Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation's compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another. - Erma Brombeck

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Hey a lot has happened since i last wrote. I got to see three rainbows and one of which was in a cloud no not in the sky but just the cloud it was so cool. It must be my month or something for me to see such a beautiful rarity three times in a row. I also go to feed and touch a monkey at a monkey park in Matagalpa. In Matagalpa we got to see a beautiful waterfall, and ate some really good food.  We also saw the bands for the day in Independence  This is when all of the schools in the town put on a show and march through the streets of town. It is always very fun to watch and they have some very creative skits if not two provocative. 

Lets see what else happened there was the national day band for my own school happened this week. I am glad that i got to see it since i missed the independence day one. They were amazing and i have some pictures posted on facebook of them. I then went shopping and come back for the 6:30 bus into site. It never came he apparently decided not to run the last bus today. By that time it was dark out and I did not feel safe walking the 6k into my site on a unlit street with a few houses spaced out over the distance. I called a few volunteers to see if I could crash at their houses for the night. I got some positive responses but luckily a truck came by and offered me a ride into my site. The next day i had to get out of my site for an appointment but the bus left early and i missed it. I began to walk to 6k to get stopped my a man on a bike. I was offered a ride by sitting on the front  bar the connects the handle bars to the seat. It was a very uncomfortable ride but the man was nice. I got to the meeting on time which was great! Welcome to the fun adventure in the Peace Corps.

I have two leader for you ecological brigade and will be having the first leaders meeting soon! I am very excited about this it should be great. My research on malaria and dengue has been very interesting and informative i am learning a lot of things i never knew like mosquitoes sip pollen form flowers and it takes one week for the malaria decease to develop in it's host. 

My family is good but there are still thinking disappearing from my room. I dont' know who is doing it so we are now taking more precautions to protect it. We are installing bar on the windows and I am  making sure the room is locked at all times. I'm sure that everything will be ok in the end. 

until  next week bye


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Well update on everything that is going on with the volcano and evacuation. We are still all stuck and the volcano is still erupting and the sulfur is doubled reading and there are a few new blockages. This was caused by the explosion blocking three of the gas vents. There is a fear that there will be more blockages. This is creating pressure to build up and might explode to release this blockage. I am safe but restless. We were in Managua the capital since Sat and just got the permission to travel to other areas not the costs, Atlantic area and near the volcano. So at least I am not stuck in Managua anymore. Isn't fun to have a all paid vacation. I am with a bunch of friends and we are having a blast. I don't think i will be going back soon.

I really miss my site and I just hope that things are still going to be running when i get back. Like my English class and my manualidades class. I want to get involved with my teachers classes again. I was to implement a test but I fear that i will not be able to do that. I also have a lot of ideas to do with the kids and i need to get there to do them. You can't change things so I just have to make the most of this situation. I am also meeting a lot of new people and getting some ideas from them. My planning has not stopped at least. I jsut have to get back soon to implement these ideas.

Love you all and miss you. XOXO

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/nicaragua.html

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Hey, this has been an interesting week. As I am sure that a few of you have seen on the news there has been a lot of disasters close to Nicaragua. I am fine! I did feel the earthquake that was in Costa Rica but there was no damage in my site or anywhere near me. All of the volunteers are fine it was just a shock. Yesterday the volcano  San Cristobal erupted we were evacuated from my site. It is the region next to Leon. We are all safe and my village is safe too. There was no real danger there was a lot of smoke and ash a few random lava  but it didn't really effect us at all. We are being held some place safe and waiting to make sure that there is no more after problems. I have this feeling that this will not be our last evacuation for and environmental disaster I hope that I am wrong but we are on vault lines and the land of volcano. 

School has been going well I have gotten out garden close to done at my second school and the kids are very excited about my manualidades class (arts and crafts). I have been doing many things with the third grade teacher. I am creating one of the final exams with him and will be giving it. This should be fun to do and i have some great ideas. I think he will let me at least help out with the science one and I will be implementing the ECA (Arts and culture). There was an teachers meeting which are usually boring and long but i got a lot of Spanish lessons in. I brought my grammar book with me. I have also taken the initiation to read one thing in Spanish everyday weather it is a few pages of a book or a national geographic magazine in Spanish. I also am having Spanish tutoring classes every time I am in Managua. I hope that this means i can at least get up to advanced when I leave in a year. That is my personal goal if i get higher that would be amazing to. 

I have gotten a person who is interested in helping me with  my ecological burgade. I am very excited and hope that this will get going pretty soon. I just want to talk to one more person to see if she is interested and have a group meeting. Then i can finish the grant form and hopefully get it posted on line. My process with the fair is going well and have great ideas to start with that. I feel that things are coming along nicely with my side projects. I want to see if i could start some rain gardens to help solve run off problems I will see if i can do a small scale one on my property or maybe in the school to see how it would work out. The only problem would be the dry season and everything  dies. I will need to do more research on it. 

Love you all talk to you more later