My life rocks for so many reasons. Please let me share a list with you.
-We got our medical kits from Peace Corps. They contain just about anything you could want and they are refillable. Including the following. (I hope you can read the fine print)
- I understood a joke my host dad told me and was even able to comment appropriately on it! This is huge considering he is really hard for most people to understand.
- I have a fantastic counterpart, Tania, and we had a very productive planning session. (Even while she was breast feeding her 1 ½ year old son)
- I’m done with my Rabies shots and don’t have to get any other vaccinations.
- Our second youth group was 100% better than the 1st. We sang Hokey Pokey and decided that we will sing in English for our final project. One group wants to do a rap song with a didactic message and one groups wants to do “We are the World” by Michael Jackson. He’s REALLY big down here.
- I learned a valuable lesson about attitude, frustration, and approach with the youth group.
- I’m healthy and able to run, eat and sleep well.
- I can finally understand the twins more than 70% of the time. The other day we talked about their favorite Barbie movie. Elementary, but definitely a start.
- My host family and I get along and they give me hugs.
- The other PCTs are amazing and fun to be with.
- Spanish classes are less frequent so I have more time for independent study. On one of our last days we played a game in the park. It was definitely "Watch the gringos" hour.
- I’ve stopped sweating so much and the weather has changed a bit. The other day I actually wore a long sleeved t-shirt. It kinda feels like October weather in TN.
- We just finished our first three weeks here! On one hand it seems like I got here yesterday and on the other it feels like I’ve been here months. I am beginning to feel much more comfortable.
- I talk with my family in TN consistently and even call some friends.
- Katie’s package is in Nicaragua. Peace Corps will deliver it to me on Wednesday. I’m so excited to get my first package and am dying for Wednesday to come!
- My hair is currently in a ponytail. Granted it looks a bit like a dog's butt, but it´s out of my face.
- My host mom now lets me help in the kitchen. Today I cut and washed the vegetables for beef stew (everyone in the family had a task) and she showed me how to make coffee.
- I learned how to wash clothes the Nica way.
- I had a great conversation with my host mom about wedding customs. We flipped through a 2004 issue of Weddings and we were both amazed by the extravagance. She was showing me the types of dresses she can make. She’s phenomenal on the sewing machine and says she’ll make my Swearing In dress.
- When I go running or walking in the streets, I recognize people and am able to greet them and talk for a bit. Everyone is very friendly in Dolores.
- I played a street game with the neighborhood kids last night. I was thinking of the movie Wayne’s World. “Game on!”
- We watched the Sandlot (“FOREVER”) and The Ugly Truth (we bought it for $1 on the street) this week. You know how much I love a good romantic comedy.
- I’m starting to know my way around Jinotepe- the larger city close to mine. Dolores is no problem; it’s only 4 blocks by 6 blocks big.
- People here wear lots of shirts in English, but don’t necessarily know what they mean. Here are some examples:
-Nica girl wearing “Blondes are the life of the party”
-Grandma Nica wearing “Tap Dance” with a picture of a beer tap and a pint of brew with tap shoes.
-Young Nica guy wearing “I’m pro-choice for the Heisman” - I’ve been able to live comfortably on the PC budget of $20/week.
- I can understand the radio announcements. However, I’m not sure if this is an accomplishment considering I hear the same ones at all hours of the day and night blaring from huge speakers in the back of trucks driving in the street. I dream about them… maybe this goes on the negative list.
I feel so fortunate that my first few weeks here have been so great, successful, and fun. Not everyone is having the same experience. One of our 19 trainees is being sent home on Tuesday. We are getting two different stories from him and from PC, but the issue revolves around the fact that he cannot hear well. We all hope that he can stay, but it doesn’t look promising.
My Spanish has also been improving a bit. Here is one example of a learning opportunity I recently had. The four Dolores trainees were in class with Damaris and we were talking about University in the States, how expensive it is, and how people pay for it. This is how the convo went:
Me- “Yo tuvo una vaca” (I had a scholarship*)
Steve- “Qué hiciste con la vaca?” (What did you do with the scholarship*?)
Me- “hmmmm…. No entiendo” (I don’t understand.)
Steve- “Vendió la leche or la vaca?” (Did you sell the milk or the cow?)
Me- “O… Yo tuvo una VECA.” ( Oh, I had a scholarship)
Note to self: VECA= scholarship, VACA= cow
I hope you all had a great week!
BTW: If you would like to read Elizabeth’s blog, it is http://lizinnicaragua.blogspot.com/
Steve’s is http://stevenmcarpenter.blogspot.com/
