How to make a joke...in Spanish

Improving my Spanish. Learning about work for a non-profit. Experiencing a new culture. These are things I knew I would learn coming into this internship. But I've come to realize that I'm also learning skills I didn't anticipate, skills I didn't even know existed.
Like pretending to understand what is being said. If I stopped the conversation every time I didn't understand something, I would become a huge pain to talk to. So I pretend like I know what is going on. It involves a combination of head nods and mirroring the facial expression of the speaker. I'm working on my fake laugh, laughing along just because everyone else is even though I have no clue what is being said.
It's risky to attempt sarcasm in a foreign language, but I needed to try. I find I'm a lot more animated when I'm trying to make a joke, over exaggerate my facial expression and flail my hands around. There's also this desperate look in my face hoping that the person understands I'm trying to make a joke, and not being offensive.
Everyone seems to get my jokes, or maybe they're just laughing AT me. That's where humility comes in. I have been in situations where I look like a complete idiot more times than I would like to count. I've come to learn to embrace it. I've had to suck it up and acknowledge that I don't understand the language, and that I am confused about 75% of the time here.
Besides getting around the language barrier, there are a few other skills I'm learning from living in a developing country.
Like how to have a shower, flush the toilet and brush my teeth with no running water (it involves an organized system of buckets and old water bottles). How to get out of a car that doesn't have a functioning inside door handle (car safety standards are non-existent). How to balance on the back of a motorbike with a bag of oranges, a tripod and a smelly bag of fish. And the list goes on.....

Is it true?

When I found out I was going to be moving to Managua, I started reading about the city to try and find things that I will love about the city. I ended up getting more and more dissapointed. As a tourist destination, Managua is not at the top of the list. The phrase "if you HAVE to go" is always used when the city is mentioned. Managua's main purpose is as a stop-over between the southern beaches and the northern mountains. It's dirty, hot, polluted and busy. It borders lake Managua, but the lake is no spot for a quick dip or a leisurely stroll.
To give the city credit, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1973. Only 4 buildings remained standing. There never really was a plan for rebuilding the city. The city just kind of grew out, organically, in a series of semi-circles.
Thus, there is no method to the madness that is Nicaragua's capital city.

Then I read somewhere that the song "Where the streets have no name" by U2 was actually written about Managua. Sold! I then started using this tidbit as a selling point for the city. Managua now joins the exclusive club of songs named after them. Take that Toronto!
But wait, is it actually true? I have spent way to many minutes "researching" this fact online. And it's still deemed a disputed fact (see here and here). Darn!

Elections

On Sunday November 9th, Nicaraguans headed to the polls for the mayoral elections. ("mayoral" is the literal translation, I believe "provincial" would be the best political translation, for Canadians). The lead up to these elections has been quite interesting, for a non-Nicaraguan like me. The passion that Nicaraguans have for politics and elections is amazing. At least 2 months before the actual election, there were political billboards all over the city. Houses and lampposts were painted to reflect ,the preferred political party. Frequent rallies would pop up, groups of supporters driving around the city, waving flags, honking horns and blocking traffic at any day or time of the week.

There are two main political parties in Nicaragua: the FSLN(the Sandanista party, currently the federal ruling party, their idols are Che Guevara and Sandino) and the PLN (the Liberal party, but Nicaragua's Liberals are more similar to Canada's Conservatives.
The Wednesday before the election it was announced that all offices would be closed on Friday and Saturday (most Nicaraguans work Saturdays as well). Then on Thursday, around 3 p.m. it was announced that the holidays were canceled and it would be business as usual the next day. I can't seem to understand how the government was able to relay this information on such short notice - and the fact that everyone seemed to just go along with it.

After 2 months of rallying and propaganda, a 72 hours "quiet period" was enforced. No public political activity was allowed for 2 days before the elections. The sale and consumption of alcohol was banned on Saturday and Sunday. Then the election happened. And the rallying and demonstrations resumed. In major cities, it took a few days for an official winner to be announced. And even if the winner was announced, the losing party would inevitably protest it and claim fraud. This morning in the paper there was an insert from the PLN candidate for Managua. This insert listed all the votes calculated in every polling station in Managua.

Throughout the week there have been groups of Nicaraguans gathering in various rotundas, wearing masks, and armed with air guns and rocks. My landlord didn't go to her class on Thursday night because she "didn't want to get hit in the head with a rock". It's sounding like things are starting to calm down a bit - but it's been quite a hectic week. And these aren't even the presidential elections.

I saw the new James Bond movie before you

I like movies. I enjoy going to the movies in Canada, but I find the $10 cost prohibitive at times. In Nicaragua, going to the movies has become a lovely escape. It's air-conditioned to nearly freezing temperatures and the seats are clean and comfy. And it only costs about $3.
The only catch is that Nicaraguan theatres decide to release the poorest selection of movies. Made of Honour was playing in theatres for my first 6 weeks here. Six weeks.
Then a movie called Love Wrecked opened. I had never heard of the movie and thought maybe I was out of touch on my Hollywood movies. So I looked it up. The movie was released in the U.S. in 2005. It starred Amanda Bynes and Lance Bass played the character of "cell phone Dan". I decided to save $3 and pass up that opportunity.
Then, last week, all of a sudden the new James Bond movie opens in theatres. And I realize that the movie hasn't even opened in North America yet.
How does this make any sense?
ps - as for my review - movie was o.k., too many fight scenes make me a little dizzy

The tourism dilemma

I spent this past weekend sunning and swimming at the Laguna de Apoyo. It's about an hour outside of Managua - but a little tricky to get to as you have to take 2 buses and only about 3 buses a day go down into the laguna. My first attempt at getting to the laguna cost about 4 hours and two really bad blisters. But I've since learned and the trip was more efficient this time.
The view from the lagoon is quite spectacular - clear water, tons of trees, so much greenery you can't even see the road you drove in on.
We stayed at a hostel called The Monkey Hut which was highly recommended by backpackers and tourists.
The hostel was pretty packed with people coming for the day and all 20 or so beds were booked for the weekend.
But a kayak trip along the lagoon reveals that the rest of this beautiful space is rather underdeveloped. There were a few nice hotels but they all seemed pretty empty. It is kind of eerie and sad seeing a waterfront restaurant ready to serve about 50 people..with only 2 guests.
But it's the quiet and the lack of development that is so appealing.
The obvious fear is that with more development and tourists the beauty will disappear. The sound of the howler monkeys will be drowned out by jet ski motors. And a tourist will steal your towel when you go to the bathroom. The local culture gets lost when you try to attract the "rich white people."
But then again, the tourism industry can be good for the economy. Nicaragua's economy relies a lot on agriculture, which can be a fickle friend. With unpredictable weather patterns, and the fluctuating food prices, it is common to hear of a farmer who lost his crop and income for the year. Wouldn't it be a good idea for the country to diversify and develop it's tourism industry?
So what's the solution? Is tourism really a bad thing? Is it possible to find the best of both worlds?