A friend of mine took me horseback riding - spurs and all...which i didn't use. it was quite fun - lerned a lot about his family's land, the crops they grow, where the cattle graze, where they stay when it rains and they can't get back to town, etc. very interesting, very nice horse, only thought i was going to fally once - it's very hilly where we went and 1. i'm not used to being on a horse and 2. i'm not used to going down hills/through bushes and trees on a horse. but it was fine. the best/most scary part - when my friend made the horse run. I don't think i've ever been on a horse running before. so sweet. kinda wish horses came with seatbelts though. :)
It's raining scorpians and cockroaches...and all other insects!!
So I came home one day to the houses being fumigates...and spent the rest of the afternoon sneezing. it's incredible the amount of creey crawlies living in the housese that end up dead on the floor from the fumes. mostly spiders and other insects in my house, cockroaches in the latrine, and my friend had quite a few scorpians - pregnant ones too - so gross! but I thought i'd be spider free for a while...um no, maybe 2 days and they're back!! I just think of them as cheap wall decorations.
Other site news...
I bought a mini fridge- pretty exciting. Cold water is amazing. so are frozen chocolate bananas which my friend and i made when she came to visit. I move into my own house next week - exciting and odd at the same time...living alone, cooking without a pound of oil and salt...definitely different. My garden is growing nicely - soon it will be time to transplant the tomatoes. My youth group is still going. it's nice to see a few of them take charge of the group. we are still thinking of doing a tree nursery...trying to get seeds and bags. also, I started an English class - mostly girls as the boys are stilll way too shy around me. but they are really interested and work hard - very impressive. they all showed up the first day with their notebooks and pens and worked very diligently on spelling and pronunciation. although I don't really like teaching English, I think with this group it will be fun since they are so enthusiastic and truly want to learn. so that's really exciting. supossedly teachers go back to school on Jan. 5th...so hopefully i'll be a bit more busy then..i guess cleaning the school is first on the agenda. oh and i possible am going to teach PE since none of the teachers every do. Sweet!
I went to an evangelical wedding yesterday. vows pretty similar. no groomsmen but a few really young firls up front. we all went back to the bride's house for food and cake after. All the women were dressed up and all the men wore jeans.
New years plans...apparently we are cooking a ram...should be interesting. That's about it from here. I hope you all have a very safe and fun new years!! lots of love!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Take that chickens!!! and yes i went a day without bathing...
So I finally got my fence up around my garden with the help of my host dad and uncle. I was looking forward to doing something myself but that didn't happen - heaven forbid a girl with a hammer so I got the job of puttin gthe staples in place for them to hammer. I really do appreciate all their help - they are wonderful and although I'm not comfortable with a machete yet, a hammer I can handle. A friend helped me make a gate so I'm all set up! No more chickens, pigs, or dogs!!! so awesome. so far I've planted tomatoes, green peppers, cucumber, and watermelon. I still have to plant the squash..ran out of time the other day. Here's hoping it all grows!!
Youth group meeting attempts 1 and 2 = crash and burn! I invited a bunch of youth to a meeting planned for wed mid morning. well, at 7 am I was watering my plants when my director showed up and told me I had to go to Somotillo for a workshop and that the bus would be there any minute. great. I ran home, changed clothes and go to the highway just in time. my sister was nice enough to tell some people that the meeting was postponed but of course many did not know. so I tried to have it Friday but lots of people weren't around and not many showed up so we all decided it would be better to try again next week. so we'll see...i hope next week turns out better. oh and on the walk home from the meeting that didn't happen, I got stung by a bee - twice- once on each butt check...not cool.
so last week i went to chinandega and left at 530 and didn't really feel like taking my bath in the dark. I had every intention of bathing when I got home around 4. well, I was informed by many townspeople that I couldn't shower right away because my body was agitated from my journey and that I needed to rest and let my body relax first. so I sat and chatted with them for a while and by the time they let me leave it was dark and time for dinner. well of course I couldn't bathe right after eating because that's bad too so I rested again. and at that point I decided I didn't care and would bathe the next morning. well, the next day all these kids kept asking me if it was true that I didn't bathe the day before and whay not. so that was the talk of the town...how the gringa didn't bathe. highly entertaining. even if I shower later than normal people ask me about it. normally I bathe at 6 but if I decided to work out or water the garden or something before bathing everyone says...eliza...it's 8am and you are just now bathing? why so late? (even though i'm still the first one with the few exceptions that work in somotillo) :) yeah fishbowl effect!
stars...I would just like to say how beautiful and bright the stars and moon are. the sky is always clear at night and the stars are so so bright. and the moon lights up everything so much. there is a huge difference in how light it is depending on what type of moon it is. it's absolutely beautiful.
I'm slowly getting to know people which is fun - lots of life stories and interesting facts. i've also met with a man who works for INTA which is the agriculture government sector who will be a great technical resource for my school gardens and tree nurseries. so everything is going really well I think. I still feel like a 5 year old sometimes but the other day I decided whatever, I'm an adult and I'm going for a run and I don't care what people say. so I did. of course a bunch of people said that I should run around this little area (less than half a soccer field) right across from their house...um no thanks. I told them I would be fine and that I would be back in a half hour. So off I went - it felt so good to run...although breathing in dust is never fun, especially when exercising but oh well. I definitely was stared at by everyone I passed but other than that it was perfectly fine and I felt very safe. so I get back, red as a tomato and sweating profusely....some scolded me for it being dangerous and for me working too hard...others saying it's good to exercise. all definitely laughing at how red and sweaty i was. the next day my director was still going on about how i shoudn't run. my host dad told her it was fine but that i should go at 430 am instead of 5pm because the "thugs" would be asleep at that time. I told him I also enjoy sleeping at 430, that I prefer 5pm and that he should just go with me. they both enjoyed that.
oh the heat is coming! I swear everyday it is getting a little hotter. and it's going to continue to get hotter until it rains in may. but I'm getting used to the mixture of sweat and dirt on my skin at all times. makes me look tanner.
that's all I know at this point. stay safe in the snow and with holiday traveling. it's hard to believe it's almost christmas - but I was at a house the other day with a little christmas tree so that made me smile. Happy Holidays and best wishes from Nicaragua!!!
miss you all...lots of love
Youth group meeting attempts 1 and 2 = crash and burn! I invited a bunch of youth to a meeting planned for wed mid morning. well, at 7 am I was watering my plants when my director showed up and told me I had to go to Somotillo for a workshop and that the bus would be there any minute. great. I ran home, changed clothes and go to the highway just in time. my sister was nice enough to tell some people that the meeting was postponed but of course many did not know. so I tried to have it Friday but lots of people weren't around and not many showed up so we all decided it would be better to try again next week. so we'll see...i hope next week turns out better. oh and on the walk home from the meeting that didn't happen, I got stung by a bee - twice- once on each butt check...not cool.
so last week i went to chinandega and left at 530 and didn't really feel like taking my bath in the dark. I had every intention of bathing when I got home around 4. well, I was informed by many townspeople that I couldn't shower right away because my body was agitated from my journey and that I needed to rest and let my body relax first. so I sat and chatted with them for a while and by the time they let me leave it was dark and time for dinner. well of course I couldn't bathe right after eating because that's bad too so I rested again. and at that point I decided I didn't care and would bathe the next morning. well, the next day all these kids kept asking me if it was true that I didn't bathe the day before and whay not. so that was the talk of the town...how the gringa didn't bathe. highly entertaining. even if I shower later than normal people ask me about it. normally I bathe at 6 but if I decided to work out or water the garden or something before bathing everyone says...eliza...it's 8am and you are just now bathing? why so late? (even though i'm still the first one with the few exceptions that work in somotillo) :) yeah fishbowl effect!
stars...I would just like to say how beautiful and bright the stars and moon are. the sky is always clear at night and the stars are so so bright. and the moon lights up everything so much. there is a huge difference in how light it is depending on what type of moon it is. it's absolutely beautiful.
I'm slowly getting to know people which is fun - lots of life stories and interesting facts. i've also met with a man who works for INTA which is the agriculture government sector who will be a great technical resource for my school gardens and tree nurseries. so everything is going really well I think. I still feel like a 5 year old sometimes but the other day I decided whatever, I'm an adult and I'm going for a run and I don't care what people say. so I did. of course a bunch of people said that I should run around this little area (less than half a soccer field) right across from their house...um no thanks. I told them I would be fine and that I would be back in a half hour. So off I went - it felt so good to run...although breathing in dust is never fun, especially when exercising but oh well. I definitely was stared at by everyone I passed but other than that it was perfectly fine and I felt very safe. so I get back, red as a tomato and sweating profusely....some scolded me for it being dangerous and for me working too hard...others saying it's good to exercise. all definitely laughing at how red and sweaty i was. the next day my director was still going on about how i shoudn't run. my host dad told her it was fine but that i should go at 430 am instead of 5pm because the "thugs" would be asleep at that time. I told him I also enjoy sleeping at 430, that I prefer 5pm and that he should just go with me. they both enjoyed that.
oh the heat is coming! I swear everyday it is getting a little hotter. and it's going to continue to get hotter until it rains in may. but I'm getting used to the mixture of sweat and dirt on my skin at all times. makes me look tanner.
that's all I know at this point. stay safe in the snow and with holiday traveling. it's hard to believe it's almost christmas - but I was at a house the other day with a little christmas tree so that made me smile. Happy Holidays and best wishes from Nicaragua!!!
miss you all...lots of love
Monday, December 1, 2008
first week at site/happy thanksgiving!
me and all my stuff sucessfully made it to my site! my little brother really wanted to help me with my stuff but honestly my hiking pack is bigger thank he is. but a cousin did carry my very heavy suitcase so that was helpful. ive been a little sick since ive been here but im sure its due to the changes in food and what not...getting better. but everything is good. last week school was pretty much over. students came a few days to clean and receive their final grades. this past sat was the preschool and 6th grade graduation ceremony. so i went to that and sat at the table of honor at the front of the room with the principal, minestry of ed. delegate and the teachers handing out awards. each studnet walked in with their escort and was announced. after that each one came up individually to get their diploma. and then they came up again to get a flower. it was a few hour affair but very interesting to take part in. oh and during all of this they played the same song over and over again. after the ceremony started the food. i ate at the school with my principal and then again at home snce my brother graduatioed from 6th grade. all day eating and talking - good spanish practice and it gave me a chance to put more names and faces together. sunday was hs graduation...more food as one of my cousins graduated.
Thanksgiving!!! so a bunch of colunteers met at a beach in leon for thanksgiving. the beach is absolutely beautiful and the water was perfect. unfortunately it was a bit of a journey - left my town at 6am and got to the beach at 1pm but it was great. and luckily there are beaches way closer than that to me. the owners of the hostel we stayed at are american and they made us a thanksgiving dinner - not as good as grandmas but definitely good and unexpected. then we had a big fire and dance party on the beach. although it wasnt the same without my wonderful family and football- i cnat complain too much about a thanksgiving on the beach. i hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and are enjoying the leftovers!!
more about my town...im already used to my bucket bath in my public bathing stall. still a little odd that a guy is always there as well bathing next to the well (not in a stall thing) but at least i get serenaded while i bathe every morning. still havent seen any scorpians, terantulas or snakes. cockroaches, spiders, and other creepy crawles, yes, but nothing too discusting. ive already made friends with a girl in my town - shes been super helpful and im sure will continue to be throughout my service. im getting to know others at a slower pace but im working on it. ive started discussing project ideas with some people and in the next few weeks im going to finalize some plans for my youth groups and start working on forming them. i also am going to start my garden and compost pile in the next few weeks. those, working on spanish, and talking a lot with people to gain trust are my main goals until school starts. so thats whats going on with me. hoppe you are all doing well! miss you and love you!
cell service is pretty bad at my site but you can try!! and i have received mail so the new address works!
Thanksgiving!!! so a bunch of colunteers met at a beach in leon for thanksgiving. the beach is absolutely beautiful and the water was perfect. unfortunately it was a bit of a journey - left my town at 6am and got to the beach at 1pm but it was great. and luckily there are beaches way closer than that to me. the owners of the hostel we stayed at are american and they made us a thanksgiving dinner - not as good as grandmas but definitely good and unexpected. then we had a big fire and dance party on the beach. although it wasnt the same without my wonderful family and football- i cnat complain too much about a thanksgiving on the beach. i hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and are enjoying the leftovers!!
more about my town...im already used to my bucket bath in my public bathing stall. still a little odd that a guy is always there as well bathing next to the well (not in a stall thing) but at least i get serenaded while i bathe every morning. still havent seen any scorpians, terantulas or snakes. cockroaches, spiders, and other creepy crawles, yes, but nothing too discusting. ive already made friends with a girl in my town - shes been super helpful and im sure will continue to be throughout my service. im getting to know others at a slower pace but im working on it. ive started discussing project ideas with some people and in the next few weeks im going to finalize some plans for my youth groups and start working on forming them. i also am going to start my garden and compost pile in the next few weeks. those, working on spanish, and talking a lot with people to gain trust are my main goals until school starts. so thats whats going on with me. hoppe you are all doing well! miss you and love you!
cell service is pretty bad at my site but you can try!! and i have received mail so the new address works!
Friday, November 21, 2008
more pics
dorky picture but a close up of my short hair
me and kendall
me and paula before swearing in...didn't she do a great job on my hair!
irma, stefany, me and jader...good friends from my training town
walking on my hands again...decent form
my and my parents
me and my sister...great cook
me and my nephews!! so cute
my family!
my cousin on the left...me...and my sis
me and my bro
the cake i helped make for my family
me and paula ready to go dancing!pics
laguna
underwater
me and some statue at the laguna
more laguna
volano san cristobal near my site
old church in granada
pretty street in granada...sorry its sideways
cathedral granada
same
me and my sis at the lake in granada
laguna in masaya
me walking on my hands...this is my new way of stress management!
me at volcano masaya
me and paula celebrating finding out our sites...after hair cut number 1...we got bored so she braided all my hair!pictures 1
volcano masaya....an old crater
more volcano masaya
and again
and again
yep giant cross up there..really sweet view from it
boys playing soccer on the steps of the church
volcano masaya...really cool hike
random guy on the bus....we thought he was funny
new born puppies!
independence day parade in september
volcano
me and libby in managua
me and libby in managuame and irma in nandasmo
cool flower in managua
pool at
the hotel in managua
cool flower in managua
pool at
the hotel in managuaTuesday, November 11, 2008
continuation...
ok so here´s some more info...
- neccessary stuff...most everything i need is in a bigger town about 30 minutes away...although it is only 8 km. the police, mayor, delegate to the ministry of education, post office, internet, and supermarket is all there. unfortunately the bank is in anoter town which happens to be on the boarder of honduras. funny story about that...you have to pass the boarder guards before you reach the bank - it is in the duty free zone. the guard asked to see my id so i gave it to him but he wanted to see my passport, which i obviously didn´t have...one because pc still has it and two, why would i have my passport if i´m not crossing any boarders! so 10 minutes later i finally convinced him that i wasn´t going to honduras...i just wanted to go to the bank.
- my favorite part of my site: the people. they are wonderful and i can´t wait to get to know them better.
- what will take the most getting used to: lack of things to do. i´ve already made a list of things i have to do each day and then other possible options. now i just have to get myself to stick to them. i´ve got a lot of self discipline to learn...and lots of time to practice it! :)
other notes...
training is almost over! craziness. we are finishing up with our youth group...i´m done teaching classes. we have a few more technical sessions, our final language interview and then it´s off to managua for a few days...more sessions with all of environment and agriculture. and then off to my site! i´m definitely going to miss my training town and the people here...and my toilet. :) also, sunday was the municipal elections in nicaragua so that was interesting to watch...kinda glad campaigning is over...although some day i´m sure i´ll miss all the noise, caravans, and bombs going off. there was lots of celebrating that night and the next day...lots of fun.
that´s it for now....
lots of love!
- neccessary stuff...most everything i need is in a bigger town about 30 minutes away...although it is only 8 km. the police, mayor, delegate to the ministry of education, post office, internet, and supermarket is all there. unfortunately the bank is in anoter town which happens to be on the boarder of honduras. funny story about that...you have to pass the boarder guards before you reach the bank - it is in the duty free zone. the guard asked to see my id so i gave it to him but he wanted to see my passport, which i obviously didn´t have...one because pc still has it and two, why would i have my passport if i´m not crossing any boarders! so 10 minutes later i finally convinced him that i wasn´t going to honduras...i just wanted to go to the bank.
- my favorite part of my site: the people. they are wonderful and i can´t wait to get to know them better.
- what will take the most getting used to: lack of things to do. i´ve already made a list of things i have to do each day and then other possible options. now i just have to get myself to stick to them. i´ve got a lot of self discipline to learn...and lots of time to practice it! :)
other notes...
training is almost over! craziness. we are finishing up with our youth group...i´m done teaching classes. we have a few more technical sessions, our final language interview and then it´s off to managua for a few days...more sessions with all of environment and agriculture. and then off to my site! i´m definitely going to miss my training town and the people here...and my toilet. :) also, sunday was the municipal elections in nicaragua so that was interesting to watch...kinda glad campaigning is over...although some day i´m sure i´ll miss all the noise, caravans, and bombs going off. there was lots of celebrating that night and the next day...lots of fun.
that´s it for now....
lots of love!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Home, home on the range...
where the deer and the buffalo roam...or in my case the cows, pigs, chickens, roosters, horses and dogs graze...hopefully you all know that song. so that´s going to be my life for 2 years. my town supposedly has 300 people...but i think that´s counting some of the livestock. it´s in northern chinandega right on the highway. everyone lives on one side or the other of the highway. there is one raod that goes away from the highway with about 7 houses, all brothers and sisters of the same family. my 6 week host family lives there and the house i will rent is also there so i´m surrounded by a big family. everyone i´ve met is super nice and helpful. my host mom is an amazing cook/baker and is really excited to teach me how to make things. some specifics...
- roads: none of the roads including the highway are paved. the highway is being worked on, thanks to lots of cat equipment. maybe before i leave the highway to my site will be paved.
-dust: lots of dust! there is no avoiding it. now that the rains are pretty much over...it is dry and dusty. especially because all the roads are dirt and anytime a car passes...a big dust cloud.
-animals: so i live between 2 big pens of cattle. lots of times some of the cows aren´t in their pens, they chill wherever. along with the pigs and chickens. my first night...i went out to the latrine - almost had a heart attack because sitting outside my latrine was a huge bull. also, one must always watch the ground to avoid stepping in animal dung. oh and i think my garden is going to be difficult to keep from the animals.
- creppy crawlies...so i didn´t see any on my visit but aparently there are lots of scorpians, especialy in the dry season. they are bigger but less poisoness here. so that´s a good thing? right? the volunteer i am replacing thoroughly freaked me out about them so i´m very careful whenever i pick something up. also a tailess whip scorpian lives in my future ouse - it´s huge and ugly but supposedly harmless..
- showers: my favorite part. so my town doesn´t have running water..we have wells. also no one has their own shower area. most of the women bathe in the river and the men bathe at one of the wells. at a different well, there are 2 stall type things...unfortunatley they are mazes to get into and don´t have doors. so that´s a potentially awkward situation. i may be building my own little shower onto my house.
- schools: i´ve only been to 1 of my schools. all the teachers seem really nice and hopefully we will be able to learn a lot from each other. my other schools are about 4k down the highway. i will be working with 3-6th graders on enviro stuff and 1-2nd on reading comprehension. i really can´t wait for feb. when school starts again!
ok i have more to write but no more time today...but soon i will write more about my site! miss you love you...way to go hawks beating penn state!!!!! yeah iowa!!
- roads: none of the roads including the highway are paved. the highway is being worked on, thanks to lots of cat equipment. maybe before i leave the highway to my site will be paved.
-dust: lots of dust! there is no avoiding it. now that the rains are pretty much over...it is dry and dusty. especially because all the roads are dirt and anytime a car passes...a big dust cloud.
-animals: so i live between 2 big pens of cattle. lots of times some of the cows aren´t in their pens, they chill wherever. along with the pigs and chickens. my first night...i went out to the latrine - almost had a heart attack because sitting outside my latrine was a huge bull. also, one must always watch the ground to avoid stepping in animal dung. oh and i think my garden is going to be difficult to keep from the animals.
- creppy crawlies...so i didn´t see any on my visit but aparently there are lots of scorpians, especialy in the dry season. they are bigger but less poisoness here. so that´s a good thing? right? the volunteer i am replacing thoroughly freaked me out about them so i´m very careful whenever i pick something up. also a tailess whip scorpian lives in my future ouse - it´s huge and ugly but supposedly harmless..
- showers: my favorite part. so my town doesn´t have running water..we have wells. also no one has their own shower area. most of the women bathe in the river and the men bathe at one of the wells. at a different well, there are 2 stall type things...unfortunatley they are mazes to get into and don´t have doors. so that´s a potentially awkward situation. i may be building my own little shower onto my house.
- schools: i´ve only been to 1 of my schools. all the teachers seem really nice and hopefully we will be able to learn a lot from each other. my other schools are about 4k down the highway. i will be working with 3-6th graders on enviro stuff and 1-2nd on reading comprehension. i really can´t wait for feb. when school starts again!
ok i have more to write but no more time today...but soon i will write more about my site! miss you love you...way to go hawks beating penn state!!!!! yeah iowa!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Volunteer visit and Volcano hike
I visited a volunteer in the department of Chontales, which for the most part is cowboy country. lots of farms, lots of cattle, and lots of men on horseback driving the cattle through the streets. the town i visited has about 5000 people and is located in the mountains. it is absolutely beautiful and it wasn´t too hot. my journey there was pretty uneventful but full of firsts. my frist experience with cabs in Managua. my first trip alone in Nicaragua. my first 5 hour bus ride on a school bus. the bus was very full and i was glad i got a seat. unfortunately it rained almost the ntire 5 hours which meant that all the windows were shut making it pretty hot and stuffy. and normally nicaraguan buses blair music..which is great for me because i love music...but of course this bus didn´t have any music...what are the odds! and let me tell you...i had one sore behind after that trip! when i got off the bus i walked around asking people where the american lived...got lost a few times...asked more people and eventually found the volunteer´s house. it was really nice to see how a volunteer actually lives. she had a very nice house, complete with a small fridge, stove, oven (we made oatmeal raisen cookies) and a blender. her town only gets water twice a week so everyone has to store it in big barrels. electricity is always present although it does go out some in storms. she gets fresh milk twice a week and i learned how to take the cream from the mild and make my own butter. so awesome. i really hope i can buy fresh milk and make my own butter.
My favorite part of the trip was our journey to one of her multigrade schools. the school is 1-6th grade and is out in the middle of nowhere. there is no road or anything close to a road going to the school. so basically we hiked through the brush, through streams of water up to my knees, through fields of mud - i got stuck several times, through farms and cattle grazing, up and down hills - almost fell multiple times, and the best part...crossing a river in a canoe. an hour and a half later, we arrived at the school a muddy mess. it was awesome. and the 1 teacher in that school does that hike everyday - it´s incredible. overall a great experience..and teaching 6 grades at once is a crazy challenge!
Volcano trip! all the trainees went to volcano masaya - one of the 5 or 7 volcanos where you can actually see the lava. so we hiked up the volcano...looked down at the giant hole, took lots of pictures of smoke and what not. then hiked up to an extinct crater which was awesome. and there is a beautiful view of a lagoon, a lake, the volcano and a few different cities. it was beautiful and we got luck because it didn´t rain at all and the sun was out. and the best part - i got to use my hiking shoes and my fanny pack...so cool.
Other updates;
rainy season is frustrating. besides the fact that i don´t really like rain...although i am learning to handle it better..nothing happens when it rains. i can´t teach on days when there is a lot of rain because no one comes to class. we had an activity planned with our youth group that has gotten cancelled twice because of the rain. no one works on the garden because of the rain. it´s like rain = do nothing. so that´s frustrating especially because we only have a few more weeks here.
also, we got the list of possible sites but won´t find out for a week where each one of us will go. must have patience!
i did my patriotic duty the other day and voted...pretty exciting.
i started going to the gym daily...which consists of weights, a stair step and an eliptical. it´s funny because the trainer tells you what to do which is great except i´m out of shape, it´s deathly hot, and he´s trying to kill me. but it´s fun and i definitely work harder when he is constantly pushing me...and he´s a pretty funny guy so we have fun. i feel so much better so that´s exciting.
that´s all right now. love you miss you thanks for the emails, letters, and packages!!!
Elizabeth
ps i´m changing my name here to Elisa because i don´t like the way Elizabeth is pronounced!
My favorite part of the trip was our journey to one of her multigrade schools. the school is 1-6th grade and is out in the middle of nowhere. there is no road or anything close to a road going to the school. so basically we hiked through the brush, through streams of water up to my knees, through fields of mud - i got stuck several times, through farms and cattle grazing, up and down hills - almost fell multiple times, and the best part...crossing a river in a canoe. an hour and a half later, we arrived at the school a muddy mess. it was awesome. and the 1 teacher in that school does that hike everyday - it´s incredible. overall a great experience..and teaching 6 grades at once is a crazy challenge!
Volcano trip! all the trainees went to volcano masaya - one of the 5 or 7 volcanos where you can actually see the lava. so we hiked up the volcano...looked down at the giant hole, took lots of pictures of smoke and what not. then hiked up to an extinct crater which was awesome. and there is a beautiful view of a lagoon, a lake, the volcano and a few different cities. it was beautiful and we got luck because it didn´t rain at all and the sun was out. and the best part - i got to use my hiking shoes and my fanny pack...so cool.
Other updates;
rainy season is frustrating. besides the fact that i don´t really like rain...although i am learning to handle it better..nothing happens when it rains. i can´t teach on days when there is a lot of rain because no one comes to class. we had an activity planned with our youth group that has gotten cancelled twice because of the rain. no one works on the garden because of the rain. it´s like rain = do nothing. so that´s frustrating especially because we only have a few more weeks here.
also, we got the list of possible sites but won´t find out for a week where each one of us will go. must have patience!
i did my patriotic duty the other day and voted...pretty exciting.
i started going to the gym daily...which consists of weights, a stair step and an eliptical. it´s funny because the trainer tells you what to do which is great except i´m out of shape, it´s deathly hot, and he´s trying to kill me. but it´s fun and i definitely work harder when he is constantly pushing me...and he´s a pretty funny guy so we have fun. i feel so much better so that´s exciting.
that´s all right now. love you miss you thanks for the emails, letters, and packages!!!
Elizabeth
ps i´m changing my name here to Elisa because i don´t like the way Elizabeth is pronounced!
Friday, October 3, 2008
1 month down, 26 to go!
It´s finally been 1 month, although it feels like I´ve been here a lot longer. So some updates...
- our garden is growing quite well...as are the weeds. in the mornings we take off the cover so the plants can get some sun. but we have to cover it before it rains and right now it is raining like crazy. i never knew it could rain so hard and so long. and the thunder and lightning are incredible.
- teaching is going well. i definitely feel like i get more done in my elementary schools than in the high school. and i am more comfortable with the younger kids. i also don´t like that when i leave the high school, my male students tell me they love me (in english) and whistle at me. a funny teaching story...my first lesson at the elementary school, we did a project in groups. after they numbered off i told them to move to their specific group area. in my american thinking, i assumed that they would get up and sit in a desk in their area. well, little did i know that students are assigned a specific seat in school - and that is their seat, they are responsible for that seat. so all 35 of them stood up and carried their desk across the room to make their groups. not exactly the most efficient way nor what i had in mind. but definitely a learning experience for me.
- no more spanish class! our training town won´t have a facilitator anymore - sadness! we are going to do more practical projects and self guided study. also our technical trainer is going to meet with us once a week to discuss readings and assignments that he gives us.
- a feeling i wasn´t expecting to have in Nica...COLD!! now that it rains a lot, the evenings get cold. especially since it has been so hot, it feels cold even though it probably isnt that cold. there have been many evenings when i have to put my jeans on and a jacket. i sleep with a blanket and sometimes am still chilly...which makes my cold shower every morning not feel so great. but, the rain/being chilly/being really hot doesn´t really bother me...at least not yet!
- friends! i´m starting to make good friends here. there is a family who is absolutely amazing - 3 kids, a 17 year old girl in college, a 15 year old boy and a 7 year old girl. they all act a lot older than they are and they are a ton of fun to be with. and we have a joke that i´m taking the little girl with me for 2 years...seriously the most precious girl ever. so i spend a lot of time in the evenings with them along with my sister, cousin and another friend. AND they have cable which means i get to watch football on sundays which makes me extremely happy. i just wish i actually had a football with me.
-spanish skills...slowly progressing although it is hard for me to notice. ive been trying to read more in spanish. what helps me the most is when people correct me when i speak..the problem is that people here don´t want to correct me! but it is coming...
- food...so far i´m not really sick of the food...which is pretty amazing since i eat rice and beans multiple times a day. the amoungçt of carbs however is pretty incredible and that is one thing i plan on changing when i´m on my own. my town is known for it´s bread...the cheese and sugar bread is divine.
- malaria meds = crazy dreams!!! seriously i have the strangest dreams....for example....i dreamed that i was married and wanted a kid but didn´t want to deal with being pregnant so i used some new way where the baby grows in a bright red balloon. the balloon grew until one day it started bouncing around and then all of a sudden it popped and out dropped a 3 year old child. yeah...so there´s the future of childbirth.
- other feelings...hmm...people here are super friendly and are ready to chat at any time. the hissing and what not from the males definitely gets very annoying and although i try and tell myself it is their culture, it is still hard to ignore sometimes. i´ve talked to some of my nica friends about it and they say that they don´t do it to be offensive or annoying but that is hard to believe sometimes. but so far i´ve just ignored it and i pretty much accept the fact that it isn´t going to change.
- volunteer visit!! so exciting...this sunday i´m going to visit a volunteer who has been here for 2 years. i´m really looking forward to seeing how volunteers actually live and work. and of course i can´t wait for the 6 hour trip by myself... :)
- that´s pretty much it...love and miss you all!!
- our garden is growing quite well...as are the weeds. in the mornings we take off the cover so the plants can get some sun. but we have to cover it before it rains and right now it is raining like crazy. i never knew it could rain so hard and so long. and the thunder and lightning are incredible.
- teaching is going well. i definitely feel like i get more done in my elementary schools than in the high school. and i am more comfortable with the younger kids. i also don´t like that when i leave the high school, my male students tell me they love me (in english) and whistle at me. a funny teaching story...my first lesson at the elementary school, we did a project in groups. after they numbered off i told them to move to their specific group area. in my american thinking, i assumed that they would get up and sit in a desk in their area. well, little did i know that students are assigned a specific seat in school - and that is their seat, they are responsible for that seat. so all 35 of them stood up and carried their desk across the room to make their groups. not exactly the most efficient way nor what i had in mind. but definitely a learning experience for me.
- no more spanish class! our training town won´t have a facilitator anymore - sadness! we are going to do more practical projects and self guided study. also our technical trainer is going to meet with us once a week to discuss readings and assignments that he gives us.
- a feeling i wasn´t expecting to have in Nica...COLD!! now that it rains a lot, the evenings get cold. especially since it has been so hot, it feels cold even though it probably isnt that cold. there have been many evenings when i have to put my jeans on and a jacket. i sleep with a blanket and sometimes am still chilly...which makes my cold shower every morning not feel so great. but, the rain/being chilly/being really hot doesn´t really bother me...at least not yet!
- friends! i´m starting to make good friends here. there is a family who is absolutely amazing - 3 kids, a 17 year old girl in college, a 15 year old boy and a 7 year old girl. they all act a lot older than they are and they are a ton of fun to be with. and we have a joke that i´m taking the little girl with me for 2 years...seriously the most precious girl ever. so i spend a lot of time in the evenings with them along with my sister, cousin and another friend. AND they have cable which means i get to watch football on sundays which makes me extremely happy. i just wish i actually had a football with me.
-spanish skills...slowly progressing although it is hard for me to notice. ive been trying to read more in spanish. what helps me the most is when people correct me when i speak..the problem is that people here don´t want to correct me! but it is coming...
- food...so far i´m not really sick of the food...which is pretty amazing since i eat rice and beans multiple times a day. the amoungçt of carbs however is pretty incredible and that is one thing i plan on changing when i´m on my own. my town is known for it´s bread...the cheese and sugar bread is divine.
- malaria meds = crazy dreams!!! seriously i have the strangest dreams....for example....i dreamed that i was married and wanted a kid but didn´t want to deal with being pregnant so i used some new way where the baby grows in a bright red balloon. the balloon grew until one day it started bouncing around and then all of a sudden it popped and out dropped a 3 year old child. yeah...so there´s the future of childbirth.
- other feelings...hmm...people here are super friendly and are ready to chat at any time. the hissing and what not from the males definitely gets very annoying and although i try and tell myself it is their culture, it is still hard to ignore sometimes. i´ve talked to some of my nica friends about it and they say that they don´t do it to be offensive or annoying but that is hard to believe sometimes. but so far i´ve just ignored it and i pretty much accept the fact that it isn´t going to change.
- volunteer visit!! so exciting...this sunday i´m going to visit a volunteer who has been here for 2 years. i´m really looking forward to seeing how volunteers actually live and work. and of course i can´t wait for the 6 hour trip by myself... :)
- that´s pretty much it...love and miss you all!!
Monday, September 22, 2008
A Slice of Nica Life
so this is totally random but here goes a lot of thoughts!
- Life here is loud! Besides all the barking dogs and roosters, there are many types of noises. people mplay loud music and since houses are fairly open, it´s easy to hear other people´s radios or tvs....which most people have - they watch terrible soap operas and the news. also, i live by the catholic church - lots of bells and all the doors and windows are open during mass so i hear a lot of that. i also live by the park - basically the hang out in town. cars blare music. also, trucks drive by with loud speakers announcing random things. everything on wheels honks constantly - even buses at 4 am. and of sourse wherever people are, it is loud. oh and the rain on the tin roof is also quite loud...but at least it drowns out everything else!
- the most visible thing is all the trash on the streets. there aren´t publc trash cans and people throw everything on the streets. they also burn trash frequently and most cook over a fire so there is a constant smell of bonfire - which i dont really even notice anymore.
- some poeple here are artisans, like my family. others have small stores that sell flour, sugar, oil, bananas, etc. there is an elementary school and a secondary school so some people are teachers. and the rest of the people...honestly i have no idea what the do. some do walk around selling chips, baked goods, frescos, etc and they do this on buses as well...even little kids.
- clothes: plastic sandals in a variety of colors, kids wear either the whole uniform or half of it (white button down shirt and navy pants or skirt) to school, jeans, tight shirts, t shirts. girls wear shorts more that guys. lots of skirts.
- people sometimes go to school...if they want and its not raining. rain is an excuse to not do things. which is odd considering it rains all the time! education isn´t really valued here. it really doesn´t help you get a job or anything if you go to high school or just elementary school. also parents need their kids to work or help out around the house.
- my family has a dog and last week she had 5 puppies...so cute!!!!! they are a mix of a doberman and german shepherd. love them!
- houses: most are made of concrete with tin or zinc roofs. others are made of wood and use plastic. these are poorer houses. part of the floors are dirt and other parts are tile. also part of the house is outside with a few walls around. our bathroom shower and kitchen are outside.
- who needs power tools when you have a machete!!! we started our garden at the secondary school - about 30 students showed up which was fantastic although with that many people it was hard to keep them all busy. those kids are rockstars with their machetes. they cleared an area for the garden in a snap and they cut all the sticks we used for our fence. so talented. i have a new goal while i´m here...become a machete expert. so the garden is planted - let´s hope our tomoates, green peppers and squash actually grow!
- the weather has been a little strange. two days this week i wore jeans and long sleeve t shirt - it was chilly! then it got really hot and humid. and then it rained for 2 days.
- activities for kids are definitely lacking. boys play soccer and baseball...on teams or just for fun. i´ve never seen any girls participate in an organized sport. little kids entertain themselves easily. a bottle cap or stick can entertain them for hours. the other trainees and i got a group of elem kids together to play games every week. so far we´ve played freeze tag, red light green light, sharks and minnows, and duck duck goose. they´ve had a blast as have we.
- nicas have amazing balance. the women carry huge sacks or baskets on their heads. they can put 2 or 3 people on a bike and not tip over. 1 sits in front on the corssbar and the other stands behin the person on the seat. people put stuff on the top of busses and climb back in while the bus is moving. it´s ridiculous.
-travel: most people walk or ride bikes around town. also public buses are very common - and incredibly packed! then there are vans that can pack in about 20 people. there are normally 4 rows of seats and then people sit right behind the driver facing the rest of the van and you have to alternate legs with the people across from you. i rode like that to managua - pretty exciting. and the guy that takes the money stands bent over by the door. also they have regular taxis but not many unless you are in bigger towns. around smaller areas there are motitos...i wish i knew a good way to describe them. kind oflike a golf cart with a vinal roof. no doors, one little area for the driver and a back seat for riders. and they can pack people in those too. with some standing with their whole body outside. some people have motorycycles and a few have cars - althought trucks are more connon - plus you can fit tons of people in the back. main roads are paved - the roads in my town are either dirt or cement blocks- not cobblestone . they are fairly flat but they don´t totally come together.
- probably due to the heat and sun, people get up very early (4 or 5) and go to bed early (8-10). its is pitch black by 6:05 pm so thats an adjustment. meal times are failry similar. i eat breakrast a little before 7, lunch at noon, and dinner at 6.
- my family has had other trainees and they really like learning about americans. and i´m sure the money is also nice. but they are fantastic and so much fun.
- i definitely feel a little out of it as far as news goes. we pick up newsweeks at pc office but thats about it. i don´t really watch tv so i don´t see the news and i haven´t had much luck finding newspapers here. so if anything big happens in the states someone should let me know!
- dental hygiene is lacking and no one wears glasses so i stick out...as if i didn´t already...gringa! and im not used to wearing glasses at all and they drive me nuts! always sliding down because im always sweaty...nice i know!
- money: we get 37 cords a day roughly. i dont buy a lot right now...mainly internet and bus rides. for some perspective...a trip to managua is 18 each way, 12 for an hour of internet, 10 to send a letter to the states, 18 for a bottle of coke. i dont really know what food costs since i dont buy any although i did get an apple in managua...very rare here and it was 19...but so tasty!
- funeral procession...someone in my town died and we saw them walk from the church to the cemetary. a few people carried the coffin and the rest walked with flowers. the procession stopped traffic and no one wore black and no one was crying.
- soccer game! we watched a soccer game which was so much fun. gorgeous location...surrounded by forest with mountains in the background. the best part of the game ...when the horse and cart went trotting diagonally through the entire field. play stopped, no one cared...we asked the coach if that was normal and he said it happens. second best part of the game...when the horse and cart went back across the field! hahaha so fantastic.
- baseball game! we also watched a baseball game...one of my little buddies plays so we went to watch him...it was great...although lots of drunk older men at 10am on a sunday trying to tell me that i was spanish and how to get rid of my sniffles!
ok so there ya go...lots of stuff going on...we teach at the high school 2 times a week, at the elementary school once and at a multigrade classroom once. so lots going on...lots of classes and discussions...but i love that we get to teach! and i´m excited to see how our garden works out and we start our tree nursery soon.
miss you all..thanks again for all the email...i love reading them...sorry i can´t respond very often but i do appreciate them very much!! LOVE YOU!
- Life here is loud! Besides all the barking dogs and roosters, there are many types of noises. people mplay loud music and since houses are fairly open, it´s easy to hear other people´s radios or tvs....which most people have - they watch terrible soap operas and the news. also, i live by the catholic church - lots of bells and all the doors and windows are open during mass so i hear a lot of that. i also live by the park - basically the hang out in town. cars blare music. also, trucks drive by with loud speakers announcing random things. everything on wheels honks constantly - even buses at 4 am. and of sourse wherever people are, it is loud. oh and the rain on the tin roof is also quite loud...but at least it drowns out everything else!
- the most visible thing is all the trash on the streets. there aren´t publc trash cans and people throw everything on the streets. they also burn trash frequently and most cook over a fire so there is a constant smell of bonfire - which i dont really even notice anymore.
- some poeple here are artisans, like my family. others have small stores that sell flour, sugar, oil, bananas, etc. there is an elementary school and a secondary school so some people are teachers. and the rest of the people...honestly i have no idea what the do. some do walk around selling chips, baked goods, frescos, etc and they do this on buses as well...even little kids.
- clothes: plastic sandals in a variety of colors, kids wear either the whole uniform or half of it (white button down shirt and navy pants or skirt) to school, jeans, tight shirts, t shirts. girls wear shorts more that guys. lots of skirts.
- people sometimes go to school...if they want and its not raining. rain is an excuse to not do things. which is odd considering it rains all the time! education isn´t really valued here. it really doesn´t help you get a job or anything if you go to high school or just elementary school. also parents need their kids to work or help out around the house.
- my family has a dog and last week she had 5 puppies...so cute!!!!! they are a mix of a doberman and german shepherd. love them!
- houses: most are made of concrete with tin or zinc roofs. others are made of wood and use plastic. these are poorer houses. part of the floors are dirt and other parts are tile. also part of the house is outside with a few walls around. our bathroom shower and kitchen are outside.
- who needs power tools when you have a machete!!! we started our garden at the secondary school - about 30 students showed up which was fantastic although with that many people it was hard to keep them all busy. those kids are rockstars with their machetes. they cleared an area for the garden in a snap and they cut all the sticks we used for our fence. so talented. i have a new goal while i´m here...become a machete expert. so the garden is planted - let´s hope our tomoates, green peppers and squash actually grow!
- the weather has been a little strange. two days this week i wore jeans and long sleeve t shirt - it was chilly! then it got really hot and humid. and then it rained for 2 days.
- activities for kids are definitely lacking. boys play soccer and baseball...on teams or just for fun. i´ve never seen any girls participate in an organized sport. little kids entertain themselves easily. a bottle cap or stick can entertain them for hours. the other trainees and i got a group of elem kids together to play games every week. so far we´ve played freeze tag, red light green light, sharks and minnows, and duck duck goose. they´ve had a blast as have we.
- nicas have amazing balance. the women carry huge sacks or baskets on their heads. they can put 2 or 3 people on a bike and not tip over. 1 sits in front on the corssbar and the other stands behin the person on the seat. people put stuff on the top of busses and climb back in while the bus is moving. it´s ridiculous.
-travel: most people walk or ride bikes around town. also public buses are very common - and incredibly packed! then there are vans that can pack in about 20 people. there are normally 4 rows of seats and then people sit right behind the driver facing the rest of the van and you have to alternate legs with the people across from you. i rode like that to managua - pretty exciting. and the guy that takes the money stands bent over by the door. also they have regular taxis but not many unless you are in bigger towns. around smaller areas there are motitos...i wish i knew a good way to describe them. kind oflike a golf cart with a vinal roof. no doors, one little area for the driver and a back seat for riders. and they can pack people in those too. with some standing with their whole body outside. some people have motorycycles and a few have cars - althought trucks are more connon - plus you can fit tons of people in the back. main roads are paved - the roads in my town are either dirt or cement blocks- not cobblestone . they are fairly flat but they don´t totally come together.
- probably due to the heat and sun, people get up very early (4 or 5) and go to bed early (8-10). its is pitch black by 6:05 pm so thats an adjustment. meal times are failry similar. i eat breakrast a little before 7, lunch at noon, and dinner at 6.
- my family has had other trainees and they really like learning about americans. and i´m sure the money is also nice. but they are fantastic and so much fun.
- i definitely feel a little out of it as far as news goes. we pick up newsweeks at pc office but thats about it. i don´t really watch tv so i don´t see the news and i haven´t had much luck finding newspapers here. so if anything big happens in the states someone should let me know!
- dental hygiene is lacking and no one wears glasses so i stick out...as if i didn´t already...gringa! and im not used to wearing glasses at all and they drive me nuts! always sliding down because im always sweaty...nice i know!
- money: we get 37 cords a day roughly. i dont buy a lot right now...mainly internet and bus rides. for some perspective...a trip to managua is 18 each way, 12 for an hour of internet, 10 to send a letter to the states, 18 for a bottle of coke. i dont really know what food costs since i dont buy any although i did get an apple in managua...very rare here and it was 19...but so tasty!
- funeral procession...someone in my town died and we saw them walk from the church to the cemetary. a few people carried the coffin and the rest walked with flowers. the procession stopped traffic and no one wore black and no one was crying.
- soccer game! we watched a soccer game which was so much fun. gorgeous location...surrounded by forest with mountains in the background. the best part of the game ...when the horse and cart went trotting diagonally through the entire field. play stopped, no one cared...we asked the coach if that was normal and he said it happens. second best part of the game...when the horse and cart went back across the field! hahaha so fantastic.
- baseball game! we also watched a baseball game...one of my little buddies plays so we went to watch him...it was great...although lots of drunk older men at 10am on a sunday trying to tell me that i was spanish and how to get rid of my sniffles!
ok so there ya go...lots of stuff going on...we teach at the high school 2 times a week, at the elementary school once and at a multigrade classroom once. so lots going on...lots of classes and discussions...but i love that we get to teach! and i´m excited to see how our garden works out and we start our tree nursery soon.
miss you all..thanks again for all the email...i love reading them...sorry i can´t respond very often but i do appreciate them very much!! LOVE YOU!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
hello rice and beans
so yeah...the whole rice and beans thing...totally not kidding...lots and lots of rice and beans here! So far I´ve been liking the food...but my family gives me so much it´s ridiculous...and I think I´ve actually finished 2 meals since I´ve been here. My training town is a super cute little town...there are 2 other volunteers with me. My family is awesome. They are artisans and make fruit out of wood. My 18 year old sister takes me everywhere with her and my 13 year old brother is a riot ... he´s so entertaining. The other sisters don´t live at home but one comes over everyday to cook and she brings her 2 sons who are adorable...although sometimes hard to understand! But they are good to practice with. We have spanish class Monday thru Thursday from 8 till noon and then applied practice from 1 to 3. Wednesday afternoon and Fridays we have technical sessions or medical chats...our first will be on gardening and common illnesses. also some Saturdays we have stuff as well.
How to describe the experience...as one of the other volunteers said...imagine any possible uncomfortable situation and that´s what we are doing. Today we walked to the police station to introduce ourselves...so much fun. Yesterday we walked around to all the house asking if youth lived there and then invited them to join our youth group. We meet with them twice a week and will be doing a garden and at least one other mini environment project with them as well as games and life skills chats and who knows what else. We were going to have our first meeting today but it poured and poured so no one came. So tonight we will walk around with more invitations for Thursday. Today we also went to the elementary school where we will be teaching lessons every week. I will be working with the 6th graders. I´m really looking forward to it! Talking to police...not really my thing...teaching kids...totally my thing! So I´m pumped about that.
Independence day is coming up here so every afternoon the kids have been practicing for the parade...I´ve never heard so many drums play the same thing over and over again! Oh and the parade starts at 7:30 am and ends around 11 so that should be quite interesting. There is a really beautiful lagoon here and a sweet volcano not far away either.
Weather...so it´s really hot and humid here. I´m not sure I really ever stop sweating except for in the shower..although tonight has been cooler since it rained. It gets dark at exactly 6 pm which is very odd for me. The other volunteers and I have started walking at night when it´s not so hot for some exercise because I really don´t feel like we are getting any, although we do walk around town a lot...everyone walks really slow here so it´s not really exercise. The mosquitos are terrible! I never see them yet somehow my legs are covered in bites. Not fun. Sleeping under a net is also interesting. Not really a huge deal at all...my only complaint would be when I get into bed I just want to go to sleep...not tuck my net in for 5 minutes...slight exagerration :)
Oh also about my family...we have a shower outside which is just water coming out of a pipe and the cold water feels really really good. And we have our little outhouse but it has a toliet in it so that´s nice...still spoiled haha. The water goes off every afternoon and night so you have to fill the tank. No big deal. And I did take a bucket shower the other day since the water was off...also no big deal although getting the shampoo out of my hair was a little difficult...but I´ll get better at it.
This is totally random and not in order but I keep remembering things. The first night I got to my town, my sisters took me to a quince años party (15 years old) which is a huge deal here. So we went to this other town ... to a big hall ... everyone was dressed up. It was a lot of fun...everyone out dancing and enjoying themselves...although cultural difference : dancing with 15 year old boys totally normal here...umm SUPER uncomfortable for me! The music was great...they played a lot of different stuff. and the occasional song in English: got low, a random mix of older stuff, Elvis, who let the dogs out techno version, and others that I don´t remember. So great.
Training in Mangua was lots of fun. We were busy most of the time but we did take advantage of the pool at night. There were current volunteers who told us lots of valuable info. I kinda feel like we just keep getting bombarded with information - all very important but a little overwhelming. Also, all the volunteers in my group are amazing! The only sad thing was we got to hang out for a few days and now we are all separated by language ability. Sad. And I don´t think we will see everyone from both sectors until swearing in. (there are 2 sectors here training now: environment and agriculture).
Well that´s all I can think of now...oh and my town has a little internet cafe and a post office so that´s fun. but that´s about it.
I miss everyone!!! BESOS!
How to describe the experience...as one of the other volunteers said...imagine any possible uncomfortable situation and that´s what we are doing. Today we walked to the police station to introduce ourselves...so much fun. Yesterday we walked around to all the house asking if youth lived there and then invited them to join our youth group. We meet with them twice a week and will be doing a garden and at least one other mini environment project with them as well as games and life skills chats and who knows what else. We were going to have our first meeting today but it poured and poured so no one came. So tonight we will walk around with more invitations for Thursday. Today we also went to the elementary school where we will be teaching lessons every week. I will be working with the 6th graders. I´m really looking forward to it! Talking to police...not really my thing...teaching kids...totally my thing! So I´m pumped about that.
Independence day is coming up here so every afternoon the kids have been practicing for the parade...I´ve never heard so many drums play the same thing over and over again! Oh and the parade starts at 7:30 am and ends around 11 so that should be quite interesting. There is a really beautiful lagoon here and a sweet volcano not far away either.
Weather...so it´s really hot and humid here. I´m not sure I really ever stop sweating except for in the shower..although tonight has been cooler since it rained. It gets dark at exactly 6 pm which is very odd for me. The other volunteers and I have started walking at night when it´s not so hot for some exercise because I really don´t feel like we are getting any, although we do walk around town a lot...everyone walks really slow here so it´s not really exercise. The mosquitos are terrible! I never see them yet somehow my legs are covered in bites. Not fun. Sleeping under a net is also interesting. Not really a huge deal at all...my only complaint would be when I get into bed I just want to go to sleep...not tuck my net in for 5 minutes...slight exagerration :)
Oh also about my family...we have a shower outside which is just water coming out of a pipe and the cold water feels really really good. And we have our little outhouse but it has a toliet in it so that´s nice...still spoiled haha. The water goes off every afternoon and night so you have to fill the tank. No big deal. And I did take a bucket shower the other day since the water was off...also no big deal although getting the shampoo out of my hair was a little difficult...but I´ll get better at it.
This is totally random and not in order but I keep remembering things. The first night I got to my town, my sisters took me to a quince años party (15 years old) which is a huge deal here. So we went to this other town ... to a big hall ... everyone was dressed up. It was a lot of fun...everyone out dancing and enjoying themselves...although cultural difference : dancing with 15 year old boys totally normal here...umm SUPER uncomfortable for me! The music was great...they played a lot of different stuff. and the occasional song in English: got low, a random mix of older stuff, Elvis, who let the dogs out techno version, and others that I don´t remember. So great.
Training in Mangua was lots of fun. We were busy most of the time but we did take advantage of the pool at night. There were current volunteers who told us lots of valuable info. I kinda feel like we just keep getting bombarded with information - all very important but a little overwhelming. Also, all the volunteers in my group are amazing! The only sad thing was we got to hang out for a few days and now we are all separated by language ability. Sad. And I don´t think we will see everyone from both sectors until swearing in. (there are 2 sectors here training now: environment and agriculture).
Well that´s all I can think of now...oh and my town has a little internet cafe and a post office so that´s fun. but that´s about it.
I miss everyone!!! BESOS!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
ADIOS!
wow...so staging is over and we are leaving in the morning. This is great - I'm so excited for Nicaragua and all the wonderful experiences I will have. I have met 39 of the most amazing people ever and I can't wait to get to know them even more. sooooooooo I'm off to get everything ready for the morning - next time I write I will be in Nicaragua!!!! I miss and love all my friends and family....Hasta pronto (see you soon)!!!
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