I here over and over again how time flies when you are in the Peace Corps. One day you're here, the next you're COSing. This has been a lot on my mind as the new group of trainees are only a couple of weeks from being PCVs, and the older group is getting ready to say good bye.
Since becoming a full PCV back in November, I have been extremely fortunate in my service. I've been busy, my counterparts, students co-workers and community members are all incredibly supportive, which makes my job and life 1000 times better. There are days when I wake up, get ready to head out to class in the blistering hot and I think to myself "What will today throw at me?"
Not one day in this job is the same. Everything is one big surprise, sometimes great ones and sometimes ones that make you want to never leave your room (and seeing as I'm one of few if not only PCV with AC in my room why would I ever). In the states I was an extremely extroverted person/ I thrive off of constantly being surrounded by people and interacting, but this isn't really the case anymore in Nicaragua. I find myself more and more cherishing and searching for more alone time, sometimes to get some much needed work done, others to watch a movie, and other days to just shut out the world. Don't take this the wrong way, I LOVE MY SITE. Not many volunteers fall in love with their site from day one, but I did. Peace Corps always knows best when it comes to placing you in your permanent site after training, but I think they showed off with mine. I love everything about it...okay maybe the heat is the only thing that gets t me but RAINY SEASON IS ON ITS WAY! Despite the immense love I have for my community, once in a while I need to GET OUT! Which that translates into getting to travel and explore the beautiful country I am fortunate to work in for 27 months. For "Semana Santa" or Holy Week, I went to Ometep, the Double Volcano island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua :D Let me tell you, IT WAS AMAZING! I usually can't stand to be more than 2-3 days away from site before I start to want to go home...I did not want to leave this island. If you are making a trip to Nicaragua, GO TO OMETEPE! The food is amazing, the people are super nice, so much to do and see. I never wanted it to end! This country never stops surprising me with its beauty
Since becoming a full PCV back in November, I have been extremely fortunate in my service. I've been busy, my counterparts, students co-workers and community members are all incredibly supportive, which makes my job and life 1000 times better. There are days when I wake up, get ready to head out to class in the blistering hot and I think to myself "What will today throw at me?"
Not one day in this job is the same. Everything is one big surprise, sometimes great ones and sometimes ones that make you want to never leave your room (and seeing as I'm one of few if not only PCV with AC in my room why would I ever). In the states I was an extremely extroverted person/ I thrive off of constantly being surrounded by people and interacting, but this isn't really the case anymore in Nicaragua. I find myself more and more cherishing and searching for more alone time, sometimes to get some much needed work done, others to watch a movie, and other days to just shut out the world. Don't take this the wrong way, I LOVE MY SITE. Not many volunteers fall in love with their site from day one, but I did. Peace Corps always knows best when it comes to placing you in your permanent site after training, but I think they showed off with mine. I love everything about it...okay maybe the heat is the only thing that gets t me but RAINY SEASON IS ON ITS WAY! Despite the immense love I have for my community, once in a while I need to GET OUT! Which that translates into getting to travel and explore the beautiful country I am fortunate to work in for 27 months. For "Semana Santa" or Holy Week, I went to Ometep, the Double Volcano island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua :D Let me tell you, IT WAS AMAZING! I usually can't stand to be more than 2-3 days away from site before I start to want to go home...I did not want to leave this island. If you are making a trip to Nicaragua, GO TO OMETEPE! The food is amazing, the people are super nice, so much to do and see. I never wanted it to end! This country never stops surprising me with its beauty
April was BUSY!!!! Being an environmental volunteer means that your April will be packed with projects, and boy it was. I made a school tree nursery at both my urban and rural school, and seeing as my Masters degree is in forests, this has been one of the most rewarding projects done at my school so far. Lots of preparation was required from collecting poop, tools, training the students, finding the perfect place, but the most time consuming is what is required after: maintain interest. At first lots of reminding was needed for my students to understand that trees like humans need, water, food, good shelter and protection to survive. And boy did those little trees take a beating: from pests eating them, to getting knocked over. But I think they and I learned how to improve the school nursery for future projects.
It's never everyday you discover a private reserve in your own site...that's huge...and is on your street...and has monkeys and gators! If anyone is ever in Juigalpa, Chontales, you need to check out Punta Mayales. For less than a dollar I got to enjoy a relaxing day out at a beautiful reserve, swing on a hammock, swim in Lake Nicargua (the non polluted part), fishing and enjoyed some wildlife that I had no idea was just a drive away from my house.
The biggest surprise came the week of my birthday, which happens to fall on Earth Day, one of the biggest if not the biggest holiday for environmentalists around the world so I was a busy bee all week. I made no plans because having only been in site for a bit I didn't have the "confianza" to ask people to go out to dinner or really do anything. The days leading up to my birthday were spent working on a large Earth Day mural with my Ecological Brigade at my rural school and I gotta say it came out pretty awesome :D Drawing is one of my hobbies that brings me peace and is a way for me to de-stress, so I was happy to combine that with my love for the Earth. And on the day of my Birthday, April 22 (Earth day), we hung it up for all to see. And it has been up since reminding people of the importance of protecting our Earth, not only for our well-being but for the well-being of all who inhabit our beautiful Planet.
The day of my birthday was one of the biggest surprises yet during my time in this country. As I was teaching my last science class of the day, one of my professors tells me I need to go to the office because Im going to be eveluated, to which I thought was crazy but didn't want to argue so I went along. Little did I know that all the teachers and staff had set up a surprise party for me in our school's library (I know how dare they bring in food into a library hahahha). It was one of the sweetest gestures; one that I will never forget. Although I have already been in site for almost six months, I never thought to expect anything like this from my coworkers.
Later that day, my house mates surprised me wit yet ANOTHER CAKE! two cakes in one day, that has never happened to me even in the states. I can say that I felt very blessed to be in my community during my birthday, such great company to celebrate another year of life.
Later that day, my house mates surprised me wit yet ANOTHER CAKE! two cakes in one day, that has never happened to me even in the states. I can say that I felt very blessed to be in my community during my birthday, such great company to celebrate another year of life.