Even though we haven´t been here very long, our group has already gone on lots of trips and tours! Here is some of what we have done:
The beach: our first saturday here we went to the mediterranean coast of spain and had a great time laying out in the sun! We swam, explored the little town (whose name I forget) , and got to know everyone in the group.
Alhambra: We have been to the Alhambra twice. It is this palace in Granada the moors built when the Islamic empire extended into Spain. It is really beautiful. There is so much intricate details in the walls, the ceilings, the arcitecture in general and there are georgous gardens.
Córdoba: Last Sunday we went to Còrdoba to visit the mesqita cathedral. This Cathedral used to be a mosque but when the catholics returned to power in Spain they inserted a cathedral on the inside. The mosque part is just gorgous there are hundreds of columns with arches above them. When you go inside, the imensity of it just is amazing. However, the catholic core is a little embarrassing. I have seen good looking cathedrals- this is just gaudy. My theory is that the catholics decided to try to overpower the mosque (and therefore the lslamic influence on the place) by just trying to cram as much catholic stuff into the core. However, the mosque part of it makes the entire building a must see.
This is just a little bit of what we have done. I am exciting for what's coming up- the beach on sunday! I can't wait!
Sep 9, 2010
Sep 5, 2010
Hello, Spain!
Its been 5 days, and I am having a great time. Our flights were on time, and we got to Spain without any trouble at all. Arriving in Granada, we were all sleep deprived and happy to be going home with host families. My host mom is very kind but clearly is confused about the practicality of vegetarianism. I was planning on keeping my veggie-ness mostly to myself and just eat less of the meaty foods. I really wanted to be adventurous and eat all the good food that Spain had to offer. However, when Rebecca (we are staying together at the same host family) and I sat down for our first meal with our host family, we were served hamburgers, french fries and cut up peices of meat and cheese. I just could not do it! It was just too hard for my first piece of meat in almost a year to be the poster child of processed, american meat. When I told my host mom that I was a vegetarian, she seemed to feel really bad about it. She kept saying ¡La escuella no digame nada! I tried to tell her that it was no big deal, I am used to picking around meat, but I think she still felt bad. She asked me what I did and didn´t eat. I did say that I would eat fish and seafood. I felt like it was a good compromise, even though I don´t really like it much. Since that day, I have had some form of seafood in every single meal! I have to say, I am proud at my ability to eat it. I have just been using my tricks to eat food I don´t like! Anyway, I got to go I will fill you all in on the rest of Granada and our trip to the beach!
-Kate
-Kate
Aug 29, 2010
Ready to go?
Before I write anything else, I just have to get one thing out of the way- I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS TRIP! I am all packed, I said goodbye to Ohio and I am now in Harrisonburg. I keep picturing myself traveling around Spain and Morocco seeing all the fantastic sights, eating good food, and somehow magically my Spanish coming out of my mouth perfectly coherent and grammatically correct. I will become more culturally aware, conversational in arabic, and have a tan the greek gods would be proud of. However, I must admit, I am pushing back fears that my trip will actually include an inability to communicate with anyone who doesn't speak english, getting lost in Spain, and picking up a parasite in morocco. While in reality my trip will probably somewhere in the middle on the Fabulous Scale (I am predicting an overall score of 8.5) , I think the excitement is winning out at the moment.
On another note, I realize that it has been a long time since posting on this site. It feels like its been ages since I graduated high school. I feel really different than the person I was today (I am sure that is a funny thing for a twenty year old to say but i think its true). I had never had a nursing class before, or lived in virginia (or lived with a virginian!), I wasn't a vegetarian and didn't have any idea what I wanted to do (past nursing school). Things are a little different now- and for the better.
Can't wait till tomorrow!
-Kate
On another note, I realize that it has been a long time since posting on this site. It feels like its been ages since I graduated high school. I feel really different than the person I was today (I am sure that is a funny thing for a twenty year old to say but i think its true). I had never had a nursing class before, or lived in virginia (or lived with a virginian!), I wasn't a vegetarian and didn't have any idea what I wanted to do (past nursing school). Things are a little different now- and for the better.
Can't wait till tomorrow!
-Kate
May 16, 2008
Grad party!!!!
Before I get to any blogging, I thought I would invite those of you who have been reading this and posting comment and e-mailing me to my Graduation/ Welcome Home party. I can't say it will be the greatest party of you life, and I will be either only 65% awake or really hyper (depending on well my parents succeed on there promise to suply me with coffee since it is only 3 days after I get home). Anyway, check your celenders and RSVP if you want to come because we need to get enough ice cream (that is probably the best reason to come). Here are the details. . .
Kate's Graduation Party
Where: Kate's house (e-mail me for directions)
When: Monday, May 26, 2-4 PM
I think the rest of the info is self explanitory but if you have any ?'s please e-mail me. I hope you all come. It has been so fun hearing about people who are reading my blog and it is always cool to get e-mails from people. You guys have been a pretty sweet audience!
now for the actual journals. . . .
May 8School went pretty good today. There is one girl that continues to frustrate me though. Rosa Emilia is little girl that is so sweet and she is only three but she is often unresponsive (not talking, not making eye contact, not paying attention) when you try to get her to do something structured and often doesn't do what she is supposed to be doing. I know some of my frustration with her is my fault, but I wish she would do more. I do feel better though that she has a friend in the class that she hangs out with a lot. That way he at least brings her out of her shell a bit.
May 9
Well tonight at our house, there was a pirate party. I was pretty impressed; people got really into it. There were some really good costumes. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to create a good costume and I didn't really but I did have a little cardboard sword and eye-patch. I was pretty intimidating (once you got pass the little cardboard sword and eye-patch- I could scowl scarily). It was pretty fun.
May 10The place that I am taking my spanish lessons is located in this really cool old building. Part of what makes it so cool is that it not only is beautiful but it is used for all sorts of things - not just the the language school. There are dance classes, a preschool, karate classes, aerobics classes, and events like a beauty pageants (kind of like little miss sunshine but less disturbing because the can't really afford to creepify their kids too much). Anyway, it's sweet to see a place that is really being used every day.
May 11
Okay, I get that I am sharing a house with others and that I will have to deal with behavior that I am not completely fond of but seriously, a line has been crossed! In my opinion, when you share a home with another fellow being, I really don't think it is ever appropriate to poop on them! Not cool. I know that animals live by different rules but I don't bother the bugs, geckos, and bats in the house and I don't know why it is too much to ask for a bat to look where it is going to the bathroom! I was just sitting down, watching a little tv when a little turd fell on my shirt! Gross!
May 12
Today only three kids showed up to school. Attendance has been a big problem lately so instead of doing a normal class, Martha (the teacher) took all 3 of the kids and me around to the houses of the kids that didn't show up and asked them why they weren't in school today and told them that they should come to school tomorrow. I was really shocked to see the houses that the kids live in. I knew that they didn't have much but to see the actual houses that they live in was really hard for me to see. The houses were similar to the ones that I saw in Costa Rica, and ones that I have seen around Granada but to see the kids that I help to teach coming out to greet us - these aren't proper houses for anyone to live but especially little children. One problem I have had with the kids is them running out of the classroom and going to the bathroom in the yard instead of going to the bathroom in a toilet. Now I realize that this is probably because they don't have toilets it their houses. It is so hard to see.
May 13Our little field trip paid off. 15 kids showed up in preschool which was pretty impressive. Two new kids even showed up. It was really good to see some kids finally come to school who hadn't shown up for a couple weeks. It can get kind of crazy with so many kids but the teacher is surprisingly good at keeping the kids kind of doing what they are supposed to be doing. Pretty good day, no major complaints and I had no trouble falling asleep.
May 14
I was really proud of all the stuff we did today in school. Granted, it was mostly fun stuff but we reviewed our colors, body parts and numbers in addition to making straw necklaces and mothers day cards. Also, even if the fun stuff doesn't really teach them stuff, it keeps them wanting to go to school the next day which does help them learn. Although, some days it seems like we do nothing and I on those days I feel like we could have done more. It feels good to have actually done several things in a school day!May 15Today I brought my camera to school and I had so much fun with the kids taking pictures of them during recess. I would take a pictures of them and then they would all run towards me to see the picture. What was really funny is when I tried to teach them to say "Go Bucks!" but it didn't really work because they felt really funny saying it and they couldn't really make the ck sound very well so it sounded more like "go butts". I suppose that's what I get for making that the english I have taught them out of all the much more useful vocabulary I could have tought them. Still. . . it was kind of cute.
May 16
Well, I only have one week left in Nicaragua. It is weird how time has gone so fast! I feel like a second ago I was kind of ready to go home and now I am like "hold up, uh, it's pretty sweet over here and I don't really want to go quite yet" seriously It's not so bad here and to document how great it is, I have made a list of a bunch of things I am going to miss.
SUPER SWEET GRANADA STUFF:
-It is so beautiful! There are a lot of really beautiful old building and the whole town is really picturesque.
-Chocolate covered bananas, "frescos" (really cheap beverages that are sold everywhere in plastic baggies) and ice cream sold in plastic baggies
-really yummy fruit
-having pet geckos in my house (they aren't really pets but they like to eat bugs so it is all good)
-laughing every time I buy Bimbo brand bread
-having a really great spanish teacher
-everything being way cheaper than in the states (for example I can get an ice cream cone with 2 scoops of ice cream for 60 cents, a medium pizza for less than four bucks, and any fruit for less than 50 cents)
- a volcanic lake is just an half an hour drive away, just waiting for me to swim in it
-I get to hang out with people from England, Wales, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Lebanon, El Salvador, and the States (that's more of an La Esperanza thing but I will still miss it)
-the Elba Zamora school, its students, and its teachers
seriously. . . it's pretty cool here!
Kate's Graduation Party
Where: Kate's house (e-mail me for directions)
When: Monday, May 26, 2-4 PM
I think the rest of the info is self explanitory but if you have any ?'s please e-mail me. I hope you all come. It has been so fun hearing about people who are reading my blog and it is always cool to get e-mails from people. You guys have been a pretty sweet audience!
now for the actual journals. . . .
May 8School went pretty good today. There is one girl that continues to frustrate me though. Rosa Emilia is little girl that is so sweet and she is only three but she is often unresponsive (not talking, not making eye contact, not paying attention) when you try to get her to do something structured and often doesn't do what she is supposed to be doing. I know some of my frustration with her is my fault, but I wish she would do more. I do feel better though that she has a friend in the class that she hangs out with a lot. That way he at least brings her out of her shell a bit.
May 9
Well tonight at our house, there was a pirate party. I was pretty impressed; people got really into it. There were some really good costumes. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to create a good costume and I didn't really but I did have a little cardboard sword and eye-patch. I was pretty intimidating (once you got pass the little cardboard sword and eye-patch- I could scowl scarily). It was pretty fun.
May 10The place that I am taking my spanish lessons is located in this really cool old building. Part of what makes it so cool is that it not only is beautiful but it is used for all sorts of things - not just the the language school. There are dance classes, a preschool, karate classes, aerobics classes, and events like a beauty pageants (kind of like little miss sunshine but less disturbing because the can't really afford to creepify their kids too much). Anyway, it's sweet to see a place that is really being used every day.
May 11
Okay, I get that I am sharing a house with others and that I will have to deal with behavior that I am not completely fond of but seriously, a line has been crossed! In my opinion, when you share a home with another fellow being, I really don't think it is ever appropriate to poop on them! Not cool. I know that animals live by different rules but I don't bother the bugs, geckos, and bats in the house and I don't know why it is too much to ask for a bat to look where it is going to the bathroom! I was just sitting down, watching a little tv when a little turd fell on my shirt! Gross!
May 12
Today only three kids showed up to school. Attendance has been a big problem lately so instead of doing a normal class, Martha (the teacher) took all 3 of the kids and me around to the houses of the kids that didn't show up and asked them why they weren't in school today and told them that they should come to school tomorrow. I was really shocked to see the houses that the kids live in. I knew that they didn't have much but to see the actual houses that they live in was really hard for me to see. The houses were similar to the ones that I saw in Costa Rica, and ones that I have seen around Granada but to see the kids that I help to teach coming out to greet us - these aren't proper houses for anyone to live but especially little children. One problem I have had with the kids is them running out of the classroom and going to the bathroom in the yard instead of going to the bathroom in a toilet. Now I realize that this is probably because they don't have toilets it their houses. It is so hard to see.
May 13Our little field trip paid off. 15 kids showed up in preschool which was pretty impressive. Two new kids even showed up. It was really good to see some kids finally come to school who hadn't shown up for a couple weeks. It can get kind of crazy with so many kids but the teacher is surprisingly good at keeping the kids kind of doing what they are supposed to be doing. Pretty good day, no major complaints and I had no trouble falling asleep.
May 14
I was really proud of all the stuff we did today in school. Granted, it was mostly fun stuff but we reviewed our colors, body parts and numbers in addition to making straw necklaces and mothers day cards. Also, even if the fun stuff doesn't really teach them stuff, it keeps them wanting to go to school the next day which does help them learn. Although, some days it seems like we do nothing and I on those days I feel like we could have done more. It feels good to have actually done several things in a school day!May 15Today I brought my camera to school and I had so much fun with the kids taking pictures of them during recess. I would take a pictures of them and then they would all run towards me to see the picture. What was really funny is when I tried to teach them to say "Go Bucks!" but it didn't really work because they felt really funny saying it and they couldn't really make the ck sound very well so it sounded more like "go butts". I suppose that's what I get for making that the english I have taught them out of all the much more useful vocabulary I could have tought them. Still. . . it was kind of cute.
May 16
Well, I only have one week left in Nicaragua. It is weird how time has gone so fast! I feel like a second ago I was kind of ready to go home and now I am like "hold up, uh, it's pretty sweet over here and I don't really want to go quite yet" seriously It's not so bad here and to document how great it is, I have made a list of a bunch of things I am going to miss.
SUPER SWEET GRANADA STUFF:
-It is so beautiful! There are a lot of really beautiful old building and the whole town is really picturesque.
-Chocolate covered bananas, "frescos" (really cheap beverages that are sold everywhere in plastic baggies) and ice cream sold in plastic baggies
-really yummy fruit
-having pet geckos in my house (they aren't really pets but they like to eat bugs so it is all good)
-laughing every time I buy Bimbo brand bread
-having a really great spanish teacher
-everything being way cheaper than in the states (for example I can get an ice cream cone with 2 scoops of ice cream for 60 cents, a medium pizza for less than four bucks, and any fruit for less than 50 cents)
- a volcanic lake is just an half an hour drive away, just waiting for me to swim in it
-I get to hang out with people from England, Wales, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Lebanon, El Salvador, and the States (that's more of an La Esperanza thing but I will still miss it)
-the Elba Zamora school, its students, and its teachers
seriously. . . it's pretty cool here!
May 7, 2008
the beach and the strike
April 30
Well today was really cool. First of all, we flew (a bunch of the volunteers went) to Corn Island on this little plane. It was by far the smallest plane I had ever been on. It only fit 12 passengers and there wasn't like a separate cockpit or anything, it sort of reminded me of a minivan with wings. I was a little freaked out because I don't really like to fly (Seriously, one time I was so scared that the night before a trip to the Netherlands I wrote letters to everyone knew and put them in my room for someone to find in case I died. It's pretty good I didn't die because I wrote really embarrassing stuff). Anyway, the flight was really smooth and it was totally ok. Then, since we decided to stay on Little Corn Island, we took a boat from Big Corn to Little Corn. It was the sweetest boat ride of my life. Whoever was driving the boat went really fast and when we went over the waves the front of the boat would be a little air born and than back smack down on the water. So fun.
Oh, and when we arrived on little Corn we had to hurry because there were 18 of us and we wanted everyone to get rooms so we were hurrying along the path to go when all the cabins are and who do we run into but. . . tuija!
May 1
So just FYI, this island is basically one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It doesn't quite grab the number one spot (any place where I am looking at myself in a mirror- just kidding!) but I am seriously amazed how picture perfect this island is. The view if the water is just completely breath taking. This is like the island vacation every always dreams about (although when I thought about it I didn't really think about the cabins that come with mosquitoes but without a bathroom but I am not picky and we totally would have an ocean view if we could open out wooden window all the way).
So because there is a lot of beach there is naturally a lot of crabs (a LOT of crabs). Last night, when I was walking back to the cabin, there were crabs everywhere!! I was so scared that I was go to step on one (I hate the crunch cockroaches make when you kill them, I had a feeling I would like the crunch of a little crab even less) or that I would get pinched by one. I was walking and the batteries in my flashlight were dying. . . I was kind of freaking out but then I caught up to Becky (or yelled for her to stop and shine her light ahead of me so I could quickly scamper up close to her) and I stuck with her till we got back to the cabin. The thing about the crabs were that they would necessarily hold still as you walked and they did their little side walk-y thing to wherever they thought they would be safest which may or may not cause them to scurry right in front of you. It was difficult even with a light. Crazy little things!
May 2
Today I got up early (5 AM!) and went to the beach and watched the sunrise over the water. It was so beautiful. The colors were amazing and the beach was already gorgeous, it was just the perfect start to the day. I am still amazed by the beauty of this place. Not only of this island but of this part of the world. It is really breathtaking.
May 3
Well this morning I got up early again to watch the sunrise (and it maintained its high marks on the sweetness scale) and promptly went back to (my increasing sandy) bed. There were plans for two snorkeling trips since so many people from our group wanted to go so I slept in a little longer and decided to go on the second trip. Well, everyone went on the first trip (and a few people decided at the last minute not to go on the second trip) so the second trip was canceled. I am quite bummed. It would have been so cool. They went to three places around the island. One was right by the coral reef and there were a lot of brightly colored fish and other ocean life. The second place they went to was a place where sharks were sleeping on the ocean floor. SHARKS!!! How completely awesome is that!! And as to not be outdone, by the sharks, the third place was a shipwreck!!! SO COOL!! I am a little jealous but I refuse to let it totally ruin the day so I am going to hang out in a hammock, read Harry Potter (yes, I brought Harry #7 with me) and be continue to be completely amazed by my surroundings. That's really all I can do and I am pretty sure the alternative isn't nearly as fun.
May 4
Well, I happen to be one of those people who happen to suffer from motion sickness. . . issues. I haven't thrown up yet but I do get extremely uncomfortable and tend to feel like I have just spun around in circles for ten minutes. I have figured out that this only happens when I am on winding roads, in a car where I am speeding up and slowing down a lot, and now I know small airplanes, and boats can be added to the list. Whew. . . it's not the most enjoyable trip for me to take and even though this trip has been completely cool, sweet and totally amazing, I am glad to be back to Granada. I am now in complete awe of the little ceiling fan in my bedroom (I am a little afraid it could fall at any minute but it is a major comfort), the fact that my bed doesn't contain large amounts of sand and that I don't have to use a bucket of water to flush the toilet. It kind of makes me wonder what I will feel like when I get home. I know I will feel glad to be home, but I wonder if I will be thankful about all the stuff I will have access to or will feel overwhelmed and resentful.
May 5
This morning was quite the wake up. Apparently, all the buses, transport vans (the ones that go from city to city), taxis, etc. has gone on strike throughout Nicaragua. The gas prices are really high here and the bus and taxi drivers don't want to raise their prices because people won't be able to afford them but now their profits are dwindling. This is fairly inconvenient for me (I mean that in a factual sense and in an as unselfishly as possible) because that means I have to walk 50 minutes in the hot sun to and from school. On the way there I did hitchhike the last ten minutes or so. I felt it was pretty safe because not only was I with another volunteer, but we were in the back of a truck with at least 7 other people who were in the same predicament we were. It was kind of cool that these people were driving around in their truck would stop and help people who are struggling to go the their jobs and schools and places that they need to go but would otherwise have trouble getting to. Just like a little friendly chunk o' kindness.
May 6
Well I walked all the way to and from school this time. Personally, I try not to smell too much or look too gross and I know on this walkabout we are supposed to be professional, and I really hope that I am meeting that requirement, but I must admit that I was completely disgusting by the time I finally made it to class. I was better when I dried off a bit and but it was a little embarrassing to be as sweaty as I was. But I didn't really have a choice especially since I am now walking alone (the guy I normally walk with got his hands on a bike). On the way home I had to stop by the grocery store and the market so I had to carry all my groceries home after walking 30 minutes or so already. I practically collapsed on my bed and took a nice long nap when I got home.
May 7
In my Spanish lesson today my teacher (who is now Perla, by the way, the Spanish school switched teachers on me) showed me this sheet that is a list of all things the school covers. The things were all categorized by level of difficulty. The stuff that I have been learning is in the intermediate and advanced intermediate and Perla said that by the time I leave I will be in the advanced!! ADVANCED!!!! That makes me feel so smart!!! Now, realistically, all that means is that I understand the theory of Spanish grammar and has absolutely nothing to do with me actually being able to apply it outside of my lessons (I feel like there is a major disconnect there) but I still feel proud.
Well, I am here to say miracles happen all the time and when you least expect them. La Esperanza has felt the needs of it's volunteers and is providing transportation for the volunteers and from the schools. WOO HOO!!!
Oh, and to help you all understand why I find my old spanish teacher to be compleatly hilarious even if she is a terrible teacher, I just found out that she said the following in a in a recent spanish class:
"Do you think that your moms married your dads because they were eh-spicy?" (after admitting that there are no "spicy" men in the United States)
Well today was really cool. First of all, we flew (a bunch of the volunteers went) to Corn Island on this little plane. It was by far the smallest plane I had ever been on. It only fit 12 passengers and there wasn't like a separate cockpit or anything, it sort of reminded me of a minivan with wings. I was a little freaked out because I don't really like to fly (Seriously, one time I was so scared that the night before a trip to the Netherlands I wrote letters to everyone knew and put them in my room for someone to find in case I died. It's pretty good I didn't die because I wrote really embarrassing stuff). Anyway, the flight was really smooth and it was totally ok. Then, since we decided to stay on Little Corn Island, we took a boat from Big Corn to Little Corn. It was the sweetest boat ride of my life. Whoever was driving the boat went really fast and when we went over the waves the front of the boat would be a little air born and than back smack down on the water. So fun.
Oh, and when we arrived on little Corn we had to hurry because there were 18 of us and we wanted everyone to get rooms so we were hurrying along the path to go when all the cabins are and who do we run into but. . . tuija!
May 1
So just FYI, this island is basically one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It doesn't quite grab the number one spot (any place where I am looking at myself in a mirror- just kidding!) but I am seriously amazed how picture perfect this island is. The view if the water is just completely breath taking. This is like the island vacation every always dreams about (although when I thought about it I didn't really think about the cabins that come with mosquitoes but without a bathroom but I am not picky and we totally would have an ocean view if we could open out wooden window all the way).
So because there is a lot of beach there is naturally a lot of crabs (a LOT of crabs). Last night, when I was walking back to the cabin, there were crabs everywhere!! I was so scared that I was go to step on one (I hate the crunch cockroaches make when you kill them, I had a feeling I would like the crunch of a little crab even less) or that I would get pinched by one. I was walking and the batteries in my flashlight were dying. . . I was kind of freaking out but then I caught up to Becky (or yelled for her to stop and shine her light ahead of me so I could quickly scamper up close to her) and I stuck with her till we got back to the cabin. The thing about the crabs were that they would necessarily hold still as you walked and they did their little side walk-y thing to wherever they thought they would be safest which may or may not cause them to scurry right in front of you. It was difficult even with a light. Crazy little things!
May 2
Today I got up early (5 AM!) and went to the beach and watched the sunrise over the water. It was so beautiful. The colors were amazing and the beach was already gorgeous, it was just the perfect start to the day. I am still amazed by the beauty of this place. Not only of this island but of this part of the world. It is really breathtaking.
May 3
Well this morning I got up early again to watch the sunrise (and it maintained its high marks on the sweetness scale) and promptly went back to (my increasing sandy) bed. There were plans for two snorkeling trips since so many people from our group wanted to go so I slept in a little longer and decided to go on the second trip. Well, everyone went on the first trip (and a few people decided at the last minute not to go on the second trip) so the second trip was canceled. I am quite bummed. It would have been so cool. They went to three places around the island. One was right by the coral reef and there were a lot of brightly colored fish and other ocean life. The second place they went to was a place where sharks were sleeping on the ocean floor. SHARKS!!! How completely awesome is that!! And as to not be outdone, by the sharks, the third place was a shipwreck!!! SO COOL!! I am a little jealous but I refuse to let it totally ruin the day so I am going to hang out in a hammock, read Harry Potter (yes, I brought Harry #7 with me) and be continue to be completely amazed by my surroundings. That's really all I can do and I am pretty sure the alternative isn't nearly as fun.
May 4
Well, I happen to be one of those people who happen to suffer from motion sickness. . . issues. I haven't thrown up yet but I do get extremely uncomfortable and tend to feel like I have just spun around in circles for ten minutes. I have figured out that this only happens when I am on winding roads, in a car where I am speeding up and slowing down a lot, and now I know small airplanes, and boats can be added to the list. Whew. . . it's not the most enjoyable trip for me to take and even though this trip has been completely cool, sweet and totally amazing, I am glad to be back to Granada. I am now in complete awe of the little ceiling fan in my bedroom (I am a little afraid it could fall at any minute but it is a major comfort), the fact that my bed doesn't contain large amounts of sand and that I don't have to use a bucket of water to flush the toilet. It kind of makes me wonder what I will feel like when I get home. I know I will feel glad to be home, but I wonder if I will be thankful about all the stuff I will have access to or will feel overwhelmed and resentful.
May 5
This morning was quite the wake up. Apparently, all the buses, transport vans (the ones that go from city to city), taxis, etc. has gone on strike throughout Nicaragua. The gas prices are really high here and the bus and taxi drivers don't want to raise their prices because people won't be able to afford them but now their profits are dwindling. This is fairly inconvenient for me (I mean that in a factual sense and in an as unselfishly as possible) because that means I have to walk 50 minutes in the hot sun to and from school. On the way there I did hitchhike the last ten minutes or so. I felt it was pretty safe because not only was I with another volunteer, but we were in the back of a truck with at least 7 other people who were in the same predicament we were. It was kind of cool that these people were driving around in their truck would stop and help people who are struggling to go the their jobs and schools and places that they need to go but would otherwise have trouble getting to. Just like a little friendly chunk o' kindness.
May 6
Well I walked all the way to and from school this time. Personally, I try not to smell too much or look too gross and I know on this walkabout we are supposed to be professional, and I really hope that I am meeting that requirement, but I must admit that I was completely disgusting by the time I finally made it to class. I was better when I dried off a bit and but it was a little embarrassing to be as sweaty as I was. But I didn't really have a choice especially since I am now walking alone (the guy I normally walk with got his hands on a bike). On the way home I had to stop by the grocery store and the market so I had to carry all my groceries home after walking 30 minutes or so already. I practically collapsed on my bed and took a nice long nap when I got home.
May 7
In my Spanish lesson today my teacher (who is now Perla, by the way, the Spanish school switched teachers on me) showed me this sheet that is a list of all things the school covers. The things were all categorized by level of difficulty. The stuff that I have been learning is in the intermediate and advanced intermediate and Perla said that by the time I leave I will be in the advanced!! ADVANCED!!!! That makes me feel so smart!!! Now, realistically, all that means is that I understand the theory of Spanish grammar and has absolutely nothing to do with me actually being able to apply it outside of my lessons (I feel like there is a major disconnect there) but I still feel proud.
Well, I am here to say miracles happen all the time and when you least expect them. La Esperanza has felt the needs of it's volunteers and is providing transportation for the volunteers and from the schools. WOO HOO!!!
Oh, and to help you all understand why I find my old spanish teacher to be compleatly hilarious even if she is a terrible teacher, I just found out that she said the following in a in a recent spanish class:
"Do you think that your moms married your dads because they were eh-spicy?" (after admitting that there are no "spicy" men in the United States)
Apr 29, 2008
uneventful days
27 de Abril
Well, earlier this week Brian and Tui left and Sharon moved out to live with a family and today we got a new guy, Jason. It's kind of weird to think that Kris and Asya are the only two people that are still living in the house that were there when I first arrived. People are constantly changing here!
Oh! Side Note- Yesterday Sharon went to Managua (the only place you can get American groceries) and she saw some peanut butter and thought of me so now I actually have three jars of peanut butter and every time I get a new jar I upgrade! I am seriously so lucky!!!
28 de Abril
Well today the kids were crazier than usual. There were more than usual (meaning the majority of the class showed up), so maybe there was a mob mentality thing happening or something. . . i don't know. It would be so nice if they were calm for a day. I do think some it has to do with the teaching itself though. The class has a range of ages so the teacher mostly addresses the 4 and 5 year olds and lets the two 3 years olds mostly do what they want because their ability level is lower than the other kids. What I have been trying to to lately is get them more involved in class. It can be hard sometimes because both of them aren't very verbal and don't like to communicate much so it's hard to ask them about colors or parts of the body. I just wish I could do my job better because I don't want to be too mean and make them not want to go to school (because then they might choose not to come to school at all) but I want them to learn too and I am afraid they aren't getting the things they could.
29 de Abril
Well today the kids were crazier than usual. There were more than usual (meaning the majority of the class showed up), so maybe there was a mob mentality thing happening or something. . . i don't know. It would be so nice if they were calm for a day. I do think some it has to do with the teaching itself though. The class has a range of ages so the teacher mostly addresses the 4 and 5 year olds and lets the two 3 years olds mostly do what they want because their ability level is lower than the other kids. What I have been trying to to lately is get them more involved in class. It can be hard sometimes because both of them aren't very verbal and don't like to communicate much so it's hard to ask them about colors or parts of the body. I just wish I could do my job better because I don't want to be too mean and make them not want to go to school (because then they might choose not to come to school at all) but I want them to learn too and I am afraid they aren't getting the things they could.
29 de Abril
Right now I am really excited because tomorrow I am going to the Corn Islands for four days. There is no school for the rest of the week so a bunch of volunteers decided to go. The Corn Islands are two islands off the Carribean coast and they are just supposed to be incredibly beautiful and just a lot of fun. Kris and Asya went during Semana Santa and loved it. I am really excited. Yay!
Apr 26, 2008
leg issues
April 18
First of all, I would like to say, that my night wasn't as gross as thought it was going to be. Yesterday some guy came over to look at our toilet problems and he turned all the water off overnight because today the came back to flush out our whole septic system or something like that. Anyway, that meant that there was no water running in the house. This isn't actually that unusual so there is a big water tank in the garden/yard for showering when there isn't water. However, I am guessing that made some people quite uncomfortable.
Anyway, I was one of the only volunteers to go to school because I think Elba Zamora was the only school to have class today and there wasn't normal classes, there was only preschool. So, because none of the kids would want to go to school when their siblings aren't going, exactly 2 kids showed up. The teacher then decided that there wasn't much she could do school-wise so I basically babysat them the whole time. It was really fun to just hang out with the kids instead of having to worry about keeping them on track. We just played. The day went so fast.
One bummer. . . I learned that the preschool teacher doesn't know what a clarinet is!
April 19
Today I went to the beautiful Luguna de Apoyo. It is this volcanic crater that has been filled up with water. I got to swim, relax, and even kayak a little! The water felt so good! In the afternoon I didn't feel like swimming again (I got a bit burned) and so I just relaxed in a hammock and read my book of the moment, To Kill a Mockingbird. I decided to reread it when I saw it in a used bookstore here because I remembered that I really liked it when I read it freshman year, but I forgot a lot about it. I am now remembering all the things I loved about it. It is such a great book- and it makes you think. Yesterday I saw Mulholand Drive at this restaurant that shows movies a few times a week and I hated it. Well, hate is a strong word, I came out of the restaurant feeling bewildered and like the movie had no real worth. Apparently (someone told me) that the movie is supposedly making some statement about how a few people run Hollywood or something. Now, this is just my opinion, but when reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I am drawn in, I like the characters, and I get at least some of the point the author is trying to make. Isn't that a better way to make a point? In Mulholand Drive, I am completely sidetracked by the fact that the movie actually makes no sense, and I don't get any possible message. Oh, well that´s just my opinion of the moment.
April 20
Well, That sunburn I mentioned is a bit painful. I don't think I reapplied sun screen soon enough and the sun is really strong in the Luguna so I am basically a red version of that Guy in Big Fat Liar (this guy swam in a pool with blue dye in it). My legs hurt the most because the skin moves the most there and had gotten much less sun compared to my arms and face. I also think my left shin must of gotten the most sun because I have this pain in my shin but it only hurts a lot if I am off my feet for a bit and then stand up. If I continue to walk, it doesn't hurt that much.
April 21
Well, quite a few of volunteers have gotten sick recently and have gotten to see this doctor. He is one crazy guy. First of all, he is quite the talker. if someone went to visit him, they shouldn't expect to leave for at least 5 hours and they shouldn't expect him to restrain himself from laughing at you. One of the volunteers he found to be hilarious and he laughed at her quite a bit. Also, in addition to being a doctor, Dr. Sicily (that is what I will call him because he is from Sicily) is also a lawyer and a bit of a arms dealer (he sells guns I guess). Apparently, if he is looking for something in one of his drawers of this big elaborate desk he owns, he will casually pull out a gun and lay it on his desk. He also is fond of giving shots. . . in the butt. All the people I have heard about going there have gotten 3 or 4 shots in the behind. Crazy guy. I am definitely going to hold off if possible to going to visit Dr. Sicily. Although it would make for a good story. . .
April 22
Well I can just say that my left leg is pretty attractive. One might think my right leg is gorgeous, I mean, it does have the slowly fading splotchy sunburn that looks a little like a unfortunate birthmark, but my left leg actually outshines my right one. My left leg, somehow got a much more severe sunburn so in addition so the beautiful scarlet overtones, it has this kind of weird texture. it is kind of strangely smooth. Then, because my burn hurts a lot, I occasionally have this limp that is really worthy of NY fashion week or something. Plus, my left ankle has randomly decided to swell up. It doesn't hurt or itch or anything but I has a cankle effect that really would make any beauty queen jealous. Plus, because of my burns, I haven't really wanted to shave my legs so I now have man-legs. Seriously, if I was a contestant on America's Next Top Model, I would totally win. In fact, my left leg is so amazingly Helen of Troy-esque that on the first episode the would just name me ANTM right away. Beauty just comes easily to me. . .
April 23
Wow. . time as flown! As of today, I only have one more month left in Central America. It's weird to think about all the normal stuff from home that I haven't seen for two and a half months and all the things that are normal for me here that I won't see when I am back in the states. Some of it is obvious stuff like I haven't had graters or Chinese food or gone to a movie theater but I don't really miss it. It's like I have two different lives sort of. Like I am a different person here. My personality isn't that different (except for the fact that I haven't been the weird crazy person like am with my family- I don´t want to scare people) but the way I do things is different. When I want a treat at home, graters is the place to go. Here, I go across the street to the pulperia and get oreos and fast food isn't wendy's or Mc Donalds, it's grabbing a bag of mango slices or these cheesy tortillas from a lady in the park. Life is just sort of different here. It will be strange when I go home but I am looking forward to it. I am not really homesick but I am looking forward to being around people that I have known for longer than a couple months. To be in a place that I am totally familiar and comfortable with. Not that I am uncomfortable here, but it's not home (literally or culturally).
April 24
Well I haven't been doing much lately, just hanging around the house. My leg has been bothering me and I don't want to irritate my ankle by being to active (I want to discourage the cankleism) so I have been watching tv, reading, talking, etc. I did go out once to run a couple errands and I stopped by this used bookstore. I have this place because they have a fairly good selection for a store its size (tiny). You can buy books and then sell it back to them for half price. That's where I got To Kill a Mockingbird and this other book that I got which was stupid and so I sold it back for Persuasion. I haven't read many Jane Austen books but I love P&P but I had seen the movie before so I was familiar with the dialogue and plot which helped a lot. I am really excited to read it. YAY!!
I am really happy to report that I got my hands on some proper peanut butter! Becky picked some up for me at this stand that is on the way to the school she works at. It is so great! Seriously, peanut butter is like cigarrettes in prison here or something. It´s like that one thing that all the americans go crazy for. . . and I got some!
April 25
Because of my leg (that is now oozing junk) I have been watching a lot more tv lately, including the news. Specifically I have been watching CNN world. All week they have been focusing on what they are calling the global food crisis. It's scary stuff. I guess food prices are growing at a really high rate because of a lot of factors including alternative fuels. It doesn't look like it going to be getting better either and now people in haiti are eating mud with a little food mixed in and people in Egypt can only buy 7 eggs when not to long ago they could have bought 12 with the same amount of money. It is really scary. Sometimes the news can totally get me down. I mean between the food crisis and global warming and AIDS and poverty and corruption, sometimes it feels like we are in quite the slump. Maybe it also has to do with the poverty I see here. I am a little freaked out. but people were freaked out 100 years ago about things changing so hopefully it's just me being paranoid. right?
April 26
One thing that someone commented about the other day that has kind of stuck with me is that it must bother some of the poorer Nicaraguans to see all the rich gringos around here. In granada, there are a lot of gringos from europe and the states. Not only is this area popular for tourism, but it is a place where a lot of people have settled down. There are several buisnesses that specifically cater to gringos and there are a lot of touristy stands set up in the park. I wonder if it bothers people to be struggling for money when there are lots of people running around with lots of money in their pockets.
On a brighter note, I am really excited about the new facebook chat! I have been able to have conversations with my friends! I am very happy!
First of all, I would like to say, that my night wasn't as gross as thought it was going to be. Yesterday some guy came over to look at our toilet problems and he turned all the water off overnight because today the came back to flush out our whole septic system or something like that. Anyway, that meant that there was no water running in the house. This isn't actually that unusual so there is a big water tank in the garden/yard for showering when there isn't water. However, I am guessing that made some people quite uncomfortable.
Anyway, I was one of the only volunteers to go to school because I think Elba Zamora was the only school to have class today and there wasn't normal classes, there was only preschool. So, because none of the kids would want to go to school when their siblings aren't going, exactly 2 kids showed up. The teacher then decided that there wasn't much she could do school-wise so I basically babysat them the whole time. It was really fun to just hang out with the kids instead of having to worry about keeping them on track. We just played. The day went so fast.
One bummer. . . I learned that the preschool teacher doesn't know what a clarinet is!
April 19
Today I went to the beautiful Luguna de Apoyo. It is this volcanic crater that has been filled up with water. I got to swim, relax, and even kayak a little! The water felt so good! In the afternoon I didn't feel like swimming again (I got a bit burned) and so I just relaxed in a hammock and read my book of the moment, To Kill a Mockingbird. I decided to reread it when I saw it in a used bookstore here because I remembered that I really liked it when I read it freshman year, but I forgot a lot about it. I am now remembering all the things I loved about it. It is such a great book- and it makes you think. Yesterday I saw Mulholand Drive at this restaurant that shows movies a few times a week and I hated it. Well, hate is a strong word, I came out of the restaurant feeling bewildered and like the movie had no real worth. Apparently (someone told me) that the movie is supposedly making some statement about how a few people run Hollywood or something. Now, this is just my opinion, but when reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I am drawn in, I like the characters, and I get at least some of the point the author is trying to make. Isn't that a better way to make a point? In Mulholand Drive, I am completely sidetracked by the fact that the movie actually makes no sense, and I don't get any possible message. Oh, well that´s just my opinion of the moment.
April 20
Well, That sunburn I mentioned is a bit painful. I don't think I reapplied sun screen soon enough and the sun is really strong in the Luguna so I am basically a red version of that Guy in Big Fat Liar (this guy swam in a pool with blue dye in it). My legs hurt the most because the skin moves the most there and had gotten much less sun compared to my arms and face. I also think my left shin must of gotten the most sun because I have this pain in my shin but it only hurts a lot if I am off my feet for a bit and then stand up. If I continue to walk, it doesn't hurt that much.
April 21
Well, quite a few of volunteers have gotten sick recently and have gotten to see this doctor. He is one crazy guy. First of all, he is quite the talker. if someone went to visit him, they shouldn't expect to leave for at least 5 hours and they shouldn't expect him to restrain himself from laughing at you. One of the volunteers he found to be hilarious and he laughed at her quite a bit. Also, in addition to being a doctor, Dr. Sicily (that is what I will call him because he is from Sicily) is also a lawyer and a bit of a arms dealer (he sells guns I guess). Apparently, if he is looking for something in one of his drawers of this big elaborate desk he owns, he will casually pull out a gun and lay it on his desk. He also is fond of giving shots. . . in the butt. All the people I have heard about going there have gotten 3 or 4 shots in the behind. Crazy guy. I am definitely going to hold off if possible to going to visit Dr. Sicily. Although it would make for a good story. . .
April 22
Well I can just say that my left leg is pretty attractive. One might think my right leg is gorgeous, I mean, it does have the slowly fading splotchy sunburn that looks a little like a unfortunate birthmark, but my left leg actually outshines my right one. My left leg, somehow got a much more severe sunburn so in addition so the beautiful scarlet overtones, it has this kind of weird texture. it is kind of strangely smooth. Then, because my burn hurts a lot, I occasionally have this limp that is really worthy of NY fashion week or something. Plus, my left ankle has randomly decided to swell up. It doesn't hurt or itch or anything but I has a cankle effect that really would make any beauty queen jealous. Plus, because of my burns, I haven't really wanted to shave my legs so I now have man-legs. Seriously, if I was a contestant on America's Next Top Model, I would totally win. In fact, my left leg is so amazingly Helen of Troy-esque that on the first episode the would just name me ANTM right away. Beauty just comes easily to me. . .
April 23
Wow. . time as flown! As of today, I only have one more month left in Central America. It's weird to think about all the normal stuff from home that I haven't seen for two and a half months and all the things that are normal for me here that I won't see when I am back in the states. Some of it is obvious stuff like I haven't had graters or Chinese food or gone to a movie theater but I don't really miss it. It's like I have two different lives sort of. Like I am a different person here. My personality isn't that different (except for the fact that I haven't been the weird crazy person like am with my family- I don´t want to scare people) but the way I do things is different. When I want a treat at home, graters is the place to go. Here, I go across the street to the pulperia and get oreos and fast food isn't wendy's or Mc Donalds, it's grabbing a bag of mango slices or these cheesy tortillas from a lady in the park. Life is just sort of different here. It will be strange when I go home but I am looking forward to it. I am not really homesick but I am looking forward to being around people that I have known for longer than a couple months. To be in a place that I am totally familiar and comfortable with. Not that I am uncomfortable here, but it's not home (literally or culturally).
April 24
Well I haven't been doing much lately, just hanging around the house. My leg has been bothering me and I don't want to irritate my ankle by being to active (I want to discourage the cankleism) so I have been watching tv, reading, talking, etc. I did go out once to run a couple errands and I stopped by this used bookstore. I have this place because they have a fairly good selection for a store its size (tiny). You can buy books and then sell it back to them for half price. That's where I got To Kill a Mockingbird and this other book that I got which was stupid and so I sold it back for Persuasion. I haven't read many Jane Austen books but I love P&P but I had seen the movie before so I was familiar with the dialogue and plot which helped a lot. I am really excited to read it. YAY!!
I am really happy to report that I got my hands on some proper peanut butter! Becky picked some up for me at this stand that is on the way to the school she works at. It is so great! Seriously, peanut butter is like cigarrettes in prison here or something. It´s like that one thing that all the americans go crazy for. . . and I got some!
April 25
Because of my leg (that is now oozing junk) I have been watching a lot more tv lately, including the news. Specifically I have been watching CNN world. All week they have been focusing on what they are calling the global food crisis. It's scary stuff. I guess food prices are growing at a really high rate because of a lot of factors including alternative fuels. It doesn't look like it going to be getting better either and now people in haiti are eating mud with a little food mixed in and people in Egypt can only buy 7 eggs when not to long ago they could have bought 12 with the same amount of money. It is really scary. Sometimes the news can totally get me down. I mean between the food crisis and global warming and AIDS and poverty and corruption, sometimes it feels like we are in quite the slump. Maybe it also has to do with the poverty I see here. I am a little freaked out. but people were freaked out 100 years ago about things changing so hopefully it's just me being paranoid. right?
April 26
One thing that someone commented about the other day that has kind of stuck with me is that it must bother some of the poorer Nicaraguans to see all the rich gringos around here. In granada, there are a lot of gringos from europe and the states. Not only is this area popular for tourism, but it is a place where a lot of people have settled down. There are several buisnesses that specifically cater to gringos and there are a lot of touristy stands set up in the park. I wonder if it bothers people to be struggling for money when there are lots of people running around with lots of money in their pockets.
On a brighter note, I am really excited about the new facebook chat! I have been able to have conversations with my friends! I am very happy!
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