Surprise Surprise

Over the course of my many months here, lots of things have surprised me, including lizards falling from the ceiling, chickens running into my legs when I was playing soccer and my host sister's surprise visit from England. On top of all that, I have surprised myself with many things I have said and done...

Hot Mango Crisp Syrup

I made up this recipe as a way to use up some green mangoes that I didn't know what to do with. My inspirations were memories of apple crisp and a mango crisp recipe a friend made once. I made it for my host family for breakfast this weekend and they begged me for it again for dinner, but we were out of mangoes, so I made it with diced star fruit and it turned out just as delicious. Enjoy!

Soccer in Zapotillo

Snap shot of Zapotillo

The path from town to the community of Zapotillo

The sub-urban community of Zapotillo (Sa-poe-tEE-o) sits on the banks of the Rio Coco (the Coco River), about a 20 minute walk outside of the municipal capital where I live. It is home to hundreds of people and has a rich history of indigenous culture, mounds, and artisans. Many years ago it used to be a bustling center of activity, as shown in artifacts found throughout the community. These days, things have changed.