The Zapata Family from El Zapote

Marlon Zapata is the cuidador we have hired to live on our lot - to keep random unwanted people from living on our lot while we are not here.  This is a necessary and traditional job for many locals.  Marlon is young, but happy to have a job, and his family are very close as they too are cuidador's for other nearby properties.  

We have met Marlon's entire family.   We cannot figure out who is related to whom, but they all seem to have the same father and sometime introduce themselves as cousins.  Let me be clear, this is not a language barrier.  

Marlon's sister Laura (or cousin, or neice) graduated from middle school today and we went to support the family.
Here is Laura with her Grandfather Zapata.

Zapata has also been introduced as the father of Marlon.
Are you getting the confusion?


All schools in Nicaragua are painted the traditional blue and white national colours.  You can see the school in the background.

And since we were there, driving El Fumador, we gave everyone a ride home, plus their bicycles in true Nica fashion.