Maná
Last Saturday night I went to a concert for the band Maná. They are a Mexican rock group that has been around for like 20 years or something, so a really big deal. I barely knew their music but was really excited to be able to go, and I think that everyone else's enthusiasm and obsession made up for my lack. Anyways, the band totally rocked. I would have taken a picture but it's recommended that you take nothing with you to the national stadium, so no camera. Even if you think you are pretty aware of pickpockets and such, most awareness goes out the window when the night is morphed into something resembling a cattle drive as people try to leave. I held on to the people I went with with my dear life, which I'm sure they appreciated.
Thanksgiving, Take One.
Last Sunday night the English speaking church, ICF, hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. It was the typical pot-luck, cold dry turkey, eighteen dishes of mac and cheese (something our family never considered Thanksgiving food), veggie casseroles, and two tables of desserts.
Painting
Since I am officially finished with teaching, Monday and Tuesday I helped paint furniture at a center my friend runs. We used black oil-based paint and my nails still look rather dirty. I don't mind painting but am not a big fan of the preparation or clean up.
Substituting
On Wednesday I started Substituting at NCA. I've decided it's the easiest job ever. I "coached" ultimate frisbee for three classes, made anti-drug hand turkeys in heath, and sat in the computer lab while my five anatomy students did research. The common theme in my classes was the students asking about Mr. Eklund and Elijah and trying to decided which Mr. Eklund I look like the most. Seventh and Eighth grade girls whine a lot, that was another theme.
Béisbol
My friend Lori's dad is visiting this week; last Wednesday night we went to a baseball game. She recently met one of the players that is down from the states playing fall ball. He put our names on a list so we wouldn't have to pay the five dollars that everyone else had to pay. We also got good seats, right behind home plate. On a side note the stadium is named after Denis Martinez, he is embarrassed that they named it after him because it is so ghetto. Ghetto, but oh so Nica. The street vendors come in to sell fried plantain chips, quesillo (string cheese in a tortilla with onion and sour cream), and chicharon (fried pig skin), and the street kids come in to collect beer cans. Managua's team, Boer, beat San Fernando (SF). I wish you could have been there.
End of the School Year
As well as marking American thanksgiving, Thursday also had my end of the school celebrations. There was some chapel type stuff and then parties in each grade. I've probably mentioned before that our classrooms are small they get a lot smaller when parents, pinatas, buckets of food, and home stereo systems are added. Oh I'm going to miss my school (honestly, no sarcasm), and you should have been there for that day too.
Thanksgiving, Take Two.
On Thursday afternoon one of the organizations here, Manna, had a gringo dinner. This one was smaller than Sunday's and thus had better quality control.
Thanksgiving, Take Three.
Thursday night I went to my boss Matthew and his wife Jennifer's house for dinner. Their oven doesn't work but Pricesmart sells really good roasted chicken. So the meal was pretty traditional with a little Korean mixed in. At the end of dinner Matthew and Jennifer decided it was time for them to find me a husband. I won't go into details but I understand Asian matchmaking so much more now. I mean they are talented. So you're all invited to my wedding, Matthew will be officiating and Jennifer either being co-mother-of-the-bride, a bridesmaid, or doing a reading.
Graduation
Friday, after lunch with my future husband, was pre-school and sixth grade graduation at my school. When the ceremony ended parents asked me to take pictures with their students, I think because I'm white. We also got food, I put my sandwich in my purse to save for later. I ended up saving it in the trash can with my sugar with caramel cake.
More Substituting
Today I am substituting again. On Mondays there is no PE so I only have three classes. In Bible we are going to make Christmas tree ornaments, my roommate Kate and I made samples on Saturday. I think it will be a two day project. I have/get to be here for seven more hours, so today is the day for you to e-mail me.
Prayer Requests
I guess if you've made it this far you love me enough to pray for me. One big one, should I stay or should I go? I really need God's peace and direction as far as what I should do next year. Either to return here or if I stay in the States I'll probably need to find a job or something. Feel free to share your opinion especially if it isn't based on emotional inclinations, yes I know you all love me. And looking at my remaining time here (rather it be short or long) I need daily guidance in my life as to how to spend my time wisely in a way that glorifies God. So basically the whole more of You, less of me thing and all that jazz.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
as things wind down...
Hello again lovelies, don't worry I'm back but do sincerely apologize for my recent lack of consistency. My computer is slowly dying a very painful death. Fortunately for you I just dropped a huge hint as to what someone could get me for Christmas in one month and 13 days.
Today is Monday November 12th and I am deciding what, besides my computer woes, to share with you. I started writing to you last week about how I need attention or, as people like to say, my love language is quality time. However, this morning I was much looking forward to being a lazy bum and a friend came over. Does it count as craving quality time when I would rather have it with myself? I think I need to remember that whole beggars can't be choosers things.
You may be wondering why am I writing this anyways on a Monday instead of being at school. The answer to that takes us back to last week. Last Monday morning I went to school thinking I had two more weeks of classes to review before a half week of finals and then graduation ceremonies the day after American Thanksgiving. Last Wednesday I was eating an apple during recess and our directora came to find me a let me know that English finals are on November 14th. That meant that my last class was on Friday the 9th instead of the 16th like I was expecting. So in summary, I'm finished with teaching (hopefully for my life). This Wednesday I have to go in to give my tests and then next Thursday and Friday I have to go for end of the year ceremonies and graduation. In honor of this I have a picture of me with one of my first grade classes.
I think I'll just stick with stories that have pictures because I guess people like those and I actually have a few. In Nicaragua it is difficult for people in the poorer classes to have anything other than civil weddings and some aren't even able to have those. So last Saturday at NCA there was a joint wedding for five of the maids. It was a really exciting thing for these couples, most of whom have at least five kids together, to have a church wedding. It was semi-out doors and we had hurricane like rain which went well with the proverb on the programs about many waters not being able to quench love. It was pretty fancy, I borrowed nice shoes. The picture is of the brides, obviously (the man isn't a groom).
Yesterday for lunch one of the brides invited my roommate Aimee over for lunch, when Aimee commits to situations that she thinks will be awkward she makes me go with her. The food actually ended up being really good and the two of us together probably understood about 60% of what was said the first time around and about 90% after they repeated things 8 times. Aimee volunteered my computer to one of the sons that like to fix computers, he said he would only take it if I have confidence in him. I'm not sure we know each other quite that well yet. We ate lunch with the parents and five of their kids and a cousin. The oldest son cooked and him and his brother served all the food. I'm sure my brothers have never done that so it was quite a shock for it to happen in the Nicaraguan culture which is even more machismo. There is a picture of us eating outside of their house minus Aimee (the other blonde is Aimee's student teacher who was no help at all in the Spanish department) and one of the boys that was still serving food. So it ended up not being that awkward after all, except at the end when our hostess Ana asked if we wanted to go on a field trip to the new grocery store. We declined.
On other exciting news, not in a photo. We had power all week last week. It is quite a different experience not having to plan showers and being able to watch TV (an obvious necessity). And don't worry about me not having enough to do this next month without classes. I am going to substitute for one of my roommates for a week (heath, anatomy, and PE don't laugh) and am planning a trip to the East Coast (hopefully not to get shipwrecked like my sister-in-law) and then I'll still have some time to think about processing the fact that I've live in Nicaragua and maybe some day soon I won't. Now I'll see if this will post even though I am using the slowest internet ever.
Love, Joy
Today is Monday November 12th and I am deciding what, besides my computer woes, to share with you. I started writing to you last week about how I need attention or, as people like to say, my love language is quality time. However, this morning I was much looking forward to being a lazy bum and a friend came over. Does it count as craving quality time when I would rather have it with myself? I think I need to remember that whole beggars can't be choosers things.
You may be wondering why am I writing this anyways on a Monday instead of being at school. The answer to that takes us back to last week. Last Monday morning I went to school thinking I had two more weeks of classes to review before a half week of finals and then graduation ceremonies the day after American Thanksgiving. Last Wednesday I was eating an apple during recess and our directora came to find me a let me know that English finals are on November 14th. That meant that my last class was on Friday the 9th instead of the 16th like I was expecting. So in summary, I'm finished with teaching (hopefully for my life). This Wednesday I have to go in to give my tests and then next Thursday and Friday I have to go for end of the year ceremonies and graduation. In honor of this I have a picture of me with one of my first grade classes.
I think I'll just stick with stories that have pictures because I guess people like those and I actually have a few. In Nicaragua it is difficult for people in the poorer classes to have anything other than civil weddings and some aren't even able to have those. So last Saturday at NCA there was a joint wedding for five of the maids. It was a really exciting thing for these couples, most of whom have at least five kids together, to have a church wedding. It was semi-out doors and we had hurricane like rain which went well with the proverb on the programs about many waters not being able to quench love. It was pretty fancy, I borrowed nice shoes. The picture is of the brides, obviously (the man isn't a groom).
Yesterday for lunch one of the brides invited my roommate Aimee over for lunch, when Aimee commits to situations that she thinks will be awkward she makes me go with her. The food actually ended up being really good and the two of us together probably understood about 60% of what was said the first time around and about 90% after they repeated things 8 times. Aimee volunteered my computer to one of the sons that like to fix computers, he said he would only take it if I have confidence in him. I'm not sure we know each other quite that well yet. We ate lunch with the parents and five of their kids and a cousin. The oldest son cooked and him and his brother served all the food. I'm sure my brothers have never done that so it was quite a shock for it to happen in the Nicaraguan culture which is even more machismo. There is a picture of us eating outside of their house minus Aimee (the other blonde is Aimee's student teacher who was no help at all in the Spanish department) and one of the boys that was still serving food. So it ended up not being that awkward after all, except at the end when our hostess Ana asked if we wanted to go on a field trip to the new grocery store. We declined.
On other exciting news, not in a photo. We had power all week last week. It is quite a different experience not having to plan showers and being able to watch TV (an obvious necessity). And don't worry about me not having enough to do this next month without classes. I am going to substitute for one of my roommates for a week (heath, anatomy, and PE don't laugh) and am planning a trip to the East Coast (hopefully not to get shipwrecked like my sister-in-law) and then I'll still have some time to think about processing the fact that I've live in Nicaragua and maybe some day soon I won't. Now I'll see if this will post even though I am using the slowest internet ever.
Love, Joy
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