The Whistle Blower

She was working hard to make a sale. Everyone she saw with blonde hair or a fair complexion was a target to buy a hand carved whistle. She had an entire basket of whistles that she would blow from time to time to attract attention of prospects.

“I made these,” she said in a thick accent on the streets of Masaya, Nicaragua. Each of the whistles was delicately painted, no two looked alike.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas A. Edison

Meet Moon Cricket

I asked him about the tattoo under his left eye and he laughed a little before saying, “Growing up, a lot of my friends were black and my mom use to always call me Moon Cricket, which is derogatory, so one night I got the tattoo of a moon just to show mom.”

The term moon cricket came about during slave times. When African American slaves finished doing their daily chores or work on the farm, they would often go outside and sing under the moonlight. Some say they sang like crickets under the moon. Thus the term moon crickets.

He told me, “We are headed to Colorado by train, they have the best weed, medical grade.”

Street Photography After Dark

It is always interesting, the people who look as if they could be the darkest or scariest always have a soft side if you catch them in the moment.

The lights of downtown Nashville lit his face as he played with the puppy. “We just got to Nashville from Indiana,” he told me. “We love Nashville,” talking about himself, the puppy and his girlfriend. "We hop trains," he told me with a smile. 

“A tattoo is a true poetic creation, and is always more than meets the eye. As a tattoo is grounded on living skin, so its essence emotes a poignancy unique to the mortal human condition.” ― V. Vale

Life on a Farm in a Third World Country

On a Costa Rican farm.

“Good farmers, who take seriously their duties as stewards of Creation and of their land's inheritors, contribute to the welfare of society in more ways than society usually acknowledges, or even knows. These farmers produce valuable goods, of course; but they also conserve soil, they conserve water, they conserve wildlife, they conserve open space, they conserve scenery.” ― Wendell Berry

Weaving masterpieces of art with leaves

She was maybe 13 years old at the most and she loved art. Quietly, she would find somewhere in the shade to sit and weave grasshoppers, hearts, crowns, and more with dried strands of coconut palm fronds. A frond is the leaf like section of a palm or similar plant.

She was a master at weaving the long leaves into shapes of all sizes. She never asked for a single penny, but instead picked out women passing by to hand them to as a decoration for their hair or shirt. She would hand them her creation with a huge smile. 

Child playing as parents work for food

She was quietly playing in a small alley as her parents were working hard to make a living for the young family. Her mother and father were selling good in the market while their daughter kept busy. 

"There is no substitute for hard work." - Thomas A. Edison

Kindness

He was one of the kindest men that I met in Nicaragua. He spoke of a love for his country, but only a growl for the government. He spoke highly of his family that he works hard to support in the grueling sun, but poorly about the Nicaraguan military that gives many a hard time.

In his right hand are pens with covers on each one that read “Nicaragua.” He sells these pens day after day at the border and uses the money he earns to feed his wife and children.

As he talked I could not help but to think of him as being highly educated in an uneducated country. He knew English well and could carry on a full conversation in both Spanish and English. He talked to me for about 45-minutes about his country, the border patrol and never asked for a penny. He would pause from time to time to sell one of his handmade pen covers and pens to a passing tourist, but he was still focused on our conversation.

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain

She had a scar that ran down her forehead

She had a scar that ran down her forehead to the left side of her nose. I did not dare ask why, but could not help but to be curious. The lines on her face were deep and her hair white. She quietly walked through a busy market asking passerby’s for money. I had already spent my last three dollars on corn cookies, so I had nothing to spare. She pleaded with me in Spanish to hand her whatever I had. I patted her on the back and had to walk away. 

In 2009 the World Bank reported that Nicaragua was the poorest mainland country in Central America. It is a title that Nicaragua has yet to get away from as it was reported again in 2015 by the BBC. If you travel offshore and include all Latin American Countries, Haiti ranks number one as the poorest, followed by Nicaragua. 

Nicaragua has been through civil wars, overzealous dictatorship and hurricanes that left thousands dead in 1998 and 2007, just to name a few of the uphill battles that residents have faced over the years. 75.8% of Nicaraguans survive on less than $2 per day. Numbers like that leave children venerable to death, disease and malnutrition. 

Five of the country’s 17 departments (similar to states) have chronic malnutrition rates of more than 30%, and the rate exceeds 50% in the regions where most of Nicaragua’s indigenous people live. To make matters worse, many residents don’t understand good nutrition. The government actually encourages families to pull children out of school to help with agriculture. More than 500,000 children in the country do not attend school and 21% of those who do give school a try, drop out before the end of the first grade. Only 40% of children enroll in high school and of that number, on 40% graduate. 

He needs between $200 and $400 for a new leg

He lost his wife in 1999 due to complications caused by diabetes. Today, he is on his own and living by himself in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He scoots around town on his motorized chair and manages to make it to the library, the Journey Home and multiple other stops on a daily basis.

He has a prosthetic leg, but is in need of a new one. His insurance will cover 80% of the costs, but needs help paying for the remaining 20% difference. That difference will be between $200 and $400.

Last year he was able to come up with enough money to buy an inexpensive leg, but it is uncomfortable and does not fit properly. He earned the money to pay for it by selling personal items on the local square. Some folks simply gave him a few dollars, while others bought his personal goods. 

Iguana soup and bull testicles - Yummy

He was sitting beneath a tree outside a marketplace in Masaya, Nicaragua. The bag in front of him contained a cure all miracle cream of sorts that he was trying to sell all day. He needed a break under a shade tree, but he continued to ask passerby’s if they would like to try a sample.

His hands showed signs of a hard worker while the lines on his face clearly told me that he has spent many days in the hot sun.

Masaya, Nicaragua is an interesting area as it is filled with artist who sell their work in craft shops, make shift art studios and more. Plus, it is home to a wild mixture of culinary cuisines.

Some of the fine foods that locals can dine on prior to giving up meat for Lent as many do, include Iguana and Armadillo.

According to a 2013 article in The Huffington Post, “Catholics tired of fish on Friday can enjoy a Lent-friendly smorgasbord in Nicaragua, where soups made with iguana or armadillo are served with a healthy portion of bull testicles.”

I think I will pass. While in Masaya I picked the chicken shish kabobs served with rice. I think that was a wise choice.

A good salesman in a tough enviroment

With the smile you would think he has the best thing to sell since sliced bread… he was selling magnet’s similar to the magnet’s you find at museum’s all over America that kids play with. In Nicaragua, that is a pretty cool item for kids to play with. So, he was selling the best thing since sliced bread in his third world environment that he calls home. 

My hat is off to him for finding an honest way to make a living in a unique environment with a hard to find item. 

"Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman - not the attitude of the prospect." -W. Clement Stone

Cashews are sold everywhere in the Third World Country

The minute you step foot into Nicaragua, you instantly see people selling cashews everywhere you go. It is an interesting place to visit as everyone is trying their best to survive which means selling freshly harvested goods, sunglasses, hats, purses, t-shirts.

Cashews that are truly organic are one of the many secrets hidden in the country of about 6.2 million residents. Most people don’t realize it, but cashews are actually a fruit. After the fruit is picked, the cashew seed which hangs at the bottom is roasted, which gives it an excellent taste. The portion of the cashew that connects to the tree can be used to make fresh juice after the cashew is harvested from the bottom.

Dried and roasted cashews are sold on the streets of Nicaragua like newspapers are sold at some intersections throughout the United States. 

I bought her corn cookies

She was walking through a Nicaraguan market and I made eye contact with her. She put down her basket and insisted I try one of her homemade cookies. I had no idea what she was saying, but it was obvious what she wanted me to do as she pulled a cookie out of a bag and handed it to me.

I tried the cookie and I smiled real big. It took everything I had to swallow it. It was the driest cookie I had ever eaten. I found out later that it was made with corn.

Long story short, I could not tell her no. So, I bought a bag of her homemade corn cookies for $3. 

He was eating with his family

He was sitting at a small table with his family next to an outdoor food vendor in Masaya, Nicaragua. The city is home to around 130,000 to 150,000 residents squeezed into a small area on the map. The city is to the east of an active volcano called Volcan de Masaya. The area is known as “The City of Flowers.”

The city is filled with history. One of the most notorious events occurred in 1912 as Nicaraguan rebel forces opened fire on United States Marine Troops on their way to Granada. The attack occurred during a period of civil war within the country.

The unprovoked attack on the Marines lasted for about one hour. Five Americans were wounded and three were captured by the rebel forces. The Nicaraguan Rebels lost 56 men who were killed by Marines during the attack. 70 rebels were wounded and 12 of those later died. The Marines continued on their journey to Granada and eventually convinced the rebel commander known as Luis Mena to surrender. Mena eventually went into exile in Panama.

Today the city is known for producing wicker furniture, cigars and leather products. The city is also on the critical crime list, according to the U.S. Department of State. Americans have experienced both violent and non-violent crimes in Masaya.

Living in the woods of Costa Rica

Born and raised in Costa Rica she doesn't have much, but she was all smiles. In the background is the place that she and her family call home.

The makeshift house is built of tarps, old fabric and metal roofing material. The home sits in the woods and is within a short walk to Pacific Ocean. There are over 800 miles of coastline in Costa Rica, much of which are made up of bluffs and steep rocks.

It is often necessary for the woman of the residence to stay home with young children as the average wage is about $10 per day, the highest in Central America. However, that is not enough to afford childcare.

Because her home is in the woods, she see's Iguana's and monkeys on a daily basis. While most Costa Ricans don't eat monkey and iguana meat, they do in neighboring Nicaragua. In fact, the government of Nicaragua encourages residents to eat iguana as opposed to chicken because iguanas are cheaper to raise when income is scarce. Plus, iguanas offer more protein than chickens. Iguanas have 24% protein compared with 18% in chicken.

Barefoot on hot concrete in Granada, Nicaragua

He was walking through the streets of Granada, Nicaragua with no shoes. The pavement was burning hot as the sun beams down on the city of about 130,000 residents. He was asking locals for money and many obliged handing him several córdoba’s or dollars.

Granada was founded in 1524 and is one of the oldest settlements among Latin American countries. Granada is located along the coast of the Lake Nicaragua. In the early days of formation it was the location of huge battles as English, French and Dutch pirates tried to take control of Nicaragua.

While the economy is better in Granada compared to other cities in Nicaragua, the U.S. Government warns American’s to use caution when traveling in the city. Political unrest often leads to demonstrations in cities like Granada as the next Presidential and National Assembly election will take place in November of 2016.  Sometimes political demonstrations turn violent as tempers escalate quickly.

Due to political unrest in Nicaragua and high crime, all U.S. Government personnel who travel to the area must be pre-approved because of safety concerns. Off duty government workers are not allowed to enter certain outdoor market areas due to increasing crime. 

The U.S. Bureau of Diplomatic Security announced in 2015, “The number of reports of burglary increased 63 percent from 2013 to 2014. The most frequent locations where non-violent crimes were reported to occur were restaurants, hotels (60 percent increase), roadways (700 percent increase), and on buses. There were also significant increases in reports from beaches and tourist areas. The majority of non-violent crimes were reported to occur during the day.” The U.S. also reported, “The municipalities with the highest rates of criminal complaints per 10,000 inhabitants were Bluefields, Granada, Puerto Cabezas, Managua, and Diriamba.”

Ice Cream in a Third World Country

His face was badly weathered as if he had spent every waking hour in the hot sun. The man who appeared to be in his late 70’s, was a hard worker.

He rode his three wheeled bike through the streets of Masaya, Nicaragua selling ice cream out of a large cooler attached to the back of his bike. When he saw a crowd of people he would stop and hold up different flavors in hopes of selling a few treats.

The United States Government reports that Nicaragua has one of the poorest economies in the hemisphere. They also report that U.S. residents are often targets of crime when they visit the country. Furthermore, the Nicaraguan government works hard at suggesting Americans are not to be trusted, according to the U.S. Department of State.

When help is needed, the National Police Force of Nicaragua is scarce. One local resident told me that police are corrupt and some officers get paid only $2 per day. I later found that the average Nicaraguan police officer receives $120 per month for their services, which is the lowest pay among nearly all Central American countries. In other words, $2 per day would be on the low end of the spectrum for a new officer while $120 per month is the average of all officers.

Ronald Reagan once stated, "Violence has been Nicaragua's most important export to the world."

Motorcycle Pilot

He was soft spoken and kind. When I asked him what was his favorite memory, he told me he was a “Motorcycle Pilot.” Confused I asked, “What’s a motorcycle pilot?” That was when he went into detail talking about the fun he had racing motorcycles. He talked about it with a passion that brought him to life, describing other people he raced with in his younger days. He then told me about the bikes he built from the ground up. As he talked my mind wandered… What if that passion were to return to him the way he is able to described every vivid detail to me.

His fault? He told me he can’t say no to anything. I took it as people have taken advantage of him over the years. I don’t know if that is true or not, but I could tell by the sound of his voice and the way he came across as being humble, that he would be the first to help someone in need.

His life today leaves him living in the back of an old pickup truck with a makeshift camper made out of wood and tarps covering the bed of the truck. He is 64-years old.

“The connection to place, to the land, the wind, the sun, stars, the moon... it sounds romantic, but it's true - the visceral experience of motion, of moving through time on some amazing machine - a few cars touch on it, but not too many compared to motorcycles. I always felt that any motorcycle journey was special.” - Antoine Predock

What is your purpose in life?

He was once a respiratory care nurse and said that he grew up during the hippie generation, but he was never a hippie. “I was into cars,” he told me, “I had a Mustang once, but my favorite was my Super Sport Camaro.”

As we talked he said that he is currently living in a motel. He is from Kentucky, but is stuck in Indiana after his daughters car broke down. “I don’t have enough money to get back, so I am staying here until I do,” he said. “My social security check should be here in a few days, once I get it I will head back to Kentucky,” he reassured me.

As I was about to walk away, the 61 year old stopped me. “Have you found yourself yet,” he asked with much curiosity. Confused I responded, “Have I found myself?” He looked at me and said, “Yea, I mean you – your purpose – you?” I paused, “I uh, I don’t know – I guess - - Have you?” He looked at me with curiosity, scrunched his nose and said, “I have not found myself yet, my purpose. I will let you know if I do.”

Tim Tebow stated, “Regardless of whatever I do, I know what my purpose is: to make a difference in people's lives.”

He forgave his father

“I just turned 30,” he told me. His life was far from glamourous, but he has come to grips with that as he ages.

“I was taken away from my parents at age 1,” he said with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He went on to tell me that he has pins in his back and even a small plate of metal in his head, caused by the hands of his father. It was at that point that I began to understand why the Department of Children Services took him away from his mother and father at such a young age.

Apparently, he went into foster care and eventually back to his parents and then back into the foster care system and then back to parents. It was a tug of war between parents and people he didn’t know. Allen later became a ward of the State of Indiana.

“It never did heal properly,” he told me while talking about his child abuse and battle scars. I then asked him if he ever sees his father today and if so, has he forgiven him? He smiled, “I have forgiven him.”

While forgiving is one positive step, moving forward can take years. Allen is homeless and living in shelters some nights when the temperature drops while living on the street other nights.

By the way, Allen told me that when he told his father that he forgave him, his father responded, “I appreciate it, but there is nothing I can do about it now.”