Sound Cars and the Circus

Of elephants and rain....

So, does anyone know how advertising in Nicaragua works? Lets put it this way - Do you remember reading about colporteurs and sound cars and sandwich board campaigns? I always used to wonder how that worked; in my mind it seemed a little undignified. Of course, now we don't use those methods because it would not work in our society. I am learning however, that in some areas it really would be an effective way of advertising. For example, a caravan of circus cars with elephants, zebras, camels, miniature ponies, clowns and a sound car cruise the cramped streets of Esteli blaring "QUE BARATO! QUE BARATO!" (HOW CHEAP! HOW CHEAP!) and, coincidentally, blaring the same address that our district convention will be held at the same week.

I would give A LOT to ride on that elephant. I have been thinking up various scenarios in which I could convince Tarzan to let me up there.

I have taken a lesson from Bridget and most of my scenarios involve letting down my hair a lil' bit... (the best way to get out of a corrupt police ticket/confiscation of your vehicle is to let down your hair, lip-gloss it up, and pretend that you only know enough spanish to express how your gratitude/sympathy/respect/crush on them because they stand in the hot sun all day long)

Not to worry, we all know I couldn't pull that off with a straight face. Darn eh?

We are approaching the end of the rainy season in Nicaragua, but what we do get makes up for the dry days. The second it starts we run to gather the drying laundry. This morning I woke up to take my laundry off the line and put it in the washing machine where it would be drier. Within moments of the rain starting, soapy torrid rivers swell and swirl through the streets (and our patio), looking like class five rapids around taxis, bikes, dogs, twisted cobble stones and telephone poles.

Sometimes rain means you can stop and watch the world go by:

You can chill in your patio, or someone else's:

And others keep going - because the Mariachi music must always be played:

 

Or because we must get to the meeting, umbrellas, tacones, lip gloss and all:

Its not hard to guess how I feel on these days: I love rain, I love umbrellas, I love high heels, and I love how the world pauses a moment in the downpour - its a remnant of a simpler life and a reminder of why I love it here!