This is Tommy writing. The past few days have been the most emotionally difficult of the trip so far. We´ve enjoyed ourselves a lot, with the Nicas, putting on various dances and performances in our honor. But as much as we laugh and smile with them, the obvious makes everything bittersweet. We´re leaving in two days, and we feel it with every interaction.
My wild class of sixth graders threw me a wonderful birthday party yesterday. As a person who usually is travelling on my birthday, a party is something that I never get. I will never forget breaking the piñata and the ensuing onslaught of 12 year olds. To be honest, I was quite tired before the party. The two weeks away from what I´m used to had taken their toll. Something that I found difficult is trying to be cheerful when I´m not. We all have bad days, and under normal circumstances, it´s okay to be grouchy for a few hours, but not here, not for these two weeks. I care about a lot of the people here, so it´s easy to smile and talk to them. That´s the part that is great, but in my opinion, that´s not all that service means. Service is being decent, friendly, and enthusiastic, even when you feel too sleepy to pay attention to another dance, or talk to a seven year-old about who their favorite cartoon character is.
I want to make these last two days great, not just for me, but for the Nicaraguans I will probably never see again. They deserve to see us at 100%, and I know I will beat that.
(Cheri is writing this last paragraph.) I wanted to let you know about a wonderful time we had last night with a few recent graduates from la Nicaraguita who mean a lot to me. These graduates were U-Nica scholarship students supported by many different people back in the States. Pauline McKean (who works as Director of GS´s Global Service Program) and I started this non-profit organization called U-Nica in 2006 after we saw a need in the school´s neighborhood to sponsor children so they could attend the school and get off the street. We currently have 20 kids who attend la Nicaraguita through the generosity of 20 individuals or families from the USA. Last night´s get together was particularly meaningful to me because these recent grads came back to celebrate their success with our group from GS. In 2010, we were fortunate enough to connect with an American family who owns a company in Nicaragua and who saw the need for helping seniors at La Nicaraguita get some real work experience before graduating. In shifts of four weeks, every morning, a senior works at HEMCO, an ecologically friendly gold mining company which reinvests in the communities where it mines. These students are both U-Nica and non U-Nica seniors; all of them come out of the experience with an elevated self-confidence, work experience in filing, phoning, sending out checks, dressing and acting appropriately in a work place, and much more. We are very proud of the success rate of these students, and HEMCO committed last year to funding their four years in college. It´s a great story, and I wanted to share it. I have more stories just like this one. If you are interested in helping Pauline and I find sponsors for students who are having difficulties paying the monthly tuition of $22, please let me know. We always need help continuing to support individual students as well as supporting the English language program at la Nicaraguita.
Finally, this is the last entry of our blog. Tomorrow is a very busy day, with no breaks for us, ending with an evening of a good-bye party. Your child will attend a dinner with her host parents, may perform for the group and will say her good-byes to teachers and other families. Your children have been a super group to work with. They were extremely productive in their service (painting, cleaning, digging, teaching, working in the clinic, making posters, working in the public school) and you should be proud of them. They did not whine about anything. What a relief! Thank you for entrusting them to Ileabeth and me. We hope you will listen to their hearts when they do their best to relate to you this most rewarding experience.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
March 21 pm - March 22 am
This is Zoe writing. This past half of a day has been a fiesta central. After lunch Jess and I sat in on a 10 grade English and physics class. In English, our task was to copy text from a page in a teacher´s book onto the white board, since all of the students cannot afford their own. Next, we went into the other section of the Nicaraguita for an encuentro, basically a mini performance some students put on and there is a lot of food and Fanta Roja like always. These students were 7th and 8th graders and they gave all of the GS class helpers a generous gift. Something awesome that I´ve noticed about this community is how they fill every space with whatever they can offer us; every morning a class picks us up at Rafaela´s and walks us to our classrooms, walks us back for lunchtime and offers us drinks in the heat´s prime. I will truly miss this place when we peace out in three days.
The real fun started when Allan, the gym teacher, threw Kevin, his host son, a party for his birthday on the 25th. The cake was HUGE and Kevin was very surprised. There was a lot of dancing (Exci sweated off all of her water weight) and some great music; we got to put our dreaded salsa classes to the test.
Around 9:00, five other students and I went Nicaragua style back to our neighborhood so that I could attend my sister, Vanessa´s, 23rd birthday party. My American 16 year old self stuck out like a sore thumb, but soon Jacki came to my rescue. We danced a little too much and laughed at family members who were super into the music. Since the party was only extended family, I really got to know all the tios and tias (some even spoke English, which was a huge relief).
Around 3 this morning, I decided I had enough. 6:30 wake up served to be a struggle. However, I tried to hit the ground running knowing that today is my boy, Tommy´s, big 18th birthday. His students threw him a super special morning party; pinata and 18 birthday spins included. All smiles from big T. this morning.
Shout out to Ezzo and also my parents for allowing me to go on this incredible trip. We are all having an outstanding time and I can´t wait to eat your salad and homemade pizza when I get home, Ma. PS. Exci wants a welcome back party, Papa Carlos, and she is so happy that you taught her so much about Latino culture.
The real fun started when Allan, the gym teacher, threw Kevin, his host son, a party for his birthday on the 25th. The cake was HUGE and Kevin was very surprised. There was a lot of dancing (Exci sweated off all of her water weight) and some great music; we got to put our dreaded salsa classes to the test.
Around 9:00, five other students and I went Nicaragua style back to our neighborhood so that I could attend my sister, Vanessa´s, 23rd birthday party. My American 16 year old self stuck out like a sore thumb, but soon Jacki came to my rescue. We danced a little too much and laughed at family members who were super into the music. Since the party was only extended family, I really got to know all the tios and tias (some even spoke English, which was a huge relief).
Around 3 this morning, I decided I had enough. 6:30 wake up served to be a struggle. However, I tried to hit the ground running knowing that today is my boy, Tommy´s, big 18th birthday. His students threw him a super special morning party; pinata and 18 birthday spins included. All smiles from big T. this morning.
Shout out to Ezzo and also my parents for allowing me to go on this incredible trip. We are all having an outstanding time and I can´t wait to eat your salad and homemade pizza when I get home, Ma. PS. Exci wants a welcome back party, Papa Carlos, and she is so happy that you taught her so much about Latino culture.
March 21 pm - March 22 am
It took Tommy four full tries to blow out his candles.
An Alex sandwich in her classroom of 5 year olds. 
Sixth grade class birthday party at 8:00 am.
No, Tommy didn´t even get close to bursting his piñata!
Julie and Walkiria singing during the party for Kevin last night.
Lots to clap about at a very fun party.
Is this not an awesome birthday cake?March 21 am and afternoon
This is Jess writing. Sorry for the delay in the blog - the internet was down yesterday. Last night, all of the teachers put on presentations for us which included various Nicaraguan cultural dances. It´s always so interesting to learn parts of their culture. We played a game in which we all grabbed a balloon that contained a paper inside. We had to try to pop it by pressing it between a teacher´s body and ours. Let´s just say that this was a little too close for comfort but it was still funny to see everyone´s facial expressions. When the balloon finally popped, we all read what was inside. Mine said to hug a friend. This was easy compared to the various things that others had to do.... This activity was hilarious. Jesse had to sing a song, and for some odd reason he chose opera. Zoe had to jump like a kangaroo across the room. Excenia and Kevin and to make monkey and rooster noises. This was such a bonding experience which allowed me to see the more humorous side of my friends and our Nica teachers. Before I knew it, it was time to go home.
I arrived at my house to be welcomed by kisses and hugs. I was then bombarded with questions about how I was doing and how I spent my day. Each time I see my family, it´s just like meeting them for the first time. They are so inviting and friendly. I am so incredibly happy with the relationships I am creating with both my brother and sister in Nicaragua. Almost every night, my brother, Wildredo, and I play soccer together; and it´s also so funny, because he is so silly and constantly tripping over the ball. My sister and I have a heart to heart right before we go to sleep. She loves telling me about her life and we sometimes talk about how hard it is to learn a language.
Every morning, I wake up at 5:00 from the sounds of the roosters. There is always a glass of fresh mango juice waiting for me that tastes just like a smoothie. It has truly changed my standards of what 'delicious' is. Today was different than most days, because instead of all of us going to la Nicaraguita, we split up into two groups. One group went to a local clinc, where they did various jobs such as weeding the garden, filing papers, and weighing patients. I however was in the group that stayed at school. I feel so bad for the teacher and my class. She must truly be exhausted by the end of the day. She is in charge of 30 little munchkins who have more energy than their 5 year old bodies can handle. I really feel like I´m helping out because there is no way she can handle that by herself.
We spent our afternoon finishing up coloring in the drawings, posters and mobiles that we made. They are going to be hung up in a different school, where the walls are barren. I can´t wait to see the kids´ faces when they first see the bright colors.
I arrived at my house to be welcomed by kisses and hugs. I was then bombarded with questions about how I was doing and how I spent my day. Each time I see my family, it´s just like meeting them for the first time. They are so inviting and friendly. I am so incredibly happy with the relationships I am creating with both my brother and sister in Nicaragua. Almost every night, my brother, Wildredo, and I play soccer together; and it´s also so funny, because he is so silly and constantly tripping over the ball. My sister and I have a heart to heart right before we go to sleep. She loves telling me about her life and we sometimes talk about how hard it is to learn a language.
Every morning, I wake up at 5:00 from the sounds of the roosters. There is always a glass of fresh mango juice waiting for me that tastes just like a smoothie. It has truly changed my standards of what 'delicious' is. Today was different than most days, because instead of all of us going to la Nicaraguita, we split up into two groups. One group went to a local clinc, where they did various jobs such as weeding the garden, filing papers, and weighing patients. I however was in the group that stayed at school. I feel so bad for the teacher and my class. She must truly be exhausted by the end of the day. She is in charge of 30 little munchkins who have more energy than their 5 year old bodies can handle. I really feel like I´m helping out because there is no way she can handle that by herself.
We spent our afternoon finishing up coloring in the drawings, posters and mobiles that we made. They are going to be hung up in a different school, where the walls are barren. I can´t wait to see the kids´ faces when they first see the bright colors.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
20 March
This is Ileabeth and Cheri writing. Today was productive and very long.... We left for our first experience with a public school, in the neighborhood of Acahualinca, just down the street from La Chureca, the city dump. Many of the 650 students who attend this school have grown up in the dump or at least around it. Most of the families live on money made from picking up trash and recycling it. They make up to $2 a day doing this. The government is beginning to pour money into this neighborhood first by getting rid of the city dump, then by providing housing for those 200 families who lived there. The entire neighborhood smells like you´re in a trash can. There are many smoldering piles of garbage anywhere you look. Dogs run loose in search of a meal.
The principal of the school worked in La Nicaraguita for 15 years before her current job. She invited us to help her school create a compost pit. We had two teams of hard workers today - one on the compost pit for the first two hours, and the other in the cafeteria doing many jobs. Some washed dishes, others peeled oranges and squeezed them by hand, others washed tables, mopped floors, washed windows, prepared hundreds of plates of rice and hundreds of cups of juice. It was hot and busy in that cafeteria.
It was even hotter outside. Lots of picking and shoveling for the compost pit meant that our students needed to dig one meter down and about 12 feet long by 6 feet wide. It was no easy task under the blazing sun. We had to go out for cold water and snacks four times!! They were amazing. It was also exciting when we dug into and burst two pipes which no one expected to find. But alas, we are in Nicaragua, and no one got upset. As the principal said, "Everything can be fixed."
Although we were supposed to leave at noon, the kids really wanted to finish the pit, so we did, and left around 1:30. We also took time to visit a jewelry workshop and education center whose mission is to get people out of the dump, provide a sustainable craft with a monthly income of up to $65. It has been a huge success and is called Hope Nica. They have a web site which I´ll pass on to you.
Quick lunch back at Rafaela´s and then our students visited for a short time classes in the afternoon, something they usually don´t do. The classrooms are blazing hot and crowded and it´s difficult to sit still. Showers were a must and then the teachers treated us to a party at 6, complete with food, games, and dancing. We´re slowly gearing up to say our good-byes as different groups are celebrating us.
The principal of the school worked in La Nicaraguita for 15 years before her current job. She invited us to help her school create a compost pit. We had two teams of hard workers today - one on the compost pit for the first two hours, and the other in the cafeteria doing many jobs. Some washed dishes, others peeled oranges and squeezed them by hand, others washed tables, mopped floors, washed windows, prepared hundreds of plates of rice and hundreds of cups of juice. It was hot and busy in that cafeteria.
It was even hotter outside. Lots of picking and shoveling for the compost pit meant that our students needed to dig one meter down and about 12 feet long by 6 feet wide. It was no easy task under the blazing sun. We had to go out for cold water and snacks four times!! They were amazing. It was also exciting when we dug into and burst two pipes which no one expected to find. But alas, we are in Nicaragua, and no one got upset. As the principal said, "Everything can be fixed."
Although we were supposed to leave at noon, the kids really wanted to finish the pit, so we did, and left around 1:30. We also took time to visit a jewelry workshop and education center whose mission is to get people out of the dump, provide a sustainable craft with a monthly income of up to $65. It has been a huge success and is called Hope Nica. They have a web site which I´ll pass on to you.
Quick lunch back at Rafaela´s and then our students visited for a short time classes in the afternoon, something they usually don´t do. The classrooms are blazing hot and crowded and it´s difficult to sit still. Showers were a must and then the teachers treated us to a party at 6, complete with food, games, and dancing. We´re slowly gearing up to say our good-byes as different groups are celebrating us.
Monday, March 19, 2012
March 19
This is Jackie writing. So far, Nicaragua has been beyond incredible. I can´t believe it´s already the eleventh day. The life style here is so different, but I´m falling in love with it. As cliche as it sounds, this has been a life-changing trip and I´m so grateful. I´m afraid it has been passing by so quickly, so we are all trying to make do with the little time we have left.
We have all had to adjust to the life style here. I´m lucky enough to even have a shower head. Many of the kids just have a drum of water and a bowl. We don´t always have water, because the city shuts it off, and when we do have water, it´s always cold. We also cannot flush the toilet paper, if even there is any. One of the most interesting things I´ve seen is how they sell drinks in small plastic bags. You just bite the corner off and enjoy! It´s actually not bad at all. It just makes you realize how often we take things for granted.
Last night, everyone was exhausted and we crashed in the living room. To no surprise, we settled into a game of Chinese poker, the designated card game of the trip. It´s our go-to game just about non stop. Afterwards, at about 7:00, everyone walks home with their host families.
I´ve become so close with my family and they take great care of me. I feel as though they are my second family and we bond more and more each night. They tease me like family, but it´s all in good fun. Last night I had the chance to meet Maria Felix´ (my host sister) cousin, who spoke English pretty well, a nice change of pace.
As for this morning, I was even more tired than usual. We went to our usual classrooms and helped out. In the afternoon, we spent three hours helping create posters and mobiles for a public school (see pictures). It´s been great developing relationships with our kids and every day, they bombard me with gifts. Nothing too crazy happened throughout the rest of the day, but I can say this trip has been amazing as a whole. We have made really close friends despite the language barrier and we´ve become closer as a group, too. I´ve learned things about myself that I didn´t know before and my Spanish has definitely improved. To all the parents, we are doing fine and there is no need to worry. Everyone is taking great care of us and this trip has been an incredible learning experience. Í´m looking forward to the upcoming adventures but I´ll surely never forget the ones in the past.
We have all had to adjust to the life style here. I´m lucky enough to even have a shower head. Many of the kids just have a drum of water and a bowl. We don´t always have water, because the city shuts it off, and when we do have water, it´s always cold. We also cannot flush the toilet paper, if even there is any. One of the most interesting things I´ve seen is how they sell drinks in small plastic bags. You just bite the corner off and enjoy! It´s actually not bad at all. It just makes you realize how often we take things for granted.
Last night, everyone was exhausted and we crashed in the living room. To no surprise, we settled into a game of Chinese poker, the designated card game of the trip. It´s our go-to game just about non stop. Afterwards, at about 7:00, everyone walks home with their host families.
I´ve become so close with my family and they take great care of me. I feel as though they are my second family and we bond more and more each night. They tease me like family, but it´s all in good fun. Last night I had the chance to meet Maria Felix´ (my host sister) cousin, who spoke English pretty well, a nice change of pace.
As for this morning, I was even more tired than usual. We went to our usual classrooms and helped out. In the afternoon, we spent three hours helping create posters and mobiles for a public school (see pictures). It´s been great developing relationships with our kids and every day, they bombard me with gifts. Nothing too crazy happened throughout the rest of the day, but I can say this trip has been amazing as a whole. We have made really close friends despite the language barrier and we´ve become closer as a group, too. I´ve learned things about myself that I didn´t know before and my Spanish has definitely improved. To all the parents, we are doing fine and there is no need to worry. Everyone is taking great care of us and this trip has been an incredible learning experience. Í´m looking forward to the upcoming adventures but I´ll surely never forget the ones in the past.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
March 17 pm - March 18
This is Jesse writing. After the grueling long ride back from the lagoon, which seemed like 90 hours, we quickly ate dinner and sat down with a meeting with Rafaela. She asked us to reflect on the trip thus far, and it seemed like we all shared the same thoughts and feelings. In short, we´re having an incredible time here, and are finding the Nicaraguans extremely kind, accepting, and most of all, entertaining. Rafaela then went on to lay out the week ahead, and despite her speedy speech, I think we were all able to decipher what was said. After this chat, we settled into a game of Chinese poker as we waited for our host families to pick us up. Since there was no GS group get-together, my host brother, Martin, and I headed off to our house. In the beginning of this trip, I dreaded these pick ups, because I never knew what to talk about, which led to long, awkward silences. But last night was different. For some reason, I was able to talk to him so easily, and everything just flowed. This showed me that not only is my Spanish improving, I´m also getting more comfortable with my family and myself. However, this momentous conversation ended when we arrived at the house, and Martin put on the Simpsons, which appears to be his favorite show since we watch it almost every night.
This morning, we boarded the bus once again to visit the volcano at Masaya, and I think it´s safe to say it greatly exceeded most of our expectations. We arrived at a museaum which elaborated on the volcanoes by showing us a three dimensional map. After this invigorating experience, we were able to actually go to the volcano. I was captivated by the majestry of the landscape, so much so that I couldn´t breathe - actually, that was undoubtedly the sulfur. After Ilya forced me to take 29 pictures of him in front of the volcano, we left and headed back down to the museum. There we bonded over lunch and hung out for a while, as kids talked, did homework, and played "Never have I ever...." Paco (Connor!) won, of course.
This morning, we boarded the bus once again to visit the volcano at Masaya, and I think it´s safe to say it greatly exceeded most of our expectations. We arrived at a museaum which elaborated on the volcanoes by showing us a three dimensional map. After this invigorating experience, we were able to actually go to the volcano. I was captivated by the majestry of the landscape, so much so that I couldn´t breathe - actually, that was undoubtedly the sulfur. After Ilya forced me to take 29 pictures of him in front of the volcano, we left and headed back down to the museum. There we bonded over lunch and hung out for a while, as kids talked, did homework, and played "Never have I ever...." Paco (Connor!) won, of course.
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