My First Workshop and the end of Month 2

Wow, I can hardly believe I am only two days away from having been in site for 2 months.

First off, I would like to thank all of the family members and friends who have sent me postcards, letters, packages, etc. They have been such wonderful surprises and mean so very much.

Elena wearing the Hessel Boat Show T-shirt I got in a package from home!

Secondly, I am sure you want an update on how my first teacher workshop went. Well I was told that 30 teachers from the Department were invited, and that they would all be professors of the 4th and 5th year of high school and teach the entrepreneurship class that I am helping to teach. Well the reality was that only 12 teachers showed up and only about half of them teach 4th or 5th year. But either way, we (a 3rd year volunteer came to help support me in my first workshop, Thanks Diego!) had a good time, we were able to put the class that these professor's teach into a greater context and gave them materials that will help them give their course that much better. Also, I was asked to redo the workshop this coming Friday (tomorrow) at the municipal-wide teacher training workshop, so I will have a chance to reach even more teachers.We covered topics such as, what is entrepreneurship? why is it important in Nicaragua? and why are business plans necessary and how do you write one?  I was also able to have the teachers fill out an evaluation form to ask about more specific topics they would like covered next year. I am going to try to make this a bi-monthly (every two months) occurrence to reach more teachers than just the one's I am assigned to.

Ready to give the workshop!

Diego my only participant, just kidding, we took this while waiting for teachers to arrive.

Participants filling out their evaluations! Positive reviews!

Me at the school where we gave the workshop with Matagalpa behind me!

 

 

Diego and I all Peace Corps-ed out!

It has been a great 2 months, and I can say I have officially lost 10 pounds! And haven't been sick a day! I have continued to workout 4 to 5 times a week and watch what I am eating. I am comfortable riding around on buses and love my new city. All in all, good times, and I can't wait to explore more of this very amazing and never boring country! Keep making good choices! Love you all!

Quick Update...

I apologize for not posting anything earlier, but this week life got back to normal after two weeks of Independence Day celebrations. I had a nice long relaxing weekend (last weekend) read a book, and worked on my presentation for my upcoming teacher workshop which I have this Wednesday (Update to follow on that one!)

This week classes went alright, I had some planning sessions cancelled then rescheduled, and this weekend I have been relaxing and going to the gym. It's life as usual here, but thought I would give an update anyway.
Hope you all keep making good choices and love you all!

Happy Nicaraguan Independence Day!

What a week and it is only Wednesday! This is a very special week in Nicaragua as it celebrate three patriotic holidays in the same week! September 12th, which was the discovery of Nicaragua, September 14th, which is the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, and September 15th, which is the independence day of Central America from Spain. (If you want to know a little more check out this website! http://vianica.com/go/specials/5-independence_Nicaragua.html )

So, like tradition dictates, today all of the schools of Matagalpa (and all over Nicaragua) marched in a parade with the honor roll students of each institute, their bands, and dancers. And of course the teachers had to be there to keep everyone in line. So.... I marched with them! I had a great time despite the heat, and I think I was able to show the teachers that I really support them and the students. I took my camera with me so here are some pictures from the day:

All the schools assembling for the beginning of the parade and opening remarks

Dona Mari, her daughter and I

Some of my superstar 4th year students and the school flag

The school Crest

The crest of one of the other schools I teach at

Two of my 5th year students, check out their excellence in academics banners!

Another 5th year student, banging the drum in the band!

Here comes Larreynaga!

They line up so well!

One of my 4th year students leading the dance troupe! They were so good, over a mile danced and in heels no less!

More dancers

Me and some of my stellar students at the end of the parade!

I now look forward to a few days off, planning the teacher training I am giving on the 28th, and getting back into the gym after a few days off because of a cold. Hope everyone is doing well, and making good choices!
Love you all!

The President Visits Matagalpa

Last Saturday, the President of Nicaragua visited Matagalpa. I thought perhaps he wanted to continue our conversation from our visit on Swearing-In day, but it turns out it was the opening of his presidential campaign here in Matagalpa. Go figure! To summarize what the day was like, I will try to illustrate the rest of the story with pictures.

The giant dirt soccer field by my house where they were setting up the stage.

One of the 6 or 8 speaker towers.

Normally, this road is not much to look at.

 

Sandinistas arriving for the big speech!

Watching them all roll in! It was about ~350,000 people in all.

The President's Helicopter flying over the house when he arrived. (Did I mention all of this craziness was going down three blocks from my house?)

The madness (from the safety of my living room)

More Craziness (on the TV, even though I could hear the speech from my window)

Me safely remaining apolitical at home!

A Proud Moment as Volunteer

Thursday, I went to San Ramon to plan with my Counterpart who teaches the fifth year Entrepreneurship class there. When we first met back in August, she expressed to me that she was not very good at math, was very nervous about teaching anything that had to do with it. Well the 5th year curriculum, especially near the end of the course, is filled with numbers, percentages, and graphs. So she and I sat down, at a beautiful hotel on the top of a hill (picture at the end of this post), and went over the class, step-by-step and did several examples of percentages and how the students were going to analyze their market studies. She said she still felt nervous, but felt better that I would be there to interject if she got lost or if there was a question she couldn't answer.

The next morning we had class and she knocked it out of the park! Every question thrown at her she handled like pro. She even covered how to calculate percentages for the class. I was so excited for her. Overall, I felt like it was a triumph for her and for me; showing her that she could do this, and showing me that my work was finally paying off.

And to top it all off, on the bus home, I saw a guy wearing a shirt that said, "I am an OK lover" I mean how funny was that. If he only knew...

So here are a few pictures I took this week...

The puppy that live across the street with my homestay family sister!

A posed picture, but none the less I am working with some University students on an English project

The ants that are destroying a tree in front of my house every night, they carry huge pieces of leaves back to their nest(?) in a line every night. Its really cool to see, just don't get too close or you might get bit!

View from where I did my planning last Thursday

At the bus station going to my outlying school

View (1) along the journey

View (2) along the journey

As you can see Nicaragua is a beautiful country, and I find that my days when I travel to a community are usually some of my best and busiest! Hope everyone is doing well, keep making good choices!

Long Awaited Pictures! My site!

Elena, my homestay niece, striking a pose next to our new water filter!

Elena inside our new water filter haha

Elena playing her Marimba, doesn't she look like Boo from Monsters, Inc.?

My house from the outside

My street

The Rio Grande of Matagalpa

The Cathedral of Matagalpa

Greatest coffee shop in Nicaragua!

Me and fellow teachers at one of my 3 schools!

One of my classes, I was trying to take the picture covertly...

Classes in Nicaragua are big, and more often than not loud!

Disclaimer: I live in the best city in all of Nicaragua, even though I am sure this opinion is very biased (as I live here hahaha)

Long Awaited Pictures! Swearing In version

Our Swearing in Venue, can you tell it was America themed?

Me with Nidia (my Spanish teacher for the first three weeks, and Mama Cleo, the greatest homestay mom ever, even though she wasn't mine!)

I got to the cake to late to get a full picture, but you get the idea!

Me with my training homestay family

Right after swearing, and signing my 2 year contract!

Me and my adopted little sister Ruth!