9/25
Bienviendos
Just to let everyone know in case you were worried Hurricane Matthew has made landfall in Nicaragua but it came a shore on the northeastern coast, and I'm living on the other side of the country. So this weekend Niquinohomo has just received a lot of rain and a little wind, sometimes it comes down in buckets sometimes in a little mist but its almost always raining. Saturday I walked out in my raincoat, rubber boots and shorts that stopped short of the top of my boots, (I know what your thinking, and yes I looked pretty amazing I'm sure the fashion trend will catch on soon.) I wanted to take some pictures of the flooded streets and to document my first hurricane. While I was out despite what I had heard from there were still quite a number of people out. There were people on bikes people in moto taxis, a group of soccer players trudging their way in the torrential rain up the small river that was flowing down the street. I have noticed that games here don't really get call here on account of rain like back home but maybe they made an exception just this once. Its kinda funny with all the cooler weather and rain. I feel like I'm back home in Oregon for the start of fall. Its been really pleasant in the high 70's I'm still in shorts and a t-shirt and not constantly sweating which is nice for a change. My host family on the other hand is bundled in long pants and layered sweaters and walk around the house and constantly talking about how cold is. They are quite surprised I am not cold even though I have told them that being from Oregon I'm use to this weather, they however are certain I am going to get a fever and a cold. The Peace Corps has been giving all volunteers daily updates about flood dangers but luckily Niquinohomo is in hills so there isn't a big danger of flood or landslides from what I can tell. I don't want anybody back to worry the Peace Corps is talking very good care of us.
Other than the recent weather excitement three weeks into pre-service training (PST) is going pretty well. This week has just flown by it seems. I have started to observe classes at the high school in Niquinohomo which has been really interesting. I also have been able to start co-planning English with my Nicaraguan counterpart Juan, and from what I have seen he seem like a great teacher very full of energy. In the class that I observed Juan was teaching his students about the greenhouse effect and it's harmful effects on the environment all in English. I was very impressed both with his vocabulary level and that his students were able to understand such an advanced topic taught in a foreign language. I never did anything close to that in my high school Spanish class. The only time Juan spoke in Spanish was to give a translation of vocab or a concept check, otherwise it was all in English. So I am looking forward to working with him next week. We planned to incorporate more activities that get the students talking instead of just copy down notes from the board. I had scheduled to teach with hm on Thursday but I just found out at my weekly Friday TEFL training class, that next week's class has been moved to Thursday. I'm going to have to work out that wrinkle because I'm required to co-teach at least 4 classes, by a certain week. The only problem is PST is so full with Spanish class, training classes plus working around Juan's schedule makes scheduling a little difficult. If I am unable to fit in a class this coming week then I just have to do it next Thursday or in week 6. I am confident it will all work out.
During week 5 I get to go visit another TEFL volunteer in their site for few days. All the trainees will be out visiting current volunteers Sunday 10/3 – Wednesday 10/6. I'll find out where I'm going this Wednesday during my TEFL training class. I am really looking forward to that! I will be really cool to get out of my training town and see how life as a real Peace Corps Volunteer is.
In other news I went to Masaya (the departmental capital) on Thursday with my Spanish class to check out the city. Masaya is a old Spanish colonial town similar to Granada where I had my training orientation. Granada's colonial building have been kept up in a little better condition for the tourists though. However the main attraction in Masaya is the Artisan Market it was built during colonial times and is still running. At the market there are lot of vendors selling sells a lot of tourist nick-naks but a lot of other cool stuff as well I'd like to get when I get to my site. Number one on that list is a hammock, two is a rocking chair or silla abuelita grandma chair as they are called in Spanish I have been told that Masaya is that artisan craft capital of Nicaragua and that Masaya is particularly famous for its hammocks. That being said when I get to my permanent site in late November, school will have just gotten out so I'm looking for to spending to quality time laying in it and relaxing some after 3 months of intense training. We'll see if that actually happens. I also got a cell phone which is really nice for obvious reasons. I can receive calls and texts from the US at no cost to me and little cost to you. I have been told that its cheaper to call the US and to call another Nicaraguan cell phone that uses the other service provider. I'm not quite sure why that is but whatever. Anyway please feel free to call or text me its always nice to hear a familiar voice on the other side of the line. I put my number up on the side panel by my address.
looks like a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteThis is James btw,