Woah woah woah. If everything could just slow down so I could get a nap in, that’d be great. Way too much is going on. In addition, I have 2 back to back trips to Managua, one for my 1 year medical review, and one to give an info session of physical assault. Then some trainees are coming to my site for 4 days to see how I live. Then I’m apparently going back to Managua to give another info session about materials development (ahem, I was not actually consulted about this). And then there’s the map. Ohhh the map. This is number 2. It’s going much slower than before, because I had to contract a mason to cement the brick wall of the school so it’s smooth enough to paint on. It took a little longer than expected due to a lot of, um, how should I say, “chillin” on his part, plus some bad timing on the rain’s behalf. My friend Carla came to visit and help me start the map. We went to the school to paint the blue background and noticed that some of the cement was already chipping off (because the paint underneath hadn’t been completely removed like it needed to be). We asked some other men working at the school what we should do. To exemplify that the job was done poorly, on of the men started picking away at the falling cement with the blunt end of a shovel and I assured him that yes, I get it, it was done poorly. But please step away from the wall…. Carla and I had to decide what else to do with our weekend. We were going to go camping, but got too scared (ok it was just me). So we went to Leon one day for lunch, then danced our faces off at the local disco in my town, which by the way, is remarkably nice. Come Monday, Henry (my mason)came and fixed the wall like the good guy he is. So assuming the rain cooperates, we should start pretty soon.
25/Sept/2010
So….the rain is NOT cooperating. I really shouldn’t complain, I LOVE the rain. It lowers the temperature substantially and it’s just lovely. But this is Hurricane Matthew and this is a lot of rain. Maybe the most I’ve ever seen? We were supposed to start painting and drawing this weekend but very obviously that won’t be happening. Even if it stops raining for a few hours, we still need a perfectly dry wall to put the paint on. But at this point in time, I always have something to do. I’ll be preparing my hour long session on TPR (total physical response) to present to all the English teachers here in Leon and Chinandega at our annual conference to be held October 1st. Besides planning my presentation this weekend, I expect to do a lot of hammock lounging while I watch the rain fall, and workout out to this crazy lady called “Tracy Anderson” from the States. My friend Jenn sent me a workout video by this crazy woman. So when I can’t run, she keeps me going.
Here’s the street outside my house just a couple hours into the storm.
Monday is our Regional Safety and Security Meeting (assuming we can still have it if the hurricane is still looming). Right from there I head to Managua for my annual medical checkup. Because I’ve been here that long. Which is still bizarre. Luckily my 2 smart friends Carla and Jocelyn made the appointment for me so that we could all be there the same day, and share a hotel room together and revel in the a/c, internet, bedsheets, and grocery store nearby. We call it the “den”. Once we enter that hotel room, there’s no getting us out of there, it’s just too wonderful. Plus, the 3 of us are rarely together.
A picture from the parade last week, celebrating Independence Day. All the schools march and dance hours on end.
2/Oct/2010
Earlier this week I was in Managua for my annual medical review. I raced there from a Security conference, and barely made it to the dentist before they closed. I grabbed a taxi to take me there. We went to a part of Managua I’ve never been before, and it was not looking good. I couldn’t believe I was going to go to a dentist here. I hate people touching my face, and even more so my mouth, so I was quite nervous of whose kitchen table I was going to be laying on while I got my teeth cleaned. Amidst a really gross area, there was a super cute air conditioned little dentist’s office. The dentist was soooo nice, and very well spoken. Somehow I understood all the oral terminology in Spanish. I felt her poking at a gummy spot. Gah. I had a cavity. The sun was then setting. She busted out that huge needle for novocane. “Woah!” I said as I threw up my arms. I mean, aren’t we supposed to set a date to fill this? So without any numbing agent, she stuck me with it. I was almost in tears, because I imagined being in Managua, alone, after dark, with a numb mouth unable to speak or hail a cab. After a couple more anxiety provoking moments (aka when she took out the drill BEFORE I was numb) the cavity was filled, and it wasn’t too traumatic. I was able to talk…sufficiently with my numb mouth, and actually found a really nice cab driver back to the hotel. But then came the rain. All last weekend it rained, and it started up again while I was in Managua. So much so that we were put on “standfast” meaning you can’t leave where you are. Parts of Nicaragua were demolished with all this rain and flooding, 54 people dead. After another day and a half, things had calmed down, and I got permission to go home, since my immediate area was ok. But watching the news of towns not too far from mine that are on Lake Managua were another story. They called in the Army to help, and everyone was trying to evacuate their stuff via horsecarts. And then they showed someone drown on live tv. I really thought he was going to make it, and I lament that it was on tv for my eyes to see.
The annual English teacher’s conference went really well yesterday. Since they changed it from a nation meeting to a regional one, I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. Plus, it was on the day of our once a month all teacher meeting. I made a handout the night before and gave minimal thought to what I was going to say. There would hardly be anyone there anyway. I even slept like a baby, not worried one bit. The next day when I got there, there were Presidents of education programs, US Embassy workers, and over 200 teachers. Wow. I was not anticipating that. Luckily things went great. I gave my session twice, and both times it was very interactive. People may have even had fun?! I presented about TPR (total physical response) as a teaching method using hands on activities and getting kids out of their seats. We all played 2 of the games so the teacher’s could get a better feel for them, and hopefully increase the probability of using them in their own classrooms. And with my free dress that I happened to find in the PC lounge (I didn’t steal it, there’s a box that people throw their unwanted stuff into when their service is over) that was just my size, I even looked legit when giving my session. Sweet. During the closing ceremony, after such a fruitful day, of course things got weird. They gave out a bunch of free prizes like dictionaries and bags which people had to compete for. Saying tongue twisters. Ok, not so weird. Impersonating a famous person. Quite funny. Singing Kareoke. Funny, though some people took it too far. Dancing. This simple act turns vulgar at the drop of a hat. Teachers were literally on the floor with someone dancing over them. After such a long day, I couldn’t believe people still got so crazy! At least they won a prize.
Today I went to finally put down the base on the 2nd world map, because it finally stopped raining. No one was there, and the lady that used to keep the key no longer had it. I asked her to please get it from the security guy so I can come in tomorrow. If it doesn’t rain….
10/Oct/2010
I learned that if I didn’t have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all. So lets fast forward to the positive. We’re making great headway on the World Map. Though I’ll be going back in forth to Managua to help train the new TEFL group this week, we should be able to start painting pretty soon. I’m in the zone. Hours pass as I draw. My lifelong dream of being a tortured artist, suffering for my work is finally coming true! The best part is people actually THINK I’m an artist, perhaps even talented. Muahaha.
The other night I was watching Nightly News before going to class as I always do. There was a really touching piece on Peace Corps, and how we’re now back in Sierra Leon, after a long absence. They also talked about Peace Corps worldwide. That really meant a lot knowing that they know we’re OUT here, that we didn’t just fall off the face of the Earth. It’s comforting to know.
19/Oct/2010
I’ve been in and out of site lately for my one year medical appointments and training the new group of English teachers that arrived in September. It is bizarre that they are looking at me, listening to what I have to say as if I know what I’m doing?! I don’t know when that happened. I feel like I woke up one day and just knew how things worked around here, and how to speak Spanish (for the most part). But then I think back to the days full of trial and error over the last year, and then I remember, I too had NO IDEA what I was doing.
This past weekend I went to my old training town of Santa Teresa. I made the trip because I was already going to be in the area for a doctor’s appointment, and to give a training session to the trainees. I get SO giddy when I go back to ST, it really does feel like I’m going home. But then again, I don’t know how it feels to actually go home, yet. I was greeted by my loving family, and Mili, the youngest, who has sprouted up to my thighs, and she’s only 2! She can speak so much more, and I even taught her how to count to 3 in English, which was the cutest thing I’ve seen since the little naked toddler on my street wearing only rainboots. I felt more a part of the fam than ever, as I slept in the family’s room rather than my own. Instead of begrudgingly sharing a room with 4 people, I was flattered that we had so much confianza (confidence/close relationship). Aside from just hanging around the house, I went to see the bullriding competition and unfortunately witnessed a man get stomped on the back. He was dragged away from the bull, unconscious, and taken away by the rescue workers. But they didn’t attend to him for 10 minutes, although they were waiting outside. It was quite the family affair because Joc was visiting too, along with her brother from the states. Carla was being visited by her father from the states also. We all went out to dinner and had a good time, and although we were SO tired, Joc and I took her bro out to go dancing since it was his last night here.
23/Oct/2010
We’ve made tons of headway on the 2nd map! It was up to me to draw it, which was tough. But it actually looks like it’s supposed to, so I’m relieved. I had a couple all star kids help me paint and they did a great job. Just one more day of painting and it’ll be done! Things are really winding down now. I’ve been really busy the past few months. Now my kids youth group is over because everyone has folklore dance practice or band practice during that time. My adult class is ending this month too. That’ll leave all my afternoons free, which I plan to spend playing with my new volleyball team that’s starting in November!
My favorite person in La Paz, the security guard at the German Organization.
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