happy halloween!!

Hello all!

Happy Halloween! Can you believe it’s almost November already! I can’t! Anyways I thought I would give you all a few updates on life here in the Sauce.

All is good and well here. The rainy season just ended last week (thank goodness, tooo much mold everywhere) and I don’t think it rained as much as it did last year. Or maybe I am just used to it the second time around, I don’t know.. but its done and now the best months are here! November through January are beautiful, not as hot with a breeze most of the time. It reminds me of those first days of summer in when the school year is ending and everyone wants to go outside and play.

Maybe I feel that way now as well because the school year is about to end here. There is school through the end of November,

other groups

There were all kinds of products: vases with flowers, cards made of recycled paper, gift bags, wooden toys, car wash, key chains, crocheted bags and other items, purses, shirts, baby blankets, and more. but basically I am just giving exams and finishing up a few things. Most of my work is done. The school year has been long, but I am pretty happy with the results of my work.

In September I organized a big event for my classes. Throughout the year, my students formgroups and basically created their own business. They did market study, did all their finances, made a marketing plan, break even point, and all that. Also, they actually produced their products or services and were supposed to sell them. They also wrote a business plan and presented them to a panel of judges, which is the event I planned. Let me say that this is a huge project for these students and have never done anything like this before nor had the spoken in public. So I made every group from 4 high schools make 5 minute presentations on a microphone. They were so nervous, but they all pulled through and did a good job. I was so proud! Haha… they are like my babies here… I have been teaching them for a year and a half and at this event all the work finally came together.

First Place

Secnd place car wash

In October, the winners of this competition went to de Department capital of Leon to compete against all the municipalities. I took 3 groups from El Sauce, they were so into it and did an awesome job, and unfortunately they did win there, although one group won best presentation. Their little faces were so sad, I think I was more disappointed than them, but I think they enjoyed the whole process and event. That day was long and crazy. On the way to leon, my students kept vomiting on the bus because the road is so horrible with the rains and they don’t travel much, then on the way back, a river overflowed over the bridge and we waited 2 hours to be able to pass! Oh, and it was raining the whole time and we were 17 people in a 13 person mini van… and my students were blasting music and dancing around… haha.. teenagers! I was the same… anyways, regardless of these little issues, the day was a success.

Well, for now I am just finishing up school and working on a few other projects. During the break I am going to focus on a group of tour guides my friends and I are training for future tourist projects in El Sauce. We teach them English and other tour guide info…

In December my sister is coming and I can’t wait! Then in February I am going home for Maryann and Alejandro’s wedding, which I am also super pumped about. I have already planned most of my days (which are Feb 14- 25^th for those who are interested) hope fully I will get to see all of you then. Hopefully, hopefully, my boyfriend is coming too, but he has to get a visa ad that is not that easy.. so cross our fingers! His appointment is in December.

After that, I just have 4 more months of Peace Corps… I finish early July… amazing huh? It went by fast… I can already say though, that this is the best and the hardest thing I have ever decided to do, and I am glad I am doing it. After Peace Corps, I don’t know what I will do, but I might hang out here for a little longer…

Among other things, I gave away my dog L. It was a hard decision, but I think it’s for the best. The poor thing as along a lot, and I leave a lot weekends and he was so lonely I think. Anyways, Carlos’s family in Leon had just lost a dog, so I offered it to them. It’s a big family of 8 and I think it’s a better situacion for Max. And I can go visit anytime and I know he will be well taken care of. So I had to say goodbye to Max, and the house feels a little empty. I was already thinking of getting a cat, they can take care of themselves better. I still have a bunny though!

Well that is all for now. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and I will write you all before Xmas. Un besos muy muy grande and I miss you all so much!

Irene

p.s. I just watched the sarah palin interview on youtube.. ?!??!!?#@%#@ what was that? Ha.

don´t worry... i am still alive and well...

Dear Family and Friends,

This is a very very overdue email from me, but it is finally here! The last few months have gone by very quickly and have been very busy. Overall, all is well and life is good in El Sauce.

Lets see, where to begin…. In May I had my first visitors here in Nicaragua, Stacy and Jessica came just for a few days, but it was great to see someone from home. We made a crazy trip around the country in just 3 days… anyways, I think they had a good time.

After Stacy and Jess left, my parents came to visit just a couple weeks later. They were here for 10 days… and they were very hot days. They did a great job considering everything.. they were troopers. Even when the police kept stopping my dad on the road, but don’t worry, its no big deal, happens all the time here. They spent most of their time here in Sauce visiting my schools and meeting some friends, all that good stuff.

Then, a few weeks after my parents left I have another group of visitors! A bunch of my friends from college came for about 2 weeks and it was wonderful! We rented a car and spent time on the beach in a nice beach house and then traveled around the country a bit. It was so nice to see everyone and find out how everyone’s lives are going. I am thinking there should be a friend’s reunion every year in Nicaragua…

Since then I have been very busy with work stuff. The class I teach with other teachers at the local high school, La Empresa Creativa, is going pretty well. Last week I help plan an event for 150 people at a local high school. Throughout the year, the students in my class have developed their own small businesses. They have gone through all the steps in the development of their idea, from thinking of a new creative and innovative idea, doing a market study, organizing their finances, and actually producing their product, writing their own business plan, etc. Last week I have 20 students groups present their plans in front of a panal of judges. It was a great competition and I was very proud of my students. It was also one of the most stressful things I have ever done.. planning an event in Nicaragua is not as easy as it sounds. Anyways, the winning groups go on to compete in Leon, and they are very excited. Hopefully, I will post some pictures of the competition soon.

I presented the winning groups their certificate on Sept 15, which it’s the national Independence Day here in Nicaragua and most of Latin America. It is quite an event. The school bands and dance teams perform at the local stadium and pretty much the entire town shows up to watch. Its kinda like the band and dance team at a high school football game, only Nica style. Anyways, everyone loves it and likes to celebrate the national holiday. It also means there is vacation for most of the week. J so I am relaxing, visiting people around town, and cleaning the house (which is never clean, no matter how much I try)

Now I only have a couple months left until the school year is over. Also, the rainy season is in full swing and I am hoping there will not be any evacuations. I also seriously hope that The president here does not follow the footsteps of the president of Bolivia (kicked out the US ambassador and PC volunteers had to leave), because I am not ready to leave yet. I have about 10 months left in Peace Corps and I would like to finish my time here. After Peace Corps, I still don’t know what I will do, but whatever it is, I am sure it will but another crazy idea of mine J I will keep everyone in suspense.

While I am not teaching, hosting friends and family, and planning events, I have also been working on other projects around town. I have been helping with various tourist projects around town. I am helping in the training of a group of tour guides, helping in a business plan competition to win $10,000 for a local community, teaching computer classes, teaching english here and there, and helping with other projects. Its all going pretty well.

I will not be coming home for Christmas this year, unless of course some wants to throw some frequent flyer miles my way, but I will be home in February for the wonderful fabulous wedding of my cousin Maryann and Alejandro… can’t wait! Anyways, until then, I will be just hanging out and working here…

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed the hot summer months. I would love to hear how you are all doing!

Besos! Irene

one year anniversary!

Believe it or not, I have been here for a year... i am more on the not believing it side... time has gone by very quickly. Its hard for me even to remember how i felt when I came, really I had no idea what I was getting myself into or what Nicaragua was like. Lucky for me, I was sent to a great country with some great people.

So what have I been up to these days?? mainly just working and waiting for the next couple months when I will be receiving alot of visitors! In march, for holy week, there ws vacation at the schools, so I also took a little vacation. I went the island of Ometepe, which is so beautiful! It is an island in the middle of the lake of nicaragua. It is formed by 2 volcanoes. There are quite a few people that live on the island.. it isnt that small. So, I spent some time on the beach and all, but my big accomplishment ws climbing the volcano Maderas. yup, i climbed a volcano! It only took us 10 hours... haha... normally it takes about 6 or 7, but lets face it... I am not that "active" so i had to take alot of breaks. There was even a point when there were almost tears because since i was always looking at the ground, i kept running into branches that reached across the path, hitting my head, hard. haha... i was not happy then but at that point i was 3 hours up and i couldnt turn back then. anyways, at the top of the crater there is a lagoon and its very beautiful. sooo.. that was my trip to Ometepe.

Since then I have been back in Sauce and working. Teaching is going ok. I get very frustrated because the schools cancel class ALOT and its hard to keep my class on track. There is a certain information I have to cover for my students to be able to participate in activities at the end of the school year... but when they cancel my class week after week, I dont get anywhere... and the rainy season hasnt even started... thats when things really get crazy. One of the reasons they cancelled class last week was because there was no water. Ya, no water came to my house from monday to friday... 5 days! the power was out, and no power= no water. it was not good, let me tell you. I was going to peoples houses asking to shower. I would ration a bottle of water for the day... I was not a happy person by friday. but thankfully the water returned and all is well now. Life is pretty boring when there is no power. I would sit in my chair with my 5 yr old neighbor and my music listening to totally inappropriate reggaeton songs and realized the little boy knows every single word. It was pretty hilarious/unbelievable.

I am also helping out with a few other projects in town. I am trying to get a computer for one of my schools. I am helping a women´s group with a sewing project. I am also helping a rural community get a tourism project started. So thats what I do in my free time as well. So i am pretty busy.


What else... what else... my dog is ok. he is a handful and destroys my stuff, but he is a cutie. I have learned to cook alot! its my new hobby, I also sew... i never realized I was so domestic.. I am so becoming my mother. ha. My new favorite dancing is bachata. and thats about all for now..

oh! my bike was stolen in february.. but it has been found! this was very exciting!

ok.. i got to go.. but I hope all is well and you are all enjoying the spring time (I am so jealous... its like 100 degrees here, i forgot to mention i also spend my time sweating and sitting in front of my fan. )

its a total eclipse of the heart.....

hundreds of people rolled into Sauce on these ox pulled wagons for the fiestas patronales. they travelled days to get there and lived in them for a few more to pray to the señor de esquipulas
my students!
Leon and the Volcano Momotombo
my boyfriend´s artwork sale during the fiestas patronales
my neighbor dressed as a taquito

me and the whole department of LEon at sunset, sorry its sideways!

New school year..

Hello all!

Well its already mid february, time is flying! I am just 2 months away from being in Nicaragua a year... I can´t believe it!

Well the new school year started a few weeks ago. I am now teaching at 4 schools- the local public school, a catholic school, an evangelical school, and a local tecnical school. A little bit of everything. Total its about 140 kids about 15 yrs old. The course I teach is call La Empresa Creative, the creative enterprise. The students learn to create and manage their own businesses throught the course of the year. They seems to be into the class, since it is new and different and also very practical. So far things are pretty good and class is going well.

I got a dog last month! His name is Max and he is mostly a cocker spaniel. He is a cutie, but a handful sometimes. it is nice to have company at the house though, even though he chews up all my stuff! here is the little guy...

HAppy New Year!

Hi everyone! Feliz Año Nuevo!! I hope you all had a great new year! it was so good to see everyone one for christmas. I have been back in Nicaragua for a week and home sees like a dream really. it was a nice little break from life here, but it was also good to come back. For new years I hung out in my town, went to the dance place and danced a little. Then at midnight I went out side to watch alot of very illegal fireworks (in caifornia) on th street. also, its tradition to make people, kinda, like stuff clothes with newspaper and fireworks, make a head, a puppet kinda, and then burn it. on the street. along side fireworks, including a few big disneyland style ones.. gotta love it here! anyways, it was fun..

This month is the fiestas patronales at my site, the city holiday honoring the very famous black christ at my site. I quickly learned that my street is sold off by meter to sellers from out of town. They make these little shacks with wood and plastic and sell their goods, clothes, shoes, cds, dvds, food, artesain items, basically everything. They also sleep there and apparently blast their music. I hear it gets loud and crazy! so I thought, hey if you cant bet them, join them! so I bought my space in front of my house and my boyfriend is going to try to sell his charcoal drawings! we will see how that goes! the fiestas start in a few weeks...

Other than that I have been trying to start working again... I am doing a project with a local microfinance intitution that is very time consuming, but good because i get to talk to many local businesses and get the inside scoop. School starts in month or so and then things will get busy i am sure...

well thats pretty much all that has happened this week... I will try to write more often this year! happy new year! besos!

Irene