The Key to PC Service: Flexibility

I continue to learn every day: flexibility is the key to success at life in Nicaragua. 

So PC told you they would give you a ride home on Independence Day? Nope, just be patient and wait an hour in the rain for a bus. At least I was with friends! So youre in the wrong spot waiting for the taxi and confused as to why he doesnt know where you are? Its ok, evenutally he figures out what stop youre at and where to wait next time. So you told the taxi driver the night before that you needed to leave early in the morning and texted him like he told you only to find out his phone is off and no one can give you a ride in time? Just chat with some current PCVs who are calm and tell you this kind of stuff happens all the time, youll just catch a later bus. 

In another country when everything is a first, these things can seem pretty significant. But another thing theyve told us here is that we are a PC family. In general volunteers are super nice and helpful, and like today, they put life into perspective. Catching a bus seems like a big deal when you stayed overnight just to leave early in the morning, but sometimes theres just nothing else to do except wait for the next one. "If at first you dont succeed, try try again." I know Ill be more comfortable with these situations after Ive experienced lots of them, which is why it is truly the best to have a support network of volunteers who can help each other out. Ive only been here for a month, but it does really feel like a PC family. 

So my next adventure is to (hopefully!!) catch the bus to northern Nicaragua to visit a volunteer and see what "real" life is like. Im excited for a break from intense training activities and a chance to chat one on one with another volunteer. We have heard from so many volunteers that life in training is the exact opposite of life as a volunteer. In training you have no free time and little control over your activities, but in service you have all the time in the world in order to make your own schedule and projects. So far Ive met people at all different points in service, some who are 3 months in, some who are a year in, and some who are about to leave in just over two months. Everyone obviously has a different perspective based upon where theyre at, though  most people are positive about their experiences which is encouraging. So heres to hoping the trip goes well and I come back refreshed for more intense training sessions!

A Sense of Community: Sept. 8

I realized that I never took the time to say thank you as I was caught up in leaving, arriving, and the newness of every moment. I kept joking around by telling people that if you want to feel truly loved, just tell people you’re leaving for two years. Before telling people I was leaving I never could’ve imagined the amount of support and love I would receive in the months to come. Yes, in many situations I did not know how to respond when people said they would be sad or would miss me because I was largely excited. But I am so lucky to have a large community of people behind me as I headed out into the world.

Every time I had doubts about leaving for so long or doing something so drastically different, I remembered what my parents continually told us growing up: “Go see the world and have different experiences. Live your life and you can always come back.” So often I think it’s the first step that takes the most courage. I always knew I had a family that supported me embarking on these journeys, though they would obviously miss me, but now I know I have an entire community at home supporting and loving me. That means more than you can know. I keep holding on to that notion that I always have a home to go back to, but right now I need to take the time to explore and discover both the world and my role in it. 

I also only now realize how much I appreciate St. Olaf providing a sense of community for me. Though I didn't love every moment of my time there (I think that would be impossible), I can now look back and say I have a sense of what a tight-knit community feels like. I had the St. Olaf experience, which brought both good and bad aspects, but I'm happy to have grown during my time at St. Olaf and continue to reflect upon my experiences there. I will undoubtedly continue to expand my definition of community during my time in Nicaragua. 

So to everyone at home and at St. Olaf, thank you for supporting me, loving me, and wishing me well. Two years sounds long, 27 months, wow. I’m not going to think about the time, I’m going to measure these years in the love that I felt during all of those hard goodbyes. Coming home is going to feel so much better knowing I’ve got so many people with whom I can share my experiences. 

Found: Coffee!!

First I guess I should start by saying that I made it through my first class this week. Though it wasn't perfect, I'm happy to have the first one under my belt and can only improve from here. I also didn't get to teach the activity that I wanted because we only had half of the block due to Independence Day activities. (A fact I didn't know when I started the class...) But, I now know more about my students and about how teaching goes, so when I teach my second class in two weeks I will fear more prepared.

The exciting news of the week is that we found a café with great coffee and free wifi with a purchase. YES!! My cappuccino even was in the shape of a bear! I'm jealous that their latte art is much better than my own. I needed to practice those skills more when I had the chance! On top of wonderful coffee, the service is great and we can maybe make some new friends. :) Woo!

It's amazing how something so small like a good conversation with a local and a cup of great coffee can  improve your mood. We've had lots of sessions on the challenges we are going to face over the next two years and the support that the Peace Corps offers. They take really great care of us, but just learning about the frustrations and challenges is wearing upon us all. But then a three year old host brother asks you to play with him, your host mom teaches you to make jewelry, or your students give you a hug when they see you and you know it's all worth it. Yes, we are going to be constantly challenged with things that are different, frustrating, difficult, and trying on our patience. Before coming to Nicaragua I met an older volunteer who was on vacation in the U.S. and serving in Africa. She said to me that each day you have to recommit to do your job and make a difference. Every day when you wake up you must remember why you joined the Peace Corps and reaffirm your goals. I have found this so true here even though I've only been here for one month and am still in training.

I know once I'm in site, the kids I teach are going to be the strongest motivator I have. They may also be a large source of frustration, but I am so excited to work with them over the next two years. Until then, I continue to reaffirm my goals each and every day and seek out those worthwhile moments. Lots of times, like a good cup of coffee, they come as a surprise just when you need it.

Mi Casa Nueva

Our bird who loves to chirp every moment, day and night

The orange tree on the patio makes great orange juice!

My door to my room. I love this old lantern!

The view up the roof

Clothes dry so fast in the sun here

My Adventure in Photos

Just a note: Internet connection is spotty here and uploading pictures is difficult so yes, I have more pictures but have not put them up yet. Please be patient! 

Waterfall trip with my host sister

Our own little haven in Managua where we spent our first few days at our retreat. 

The Morning We Went to War

Saturday, September 7th

5:10am: Church bells ringing loudly

5:12am: A sound of gunfire or bombs

5:13am: My phone went off

Under the safety of my mosquito net I thought, this is it. The church bells are a loud warning sign to tell the community that there’s an emergency. Something awful is happening in Diriamba and we’re about to be evacuated.

5:15am: More gunshot sounds, now one firing close to my house and the other far away, as if in retaliation.

5:16am: My phone going off turned out to be a text from one of my friends also wondering what is happening.

5:20am: Still in bed listening carefully. Ok, so my host parents haven’t rushed out of their room, there are no screams, shouts, or strange noises in the streets, and all I can hear are roosters crowing between the bomb sounds.

5:35am: Finally pull myself out of bed luckily only 5 minutes before I had to wake up anyway.

At this point my mind was mostly eased in knowing it had to be something normal since no one else was freaking out. But what in the world could be happening on Saturday morning at 5am!? I walked into the kitchen to find my host mom calmly making breakfast. I asked immediately, what is going on? My host sister commented that she hadn’t even noticed the bomb sounds. My mom calmly said, “Oh you must’ve been scared! Every first Saturday of the month there is a processional of the Virgin throughout the streets of Diriamba at dawn. Basically during every celebration here they throw those bombs. If we went to war no one would ever know because we’re all so used to it!”

Three things came to mind: Saturday, dawn, and bombs to celebrate a religious figure. What an interesting combination. It will definitely take a while to not jump every time I hear a gun shot sound. 

New Flavors!: September 2nd

            In general there are a few Nicaraguan dishes that are a bit famous among volunteers because of their exotic nature. One of them is called Mondongo. It is a soup made with many large pieces of vegetables such as yucca, corn still on the cob (called elote and different from our corn because it is not sweet at all), potatoes, squash, and other root vegetables. But the real ingredient in Mondongo as a dish is the meat because mondongo means “cow’s stomach.” I set out to try everything and as the strong flavor (not my favorite smell) filled the house all morning while it cooked, I was certainly nervous. I could not handle the spongy texture of the meat, but my host family has had enough volunteers to know that we only like to try a little piece. The strong flavor I am unable to describe, but it was not my favorite dish.

            In other news, I did get to eat Nacatamales on Saturday, my favorite dish thus far in Nicaragua. They are much like Mexican tamales and are made fresh on the weekends. I am told that each person who makes them (my family buys them from a relative) has a slightly different twist to the recipe. Some people are notorious for their Nacatamales but sell out quickly on Saturday mornings. Yum!

            I have found that after three weeks here gallo pinto (otherwise known as rice and beans) has become my comfort food. If I have tried something new or have had a long day, it’s nice to know that at night we will have a lighter supper of gallo pinto with eggs or tortillas or cheese. Simple, but somehow it’s nice to know that every night is consistent.

            One thing that is only slightly different here is the oatmeal I have some mornings, complete with real sticks of cinnamon! There is also lots of delicious, fresh bread from the local bakeries or the people selling on the street. Last week I went around raving about the pancakes my host mom had been making for me two or three days per week. They were denser and tasted so delicious that I wanted to learn how to make them, only to discover that they come from an Aunt Jemima box just like back home. They are still yummy! Another food that I could rave about for days is the homemade corn tortillas sold fresh every day by the ladies who walk around with a bowl on their heads. And our frequent ice cream dates with fellow volunteers can never be missed because on a hot day there is nothing you crave more than something cold and sweet. One Saturday we had arroz con leche which was so sabroso (delicious)!

            Overall the food is not spicy, but has some good flavors. My family grows some of their own herbs on the patio and showed me huge oregano leaves they received from a friend. I couldn’t believe they could be so big. I think this week I will venture out to see if I can find some hot sauce for my gallo pinto, just to add a little bit of variety to life! My family makes ice cream and sells it in plastic baggies, a tradition of Nicaraguans. They frequently drink juice from a baggy (a skill I have yet to acquire) and I can’t say that I have mastered eating ice cream from one either. I have to say that I have been eating and living better than I expected. They are treating us well in training, but I have a feeling there will be less diversity in food and fewer ice cream stops once we head to our actual sites. Until then, I will keep trying new foods and eating the things that I love!