So much to say, where do I even begin? On
Monday we all headed to Managua to meet our counterparts, the principals we
would be working with over the next two years. Nerves were flying, for most
volunteers it was important to make a good impression and make as few mistakes
as possible in Spanish. This was our first real test as professionals in the
country, as training has felt like everything is already done and set up for
us.
Oddly enough, I kept meeting other people’s
directors and was unable to find my own for the first hour or so. I have to admit,
playing matchmaker was pretty fun, but I was eager to meet the directors of my
schools. Finally as we were in a large group setting, a woman stood up to
answer a question, stating that she was from San Isidro, Matagalpa. I found out
that she was the director of the smaller school and the director of the larger
school could not attend the training day so she sent a gym teacher from the
school. He was very nice and helpful as well. I got more excited as the day
went on and we planned our week of visiting the schools and introducing me
around town.
On Tuesday we headed north to the town
of San Isidro, Matagalpa. By express bus it takes about an hour and a half to
get there from Managua, but we were on a ruteado which stops in smaller towns
along the way so it takes about two and a half hours. Our first stop was the
police station where I introduced myself and they took down my information.
Check that off the list. Then we went to my host family’s home. All week I had
felt nervous and a nagging feeling at having to start the host family process
all over again. A new family means new explanations of my life, my job, and
getting used to each other all over again. It is a bit exhausting.
I can see many days in the future spent in this hammock. I already had a nice nap! Luckily Blanca, the parrot, is not too loud most of the day.
A look down the street toward the school. The neighborhood is called La Villa because it is made up of one straight street.
This is the view toward town. I will be located in a valley where rice is the main crop and the hillsides surrounding make for a beautiful landscape.
But within the first hour of being at my
new family’s home I could tell that I would like it there. They are very
relaxed, laid back, and open in conversation. My new host mom, Doña Yessenia
has two children, Claudia who is 18 and Magdiel who is 11. Claudia is already married
with an 11-month old daughter named Elizabeth. Her husband is in Costa Rica
working. I was amazed as I kept meeting people in the community how many women
had husbands, sons, and uncles in some part of the U.S. This is the reality of
unemployment in this country and though I had heard about it, I am about to
live in the midst of it.
As I had previously stayed
with families who had much experience with exchange students or volunteers, I
was caught off guard by the questions I was asked about the process and the
program. The concept, rightfully so, is so foreign for many of the families that
we live with in various parts of Nicaragua. I explained why I had referred to my
host parents in Diriamba as my Nicaraguan mom or as my host mom, though I am
unsure if this was really understood. We had so many great conversations about
the U.S., cultural norms, what I liked to do, what my job was in Nicaragua, and
so much more. The lifestyle in general in San Isidro is very slow, enjoying
chats on the porch with neighbors and family members and many days lots of women
don’t even leave the house because they are attending to all of the house work.
(And let me tell you, there is LOTS.)
The smaller school in which I will be
working is right next door to my house and many of the kids live in the
surrounding neighborhood. As I was introduced to the classes most of them
wanted to know if I would be working with their classroom and if I would teach
them English. Some kids asked if I knew their relatives in the U.S. and others
questioned if I actually knew English and where I had learned it.
On Wednesday I headed to the larger
school that is made up of 600 students. It is on the other side of town from me
but I hope to have a bicycle to move around town. I was introduced to many
staff and teachers as well as the classrooms during the morning. Everyone was
very welcoming and the teachers seemed very enthusiastic. Mid-morning there was
to be an open house to celebrate International Nutrition Day. I did not know
however, that this would mean that I would be required to eat so much food I
could explode. There were many different types of traditional Nica foods, such
as Indio Viejo, Enchiladas, Viveron, and Gallo Pinto. Although I tried to
choose which foods to try, many teachers kept bringing me plates of food and
refusing was just not an option. That day I went home and although my host mom
tried to give me lunch, I refused to eat until dinner. We have been told in
training that we will be fed in our towns as a Nica custom, but I never knew it
would be that much food! At least I can say that I felt very welcomed into the
school environment and excited to work with the teachers.
Students singing the National Anthem at the big school
A second grade girl dancing for the program
Vuñuelos (Fried dough with cheese)
Arroz con leche
Viveron: Yucca, pork, and cole slaw layered on top of one another and eaten with your hands
Arroz a la valenciana: chicken, sausage, carrots, and rice
The entrance to the smaller school I will work at
In the afternoon the director from the
other school accompanied me to the mayors office where I met with the mayor and
asked about the town and projects regarding the environment. The director is a
friend of his and he is a very nice man who seemed eager to support the work I
would be doing, not to mention the fact that he has a son at one of the elementary
schools. It also happened to be the birthday of someone in the office and they
shared a piece of cake with us (yes, more food!). Afterward we went to the
Public Health Center in town where everyone receives free services to meet with
the director. Walking through the center of town, the park is very large with
two basketball and soccer courts. There is also a stadium where there are
baseball and soccer leagues, only for young men from what I can tell. There is
one fairly large public high school also pretty near to the center of town. I
even found a restaurant with pizza and two ice cream shops! This means that it is
a booming metropolis compared to lots of sites so I am quite lucky.
Thursday was a repeat of the open house
because each school was celebrating the same international holiday. The smaller
school is made up of 200 students with third through sixth grade attending
classes in the afternoon only. The teachers seemed very close to one another
and many live in the neighborhood so it will be easy to become connected to them.
In the afternoon a group of girls sought me out at my house, making me feel
like the newest town celebrity (which is probably true). The neighborhood is
largely set apart from the town, although it is only about a ten-minute walk
from town. Along the street many of the neighbors are also family members, so
it is definitely a safe atmosphere that will be easy enough to get to know
people.
Another convenience of my site is a
town about 15 minutes away that has a large fruit and vegetable market, a
grocery store, and cheap shopping. I visited with my host mom and she told me
that they shop for food about once or twice every month. It is quite an intense
trip when you buy lots of food at once and carry it in plastic bags from one
location to the next. It is nice to have the convenience of a shopping hub
nearby. I am also only 45 minutes by bus to the nearest large city and the trip
is fairly cheap.
Friday was spent at a teachers meeting
in the morning, an interesting experience to see how the ministry of Education
functions with local schools. There is clearly much to learn about the ins and
outs of the education system here. I truly do enjoy spending time with my host mom
getting to know her and the relatives who live nearby. There are many children
to play with, and yet our house is relatively calm for most of the day, which
is a positive characteristic.
It is weird to think that this little
town will be my new home, my new job, and yet I already feel pretty comfortable
and welcomed into the community. I do look forward to jumping into our real
work here and having the opportunity to truly integrate into the community. Our
training experience has been good, but most of us feel that it is time to jump
right in and put into practice all the tools we have been learning for the past
few months.
It is also interesting how perspectives
change. My friend was commenting one day on how many Nicaraguans look at us and
only see money that they assume we have. The same can be said for many people
from developed countries who travel the world only seeing poverty. It is not
right to come from privilege and tell people that they should not want more
than they already have. At the same time, what do we see when we visit somewhere
else? Entering my community I saw an Internet café, two shops nearby for quick
access to simple foods and toiletries, running water and a bathroom, a nice
bed, and close proximity to the school and its students. These are all positive
aspects of the community and my home, as it is possible to have much less than
these available. Is there poverty? Yes, and yet I see people who are happy to converse
and get to know the new member of the neighborhood. I see families who take
care of each other and children who are eager to learn. I cannot come from the
privileged background that I do and tell people here that they should not want
luxuries. But I can see happiness and positivity in a close knit neighborhood
where life seems to be pretty good on a day-to-day basis. I am definitely excited
to be a part of this community.
