Some Pics!

Hello Everyone!!

Sorry that it has been sooooo long since I have written! There just never seems like enough time to do everything on the internet in an hour. Just really quick....

I have been observing classes in my three elementary schools for four weeks now. I taught my first classes last week about the importance of trees and how to construct tree nurseries and gardens. My goal is to have a garden and a tree nursery in each of my schools by the middle of April.

I am also coordinating with two NGOs in my community. Right now we are just in the planning phase but there is a ton of things I could help with.

Here is the beautiful view of my town from a walk to one of my schools! The town is set in the middle of the mountains and you can see the giant Catholic Church in the center.

Here is my puppy, Caramela, at four months old! Getting so big!

Here is my new host mom, Maria Flora, making corn tortillas over the fire they use to cook. She absolutely adores Caramela and loves to feed here anything!

Here is a photo of a typical plate of Nicaraguan food that I eat at least once a day. The rice and beans is called "gallo pinto," the cheese is "cuajada," and home-made corn tortillas!

So I have tried to introduce and teach my families how to make some more typical breakfast foods cause sometimes I just don't feel like gallo pinto for breakfast.

Here is my new host dad, Victor. He makes amazing hand-made furniture and can construct just about anything. He's the coolest....except when he decides to start constructing things with his power tools at 4am!

So here is a little insight into my life right now. Things are pretty busy so I am sorry that I can't update very often. But remember, you can always email me!

Take care!

<3>

Just a little rut in the road!

As many of you know, I was medically evacuted from Nicaragua for surgery. My month of stomach pains turned out to be gall bladder stones. I was sent the following day to Panama to have my operation. Everything went smoothly; the traveling, operation, and, thus far, the recovery. I am recovering here in Panama for the week and hope to be medically cleared to return to Nicaragua very soon! So no more worrying! All is well, and I plan on returning to Nicaragua to finish my service with the same enthusiasm as when I started!

Speacial GRACIAS to all of the Peace Corps staff, in both Nicaragua and Panama, that have taken such great care of me throughout this entire process!

Mi sitio!

I know everyone has been asking me about my site and wanting pictures, so here are the only three I have right now....This is a typical street on the other side of town from where I live. You can see how the entire town is surronded by moutains.

In the center of town is a gigantic Catholic church (the main religion in Nicaragua) and a basketball court.

Other streets near the park. Only the streets inside the town are paved like this. All other streets leading out of the town to other communities are dirt.


And!!...I think I found a really nice house!! It has an enclosed back yard with some funiture and a stove all for a really good deal!! More on that later!!


Be sure to check the following new entries on my puppy and christmas!

Mi perra...Caramela Belinda!

Name... ¨Caramela Belinda¨

Born.... 10.06.07

Breed...not sure but should be medium size

I finally have some pictures of my puppy!! She still isn´t living with me yet until I move into my new house. I finally found a Veterinarian that I am going to use in Matagalpa and he is able to do all the necessary paperwork that I need to have done to bring her back to the states. The veterinary services are nothing like they are in the states but they should suffice for vaccines and such. If I get her spayed here, I will take her to Managua where there are more veterinary services. I already got her everything she needs and can´t wait to take her home!


Caramela was one of 6 puppies. Here is her (left), her sister, and two brothers. Aren´t they adorable!

Mi Navidad en Nicaragua!

So my Christmas here wasn´t really ¨Christmas,¨ but more of a really wonderful vacation with friends and my first host family! It couldn´t possibly be Christmas anyways without snow, family and a Christmas tree!

First, I met up with other volunteers that I hadn´t seen in about a month at a laguana for swimming. The laguana is basically a large volcanic crater filled with water...and it is gorgeous!

The Laguna!

Here is Emily and I standing in front of the laguana from the cabana that we rented for the night....

....and here is the amazing view from the hammock I got to know quite well!

For the second half of my trip, I went to visit my first host family. It was really nice to see them again and I realized really how much I miss them. It was also really nice to be able to hold a conversation with them without having to stop every two seconds because I didn´t know a word. I can even kinda joke around in Spanish too!

I did want to bring a little American Christmas tradition to Nicaragua. Well, it ended up being a major task to try and find Christmas stockings in Nicaragua (guess I should have thought about that first), but after about 15 stores I found them. I wrote their names with glitter glue (surprisingly easy to find) and stuffed them with goodies. I shared with them the story of Santa Clause and they joked around saying that I was Santa Clause this year!

Carlos (host brother), Yadira (host mom) and Nestor (friend of the family)

For my going away present last time, I bought things to make French toast and they absolutely loved it! So this time, I found stuff to make s´mores, and we cooked marshmellows over the fire on Christmas day! They had a blast with it and it was extra messy cause my graham crackers kinda crumbled in the 4 different buses I had to take to visit them.

Of course, I really missed Christmas in the states, but it was really nice to be with my family and friends here in Nicaragua too! I hope everyone had a Feliz Navidad and wish everyone a Prospero Ano Nuevo!

A quick hello!...

So I don´t have much time to respond to everyone but everything is going well. I have spent this last week ¨house hunting.¨Man I have seen some interesting housing options. Some which have consisted of showering, well just behind the house! The hunt continues but I am anxious to get settled in. I have met a lot of people, however, in the communtiy during this process. And, yes, I have a month old puppy. She is still living at her mom´s house until I move but I visit her every week. I think I am going to name her ¨Caramela¨but have been debating also ¨Belinda.¨Let me know what you think! I just bought her a coller and leash today and am scoping out the Veterinarian options! She will be a decent size and I am not sure what kind of breed she is but she´s cute! I will post a pic hopefully next time!! So until then, I wish everyone a Happy Holidays!!

Nicole Maria

The Big Transition

Hey Everyone!

So I have been living in my site for about a week now! It has been an interesting transition. I went from every minute of my day being planned by training staff to living by my own schedule. Right now, I am getting to know my town, other organizations, my new family and all the teachers and schools that I will be working with. They are all really excited for the work that is ahead when school starts February 4th.

I say it has been a transition because, just like many Americans, we are always "on the go." This is not how things work in Nicaragua. First you have to take time to get to know people personally before developing a working relationship. There has to be confianza, or trust. So right now when I am not in meetings, my time is spent sitting on my porch, or someone else's porch, and making conversation. I am also working really hard at improving my spanish but after knowing all the basics, this is a slow process.

My new host family has been great! I live on the second floor and there is actually a bathroom with running water!! My mouth dropped when I saw this! Of course still cold showers only but this is definitely an unexpected upgrade in living conditions. My host mom is about 80 years old and such a sweet heart. She is a great grandmother and has seven kids of her own so it is a big family to say the least. She is a pretty good cook but no matter how well a person can cook, I look forward to anything but beans and rice.

I am in the process of looking for my own place to live as I will only be living with this family until Jan. 6th. As much as I love my family right now, it will be nice to have my own space and cook my own food. I also want to get a dog and have my eye on a puppy right now (:

Also, I have a site mate. This is another volunteer from the English sector of Peace Corps. She lives about two blocks away and teaches at the institute in town. Her name is also Nicole...go figure...so it has been interesting when introducing myself to others. So most people call me Nicole Maria.

So there is not too much to report as of now, but everything is going well! Stay healthy, stay warm and drive safely in the winter weather.

Lots of Love,
Nicole Maria