Friday, August 10, 2012

A long, but EXCITING ramble!

ok so it feels exciting to me... AUGUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable! Let me say Happy Birthday to so many family and friends in August—both American and Nicaraguan!!! I just watched a movie and within it “it’s a Wonderful Life” was mentioned and a few scenes shown—it made me teary eyed for home. No one in my entire town has ever heard of it, that’s for sure. No matter how much I have adapted to being here, there remain some things that just hit so close to home. Home. We will be home in about 3 months and a week or so! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The other volunteer who lives in our town, Nishant, had his family come visit from the USA this past wknd.—his parents, aunt and uncle and their two kids along with another lovely PC Volunteer, Lauren. It was an incredible thing to view my town and life through their new, fresh eyes. Things I see every day and don’t even notice anymore are worthy of a picture and exclamation…We all went out to our host family’s farm which required a ride on one of the infamous chicken busses (and not to disappoint there was indeed a live chicken on the bus), walking on foot, crossing the river via long boat, and a 45 minute horseback ride. Our host family’ extended family that lives out in this community managed to find 9 horses from neighbors and other family so that each of us had our own horse. Once at the farm, we ate and ate and ate---almost all the food freshly picked or killed right there on the property. We shucked and grilled the corn growing there---ate the fresh beans and cheese produced—and watched as 2 chickens were picked out, killed, and cooked for our afternoon soup. I was so impressed with Nishant’s family—they remained in good spirits all day and thoroughly enjoyed themselves---the kids jumped right in and played with all the Nicaraguan kids—despite the language barrier. At the end of their visit, his family gave some gifts to our host family and we translated a bit—about how our host mom cares for all of us like her own children…Of course, this also made me teary-eyed. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx It is events like these that I hold dear to my heart. To me, it is the essence of Peace Corps-especially the second and third goals of the program. (Have I mentioned these? Well, basically Peace Corps in general in every country in the world where we have a presence has 3 main goals: 1- Provide technical, professional training in an area where it is needed and requested 2- share USA Culture with our foreign counterparts/communities 3- share the culture of our host country with everyone back home) Of course, watching Nishant with his family made me a bit envious and I wished my family had been there too! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Not much new news to report. I am still waiting to see if the Principal and other folks will confirm the official date for the Bottle Classroom Inauguration. But, it is out of my hands. The science fair is this week—and the group of kids that built a model house using the bottle method will be presenting. They were also invited to a competition in a larger city via “INTUR”, Nicaragua’s tourism office—in order to share their project. The professor who is helping these students also wants to build fence of sorts using the eco-ladrillos (bottles!) around one of the oldest trees at my other school. They used our project proposal and budget to help with their project. All of this also fills my heart with happiness! Matt and I ate dinner in the park last night and as we sat down to the table, a man I didn’t recognize asked me if the Bottle Classroom was finished---I finally got to smile and say “YES, YES IT IS!” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SIDE STORY: Everything was going SO WELL this week (ok it was only Tuesday night)—and by this I mean: The water came on Sunday morning—we got a full tank so I could do my laundry and clean my house, the power finally seemed to be on and be somewhat stable, we managed to get 2 new jugs of filtered drinking water---basic living needs CHECK!! Then yesterday we went to start cooking dinner on our gas stove---and surprise-GAS ALL OUT finally….all the stores that sell propane tanks were closed for the night-so we climbed the hill from our house up to the park (one of two places you can eat at night in town) and while we were there a HUGE storm rolled in….I mean HUGE! We got stuck at the park for about an hour and a half…waiting for the rain to pass….it never did…there are 3 taxis in our town and it seems that by 8pm they are all finished working for the day….so at about 8:10, we decided to just walk home in the rain and lightning…would have been fine, except the power was out (of course—happens almost every time it rains…) So we ran/walked home in a huge thunder/lightning storm using the light from the rays of lightning to guide our way….we had to stop between lightning bursts because we could no longer see anything….I definitely fell climbing down the small dirt path that leads to our neighborhood….but once we got to our “road” a neighbor came to their window and shined a light for us until we were safe inside our house….Really though, we laughed all the way home and enjoyed getting drenched! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Peace Corps gives us this sheet that breaks our time here down into chunks and lists things we may be experiencing and the feeling that may accompany them---currently these things include: TRAUMA OF DEPARTURE, BRIDGING THE IDENTITY OF YOUR POST PEACE CORPS SELF WITH NEW SELF ONCE HOME, REDEFINING CAREER GOALS, Hmmm what does this mean? The feelings that may accompany this: anxiety, fright, panic, obsessive planning and scheduling. CHECK CHECKCHECKCHECKCHECK How can it be traumatizing to go home? Oh the endless cultural differences—the expectations other people have for you—the lack of understanding or interest in what you just did with 2 years and 3 months of your life—the impossible task of fully explaining what just happened to you over the past 2 years and 3 months—putting toilet paper in the toilet—flush toilets everywhere—CARS, highways…driving…etc. But more than anything, the common and never-ending question—“So, what’s your plan now?” Almost as if the past 2 years and three months didn’t happen—or happened without consequence. Maybe I would like to take a moment to process, to readjust. I understand it is just a logical, appropriate question---but I still have 3 months to go here and I am already sort of weary of answering it….Matt and I sometimes joke about seeing who can give the most outrageous answer every time we get this question---lion tamer, underwater aerobics instructor, etc. The truth is, we will have a transition phase, and then use all the skills and knowledge acquired during this experience to seek out fulfilling job and or educational opportunities. *sigh* I have more specifics, but I feel like I have prattled on long enough. Underwater aerobics instructor does sound pretty cool though, right?