And the Real Adventure Begins

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.