Bob Barker is gone

Once again I find myself with loads of stuff to say. I guess because there aren't a ton of people here to talk to (although that's changing) I have all sorts of stuff stored up in my head and you unsuspecting people become my outlet. And without seeing your face I can tell myself that you are captivated by my wit.

Last week a new girl, Liz, came down from LA for two months to help out at school. It is nice to look at her and to think that is where I was this time last year. She sees the classrooms and still has the perspective that everything is abnormally crazy. Fortunately for my sanity, my standards have lowered and to some extent I can see thing through Nicaraguan colored glasses.

So one funny thing. Hopefully Liz will soon live closer to me but now she's living with Matthew's family on the other side of town. So last week she was new and if she went home right after school she would have nothing to do for at least four hours when the rest of the people got home (another thing I've gotten used to). So the solution to this is for us is to hang out for a few hours after school before we go our separate ways. Since we don't have cars this gets a little complicated. But Matthew has this car that the school treasurer Roberto uses to run school related errands. So if we want to do things after school, like go to the mall, we have him take us and drop us off and have him come back in a few hours. Basically it's like we're in Jr. high again but instead of our parents driving us around we have a twenty-year-old Nicaraguan boy. So to make ourselves feel better we buy him snacks.

Speaking of food, Friday at school the college students that usually come to give health demonstrations threw a party instead. There were pinatas, games, and free lunch for everyone. Free lunch is a huge deal for my students and co-workers. I, however, still have managed to maintain some standards as to what I eat. Cold over-cooked pasta with thousand island dressing, nica cheese, and a half slice of white bread is a little below those standards. Actually it makes me nauseous. Fortunately, years of being force fed mashed potatoes and split pea soup has taught me some tricks on home to make it look like I'm eating a lot more than I am.

What else, Friday I went to the movies with my friend and her mom, I was really tired so I missed most of the plot, I think. Saturday I had really good french toast for breakfast then in the afternoon a group of us went swimming at Lagua de Apoyo. It's this volcano that is closed up and is now a gorgeous lagoon. You should have been there.

Every Saturday night the newest local coffee shop, Esperanza, has live music. On Saturday I went there with my friend Lori and a bunch of other people that don't sit around talking about problems in their preppy rich school. It is really refreshing to be out of that bubble.

Sunday night I went to a Nicaraguan ballet with Lori, again, and some other people. It was mostly traditional Nicaraguan dances and I'm glad we splurged and bought the eleven dollar balcony seats because the ground floor had audience interaction. Here's a picture of the group of us and I left the red-eye in honor of Halloween.




Monday school was long. I was really tired and fell asleep in the office. But Monday's redeeming factor is that I have the next day off.

Tuesday was a great day off. I talked on the phone, watched The Price is Right (with Drew Carey now), made dinner, went out to lunch, went swimming, went to a cheap Tuesday movie (cheap as in seven dollars for two tickets, snacks, and a drink), had BFF Lori over for dinner, played cards, made sample Jack-O-Lanterns to use in class today, wrote most of this blog out in a note book, etc.

And that brings us to Wednesday. This morning I was running up the stairs to put stuff away real quick before my ride came and I fell. My left foot is now swollen. Not just anyone can fall like that. Friday is Day of the Dead, a national holiday, and I don't have to work. That makes this week only three days. How do people expect me to get a job in the States?
Love, joy

Two months until Christmas, you know what that means

I skipped another week,
But this shouldn't be too bleak,
I now have a lot to say,
Maybe it will brighten your day.

I figured a poem is in store,
Just on the basics, not more,
It should keep things upbeat.
Now you may want to take a seat.

I've told you there have been robberies at my school,
And I think we all agree that is far from being cool.
Last week a neighborhood boy died
This country is so messed up I could have cried

The next day my dad came to stay,
We did tons of things, about a thousand a day,
And my life of ease and luxury ended,
Hopefully reading my e-mail he won't be offended.

He came to school his first day here,
I had to make sure he stayed near,
He has the tendency to leave the classroom and roam,
Fortunately I had time, half my kids had stayed home.

The weekend was full of lots of restaurants,
And a little with church and visiting old haunts,
I got to make decisions and practice my patience,
With my father whom is great but a little high-maintenance.

On Monday to Selva Negra we went,
Some quality time in the mountains we spent,
It's a coffee farm where you can go and rest,
Or if your name is John, you can talk to every guest.

On Tuesday we headed back to Managua,
And on the way stopped in Matagalpa.
I got to see a lobster-handed lady,
Much like my man, the original Grady.

The road from the mountains isn't that great,
Especially since there has been rain 45 days straight.
The pot holes were big, are car was small,
The right rear tire was not stable at all.

On Wednesday my dad remembered a town,
That he had seen his last time around.
It was up a hill and had a nice view,
That description doesn't help me, how about you?

I think we went to dinner every night,
With different people with whom I've grown tight.
And Saturday in Granada I got to eat a waffle,
Let me tell you, it wasn't awful.

I'll sum things up, because this is getting bad,
My time was great with my dad.
His flight was early morning yesterday,
But I have have two more months left of my stay.

My roommates here have been driving me mad,
I'm partially annoyed and partially sad.
I have a lot to learn about living with others,
Especially since Christ wants us to be lovers.

I just watched Kindergarten Cop,
That Arnold is governor I think is notch-top.
"the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world," he's been named,
I'm excited that my Davis diploma was signed by someone so famed.

I think that's all the details I can remember for now,
If you want to be in my e-mail now you know how,
Come for a visit I'd love to see you for sure,
As long as it's before the fifteenth of December.

i got it from my mama

School is canceled today because no students came. When it's been raining hard for 24 hours the neighborhood where my school is, and many other Nicaraguan barrios, turn into lakes. Since most families don't have boats the parents keep their kids home. So now I'm awake with a whole day ahead of me and am writing this update while watching Ritmoson Latino which is totally bringing back memories of college and "super estrella numero uno." But don't worry i actually have other things to talk about.

I sent my last update last Tuesday, Wednesday morning my school got robbed again. We had recently started computer classes on Saturdays for some of our advanced students. The laptops they use are locked up in our office and we have a night gaurd that is supposed to protect them. At 4 in the morning he wasn't at the top of his game so three guys came and took his gun, six laptops, one desktop computer, and a generator. For those of you that can piece together Spanish, there is an article about it at http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/2007/10/05/sucesos/60679. Over all it was a discouraging experience, one of my first graders was really concerned that without access to the office the bell couldn't ring and there would be no recess. Matthew was bummed because he thought when you hire people and paid them well, they will do their jobs. I got carrot cake muffins out of the situation so I guess I wasn't really negatively effected.

A few weeks ago my friend, Lori, was informed that since she is 26 she only has 4 more years to live. I think some guys told her that to get her to go on a date but regardless she decided she needed to start doing new things here. In this country that is easier said than done. Saturday we sat aside to try new things. After much deliberation we ended up at the mall's arcade. You are supposed to by a credit card and put money onto it and then swipe that at the games. There had been a zip-lock bag full of change on my dresser so we decided to keep in the spirit of coin arcades we would use that money to load our card. Let me tell you, the workers there loved us. Lori then pointed out how ridiculous it was that we were the poor white girls hanging out with the rich Nicaraguan youth. We played air hockey and some motorcycle game and then were out of money. We had other big plans for that night like going to a club had that was having a tribute to John Lennon concert but instead we stayed home and ate tacos and ice cream and watched a movie.

Sunday our excitement picked up again and we went to the Black Eyed Peas concert. I guess they're on Latin American tour right now and as of Sunday night Nica Chicas are the mas bonitas. I think I had heard most of their songs but only knew that like two of them were theirs. Others like "Sweet Child of Mine", I thought were was too old to be theirs, but I guess not. Last night we were going to go to the 40 cent circus but it was raining too much so it might get postponed until later this week. Lori checked it out and said they have a dog, monkey, and clown car, how could we miss something like that?

Well, that probably sums up most of what I've been up to. The electricity has come on an hour early the last two nights. My dad is coming tomorrow. I think I'm going to take a nap soon.

not too much here, and you?

Well I've been a little less consistent lately with these fill ins but for most of last week we didn't have internet so that had an adverse effect on my connection with the world. But you were not forgotten.

This weekend my roommate was house sitting and I stayed with her. You know in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory every things is hyper fabulous dream world. That is what this house was like. There was hot water straight from the tap, big nice couches, a big screen TV with a fancy sound system, king sized beds, a pool, cheerios, no bugs. I think you get the picture. It was nice.

Yesterday was not bad considering it was a Monday. In first grade this kid Leonardi pulled this girl Adriana's hair. Then I guess she responded by smacking him in the face. Way to go! Then he curled up in a ball on the floor and was crying. I checked on him and he was fine but he wouldn't get off the floor. And the next time I looked at him he was sleeping. Once again, why don't I bring my camera anywhere? Actually the school part was probably one of the best ones yet.

However, I've been fighting some cold or dengue since last Thursday and haven't been sleeping well so that puts a damper on things. But last Monday during my 2 hour afternoon break I fell asleep in the office. I was reading and just put my head back and the next thing I knew it was a half hour later. Today I was able to stay awake and finally finished my Monday book, The Book on the Bookshelf. It was long but made me want to be a better writer, and I learned all sorts of stuff.
Next Thursday my dad is coming to visit for a while. He said he is nervous, me too. But it should be good we can go to lots of coffee shops and he can bring me down cereal. Why am I so obsessed with cereal? I was just taking a shower and trying to figure it out. As you probably know if you have tried to bond with me in the mornings I am not what one would call an early riser (this Saturday someone called at 8 and I almost killed him but then I got french toast). I think that a quality cereal, or any easily prepared breakfast food, really makes those rushed early mornings just a little bit happier.

On other news...This week the power turns back on at 7pm, yay. Tonight I am making falafel for dinner, yum. On Sunday night I had a quality conversation with someone that normally drives me crazy, hallelujah. I hate conflict, surprise. Our internet went out last Monday, on Friday I called them to fix it, they asked me my last name and said “OK it's on now,” nice. I just went running and now have the sore throat itch ears thing going on, no. Have a nice day, bye.