Creative Education begins the Countdown...

My most recent accomplishment and most likely my last, was a billiards tournament that a local youth leader, my sitemate and I put on to promote HIV/AIDS education. At first the concept of just entering the billiards hall was intimating. After all, that is a men’s only area in Nicaragua, (generally). However, that also means it is the best place to educate men on healthy sexual lifestyles since in their machista culture they make the decisions. This is why peace corps promotes this type of event. So we pitched the idea in our town and received immediate support from the mayor’s office and a local nonprofit organization. So with their support, last Friday we successfully threw the first Educational Billiards Tournament. And it was a hit. We (meaning a visiting health volunteer, a representative from the health center, and a youth group representative) gave five minute lessons between all rounds. Then in the last round, the two winning players had to answer questions every time that a ball went into the pocket in order to win. We had 16 players and about 50 other men that were just watching. HIV/AIDS education is important in Chinandega, since it is has the second highest rate of HIV/AIDS cases when it comes to departments (similar to states) in Nicaragua. In Tonala itself, there are only a few cases, but the point remains the same -prevention. We have already been approached to have events in the future so the youth group leader is already planning one for November in a nearby town. I think this event may have been the most sustainable thing I have done during my service.

So the days are ticking away and I finally can start to think about all the wonderful things that await me in the United States. Warm water. Cereal. A comfy bed. Clean elbows. Internet. Coffee shops. Non-leaky roofs. ….and of course friends and family that I miss a ton. However, I am going to miss it here. A lot. I have made some great relationships and had amazing experiences. I feel that I have really grown as a person. And the best part of it all. Michael Newton finally gets to have a dog in his house. His lifelong dream. 

Busy busy.... But I was told I HAD to write on my blog....

On a side note, my Peace Corps’ friend had asked me to go to Honduras with her. Why you may ask? But of course….to go to Wendy’s. That’s the only reason that we spent a Saturday traveling back and forth to Honduras. It was fun though. A little adventure in our lives.



Big accomplishment. We finished the construction of the preschool classroom that I wrote a grant for. It turned out great and they are already using it every day.
I also have given three teacher workshops. Two of which were about gardening and the last was about using trash to make different things that can be used in the classroom. I also added some ideas about teaching the concept of multiplication. The first workshop I put on with the help of four teachers that I had been working with. It was amazing. They remembered everything that I had told them! I was so proud. They lead the workshop and they hardly needed my assistance. There was a part when we actually made a garden outside so they could see and practice the techniques. All the teachers that attended said that was the best part because they could apply what we were talking about! The next workshop was about taking seeds out of the vegetables, composting, and dealing with the plagues (problems) in the soil. Again I was assisted by another teacher, another peace corps’ volunteer and a worker of an agriculture government group. Another teacher that I previously worked with and I developed the last workshop.


It was great. I love working with trash as most of you know so I really enjoyed sharing my ideas and seeing my teacher of last year show her ideas that she now using as a result of what I had taught her. I also touched on some ideas on how to teach multiplication since it seems to be an issue here.



Also, I recently was given the pleasure to assist all you very generous people who donated computers to three of the schools here. Although I can’t say that I had anything to do with it in reality, I can tell you that the teachers and students are going to be ecstatic to have the computers. It is really going to help advance the teachers in their instruction. Hopefully the students will also start learning how to use a computer. Things move slowly here. So I am trying my best to get everything ready so that the computers can be put into the schools, kept safe and secure, and used properly. However, due to construction in the schools as well as lack of school attendance, it has been difficult to achieve. I will update you all as soon as the computers are in the schools. But thank you from myself and my community for being so generous and thinking of the needs of others.

Cheap.... purple.... hilarious

Not having running water for over 7 weeks, taking bucket showers is kind of..... finish the thought please. I thought I would add a very strange day and night I had with my sitemate Laurel. I copied this from her blog because she said it so well.

"On a recent Friday, Christine and I ran away to the city. We accidently let someone trim our hair. The trim resulted in losing at least 8 inches of hair and having more layers than seemingly feasible. Oh, and the cut? Horrible. I haven’t felt so ugly in all my time here. We were pissed enough that we decided not to go home. Instead, we went shopping for toothbrushes and tshirts and then let out our frustrations over pizza and beer. After dark, we showed up at our host aunt’s house in the city. Her son, who now is referred to as a woman, was firstly offended that she didn’t get to cut our hair and secondly appalled at what it looked like. She set out getting her friend’s hairdresser tools, attempting to salvage our hair (not really possible), and then getting us all dolled up to go out. What happens when former Miss Nicaragua Gay and now club entertainer does your makeup? You are ready for a drag show. And we were. We were also very thankful we didn’t have to look at ourselves that night. Ridiculous we looked, ridiculous we felt. The bar she took us to was playing 90’s rap—so fitting. Ridiculously, we threw our hands in the air screaming “heeeeeeyyyy hooooooo” and danced it all away…until we woke up in the morning with still horrendous looking hair. Our host cousin now refers to us as los pinches. To be pinche is to be cheap, stingy, or adverse to spending money. [Being pinche may have some reason as to how we ended up in the beauty salon in the first place.] I was telling my parents the sob story and about the neon pink and purple eye makeup to which my dad replied, well maybe your new haircut is cooler since your hair is shorter. And that’s the clincher. Not only is my hair NOT long like I asked for it to stay, but the few strands that hang down to the top of my shoulders are cut in such a crafty way to constantly cling to my neck. Gross feeling, gross looking.
But this country has done wonders for my sense of humor."

Sorry … really have been busy…..

And the lack of consistency in my life from… electricity and running water… lots and lots of rain….. and maybe visitors also... Has left little opportunity to write….


Is there anyone out there? Kidding. I know I haven’t written in ages but I thought just in case, I would update with a quickie entry. Well believe it or not my two years, three months experience is coming to a close. Am I ready, you may ask? Yes and no. I would rather answer the question, would I do it again? And without hesitation I would reply: ABSOLUTLEY. Was it the hardest job I will ever love? (Peace Corps’ quote) Most Definitely. So Moco and I will be making the journey back to Atlanta (not Chicago) and roadtripping it back with my parents. Since the temperature is going to be a complete shock to both our systems, we will be found hibernating in my house. Moco, might, might be hanging out on the grass outside, if it’s still there, since he doesn’t know what grass is, and how soft it is.
As for what I have been up to since February. Hmm. How to summarize 8 months. Well I had lots of visitors to begin. My friend from college Alex, my brother Kevin, my cousin Connor, my long time childhood friend Emily, my sister Claire, her boyfriend John, his friend Billy, my neighbor and friend Nicki, and last but not least, my aunt Ceil all made their way down to Nicaragua and to that infamous town of mine. Each one has their own story of their adventures that could be shared (I would love for them to post it on my blog so each of you can read it!) So their visits kept me busy as ever and in touch with my life at home. I loved and appreciated each of them for taking the time and braving the experience that each of them had.

As for Peace Corps, my sitemate and I accomplished the amazing environmental day celebration with the help of all of you. So thank you. We also have started a new bottle construction project with a youth group. So we have been busy writing the grant proposal and stuffing bottles with used (cleaned) plastic bags. The grant has been approved and the money should come at the end of October. Sadly, I won’t be here to finish it but I will help it get started. As well, I was filmed for the 50th anniversary film of Peace Corp’s Nicaragua. That was exciting and we were lucky to have a flourishing garden at the school where we filmed. Little do they know that that beautiful garden was attacked by worms the next week and slowly dried-up. My gardens, as always, have been a challenge. In one school we were able to get about 100 vegetables but at the rest of the schools, between intense rain and the resultant loss of school attendance, we haven’t seen much success. Organic gardening is challenging, to say the least.

This upcoming week, my second to last week teaching, we are going to restart the gardens. It will be interesting to see how they do without my help! I hope I have shared my knowledge with them and as a result, their confidence and interest in gardening has risen. As for teaching, I have been teaching here and there but considering it is an election year, class is canceled a lot. However, we have still worked hard. I have also been giving English lessons to three teachers. It was a nice way to review my English skills; which I’m sure by reading my blog, you can see need some polishing. This group was also fun to teach because they liked doing activities like singing songs while one of them played the guitar. My beautifully pitched voice may or may not, have made it a positive experience.

A great start to 2011!

Ok everybody, once again I am sorry for not blogging. (Grant - I am ALIVE; I swear.)
As of last week we started school again. Yea. These past two months we have been on vacation. The school vacation gave my sitemate (Laurel), her brother, my host family, neighborhood youths, some professional tradesmen, and myself an opportunity to successfully build a house made out of plastic bottles (stuffed with inorganic trash). Everyone in town said we were crazy and couldn’t understand why we would be storing such an excessive amount of “garbage” in my house. But now they get it. The point of the project was not only to give my sitemate her own home but to show the town that there are other ways to use your trash besides burning it, dumping it on the street, or sending it to the town dump. Well, I think it worked. People are beginning to approach Laurel and myself with hopes of their own bottle projects. There is no protective fencing at the 4 schools that I work with. We are working to plant vegetable gardens at each of these 4 sites. Last year we lost a bunch of crops o animals, such as bunnies and lizards that make their dinner from our plants. So this year, we are going to build small walls made out of plastic bottles, creating a mini-green house effect. In theory I think it will work. Fingers crossed.
I was delighted to share Nicaragua and Christmas with my family. My brother, sister, and parents all came to spend the time with me. We had an amazing time. Sailboat rides, swimming, zip lining, beaches, fancy drinks, and lots and lots of laughs. I think it was my favorite family trip. I think we are finally old enough to fight a little less and understand each other a whole lot more. Then my parents and sister Claire left and Kevin stayed behind with me. My family lugged a used computer system (thanks to Tony Peterson) to Nicaragua for my host family; Kevin and I presented it to them. They are very excited as they learn how to work with it. We went on bike rides, ate sugar cane, played with the dogs, helped with constructing the plastic house, built a chicken coop,






went volcano boarding, and did a coffee tour. Nicaragua continually surprises me. It is organized chaos, I am always finding new little surprises and adventures.
When my brother left and I had to return to my responsibilities in Tonala, I was greeted with the ultimate Peace Corps surprise. My 13 year old neighbor, with whom I had made two gardens at school, had made his very own garden. He used all the information he had learned and put it to use. It was exciting to see him absorb the knowledge and then find the self-motivation to put it to use.
Also during the school break, I was privileged to participate in a leadership camp, along with four local children I had invited from my town. It was a very exciting trip for all especially considering the distance we traveled to get to the camp. It was probably the farthest some of these kids had ever been and probably would ever be. But the camp was full of energy because there were young people from all over the country that participated. They were all able to share different aspects of their culture. We all gathered at this beautiful retreat center where they received classes on leadership, diversity, entrepreneurship, team work, etc. It was entertaining yet tiring. But the most eventful part of the trip was the journey home. First of all, we had to shove more than 50 people into a tiny mini bus. Included also was their drinks in plastic bags and their lunches in Styrofoam boxes. Secondly, the bus driver felt the need to catch-up on the time he lost trying to shove people into the vehicle and proceeded to drive like a maniac on winding roads. I’m sure you can guess what happened next. I heard screeching from the front end of the bus, “AHHHH que asco!” I slowly pushed myself out of the crevice I was standing in, to see one of the boys vomiting all over the front of the bus. I quickly, not so quickly considering I couldn’t move, instructed him to open a window and used plastic bags to clean “the situation” up. I felt that things were finally under control but as I turned I was greeted with the faces of the rest of them also on the verge of re-creating the same “situation”. I acted “quickly” and instructed those not feeling well to wiggle their way to a window. I thought to myself, wow, I am sure glad I am not a mother yet!
The following day, I was graced with a visit from my friend Alex as she was fleeing the snow storms in the U.S. On her short visit, she was greeted with swarms of mosquitoes, landed in mud as we fell off a bike that we were sharing, surfed at the ocean, and went dancing.
Unfortunately all vacations come to an end. I am now confronted with tons and tons of work. But I like it. “Times a wasting.” So far this is what the agenda includes:
1.) I just turned in my grant proposal to build a preschool classroom
2.) Next week we start compost pits in preparation for the upcoming garden season
3.) Building plastic bottle fences
4.) Building a youth center using the plastic bottle concept
5.) AIDS awareness billiard hall tournaments
6.) Re-starting a farmers market
7.) Continuing to teach English class
8.) Pen pals with U.S. students and Nicaraguan students
9.) Amazing gardens with lush vegetables….
10.) ….who knows
11.)
Recent animal update: So Moco is good as always. But there is a new addition to the family. His name is Jerry. He is my cat. Yes, I do have allergies to cats but certain events led me to choose sneezing over worse. Here is what compelled me to get a cat. Basically, I was awaken one night to a wet feeling on my back and decided to turn the light on. I was both frightened and disgusted to find a huge rat perched on my mosquito net. I didn’t sleep that night…or the next either. So I took action. I covered the top of the net with plastic. To my astonishment two of the local boys who had heard my story found a stray cat for me. The ironic part of it all is that I am allergic to cats, but in my house I don’t seem to be affected. But here’s another issue. I suddenly seem like the crazy gringa again. Why? ---because I have found myself now living in animal barn. Not only do I feed my dog and cat but my host family’s cat Jack, that now refuses to leave, as well as their dog Cuco and my sitemate’s dog Dumbo. But no that’s not all, just to add to the stampede that follows me to my house everyday, a little orange kitten now is appearing in my house, and he as well, will not leave. A month ago, I was crying that a rat peed on me and now I am living in a menagerie- but no more rats or mice!

Tales from the gringita

So we are coming to an end to the school year (February until the end of November) as well as the rain season. However, the rain season sure wants to go out with a bang! Two weeks ago, there was a hurricane in Honduras which continued on - passing through the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. It caused a lot of flooding all over Nicaragua, displacing many people and taking-out many roads as well as bridges. All volunteers were told to stay in their sites until the danger of traveling passed. With such weather, school was the last thing on anyone’s mind. I spent the week hanging-out at my house and my host family’s house. I went a bit stir-crazy! The week before the heavy rains we had no water or electricity but luckily the week of the storms we still had both. SO my days were full of eating, watching movies, cleaning, playing with my dog, sleeping, and … eating. Then, I had to make my way to Managua to give a charla to the new trainees about Materials Development. It was a really fun charla to give since it was basically about recycled materials and how you can use them in the classroom or with youth development. Considering that the teachers here are underpaid and just getting by, it is important to show them how they can use their discarded trash to work with their students. For example, making faces on used cardboard as prizes, making beads out of magazines, using plastic bottles to plant, making white boards out of plastic and cardboard, etc. I know I have said this before, but it is seriously amazing the amount of things that can be created from used items. And they look great! My next project is to learn how to crochet. Following that, I can use plastic bags as yarn and knit a purse! Sounds weird I know, but the bags are beautiful and a great use of the plastic bags. In Nicaragua, about 75% or so of the trash is organic! It’s crazy what a small amount of inorganic items that they produce in comparison to the U.S. That’s why it’s great to teach the concept of compost pits so as to re-use that organic trash as well as fun things like (recycled - plastic)purses.

In the schools, we lost a lot of school days so now things are all jam-packed. Due to the rains, the majority of our gardens flooded and we lost a lot of our plants. However, we have already had great harvests. In one of our schools we have had about 70 cucumbers and a ton of green beans. In our garden in my host family’s backyard, we have spinach planted! I am really excited for that! Hopefully the chickens won’t get to them. My teaching has been going well. This week I started to co-teach with my teachers. SO much easier and I feel much more effective. As well, my site mate, Laurel, and I have been busy. She taught me how to make homemade jam, we made roasted corn salsa for my corn charla, and we also made homemade paper., to name a few things. But most importantly, we started a Mujercitas youth group. We have only had one meeting so far but it’s looking good. The girls decided on a cooking, arts and dance group…dance might be a challenge (for me) but the other two sound good. Laurel is into Yoga so I think we might incorporate that as well. I am also starting an English class with a few teachers and another with a few students. Should be interesting considering that I can’t spell and my grammar is horrible but haha oh well. There are a few other projects in the works but I will wait to see if they actually happen.
Moco is good. I may be a little too obsessed with him. I have been trying, but failing, at teaching him to fetch. He did bring it to me 5 times this week but I think it was because he got tired of me chasing him or because I got in his way. My site mate was talking to some teachers the other day that told her that my dog is like my boyfriend; that I love him a lot, and that I am going to bring him back to the states instead of a husband. I might have to agree with them. I am going to put a video up of him showing he acts every day when I get back from school. I think he is a little too attached. To call him, I use a kind of hissing noise that the locals use and he comes running, barking and jumping all over me. It is pretty funny until he bites holes in my clothes. He has successfully ruined about 4 shirts that way.

The rain has stopped for a while but the sun has gotten really strong! And it’s HOT! It is either lots of rain and mud or lots of dust and heat. I honestly don’t know which one I prefer. Yesterday, I went on a bike ride with Carlos and Laurel. We had two bikes, three people, and three dogs. We took turns carrying each other on one of the bikes. We stopped by the finca/ plantain farm of my host family. It is ¼ the size of our actual town’s size. It is huge. There was a ton of pigs, cows, hens, chickens, and turkeys. The turkey was breathtaking. But just as we were commenting on its beauty, Laurel’s dog, Dumbo, decided to take off after it with Laurel and me behind him. It was quite the scene. Then we headed on further, passed a hot stream and stopped for some cold Coca Colas in glass bottles. Moco felt the need to roll around in mud every two seconds as well. I really enjoyed the whole adventure. The views were beautiful. We were surrounded by green lush vegetation, crops, cows, volcanoes, etc. Later that night we went to a 6th grade fundraiser dance. It was interesting being at a dance with almost all my students but I think it just brought out- my awkward- just- go- with- it- dancing style.

Ok, well I am sure there is more to say but I think I have bored you all enough for one day.
This is the blog of my site mate. She is a much better writer than me and much more interesting. So check it out. http://llaidlaw.wordpress.com

Officially 1 year in Nicaragua!

Wow how time flies, I can’t say the same for my mom, but I sure don’t feel like it has been a year since I left my cozy home in Chicago. The break-down for the first year: 3 months of training and 9 months of field service. That means I have a year and 3 months left. I am currently in Granada as part of the reception group for the new trainees of the environmental sector. We are no longer the babies. It was a special privilege to be one of the volunteers chosen to greet and energize these new volunteers who are starting out on this challenging but rewarding experience. It brought me back to that time of uncertainty when I first arrived. I felt exhilarated and re-motivated as I listened to the wonderful speeches presented by the training crew. With my year of experience I now know what they meant when they presented this information to our group a year ago. There was a repetitive theme of “keeping your motivation” resonating from all the speeches. This is probably the biggest challenge.
One year has gone by and I feel like things have only started. I successfully completed my training; a tight-scheduled, high-stressed, language intense, technical skills - focused boot camp. I feel it was successful in preparing me for the roller-coaster ride that I was about to embark on. I went into my environmental education program with only a bit of experience in both teaching and environmental issues, so I had a lot to learn. From where I am sitting now, I can say that I still have a lot to learn but I have learned a whole lot. As a recent college graduate, I left a culture of partying, letting loose, and feel less... well... awkward. I have learned a lot about myself (I can now dance with all eyes on me) and enjoy the freedom of being comfortable with myself. My Spanish went from a basic communication level to a point where I can speak fast without writing it out or thinking it through in English first. I even dream in Spanish!!! My schools are amazing. There are days when their lack of discipline and irrelevance to being on time frustrates me, but together we have learned. I have taught them the science topics in the most creative ways I can think of. They have used their imagination, created, listened and felt the excitement of education. One class cheered the other day as we went over their exams on a topic that they were able to understand collectively. As for their gardens that we have struggled to keep alive in these winter down-pouring rains, some failed and some are flourishing. It is very rewarding to have the students run up to me, all smiles, yelling "Prof, we have 20 tomatoes". It’s exhilarating!

As for the green market, we are still struggling, but have not lost hope. As a result of working with the market group I have gotten to know some very interesting women. I have learned so much about their culture; and in turn, they have learned about mine. There are things that they don’t understand about our culture / me, things that they think are weird. And most of the time, they are completely wrong and based on generalizations. There are things that I have come to appreciate and love about their community, such as their family values and general hospitality. But I can't make sense of everything; such as machismo. All in all, it’s the up and down feelings that I’m still experiencing. There are days when I get to my house, tired, covered in mud, frustrated with my students or teachers, only to find out there is no water, no electricity, and all I want to do is scream and walk-out the door and not turn around. But I don’t and I won’t. Then there are other days when I walk down the street, my dog by my side, stopping to talk or say adios, and feeling exited about the daily challenge and motivated to continue even through the hardships. All and all it's been great and thanks to all of you that have helped me get to this point; this is your victory too.