mention I seriously thought I was going to die? Well maybe not die but at least need some serious dental work. I am fine, don't worry, and I don't need a car until November so I guess the timing was perfect.
Have a great Friday!
Love, Joy
I LEAVE FOR NICARAGUA ON JANUARY 27TH

So much to say...

Wednesday: Last Wednesday I flew home. My flight was very uneventful. I read The Hiding Place in it's entirety and then "Spirit" magazine. On the 13th there is a Rubik's cube championship at the Exploratorium and the fastest time now is 11 seconds. That is without pealing off and reattaching the stickers. I got home at midnight and there was a present for me from McGraw-Hill. Thanks to viewers like you, a box full of curriculum for teaching beginning English was donated. I didn't even know what I was looking for but someone did. God just blows me away sometimes. I know that He always provides for but still I think that eventually I'm going to face a task that He is going to want me to stress over. But I really don't think that is how He works.You know the whole being "able to to exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" thing. In summary I will use the words of Aunt Maria "Praise the Lord."
Thursday: We'll just ignore the fact that this was a day.
Friday: On Friday I got dressed, made scones, and had a tea party. I was on a roll until half way through the tea party I started feeling sick again so I went and watched TV until dinner. For dinner we had barbecued steak, which as I learned in Tennessee, is not the same as having barbecue.
Saturday: Saturday I got dressed and left the house. I took down the outside Christmas lights and replaced a fuse in my car. I guess one burnt out while I was gone. Kinda fishy if you ask me, but gasoline had mysteriously appeared as well, so it was a good trade. I also added oil and some other liquid, so you should be impressed by my mechanical skills.
Sunday: In the afternoon on Sunday I started unpacking some boxes of stuff from my apartment in Davis. Then that evolved into me cleaning out the cupboards in my bathroom. I had two blow dryers and like five brushes. I don't use one brush let alone five, and seriously when was the last time I used a blow dryer? Never. Oh and there was a bunch of conditioner, another thing I have no use for. Somehow this stuff just accumulates. On Sunday night I really wanted Peet's coffee so I decided to get my dad to volunteer to take me. You know for some father daughter bonding time. He talked on the phone to my brother-in-law for 18 minutes so not much verbal bonding was had. Then we went to Safeway and when we were in the parking lot walking to the car he thought he saw one of his friend's cars so he had us go back in the store to find him. It ended up being someone else's car. This brings up one area in which I am not at all like my father. Usually when I see people I turn the other direction, or go down a different hall, or step into a store, something like that. I definitely don't go chasing people down. Does that make me a snob?
Monday: I went to work. It was totally like a real job, one that I couldn't wear sweatpants to. Actually I think I could have worn anything I wanted because this summer the dress-code bar was definitely lowered. I consider what I worked to be "full time" but I guess technically 5 hours is not a full day. But seriously how can people work for longer than that? My mom asked me what I did and I said I listened to my iPod. Dave changed the computer passwords and then wasn't there so I couldn't even check my e-mail. Right, so what did I do? Stuff related to filing. All those alphabetization skills I picked up along my path of life really helped out. Another exciting thing at work was that it was luncheon day so I got free food. Monday night I watched Step Up, I won't go into details about that experience.
Tuesday: Work again. Jay fixed my computer. I like it better when Dave helps because he actually knows that my sister and I are different people. Well maybe Jay knows this but just thinks that I want JulieGonsalves as my user ID. Now I am set but I need to make sure I don't turn into the girl at the desk next to me that is always on MySpace. How did she even get that job? I mean I got mine because I'm related to the CEO, but I think the screening process is getting a little lax. I only worked for four hours today, so I'm going to have to go in overtime if I want to meet my quota of 25 hours this week. That brings us pretty much to now, plus or minus a few phone conversations.
Love, Joy

Happy 2007

Hello, how are you? I am in Tennessee, I fly home tomorrow night. Today I spent mostly lying on the couch because lovely roommate here got me sick. Maybe you don't know why I am here so I will give the least cultish explanation I can think of (if you don't understand what I mean by that, don't try to read into it). I know two people that live In Memphis and their church was having a little New Year's conference for "young adults", so I decided to go. My sister told me that Memphis is terrible and tried to discourage my adventure but I decided to go anyways. And adventure it has been. I flew into Nashville last Wednesday and they lost my bag. Oh well, M.L.A. (momentary light affliction). Fortunately Memphis is the FedEx capital of the world or something so my bag got here the next morning. Then on the way home from the airport my ride got a little turned around on the freeway. It was quite the bonding experience.
There are two parts of Joy, well, maybe there are more, but let's focus on two. There is the Joy that wants to meet everyone and become their best friend ever. Then there is the Joy that is incapable of carrying on a normal conversation. The second Joy is definitely the one that decided to come with me on this trip. So obviously I made some really deep meaningful friendships. Why do I have this problem? I think I've been experiencing emotional shut-down. But maybe that is the Tylenol cold talking. I had all sorts of fun things to write in this letter but now I am drawing a blank. I just left the room because Amy started to read out loud. I am not a big fan of exercising my listening comprehension skills plus she is reading some war book, so I don't think the benefit would outweigh the cost. People keep asking me if I am going back to Nicaragua, I am. I leave on January 28th and am committed to be there until November. I have not been preparing for that at all. The more I write the more pathetic this e-mail is going to end up being so I'll sign off now.
love, Joy

a tender tennesee new year's is the only new year's for me

Rumor has it that Christmas is over. You may be wondering what tipped me off. It was KOIT. Tonight it was back to normal light rock less talk, love songs after dark instead of the Christmas carols it has been playing since I've been back. But that's OK I can handle it, I'm just going to a KOITless land, Memphis. My flight leave tomorrow morning at 6am, what did I get myself into? I hate mornings, especially when it is cold and when I am completely unaccustomed to having a normal sleeping schedule. I'll be gone until the third and Amy said she wants to hear about what actually is going on in my life so that should be interesting. Some things are better left unsaid in mass e-mails.
But on things that can be shared,
-Last week I was gently tossing my phone across the room at my mom and it broke. Sadness, I know, but now I got my number transferred to one of my dad's old phones and at least 95% of the keys work.
- The same person won the Christmas Eve poem contest that won the Christmas costume contest last week. I would be bitter but seriously you can't really be bitter at someone who can write the best bad poem. I keep forgetting that to win you need to make fun of everyone in the room and anyone that should have been in the room but bailed. Next year that plaque is mine.
-Last Thursday and Saturday I worked for DMG Engineering. Sounds impressive, yeah? DMG just happens to be my brother-in-law, I am a firm believer in using all family-ties to my monetary advantage. Although I've yet to be paid, any job you can do while wearing your red flannel penguin pajama pants is a good one.
-Last night we played the Family Feud DVD game. Our team definitely should have won but when you are asked "what are the top five human foods that dogs like to eat?" meat, steak, beef, hamburger, and chicken should not all be counted as different answers.
So I hope your Christmas was cheery and bright and that your post-Christmas week is fabulous.
Love, Joy

if you don't think my posts normally contain important information than this one might just prove your point. but who knows, maybe not

Yesterday I didn't get dressed until 3pm, yup and even then what I was wearing looked quite similar to what I normally sleep in. "What caused this lapse in fashion judgment?" you may ask, but I think it was a culmination of many things. Although life here seems so much easier maybe that isn't always a good thing. I think I over compensate and just stress myself out. Just because there are things that I can do here doesn't necessarily mean I should do them. I was telling my dad the other day that I haven't been calling people back because I'm not driving a lot and when I'm at home I don't feel like being on the phone because it is a waste of time. He told me that I need to not worry about multi-tasking. I guess here I just feel my time is limited that I need to get things done, and save money, and hang out with everyone imaginable because when I am in Nicaragua I don't have those options. But honestly by Saturday night I was dead, and then all the family and babies were over.

Sunday night was my sister's 4th annual Christmas costume party. I was a Salvation Army bell ringer. I didn't win any prizes but when you are competing against an entire Christmas tree farm you can't really expect to win. Oh and the fact that I was too lazy to carry around my bucket and bell most people thought I was a Target worker. I also didn't get any monetary donations, but Tinsel Town Barbie did give me a pack of gum and some trash. For your viewing pleasure I've attached a picture.

Monday I spent shopping with my sister, and then we finished it up today. Speaking of today, the sweater I am wearing is shedding everywhere, it is like that prom dress I had with all the glitter. Except instead of leaving a trail of hot pink glitter I am leaving gray wool. Maybe it is not that close of a correlation.

I had not been going to coffee quite so much but today was really cold. I went to Starbucks three times. I think my drinks got progressively worse and the first one wasn't even that great. Oh well, I guess it is time to cut back again. Another problem that I don't deal with in Central America, Sampson's Frozen Cappachinos are always magically delicious.

On Friday I might go to work. Really, who would want to waste a day working? But a girls got to do what a girls got to do. And it will get me out of babysitting.
Merry week of Christmas!
Love, Joy
PS Tune in next week for the results of the "2nd Annual Christmas-Eve Poetry Contest"