Teresita's Travels: Photos by Elida

When I was just beginning my time in Los Chiles, I was making it my daily routine to walk to the health center in the morning. It soon became part of my daily routine that a little voice would scream out "TERESA!!!" every time I walked by a certain house. I'm not sure how she learned my name, but the little girl who lives in the house right across the way certainly did learn it, and took every opportunity to let me know it. Very loudly. When I learned her name, I started yelling it back to her whenever she would yell me my name, and so every time I walked to the health center, the call and response of TERESA!!! ELIDA!!! was inevitable, and soon became a comforting ritual to my day. And it wouldn't have happened if not for Elida.

You see, Elida is what we call in Nicaragua a bandida, which is a trickster, joker, or general causer of trouble...in a good way. Just look at her face.

Please note what her shirt says: You're just jealous cause the voices talk to me

In this photo, she has climbed onto the table where a relative had set up a stand to sell repocheta (shredded cabbage and refried beans on top of a fried corn tortilla), because Elida gets what she wants, dammit. This also explains why mere minutes after I took this photo of her, Elida suddenly had control of my camera, and was taking all the photos she possibly could. I present to you now, with no further ado, the photography talents of Elida.

The view from her house.

The blue building pictured is the school Pablo Antonio, which is open every other weekend for students who have to travel from distant communities, or non-traditional students, like young mothers.