POR FIN!

I arrived to my site on Sunday April 3^rd. I left Managua early to catch a bus to my site. I finally arrived into town about 6pm. I was really nervous to get here and be alone but ready to get situated and start my service. I am living with a woman and her two kids: Lennon who is 12 and Daniela who is 5. Lennon is in secondary school (although I forget what year) which means he goes to school around noon until 5pm or whenever they decide to let school out. Daniela is in Preschool and goes to school (sometimes) around 8 am until before noon.

First thing the following Monday I went to the health center to reintroduce myself and speak to the new director of the center to let them know I am here. We went over some good information and told them that I want to help with anything they have going at the moment. They told me there were salidas (trips) to the communities in the municipality that I could go on with them to give a charla to the people waiting at the health center. According to their advice I created a charla on teenage pregnancy and contraceptives. (Its awkward to give a charla on the dangers of teen pregnancy to teens that are already pregnant). I went on these trips just about every day for a week and got to see some of the other communities that I will be working in. It was really eye opening to see the resources that are available here. In the states we complain about sitting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office or how snappy the lady at the front desk is, here, there might not be a doctor for a while. I had my own personal experience with that this week. I have gotten sick for the first time since I have been in Nicaragua. I apparently ate something bad and I have a bacteria (yum). I went to see the doctor this week and because they left on trips to communities there was no one for me to see. So I had to wait. I went again Tuesday and same thing. I finally went Wednesday and everyone was there and then we lost electricity so the kid in the lab couldn’t process my results. Talk about frustrating. They really want more people and resources here to help. But no matter how frustrating it may be for people they are so stinking’ nice! Nothing seems to frustrate them.

On another note, it was also difficult for me to talk to some of the young girls waiting at the clinic one day. I had started talking to them a little bit and one girl finally told me she was waiting to see if she was pregnant. I asked her how old she was and she said 15. I told her I hoped not, she was too young she had things she wanted to do and her boyfriend didn’t want a baby. Then she told me she already has a 2 year old. I wanted to cry. I cannot imagine myself with a baby at 13! My little sister is almost 13 (which alone kills me to think how old she is) I can’t imagine her in this situation!

We also had an NGO visit the town called MOVISEX. They were here to give a presentation on HIV/AIDS awareness, what the HIV test is and about family relations. I was asked to help and went around town with kids letting people know. It was a great turn out to the presentation and I assisted by handing out pamphlets on HIV testing and contraceptives etc. The representatives from the NGO were great to talk to for information and hopefully I can work with them in the future.

My first week in site I was a total bum. We are supposed to spend time getting to know the town and meet people. I did get to meet a lot of the kids in my youth group but it’s SUPER hard to remember a million names. Between my first week here and my second week going on the salidas with the health center I read the entire Sookie Stackhouse series. (Well almost I am missing the last 3 but I read the first 8)!!  My third week here (last week) was Semana Santa! It was interesting. Semana Santa is a holy week to celebrate the coming of Easter. There were processions in town from the Catholic Church and presentations from the Evangelicals etc. Even though it is supposed to be a holy week it actually turns into one big party. The family that I am with and her mother and siblings all constructed a Chinamo (a little house/hut) on the beach to sell food and beer to all the people who travel here to come to the beach. I spent the whole week by the lake helping sell food, beer, and playing cards with some old men. They taught me a new card game and were impressed that I picked it up so quickly and started beating them. (thank you dad for the card playing gene) The game later became prohibited for gambling because there was an incident with drunken men and a machete. No worries no deaths. I met more people and after Semana Santa the whole town seems to know my name which is nice... but sometimes annoying when the young kids yell it every time they see me. Now I know how my mom felt when we were kids and continuously yelled “MOM!!” and she joked about changing her name.

The other day my boss from Peace Corps came to have a meeting in my town with the community leaders and myself. It was a good turn out; everyone came. We had a representative from the police department, the judge, the mayor, from MINSA (ministry of health), MINED (ministry of education), the director of the school, and my counterpart. We discussed what my job is and is not, what my goals are etc. we are slowly putting together a work plan so I can figure out what I am doing here. I spoke with the director of the health center today and there are salidas to the communities in the following weeks which I will attend to give charlas as well. I also spoke to the director of the school about topics for charlas to give in the schools and what topics are appropriate for which grades because I am still trying to figure out the age/grade correlation haha. I am also planning to go read to the preschoolers and possibly do a small charlas on washing your hands or hygiene etc.

My birthday was Tuesday, thank you everyone for the bday wishes on Facebook and the calls i received. My day was really tranquilo. I just hung out and relaxed most of the day. I went to go tan for a few because my face and arms are getting tan just from walking around everyday but my legs are still reflecting sunlight so i am trying to even out. Other than that my birthday was really low key. Couldnt help but be a little bummed out. I missed my annual birthday dinner and going out with Yoise and friends. It was nice to reminisce about my birthday from last year in Miami! Its been one year since yoise told me he would marry me one day J

Anywho, I am looking forward to working a bit more and keeping myself busy. It’s nice to relax but there isn’t much to do in my small town for fun so I would rather be busy. I will try to blog more often but I am working out my internet access. Right now I can pick up a little bit of wireless in the park during the afternoon if we have electricity, which lately hasn’t been too easy to do.

I will keep you all posted!  I will post pictures soon the internet is running too slow for me to do it right now.

Mrs. Stanley's class: I would love some questions from you that i can answer. Anything about life in Nicaragua, school, family, food, holidays etc.  cualquier pregunta!! Por Favor.