Walking through El Jocote and El Bálsamo now feels like a trek through a Central American jungle, compared with the dry and brown landscape of summer. It is now the rainy season (winter) in Nicaragua and the environment has changed more than we could have imagined. We were in El Jocote when the first rain poured down and it was thrilling. The clouds were dark and as the first raindrops fell, howls came out of the hills. Resounding yips and cries bounced off the mountainsides as people shared their excitement. Joel yodeled in agreement. It felt unifying. I was instantly reminded me of 'midnight yell' during finals week at UCLA. A sense of camaraderie, and how unique the dynamics of a small rural community are, made a big impression on me in that moment. Then it poured, pounding on the tin roof-tops and obscuring the view past the bare jocote trees across the road. Within days, everything was transformed; green leaves, yellow flowers, and white buds sprang from the trees.

Our timing was perfect to begin planting trees and take advantage of the rainy season from start to finish (in November). With two large plots to plant on, we started digging into the rock-dominated soil. Within 10 days, we planted about 90 trees, including mango, guava, lemon, cashew, and tamarind. Trees are amazing; they strengthen the watershed, purify the air, and make diversely-useful wood. Fruit trees give even more. Currently in El Jocote there are nearly no fruit trees. We hope that in a decade there will be a significant amount of fruit circulating throughout the community, offering the nutrients and calories of over 10 types of fruit. Simultaneously, the 50 trees planted near the water source will help to protect the water supply.
The major challenge of this project will be the care of the young trees in the summer when each tree will need to be watered individually twice a week. To address this, contracts have been made with two families to care for the trees on their land. With this accountability piece and the motivation of a future orchard, we believe the trees will be successful. Until then, we'll continue enjoying the rain and the beautiful landscape it fosters.

I celebrated my birthday with my host family in San Juan de la Concha (where I lived & went to Spanish school). Marina (my host mom) had invited us for the weekend because she said she was having a little family reunion and would like us there. So when we arrived at their house and Marina asked me to do an errand, getting some ingredients at the pulperia (street store), I thought nothing of it and headed off with Angelo to get some cabbage, rice, etc. Angelo practiced his English with me and I explained the meaning of the phrase “just for laughs.” We walked back in the brisa (light rain) and returned to the find the living room closed off and the lights off. All of a sudden the curtain was pulled back, lights turned on to illuminate balloons, decorations, a Feliz Cumpleaños sign and the whole family shouting “sorpresa!” I didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the evening, all the way through the big cake.

The dinner was all the more distinctive because I ate chicken for the first time in a full 10 years! At the end of my freshman year in high school, I helped a classmate research information for a debate on vegetarianism and I found that a vegetarian diet aligned with my values in so many ways that I made a huge decision.  I became a vegetarian (and soon after a vegan) in one day, cold tofurkey. Over the years my reasons for excluding meat and minimizing the amount of dairy I eat have been reinforced through the scientific studies concluding that eating meats and dairy have worse and greater effects on the Earth and climate than anything else humanely driven. I have been a vegetarian chiefly for those environmental impact reasons and further motivated by health, workers rights, animal rights, corporation disapproval and frugality. I have absolutely loved being a vegetarian and vegan. In fact, I almost never craved meat until about 5 months ago. Without quinoa, tofu, tempeh, and many vegetables I used to eat regularly, I believe I’ve been looking for more diversity in nutrients. So for now I’ll be eating fish and chicken and won’t be a vegetarian for a little while, though I continue to feel empowered by the difference I can make through the decisions of what’s on my plate. 
- Becky