life.

"We should all aspire to live like bananas.  They are on permanent vacation, living in lush, tropical rainforests.  From high above, a canopy of trees provides the perfect balance of sun and shade" -Banana Nut Crunch

I can’t remember where I left off in telling this saga, but frequently I have thought of things I would like to share with you over the past few weeks.  Now finally I am taking a breath and sitting down to write. 

I started teaching again, just Tuesdays.  Classes are from 8:30 to 12:30 and include two 1^st grade classes, one 2^nd grade, and one 3^rd grade.  The first day we learned a little song “my name is joy, my name is joy, what’s your name, what’s your name?”  Catchy and original.  Then I had them draw a picture of them meeting a friend and introducing themselves.  This week we talked about fruit.  In preparation I made fruits out of colored paper: Watermelon, apple, orange, strawberry, grapes, pineapple, and banana.  After we went over names I walked around with a marker and asked each kid what their favorite fruit was, I drew it for them and then they had to color it.  This worked well for first grade and for third grade I just gave them paper and they had to draw it themselves.  In second grade I ran into a slight problem.  The problem is that our two 1^st grade classes fed into one 2^nd grade class, which means there are 40 students in one room.  It is hard to give attention to 40 kids in 45 minutes and teach anything.  I need to learn how to be more prepared for that.  Overall I am really enjoying being back at the school, kids are really funny, and one day a week is about all I want to prep for. 

Things at the library are going well too, yesterday we got air conditioning!  It really cools things off.  Today was the last day of the current set of volunteers working with me.  Now I know more what I need to establish before new volunteers come.  It is so much easier to communicate with co-workers when you work by yourself. 

Another good thing at the library is that really feel that I am starting to connect and get to know the regulars.  Today I read with a little boy for about an hour.  He is ten years old and can only read by sounding words out.  Fortunately Spanish is very phonetic so we were able to go through four books together.  Our first three books were very basic picture books with labels, and then Brown Bear, Brown Bear to finish it off.  It was exciting to see how after every book we finished he wanted to go pick off another one from the shelf.  A teenage boy, Moises, also comes in the library a lot to do puzzles, his homework, or read.  Since most of our patrons are younger he has just been choosing children’s books to flip through.  Today I gave him Bridge to Terabithia and a bookmark so that he can come in everyday and continue where he left off. 

I have been house sitting for two weeks now.  For about half that time my friend Morgan was here staying with me.  We played a lot of Boggle and both enjoyed reading 4^th grade books.  I’m reading The Twenty-one Balloons right now. The house is nice and a change of scenery.  The first weekend here we had a fruit party, “bring a fruit and dress like a fruit.” I was a kiwi.  This weekend we grilled hamburgers and played Bible trivia, I think my fourth grade Bible knowledge would make you more proud than my Boggle skills, however, I am better at both of those things than cooking Nica food, which Morgan I attempted on Monday. 

One bad thing about house sitting is that things are different.  One night last week I slept with my keys dangling in the lock.  Nappy was confused by the jingling and shared that by barking, which I ignored.  Also here I don’t have a maid, this shouldn’t really be a problem but I am terrible at mopping.  I attempted this morning and maybe things look a little better, but not much.  I think before the Ferrer’s come home I going to have to get Leo to come help me. 

Just a few things more to say…This weekend I re-hiked that volcano Cerro Negro, it was one of the first things I did when I came to Nicargua but last time I quit half way through.  This time we went on the trail and discovered that it is very easy and relaxing if you do it the standard way.  

It was windy.

Last week I got hit in the face with a soccer ball.  It was fuerte and direct, but caused minimal bleeding and my sunglasses didn’t break.   I’m coming home in less than three weeks. I love you.

  

lots of information you've been dying to know

Sometimes I wish I could figure out a new way to write these.  I feel that I’ve used up all of my creative writing styles and you’re probably sick of reading.  But, pay attention! I have a lot to say.

Ay, Ay, Ay un gran tormenta…

Last week there was some type of hurricane/tropical storm.  If I wasn’t an atmospheric science dropout I might have been able to give you a more technical description of what happened but I am; so, I’ll just tell you that it rained a lot.   I do remember something about the length of time between thunder and lightening mattering.  I think if there is no time it means you were just struck by lightening, that has happened a lot lately.  On Thursday I was walking home and when I left school it was just a little misty, things change fast in a hurricane.  By the time I got home, fifteen minutes later, I was completely soaked with my jeans plastered to my legs and my shoes ruined.  At least I wasn’t sweating and I’m pretty sure I saw a partial smile on our guard Hector, and he never smiles.

Besides tearing apart my most rain-worthy shoes, the storm didn’t really have a negative effect on my life, I even got a day less of Domestic Arts out of it.  But, really why would rain matter?  The dirt roads may have turned into rivers but that just makes them more exciting to run in, and I can come home and take a warm shower and then put on clean dry clothes and drink tea.  I have walls, and floors, and a roof, and even a dryer.  Unfortunately many (maybe even most) Nicaraguans do not live in such weather resistant conditions.  The river roads aren’t much fun to walk to work or school in.   And it is really hard for people to dry their clothes even inside, because the houses are always damp since they aren’t built quite up to code.  And then there is this family I know who’s outhouse caved in during the storm.  Yes, their outhouse.  Poor me with my broken shoes.    

El fin/mi retiro

Last Thursday night we had our Domestic Arts’ banquet.  Here is a picture of me directing to prove that I actually do something.  

I think the event was a success. 

On Monday I gave my class their final exam.   School policy is that seniors with over a 90% are exempt and other students need above a 93%.  I gave the exam to three students, all boys.  So, as of 12:30 on Monday I am retired from teaching, or so I think.

Un otra vez

A few months ago I told my faithful Korean ex-boss that maybe in June I would consider helping him out again.  On Saturday May 30^th, he called me to ask what I had been thinking.  I told him that I could see myself helping out one day a week, he asked me if I had a ride to school on Monday.  Hold up, Monday!  I guess he took that beginning of June thing seriously.  I had to give my exam on Monday so he said he would come get me at 7:30 Tuesday morning, I had to clarify whether Tuesday morning he expected me to work or just to see things, he said the latter.  So Tuesday he sent me into the office to set my schedule with the directora.  Can we rewind to September 11, 2006 my first day on the job?  Similarly, on this day in history, Matthew threw me into the work world with little direction.   Fortunately, my relationship with the directora and with the Spanish language has greatly improved in the past 21 months.  Back to present day, I told her I could come one day week, she picked Tuesdays.  So next Tuesday I am starting again with my 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd graders.  Maybe the third time is a charm and someone will actually learn something.  Oddly enough, I am really excited.  I missed the school (not so much the teaching), and am looking forward to being there again.  I’ve been feeling very bubbled in lately so I think this is away to pop out and regain some perspective.  By saying that I guess now I have to let you hold me accountable.  

Mateo and I also went to see his ministry center at the Oriental Market.  It has grown a lot since I’ve been here and within the next week he’ll be opening a clinic.  In a few weeks he is going back to the states and I’ll be the on-call tour guide of the market if supporters come down during his absence.  That’s me, great at making up facts on the fly.

Los grupos y mi sello nuevo

I got my stamp.  I know, you’re excited, me too. 

 I’m trying to get the books all labeled quickly because lately it has become increasingly difficult to keep finished and unfinished books separate. You may wonder why.   I’ll tell you.  It’s because there are a lot of people helping lately.  But today I’m going to lay down the law: put things back where you found them, don’t sit on the arms of the chairs, don’t ask me to take your picture, clean up after yourselves and encourage students to do likewise.  You know, basics.  But short-term, it is great having people entertain the kids, and recently there have been a lot of them. 

Vigilancia

Tomorrow I am starting to housesit for Grant and Kandy Ferrer.  They will be gone for a month and have a dog named nappy that they are leaving behind.  They live a housing complex right next to where I live. I think I’ll still be spending a lot of time in my apartment because I don’t want to be bored out of my mind.  Yay for summer.