Mom in Nica

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the blog of my mother's adventures in Nicaragua! Like all plans made here, most of our plans involving her trip didn't happen. Or at least they didn't happen in the way we thought they would. Nonetheless, we had a blast. Below I tried to capture some of our time together.

We may not have a Walmart or Target here, but we do have the colorful market. If you want it, they probably have it in some form. Want a hair cut, fresh fruit, or laundry soap? Do you want to sweat while buying it? Then I recommend going in the middle of the day when it is 100 degrees out. My mom and I did just that, but we still made it out alive with clothes, sandals, and souvenirs. And I only got disoriented and lost about four times, which I am sure is a new world record.

Other Nica-y things we did include:
Scaling a volcano to check out the crater. Ok, we didn't scale the volcano, but we did drive to the top in the mom van.

Drinking coke out of a bag while eating jacotes and watching people in the town square.

We ate food! Lots of plantains, chicken, "salad" aka cabbage, and beans.

We drank all the coffee. Nicaragua has fantastic coffee. Come down and try it out.

One afternoon (as we were drinking coffee) we planned a great lesson to teach to my students at school later that week. Minutes later we learned school was probably cancelled for the whole week due to the earthquakes we had been having. I can't tell you how upset I was. I had been so excited for my mom to meet all my students and to hang out in the classroom with them. I wanted her to see me doing what I love to do. With no school, this plan was ruined.

The next couple of days involved all the teachers scrambling around making learning packets for the students to take home and learning how to use online resources so students could do work online. During this mad scramble, my students came in to pick up their materials for the week, and my mom was able to meet most of them. Not quite what I had in mind, but it worked.

During the course of the week my mom got to meet all the people who are a part of my life on this side of the world. We hung out with my roommates and dyed eggs on Easter. We visited my Nica family and had almost coherent spanish/english/miming conversations.

We did a lot of driving. At one point the passenger side window got stuck half way down and refused to go back up, so we were able to enjoy the hot, exhaust-filled air in all its glory. We marveled at the poverty/wealth distribution. We laughed at the animals crossing the road and were thankful that it was Holy Week so the traffic wasn't half as chaotic as it normally was.

And now, to mix things up, let's hear from my mom herself. Before she returned to the States, we ordered some coffee and had a little interview. My questions are in purple.

Is Nicaragua like what you expected?

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Seeing pictures is certainly not the same as being here.

What has surprised you the most about Nicaragua?

The living conditions about some of the poorest. It isn’t anything like that in the US. 

Would you like to live here?

No. I would miss the four seasons, especially fall when the leaves change color.

What did you think about the heat?

I expected it, but what I didn’t realize is that I wouldn’t be able to cool off. There is so little air conditioning. You can't just go inside if it is really hot out.

Did you feel any earthquakes?

No! But I saw the water in the water cooler swaying back and forth, so I knew one had happened. 

What was your favorite part of the trip?

My favorite part was seeing where Bismark lives. (Side note: Bismark is my parent's sponsored child that lives in Nicaragua). My second favorite, of course, was seeing your classroom. I wanted to see where your teach. My only disappointment was not getting to see all the students.

Bismark's city

Tell us about some of the touristy things that you did.

I really liked Catarina. The view and lunch were excellent.

I liked the cathedrals in Granada. I liked the town square too because I am a people watcher. I had my first coke in a bag with a straw!

Any last words? 

I would stay longer if I could.  I will miss the sounds of this city.  I will miss the rooster and the goose who kept me company at the picnic table outside your house.  I'm going to miss your neighbors and your friends.  But most of all I'm going to miss you.  But wait . . . you'll be home in 6 weeks so now a new countdown begins.  I heard kitty misses me at home.  Don't worry kitty, mom is on her way! 

And, did anybody do the dishes while I was gone?

Thanks for coming to visit, Mom! I loved showing off my crazy city to you. Come back soon. 

Moving and Shaking

I’m sitting up in Selva Negra, my favorite place in Nicaragua. Activities include sitting around and reading my books, playing games with my friends, and enjoying the view and the break from the brutal heat of the city. It is also incredibly calm up here, which is not something that can be said about Managua. Life is always crazy there, but it stepped up the craziness a couple of weeks ago.

It started when an accreditation team came to our school. As a school and as individual teachers, we wanted to put our best face forward. We put in many extra hours during many weeks of preparation. The students felt it and we were all a little on edge, but everything went well, and our school has officially been reaccredited with ACSI.

Shortly afterwards we began a lovely week of standardized testing. Thankfully this only happens every other year. However, the schedule was a disaster for teachers, students were going stir-crazy, and the general joy was taken from school. The normal routine that I enjoy so much in the classroom was long gone. We did manage to make the best of it, and created some fun projects to help us learn and review concepts. 

Shape symmetry and perimeter robots

We learned all about the water cycle. Some students took some creative liberties in their flip books, as you can see. We watched a video clip that named one of the water molecules Jerry. So now "Jerry and his friends" are referred to quite frequently when explaining the different parts of the cycle. 

We also spent many hours getting ready for our big Book Day celebration, which is happening April 25th. A blog post will follow! For now it means that paint, big poster boards, and glue have taken over the classroom. 

Then Thursday came. My friends and I were all chatting in my kitchen as I was making a smoothie. We were feeling relieved and relaxed. Our spring break was to start the next day at 12:30. Our weeks of testing and accreditation craziness was just about finished! It was during this happy moment that the ground started to shake. I paused and wondered if I was imagining things. When I saw the big eyes and slight panic on my friends’ faces, I knew it was real. Unlike my last epic earthquake fail, I didn't freeze and imagine the worst possible outcome. This time my friends and I BOOKED it outside with a good deal of pushing and shoving and a slight amount screaming.

The ground continued to shake as we stood outside. It was by far the longest and strongest shaking I have ever felt. My car was rocking back and forth in the driveway. The streetlights were swaying. The ground continued to heave. The neighbors joined us outside soon after, and we soon agreed: this was a big one. The power, water, and internet all went off. The next couple of hours involved sitting around outside to make sure a huge aftershock didn't hit, sitting around inside trying to figure out what to do with ourselves (it is hard to read or workout or be productive when you have earthquakes on the mind), and running back outside when the big tremors continued to come. And oh, did the tremors come.

This got to be a little annoying after awhile, so I decided to take a shower and just go to bed. As I was hopping into bed I checked the internet and learned school had been cancelled for the following day. My very first earthquake day! Who can sleep after exciting news like that? Even when I did finally decide to call it a night, sleep was elusive. 

It turns out it is hard to sleep after an earthquake. This weird thing starts happening to your body and mind after you've experience the ground shaking under your feet. Pretty much every little shake and movement equals an earthquake in your mind. My house is next to the highway, so every time a big semi drives by, the house does some moving and shaking. It has also been very, very windy lately. So every big gust of wind has been shaking the house as well. What I am trying to say is that we think there is a tremor every five minutes. When this happens, immediately your heart starts racing and you prepare to run outside. Most of the time it turns out to be a false alarm, but this isn’t a very relaxing way to pass the time.

It is now Wednesday. There have been half a dozen large earthquakes near Managua, and many, many aftershocks and tremors. There has been some significant damage to buildings and many injured people. The country has been on red alert, which basically means be prepared and be ready for more. Mobile hospitals have been set up, people have been evacuated, and the country is trying to prepare itself for a natural disaster that is unpredictable. Many people have been sleeping outside their homes at night, stores have been closing early, and there is significantly less traffic.

(I don't have any of my own pictures, but this article has some good ones: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/String-of-earthquakes-puts-Nicaraguans-on-edge-5400689.php#photo-6165383)

Why the panic? In 1972, Managua was hit by an earthquake that severely damaged the city and took 10,000 lives. Only 40 some years in the past, that memory is not so distant to many here. The people know and remember what happened and are afraid it could happen again.

I take great comfort in knowing God holds the world in his hands. He is in charge. My trust is in Him. We are currently on Easter break, and my mom comes to visit me tomorrow. I am praying for an earthquake-free time as I show her around the country I love. Thank you for your prayers. 

I Live Like a Queen

I did a good amount of griping last week.

I know I live in a third world country, but I still expect water to magically flow through the pipes when I turn on the faucet. If I have pipes, shouldn’t water come through them? If there is a backup tank of water right next to my apartment, shouldn’t it work? If it is 95 degrees out, can’t I at least shower and flush my toilet and wash my hands? There are ants and cockroaches taking over my house. Can’t I at least wash my dishes and the counter? I don’t live out in the middle of nowhere, I told myself. My apartment is next to a main highway. There should be water.

I definitely said those things. Probably multiple times. Probably in the morning when I was already hot and sweaty and knew there would be no refreshing shower to start my day or to come home to at the end of the day.

It was during one of those hot and tired and unclean feeling moments when a Nicaraguan lady told me how five years ago a water pipe got damaged by her house. Five years later, still no running water. Nobody has come to fix it. Her family carries water from a couple of streets over to fill up water jugs they keep at their house. That shouldn’t have to happen, I thought. As if hearing me, she told me that this happens all over the country. Most people don’t have running water. For most it is hard work just to be clean.

Sigh.

I know these things; I’ve seen it.  Everyone knows it. Life is hard, everyday, for so many people around the world. 

“I know about people in Africa,” she told me next. “They have it worse. They walk miles to get water. Children starve to death. I don’t like walking to get water, but I have it good. I live like a queen. I thank God everyday because I live like a queen.”

This conversation has circled through my mind quite a few times this week. There were some guilty feelings, of course, followed by the ugh, I've been very entitled and North American again. But I know it isn’t that simple. Poverty doesn't turn people into thankful machines. The poor and rich and everyone in between struggle with contentment and thankfulness and dealing with life’s little problems. Running water or buckets of water, Africa or Nicaragua or the United States, it doesn’t matter. We struggle, we complain, we wish our problems would disappear. Nevertheless, the whole situation bugged me. 

One of my room moms came in last week to spruce up my classroom door for springtime. Spring doesn't actually exist here, but we like to pretend that we have four seasons and decorate accordingly. The door served as the reminder that I needed.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. (Psalm 98:4)

I want to do that. I really want to do that. It is normal to be frustrated when the water doesn’t work. However, I know that I did not make one joyful noise despite my frustration. In contrast, “I thank God everyday because I live like a queen” was a joyful noise.

Here's to a new week. My goal is to make a joyful noise. 

Flying Ants

Imagine it's a hot day, about 95 degrees. Your house hasn't had running water for days, and you aren't necessarily hitting the definition of "clean". You've had a good, but long day at work. Once you arrive at your car, you set down your heavy bags in the seat next to you, get out your keys, and think about how refreshing it will feel when the cold blast of air conditioner will hit you. You turn the air conditioner nob and are surprised when you are hit in the face, not with cold air, but with dozens of flying ants. Ants that are now crawling over your body, face, and hair and are turning you into a driving hazard on the already hectic roads of Managua.

I found myself in this situation just a day or two ago.

It was mildly unpleasant to say the least. However, it did cause the light bulb to go off in my head. For the past week or so I had been covered in ants when I got home from school. I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. First I assumed it was from my desk that I use at school. Then I decided there must be some food crumbs in my car that were attracting ants. Neither of those theories really added up because I couldn't find a group of ants in either of those places.

When I got blasted in the face by those ants that fine sunny afternoon, I remembered all the times in the past week when I had turned on my AC and assumed it was little pieces of debris and dust that were hitting my body. It is the dry season after all, and every inch of every surface is covered by dust. Now I know better. I haven't been showering with running water lately, or even dust, but ants.

And so my adventures with ants continue. 

In slightly related car news, I am finally getting four brand new tires today for my van. I am hoping this will solve all of my flat tire issues. For those of you who are counting, I think I am on flat tire number 14!

My Earthquake Fail

If you want to know what not to do if an earthquake happens in the middle of the night, follow my example.

Here's what happened. It was late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I was fast asleep, having some psycho nightmare. My sleep abruptly ended. I thought I was still in the nightmare, so my first thought was that there was a murderer in my bedroom. I sat up, looked around. No murderer. Then it hit me: - my bed is shaking like crazy, my dresser is pounding against the wall - this is an earthquake. Sitting there in my bed, in a weird nightmare/half sleep/who-knows-where mindset, it didn't even cross my mind to do something. There were no thoughts of taking cover under something sturdy or making a dash for the front door. I just sat there in my bed, heart pounding, trying to imagine how much it would hurt when the ceiling fell on me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't quite terrified.

I am not sure why I freaked out, except that it was in the middle of the night, and I had had a horrifying dream. When there have been tremors during the day (although I admit I have never felt one that strong), I always assume it is no big deal. During my moment of frozen fear in the middle of the night, my roommate had already jumped out of bed, crouched in a door frame, and later walked into the hallway, ready to go outside. Next door, my neighbor was contemplating whether to hide under her whole bed or just under the mattress. Some neighbors down the way snatched their kids out of bed and ran outside. Some people managed to sleep though the whole thing, which means they must be very heavy sleepers. That was no small amount of shaking going on.

After the tremor stopped, I saw my neighbor turn her light on next door, which inspired me to turn my light on in some sort of "I'm alive! Did you feel that earthquake?" Morse Code-like signal. That made me feel a little better. The aftershock came next, but the tremor wasn't as bad as the first. My body didn't want to sleep after that, but after some struggle, I fell into a couple of earthquake inspired dreams. I was relieved when my alarm went off and the world seemed normal again.

The earthquake was a 6.4 on Richter scale, taking place a little off the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, about 99 miles northwest from Managua. Looking back, I see that my reaction was ridiculous. Why didn't I do anything? Why didn't I get out of my bed?! Thankfully, the tremor we felt here wasn't any bigger and did no damage. I will let that be my practice run; next time that happens in the middle of the night, I will NOT just sit there.

The good news is that I can reenact this story to my students tomorrow, and they will LOVE it.

Baa!

I came across a really cute book a couple of months ago:

The author only uses two different words in the whole book. On every page except the last page, the word moo appears in some form. Punctuation and the facial expressions of the cow clearly explain what is happening in this story.

I thought the story was hilarious, and so did my students. We had to read it twice because once just wasn't enough. After we were done laughing, we discussed the importance of punctuation. They understood that "Moo?" clearly means something different than "MOO!!!"

On the last page of Moo!, the cow blames a sheep for his actions, and the author introduces the second word, baa, to the story. We decided to see if we could create our own stories using David LaRochelle's example and the new sheep character.

Over the next couple of days, my students plotted out their stories, made flip books, and finally wrote and illustrated their own Baa! stories.

On Friday my students presented their stories to the class. Some were a little embarrassed about saying "baa" over and over again in different voices, but once they got started they had us laughing all over again.

I love the sheep in the hammock. I imagine that is the exact sound I would make if I was a sheep swaying back and forth. . .

Iguana Soup

Any retreat with the theme of "Survivor" is bound to be a little crazy.

Our 4th - 6th grade students were on eight different tribes. We spent the morning pushing our students physically through various activities. Running, swimming, climbing, searching, crawling, they did it all. They were exhausted by lunch time.

After free time in the pool, the students rotated through different workshops. They learned to read and follow a compass, pitch a tent, create an SOS signal, and build a fire.

The real fun came at dinner time. Two of the workers from NCA came out to the retreat center to show my students how to kill, skin, and cook iguana. We received a lot of different reactions - screams, shouts of "This is the coolest thing ever!" and some tears. After everyone calmed down, each group got their own iguana and set to work. The brave students handled the iguanas, while the rest cut onions and tomatoes for their soup and rebuilt their fires. It soon became dark. I loved watching all the groups huddled around their fires, mixing soup, and hearing them talk about the experience. By the time the soup was done, most were either 1) brave enough or 2) hungry enough to eat the soup. Did I try it? Of course! Wasn't bad. Imagine tough chicken with a slight fish taste.

Here's a look at our day in pictures:

Getting ready for the day's activities

Mid-afternoon visit from a scorpion

Mr. Iguana

Ready for some high quality reactions?

Soup preparation 

Iguana preparation

Showing off his iguana skinning skills

My first taste of iguana soup

More than outdoor survivor skills and teamwork, we wanted our students to walk away from the retreat with spiritual truths that they can apply to their lives. During our chapel sessions, we learned that in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

Ending the retreat with a little water fun