Things Don't Last

I have learned many things since I've moved to Nicaragua. One such thing could be titled "Things Don't Last Like they do in the States".


Example A: Clothes
It is summer weather all year-round, which means we don't have winter, spring, and fall clothes to rotate. We wear the same summer clothes over and over, so they get a lot of use. The clothesline is another issue. Do clothes dry quickly in the burning, hot sunshine? Yes. Do they fade like crazy and stretch out? Most definitely. Shirts that used to be normal length are about to be longer than my shorts. Some of my school pants are so baggy that they are officially too frumpy to wear to class. My friend had to gently tell me that my favorite red shorts are red no longer, but have most definitely faded to a nice shade of coral pink.

My swimsuit is a prime example:

Swimsuit on the left was purchased last June. It got plenty of use while I was in the States, but still looked pretty new when I came back to Nicaragua in August. I had to stop wearing it regularly in November because it was disgusting: faded, didn't fit correctly, almost see-through, with a nice dirt stain at the top. Swimsuit on the right is the same suit, brand new, brought from the States by a visiting friend.

Example B: Fruit
I used to buy fruit at the beginning of the week, naively believing it would still be fresh by the end of the school week. Now I know better, although sometimes I am still surprised by how quick things ripen. I purchased a very large and very un-ripe avocado Saturday night, assuming it would be nice and ripe and ready for guacamole making on Wednesday. Monday at 4:00 pm, that avocado was extremely ripe. One more day and it would have turned. Very green bananas, if I'm lucky, might make it to Thursday before they are fit only for banana bread.

Example C: Tires
I could write a twelve page essay on how quickly tires get destroyed here, but I will refrain. Let's just say that in less four years of owning my van, it has experienced almost 20 flat tires.

Cat in the Hat, Mr. Caldecott, and Scientists

The library has been abuzz with activity lately. Some highlights include:

Celebrating Dr. Seuss's Birthday 

Happy Birthday, Theodor Geisel! To celebrate, we've taken Seusstastical pictures, learned about Seuss's life, and read MANY, MANY Dr. Seuss books.

Learning about Randolph Caldecott and the Caldecott Medal that was named after him. 

We are officially Caldecott experts in the library. After learning about Randolph Caldecott, the inspiration for the Caldecott medal, students read books featuring current award winning illustrators. We now know that Caldecott winners are very talented and creative, and that many are excellent storytellers who don't need to use words! In the pictures above, students are closely examining wordless picture book illustrations on a Caldecott Scavenger Hunt.

Meet the Scientists

The library is the perfect place to plan, research, and showcase your learning. After using every library book about inventions, searching the internet, and learning how to write a bibliography, famous scientists and inventors (who suspiciously look like 4th graders) filled the library as they shared about their lives, accomplishments, and how they changed the world.

How Not to Be a Grinch

During the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break, I read a lot of Christmas books. Some I put on display, others I use with different library classes, some I recommend to teachers.

Out of all the books, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is always my favorite. This year I read it to the 3rd grade class, and I must admit I got a little animated during the read aloud. Afterwards, we talked about how NOT to be a grinch at Christmastime and throughout the rest of the year.

If you need some tips, read these brilliant ideas written by the third graders.

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

This is my fifth Thanksgiving in Nicaragua, my fifth away from family. 

It's still weird wearing shorts on a day that I associate with scarves and boots. It's still weird watching the parade without my sister next to me and my mom baking in the background. It's on days like these that I wish I was back in Omaha. 

The good news is that there is much to be thankful for here. My students, my friends, my job that I adore. A God who loves me and gives me everything I need. And while I am far away from home, technology bridges the gap. My mom can email me her stuffing recipe and I can email her the photo of me cooking it. It didn't turn out as good as hers, but it was good enough :)

Happy Thanksgiving from warm and sunny Nicaragua! 

Library Club

Library Club has become one of the highlights of my week. For an hour after school, 5th and 6th grade students meet in the library to do activities related to books, genres, and authors.

So far, we've created origami, solved mysteries, put our engineering skills to work, and played giant Pac-man.

Engineering 

Working on our origami skills

Practicing our Pac-man skills on the computer before we play on the giant board

Ta da! The giant Pac-man board itself.

Let the games begin! 

Gotta give a HUGE shout out to my lovely library team of assistants and high school helpers - Tom, Jackie, Peter, and Da Hee - who are always willing to help with the prep work. They also rock at playing giant Pac-man.

Mario Kart

Moo Moo Meadows in action. (Image from IGN.com)

So you know when you are playing Mario Kart and there are banana peels, bombs, and colorful boxes scattered everywhere with a dozen crazy drivers plus COWS crossing the road all Moo Moo Meadows style?

That's basically what driving is like here and in most developing countries. You've gotta be on your game or you'll end up in a pothole or stuck between 15 motorcyclists or possibly squished by a giant piranha plant.

A little while ago the four-lane "highway" near my house underwent some construction and turned into a five-lane highway. You would think that one more lane = more space for cars = less crazy driving, BUT no one painted lines on this lovely stretch of road. Therefore, every time I approached that street I would get that horrible feeling like when I'm playing Mario Kart, zooming down Moonview Highway, and I think that every move I make might be my last. Where is the line? Where am I supposed to be? Which side of the road am I really on? Will I get squished by that semi that wont stop blaring his horn?

Ladies and gentlemen, they painted the lines last week. Let me tell you, lines make a difference. I feel good. I know where I'm going. I know what side of the road I'm on. I have included a picture for your viewing enjoyment. And yes, lines being painted on the road was indeed the most note-worthy news of the week.

Book Tasting

Grab your fork and knife. It's time for a fine dining experience, and books are on the menu.

Thanks to multiple blogs and magazine articles that I have read lately, I was inspired to try a new idea in the library: Book Tasting.

The goal is to put books into students' hands that they might never pick up on their own. It is a way to show off some books in the library collection that you know students will love if they would only take them off the shelves.

To create the desired experience, I did a little table decorating, created menus, put together a classical music playlist, stole some fake flowers from my home, and hired a waiter (aka my enthusiastic assistant, Tom).

As students "tasted" their book appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, they filled out menus to help them process their thoughts and have a take-home reminder of what books they might like to check out in the future.

Afterwards, I looked through the menus to see what the students thought of the books they tasted. My favorite responses were when opinions changed as students took the time to look through a particular book. 

Many books received positive reviews. Others will be put back on the shelf for another day.

All in all, I'll call the Book Tastings a success. Many new library books have been checked out and are finally getting their much deserved time off the library shelves and into the hands of curious students.