A look into how CSA high-schoolers celebrate the upcoming break
Lucía Salvo & Valentina Mierisch
Pochomil or Pocho-Thousand, the dream destination for Nica high-schoolers Holy Week vacation (from April 10th to April 17th). With the Holy Week heat, overwhelming workload, and the need for an escape, Pochomil is where you should go. However…some might believe otherwise.
Being in a Catholic school, we are exposed to different ways in which we live our religion. For some, it’s just saying a Hail Mary before going to bed or going to mass on Sundays, but for others it’s a deeper commitment, meaning that they join Community groups in their churches.
Lucía Salvo and Valentina Mierisch at Pochomil for Holy Week 2021. (Photo Credits: Maria Adela Levy)
We interviewed some CSA high-schoolers and asked about their plans for Holy Week. As expected, most had plans to attend the beautiful beach of Pochomil in Carazo, Nicaragua. It lies only 1 hour and 19 minutes away from Managua with a cost of 130 cordobas in a taxi. Pochomil is a rather isolated beach; most property owners know each other and the beach town is at least 10 minutes away. The closest thing to the well-known houses is “Pulperia Coquito”, which surely has increased sales during Holy Week.
Our interviewees attending Pochomil this Holy Week will do so due to family and friends who will attend as well. According to Alejandro Parada, a 12th grader, it’s tradition to go to Pochomil every Holy Week; Fernando Levy, a 10th grader, even commented that he has gone there ever since he can remember. It may seem boring due to the fact that the beach is rather alone, but during Holy Week everyone gets together and has some refreshing drinks under the warm sun, swimming in the cool waves and wading in the positas.
Most CSA students will be staying at their own houses or their friends’, further proving the fact that Pochomil is a familiar community. Cristina Parada, a 9th grader, will be staying at her friend's house and Valentina is staying with me, just on the coast of the beach. Some are even going to San Juan and then Pochomil (like Luis Espinoza, a 12th grader). What a fun week!
But what about the religious part of the week, you might ask? Well, to be honest, our interviewees and ourselves don’t really do much praying. At maximum, we participate in a Viacrucis with our families and attend mass on Easter Sunday. However, CSA students who are in Communities are required to stay in Managua for Holy Week.
Cristiana Chamorro, a 12th grader, has attended la Vigilia Pascual, from 10 p.m to 4 a.m. with her community, since she can remember. She attends El Lavado de Los Pies on Holy Thursday and La Adoración de la Cruz on Holy Friday.
Cristiana stays in Managua for the whole week, but Luis Cifuentes, an 11th grader, who is also in a Community, is able to go to the beach and return on Thursday morning for Holy Week celebrations at his church. Although it may seem that they get FOMO, they say that they are rather used to missing the Holy Week parties at the beach.
Sunrise after la Vigilia Pascual 2021. Photo Credits: Alejandra Bolanos
With Holy Week just around the corner, it's your time to choose how holy you want to live it. Although we are daughters of God and we don’t forget to pray every night, we are choosing to party at Pochomil. What are you choosing to do?