Sunday, May 15, 2011

singin in the sunshine, laughin in the rain....

Isn’t it something when Mother Nature just seems to be in tune with your emotions? (I think I will make this entry a shout out to LW, u know who you are, though probably don’t read this blog (-: )
It REALLY started raining in Quilali tonight, like 10 minutes ago…I can’t even hear myself think, but the sound of rain IS SO refreshing….there is lightning on the mountaintops and echoes of thunder in the valley---and the very best part----the temperature dropped around 10 degrees and there is WIND! Granted, with 6 months of rainy season to go---I may not feel this way too much longer (-:
Anyhow, I have felt pretty down since vacation—after saying bye to the family, missing stuff from our house, student killing themselves and just recently Matt’s old host dad passed away too---on top of work not going so well= one sad little Julie. However, this past week was really good. I keep trying to examine why, so I can repeat it….and I think it was because I was super busy! And while work/class doesn’t usually go how I imagine it in my head, I am learning to adjust my expectations and really appreciate the small successes (and the random, crazy, beautiful parts of each day—whatever they may be). Also, I spent a few chunks of time with the host family here in Quilali---this always helps!!!! ANNNND today, we woke up at 430am to take a 2 hour dirt road bus ride in order to help with an allll day workshop…..and it was really successful I would say! Not everyone that signed up made it out, but I would say there were about 40 Nicaraguan English teachers---and now they all have books!!!! And have been exposed to new ideas about lesson planning, communicative activities, and designing durable materials for class!!! What they choose to do with it, we shall see. The volunteer leading the taller scheduled a follow up visit/observation day with 3 of the teachers to check in on the results of the day. Matt, Megan (a volunteer from our group ), and I only gave about an hour and a half of the 9-2:30 taller—but it was great to participate and even though we ended the day sweating profusely and starving and running to catch the 2 hours bus ride home, I feel oddly elated. Today, just maybe, today the PC Slogan of “The toughest job you’ll ever love” rings true. Though don’t get me wrong, on my bad days I have created other rated pg13 and sometimes R versions of this same slogan (-:
So back to the whole rain thing---I feel like my bad week or two has been wiped clean---and with the lovely rain and new, fresh air---I don’t know exactly what I am trying to say (exhausted) but it just all feels right today. I have the “ganas” or the will, to work and work harder.
Love to all ya’ll and I hope you all have a wonderful day and if you are having a bad day---may the rainstorm arrive to wipe it clean (-:

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