Ometepe

So I haven´t written in a while. Basically life has been Spanish classes, technical classes, youth group, and teaching in the schools. I´m starting to understand more and more Spanish, little by little, but it is still frustrating when I don´t have the words to say what I want to say, especially when giving a class in the school. Not only do I not have teaching experience and have to think about how to be a good teacher but I also have to worry about what I am saying in Spanish. It is difficult but I am looking forward to working at the schools at my site once my Spanish has improved even more, which brings me to Ometepe.

All the aspirantes found out last week where they will be spending the next two years of their lives. It was a pretty nerve-racking time for most of them and I think most of them are happy about their sites. I already knew where I was going and so it wasn´t as exciting for me. But I am still very happy to be going to live on Ometepe for the next two years which is a volcanic island in Lake Nicaragua. It has two volcanoes, one active and one dormant, as well as beaches, waterfalls, petroglyphs, monkeys and supposedly lots of fruit! My town is going to be pretty small, about 1500 inhabitants, and I will be working in a couple of different schools giving classes on environmental issues and working with the schools to implement a vegetable garden and tree nursery. I will also work will local groups to help with environmental issues. Finally, I believe I will be working with a government organization to help monitor Concepcion volcano. I will also have to start thinking about what type of research I am going to be doing once I get settled in a little bit.

We are leaving our training towns tomorrow to go visit our sites for four days. On Monday we will go to Managua to meet our counterparts which are the Nicaraguans we will be working with at our site (they are generally principals in the local schools). Then we will head out to our sites on Tuesday and stay till Friday. I´ve heard that counterpart day is also known as awkward day since you have to spend all day with them and it is difficult to come up with things to say. I´ll write all about my site visit when I get back.

Other than that I finally got a phone yesterday so if anyone wants to know what it is check out facebook or send me email. I hope everyone is well and enjoying the fall!