My first impressions of Nicaragua

Well, I’ve been in Nicaragua for less than 24 hours and I’ve made some startling discoveries:
1) This is a really hot and muggy country. During the day, it’s always blazingly hot (+36 degrees). It only slightly falls at night time, so air conditioning is not a luxury but a necessity.
2) Managua is a busy, bustling and slightly over-crowded city. It reminds me of Romania somewhat but in a slightly more dirty way. There is a quiet but controlled chaos on the streets with traffic coming from all directions. It is a sight for ears, eyes and smells (exhaust pipes are a polite recommendation)
3) The people are extremely nice and helpful. I am lucky enough to have been allowed to stay with Oscar Senior and Oscar Junior. I’ve been here for maybe 6 hours but already, I feel very much part of the family. They are really wonderful. They live in walking distance to the Mi Crédito office although the head office is elsewhere in the city. MEDA also has an office in Managua. Oscar Senior works there as an accountant.
4) The city is very functional but there are areas to avoid. I get the impression it’s not such a good idea to walk at night. Personal security is always a concern although I think a lot of this is borne by fear rather than a real threat as many Nicas are amazingly helpful and caring.
5) My Spanish is very rusty and needs much work. Although I am improving and I feel myself a bit more confident already, I know I am going up a tall hill to improving my Spanish. I will need to work hard to acquire the necessary skills needed to pass the advanced mid Spanish oral exam. I will not only need to immerse myself in the Spanish language but also its culture and its people.
6) Water is a real issue here. We only have running water in the night time and the morning and it stops between noon and night fall. This is meant to help conserve water but it also demands some interesting planning (there are water garbage cans strewn across the house.
7) There is not really a place where solstice can be had in the downtown area. As the much sprawling urban area has taken away much of the farm land, many Nicas that can afford it have purchased homes in villages around the city. This allows them to escape the pollution, congestion and general business of the city.