In 'my' part of Nicaragua though there's Digna, a lawyer, a mother, and with one of the quickest minds I've come across. And Socorro who travels from one of Nicaragua's autonomous regions to speak at the United Nations about autonomy itself. And Mr. Julio and his son Julio who release beauty from pieces of wood. And Ms. Freda, calm and kind and willing to share a world of knowledge. And Jacinta and Jose Louis who keep False Bluff growing and beautiful and safe...and their two children who add joy to the place. And Mr. Allen and Dolly and Ms. Gladys and Don Presida and Jaunita and Emita...
My list goes on; and my list continues to grow. Anyone who spends time in the area will most likely build a list of her or his own.
But without a doubt some of the most extraordinary people in my part of Nicaragua are Sylvia and her son Cesper.
One of my favorite Sylvia stories arose from an incident that happened when bunch of us were leaving Pelican Bay after dinner. A woman (in a group of professional women like Sylvia herself) at a nearby table, stopped Sylvia to ask why she was with "...those white people." Without pause, Sylvia answered that we were members of her family. The women then asked how that could be - since Sylvia is so dark and we are so light.
Again without pause, Sylvia responded that since her parents were dead, she couldn't ask them. And of course Sylvia is right: we are members of her family.
Here are Sylvia and Cesper. Sylvia, a lawyer, had two cases in court in Pearl Lagoon one morning and no car taxi available to get her to the wharf in time to catch the boat taxi. (Another son who lives in Pearl Lagoon, a community north of Bluefields, had promised her a cooler full of fresh shrimp....if she brought the cooler.) And so, with a deadline to meet, Cesper makes sure his mom (with her cooler) gets to the wharf in time to catch her boat.
