The Latrine. La letrina.

Sometimes I complain so much about life in Nicaragua, not remembering how hard other volunteers have it. We are part of the Small Business Program sector, therefore we are assigned to bigger towns and cities. Volunteers who belong to the Agriculture, Health or Environment are placed in very remote areas with no water, tv or electric services. We learned of a volunteer that the house where he was living in had the bathroom outside, which consisted only of a latrine, four wooden posts on each corner with a black plastic bag around it serving as walls. But, since Nicaraguans are quite short when they sit on the latrine, they are covered, but the volunteer was tall and when he sat, his head would stick out and everybody passing by saying hellos and how are you today. He was very embarrased, so he decided to throw a hankerchief over his head so HE could not see anybody. I just imagine what his neighbors were saying behind his back.


ESPANOL
A veces me quejo tanto de la vida aqui en Nicaragua y se me olvida que hay otros voluntarios que sufren aun mas que nosotros. Somos parte de el sector de Pequenos Negocios o La Empresa Creativa asi que nos envian a los pueblos y ciudades mas grandes. Los voluntarios que pertenecen a los sectores de Agricultura, Salud y Medio Ambiente son enviados a areas muy remotas donde no hay agua, tv o electricidad. Supimos de un voluntario que la casa donde el vivia tenia el bano afuera que consistia en una letrina con cuatro palos en cada esquina y un plastico alrededor haciendo de paredes. Los nicaraguenses son bajitos en general asi que cuando se sientan en la letrina, estan cubiertos. Pero el voluntario era alto y cuando se sentaba en la letrina su cabeza sobresalia y todo el mundo que pasaba por ahi diciendole Hola y como estas. El le daba mucha verguenza todo esto asi que decidio ponerse un panuelo sobre la cabeza para asi EL no poder ver a nadie. Solo me imagino lo que sus vecinos estarian hablando de el.

First Day of School. January, 30-06

These students are on the morning session. They are 1700 kids, the afternoon session have 1200 kids, and the night session has aroung 600 kids and adults.
I was surprised to see the teachers and the security guars are watching very closely any students that does not have the shirt tucked. The girls are supposed to stand tall and feet closed together. The personal appearence is so important here, even though the priorities are a little messed up. It's more important to mop the floors, sweep and pick up garbage that going to class. They can miss more than half hour cleaning and the teacher is happy.
Teachers make very little money, about 85 dollars A MONTH!! and have to work (most of them) the morning and the afetnoon shifts in order to make ends meet.
Our classes are HUGE!Every class has around 60-67 students and we have 16 groups. It's very hard to teach them under these conditions. High heat, humidity, dust, no teaching materials and one big setback: lack of motivations from students, teachers and parents.




ESPANOL

Estos son estudiantes de la sesion de la manana. Son 1700 estudiantes, la sesion de la tarde tiene1200 y por la noche acerca de 600 entre adultos y jovenes. Me sorprendi al ver la importancia de la apariencia que tienen los maestros y celadores que observan a los estudiantes y los sacan de las filas si no tienen la camisa por dentro. Las ninas tienen que pararse erguidas y con los pies juntos. Es mas importante limpiar, trapear y recoger basura que asistir a las clases. Si se toman mas de media hora barriendo la profesora esta contenta.
Los profesores devengan alrededor de 85 dolares por mes! Asi que a la mayoria le toca hacer el turno de manana y tarde para poder medio subsistir.
Nuestras clases son tan grandes. Tenemos 60-67 estudiantes por clase y 16 grupos en total. Es duro ensenar en alta humedad, calor sofocante, polvo en grandes cantidades, no materiales didacticos y lo peor de todo: falta de entusiasmo de los estudiantes, profesores y padres de familia.

Fruits of Nicaragua.

Mango trees have so many mangoes that they touch the floor.

Los palos de mango tienen tantos mangos que el peso hace que toquen el suelo.
This is the fruit of the maranon plant. From the bottom part the cashew nuts are extracted.

Esta es la fruta del maranon, de la parte de la nuez se sacan las semillas de maranon.

This is a Jicaro tree. The fruit is cleaned and dried under the sun, then converted to drinking cups, all size containers, serving spoons and more. Maracas are made from this fruit.

Este es el arbol del Jicaro como le llaman aqui, o totumo. La fruta la vacian de toda la carne, la secan al sol y la convierten en vasos, recipientes de todos los tamanos, cucharas y mucho mas. Las maracas son hechas de esta fruta.

My prefered human model.

Momotombo and Momotombito Volcanoes

On the first picture you can see the Momotombo volcano and to the right the Momotombito, they are very active and are cause of much dust and debris AND DIRT in Leon. All this plus the people in the farms burn the corn fields it adds clouds of more dirt and smoke.


ESPANOL

En la primera foto pueden ver al volcan Momotombo y a su derecha el volcan Momotombito, estos volcanes esta muy activos y son causa de mucho polvo, basura Y MUGRE en Leon. Todo esto, mas la gente de las fincas que queman los campos de maiz anadiendo nubes de mas mugre y humo.

Ruins of Leon Viejo

This pictures taken at the site where the Old Leon was originally built. All the people in the town were moved to where Leon is right now, because of the threat of volcano eruption Momotombo. And it erupted, burying the empty city. The excavations just started to happen on the 60s, but it's stopped because of lack of funding.


ESPANOL

Estas fotos fueron tomadas en Leon Viejo o donde originalmente la ciudad de Leon fue construida. Todos los habitantes fueron trasladados a donde actualmente se erige la ciudad de Leon porque el volcan Momotombo amenazaba con fuertes erupciones. Y si hizo erupcion, enterrando la ya vacia ciudad. Las excavaciones apenas empezaron en los anos 60s, pero estan paralizadas por falta de dinero.

Marching Band Competition.

Here are some pictures of the Marching Band Competition. These two pictures show our school Instituto Nacional de Occidente INO performing. The band has 527 members.


ESPANOL

Aqui hay algunas fotos de la Competencia de las Bandas de Guerra. Estas dos fotos muestran a nuestra escuela Instituto Nacional de Occidente INO cuando hacian su presentacion. La banda tiene 527 miembros.

La Merced Church.

This is the church La Merced in Leon. It is a gorgeous building. Leon has many, many churches all of them dating from the times of the La Conquista.

ESPANOL
Esta e la iglesia La Merced en Leon. Es un edificio suntuoso. Leon tiene muchas, muchas iglesias todas ellas construidas en los tiempos de La Conquista.

Cathedral of Leon.

This is the Cathedral of Leon. The blueprints of the original church intended for Leon were changed by mistake during the trip from Spain, and the big cathedral which was planned for Lima, Peru was built in Leon (a very small town at that time). And the small church was built in Lima, a big city.

So, the leoneses are very proud of their huge cathedral, with laberinths and graves undearneath the ground. I was surprised to see that the bells are tolled manually! They sound just so beautiful, even though I don't get to listen to them very often. Unlike the church near our house that when the bells are tolling it sounds like a hammer against a tuna can. (And I'm being nice). Let me tell you how annoying it is to hear these bells EVERY DAY AT 5:30 AM! And then at 5:45 AM including Saturdays and Sundays! The truth is I think I'm converting into a Lutheran, Jehova Witness or something that prohibits bell tolling.

ESPANOL

Esta es la catedral de Leon. Los planos que eran para la iglesia que se construiria en Leon, (un pueblo muy pequeno en esa epoca) fueron cambiados por error durante el viaje desde Espana. La catedral era originalmente para Lima, Peru que era un pueblo bien grande. Asi que Leon quedo con una gran catedral y Lima con una iglesia bien pequenita.

Entonses los leoneses son muy orgullosos de su grandiosa catedral con laberintos y tumbas por debajo del suelo. Me sorprendi mucho cuando vi que las campanas las hacen sonar manualmente. Suenan bellisimo. No tengo mucha oportunidad de oirlas sonar, no como las campanas de la iglesia cerca a nuestra casa que suenan como un martillo estrellandose contra un pote de atun. (Y no estoy exagerando). Es muy, muy molestoso oirlas sonar TODOS LOS DIAS a las 5:30AM, y luego a las 5:45 AM, incluyendo Sabados y Domingos. La verdad es que me estoy convirtiendo a Luterana o Testigos de Jehova o a la religion que sea que tenga una prohibicion con el toque de campanas.

Going to the National Marching Band Competition in Managua.Sept-05

We were going with our school Marching Band to Managua to compete with others schools in Nicaragua on the National Marching Band Competition. There were several buses chartered to transport several teachers and 527 students who belong to the marching band. When we were on our way two of the tires of our bus blew up! The front and the back on the left side. Luckily, after some manuevering from the driver we came to a stop. We waited for a long time until they sent another bus. Even though our school was the best one (they have the first place in all Central America), the judges decided not to award anybody because last year were riots and nasty fights between the participants.
On the picture you can see the mess we caused on the road and everybody slowing down to see all the pretty girls. On the other picture you can see my husband proud like a peacock.


Ibamos para Managua con la Banda de Guerra de nuestra escuela para competir con otras escuelas de Nicaragua en la Competencia Nacional de Bandas de Guerra. Habian varios buses contratados para transportar varios profesores y 527 studiantes que pertenecen a la banda de guerra. Cuando ibamos de camino dos de las llantas del nuestro bus explotaron, la llanta delantera y trasera del lado izquierdo. Afortunadamente, el chofer, despues de maniobrar un poco logramos parar sin novedad. Esperamos por largo tiempo para que nos enviaran otro bus.
A pesar que nuestra escuela tiene el primer puesto en Centroamerica de Bandas de Guerra, los jueces decidieron no darle premios a nadie ya que el ano pasado hubo muchas peleas entre los muchachos participantes.
En una de las fotos pueden ver el caos que causamos en la via y todo el mundo bajando la velocidad para poder ver a todas las ninas bonitas. En la otra foto esta mi esposo afortunado como un pavo real.

Check out this papaya!

We went food shopping yesterday and bought this papaya for less than 2 dollars.
Since we are only two: my husband and I, we chose the smallest one we saw.
It's funny how so many items here, even though they are so inexpensive, they are out of the reach of the poor. If they have some money, do you think they are going to "waste" it on fruits and vegetables? No, they'd buy rice, beans and meat if they can afford it.


Se imaginan esta papayota por menos de dos dolares? Ayer fuimos a hacer la compra en el supermercado y como solo somos dos en casa, mi esposo y yo, escogimos la mas pequena que vimos.
Es triste ver cuantos productos alimenticios, a pesar de que son baratos, se encuentran fuera del alcance de los pobres. Si ellos consiguen algo de dinero, ustedes creen que ellos van a "desperdiciarlos" en frutas y vegetales? No, ellos compran arroz, frijoles y carne si les alcanza.

Masaya Volcano. Peace Corps volunteers.

Nicaragua's first impression.

Well, we have been in Nicaragua since May last year. What a challenge we've gotten ourselves into! We thought we would be an easy adaptation process because we both come originally from latino backgrounds, my husband was born in Puerto Rico and I was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. During our training (three months), they told us about nicaraguan ways of life, eating beans, heat, mildew and molds during the rainy season, mosquitos, nicaraguans forever lateness, volcanoes eruptions threats, earthquakes and so on.
Yes, beans. But we did not know that the only beans they ever eat is red beans. No lentils, no black eyed peas, no chick peas, nothing but red beans. Three times a day. For dinner: the national dish called "gallo pinto", rice mixed with red beans, for lunch: white rice and beans on the side, for breakfast: yeap, you guessed it : pureed beans smeard on a tortilla. I told my family that right now I am beanphobic!
Nicaraguan people are so darn good people, warm, polite, helpful and so many other qualities that makes it so much harder to quit our service. We have thought about it almost daily.
Everything goes on soooo slow. No hurry for anything. Why hurry, it's ok to be late. It's a habit.
We teach at a High School with more than 3000 students. There are three shifts: morning, afternoon and night classes. Our students are on the 10th and 11th grades. We teach them Small Business Developement. Since almost nobody can attend college, we give them the opportunity to be able to open their own business. Classes are overcrowded with 60-65 students per class, not enough seats for the kids and we don't even have a desk. We buy our own markers and erasers. Teaching is tough. Too many kids on a very small classroom, no air conditionning, no fans, suffocating heat. Kids are convinced that they would never come out of poverty.
Right now there's a tranasportation strike in Managua, (we are 1 1/2 hours from Managua). The goverment promises many things to drivers, teachers, and doctors. And then, they don't deliver! Doctor's have been on strike for two months. Don't you get sick, they will not treat you at the hospital.
Ok, I thing is enough for now. I will be writing pretty soon.