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!
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