Summary of my Training

Over a period of 3 months I gave 3 charlas at the health center, 2 charlas to a group of pregnant women, conduceted a survery about nutrition and presented the information to my fellow trainees.  All in broken spanish of course.  The days were packed with Spanish classes, technical lectures, and integration into the community.  I have almost experienced the whole gamut of special events including a baptism, a wedding, multiple birthdays, a baby shower, and I once politely declined an invitation to a wake.  I have had to say goodbye to two aunts and a cousin who sought work in Panama because there is none here.  It is heartbreaking to see them leave.  Though it is still difficult to communicate, I feel very close to my Nica family because they remind me so much of my family back home.  They are fun, easy-going, caring, sociable, generous, and adorable!  See for yourself:

Wilma, Gabby, Baby Matias, and Nuvia

Christian, Pilar, and José Alberto

Stephanie Nicole and Bosco Alexander

Osman and Matias

Matias and big brother Icker

Mama Chayo and Pilar

Mama Tita and Soraya

Matias and Josseling

Tito

Gabriel

In class, in addition to learning Spanish, we learned how to make buñuelos (like a donut made of yuca root), and sopa de albondigas (vegetable soup with dumplings).  The food here is getting more and more appealing and I´m starting to crave certain Nicaraguan dishes.  Lenka´s Nica brother Gerall was nice enough to guide us to a baseball game in Jinotepe, the artesan market in Masaya, and the lookout in Caterina.  Only a handful of memories summed up in this post.  I hope to write more frequently in the future,  As a goodbye present to my family I gave them a photo album filled with pictures to remind them how beautiful they are.  It was hard to say goodbye.  Now begins my service.

Things I sometimes forget that I miss:

hot showers
Starbucks
grass
hulu.com
bagels with cream cheese
book stores
personal space