the countdown continues

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.

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.