Hola! Taylor and I have finally made it to Nicaragua. Yesterday, June 7th, we flew out of Knoxville at 6:44 a.m. and landed in Atlanta at 7:30 a.m. Then we had to endure an eleven hour layover. Atlanta airport is, to say the least, gigantic. We got off our plane and entered Concourse B (there are Concourses A-F where the gates are). It was ridiculously crowded and we wandered around like lost puppies trying to find our way to Concourse C to get breakfast. We tried finding our way, but ended up having to ask someone for help. Apparently you have to get on a tram to get from concourse to concourse. So we hopped on and got off at the next stop and ate breakfast at Chick-fil-A (I know, pretty exotic huh?). Then we decided to go to the International Concourse because it was just too crowded where we were. It was ten times quieter there so we went to a vacant gate area and set up camp. We spent a few hours there napping and reading. Our peace was disturbed quite a few times when a marching band came through and then a fashion show began. We left that concourse and went to another one for lunch. After that we saw our flight was posted and went to our gate to wait. We still had well over six hours before our flight left. So we waited...and waited...and waited. We napped some more, read some more, and ate some more. The only places to go in the aiport really were the shops, but everything was so expensive it was not worth it. During our long wait we noticed a group of people wearing the same t-shirts. We assumed they were a mission trip group going to Nicaragua, which they were. We talked to the leaders for a bit and found out they were from Tennessee as well. The others did not seem too keen on talking to us, so we went back to our seats. We left to get dinner at Atlanta Bread (fantastic reccommendation-thanks Mom!). We met a girl who was by herself and asked her why she was going to Nicaragua. She was going on a mission trip and staying with a friend whose parents bought a mission house. Then we met another guy who was from Nicaragua and was visiting in Alaska, I think. We boarded the plane and were supposed to leave at 6:32 p.m., but did not take off until 7:12 p.m. The ride was fairly uneventful for the first chunk. It started getting dark soon so we dozed in and out. Then Taylor and I struck up a conversation with a guy sitting next to her. We asked him why he was going to Nicaragua and he said for surfing. There is a surfing school a couple hours from the aiport that he was taking some lessons at. We chatted for a while and then I dozed off. Suddenly, the plane hit a huge airpocket and I think I almost had a heart attack. I woke up and was still a bit dazed from sleep. It hit another one and my stomach jumped to my throat. It doesn´t sound very terrifying, but it was the scariest thing I have ever experienced on a plane. I´m usually not afriad of flying, but I really did think we were going to crash. Fortunately, we made it safe and sound. We were met at the aiport by Kegan (another intern) and the girls we were staying with. We threw our luggage in the truck and hopped in the bed of the truck. About 20-25 minutes later we were at the girls´ house. They had very graciously cooked dinner for us and we had chicken, rice, and red Fanta that tasted like liquid bubblegum. After a while we went to bed. There is a two hour time difference so it was only 9 here while it was 11 back home. Taylor and I were completely exhausted and even though it was a thousand degrees we still managed to fall asleep. We were due to leave the house this morning at 9:30 to go to an orphanage we visited last year. We ate pancakes with some kind of pineapple (or guava) spread and bananas. It was actually very delicious. At the orphanage there were some other Americans who were from Nashville and Kentucky. They were there doing the girls hair and we found out they had started a beauty school in Managua. The school is an opportunity for girls who have been involved in sex trafficking to get a second chance. It is also an opportunity for girls who have not been involved in sex trafficking to prevent it from happening to them. They were very nice and it was cool to meet them and see what they were doing. We stayed at the orphanage for a couple hours and then came back to the house. Taylor and I fell asleep almost instantly and then had lunch. Lunch was spaghetti and chicken and plantains-very delicious. Now we are just hanging out until Mirium (the house mother) gets back. I don´t exactly know what the plan is for the rest of the day, but we will find out! Oh, and today we got fans to go in our room so we are not dying anymore. :)
We miss everybody back home and will see you all soon!
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