(Sorry these blogs are long - I am writing a lot so I can look back one day on my thoughts and what was going on. But hope you can take plenty away).


I finished my first three days of orientation, and tomorrow morning, I am heading to meet my host family! us to our host families; all 40 of us were in a room, and the PC staff would put up a picture of a family, say what town/city they live in, then we would kind of have a drumroll and they would announce what person in our group has them as our new family. Then everyone was hoot and holler and clap and they would give us a sheet of paper with all their info.

I asked to be in a family with kids, and just LOOK at that little girl - SO CUTE! She is 4 years old and will probably be the girl who teaches me the most spanish out of anyone. Cant wait to have a 4 year old best friend.

My group! (read below)

There are three other girls in my group who will be living with other families in my city. No PC volunteers live with other volunteers; each of us has our own family. The other 3 girls, Clair, Clair, and Geri, are really awesome. I love them already and we are gonna get along like hermanos (siblings). 

we will be in the area on the western side that is dark pink

I cant say I have connected with one person in my group more than others - thats not usually how I roll. I have spend almost equal time with everyone.

a decent amt of our group taking a break from our class

A quick note about spiders - they are the size of my palm (maybe 4 or 5 inches in diameter) - tarantulas. One girl woke up with one right next to her bed. Then unfortunately killed the poor bastard and brought him into class to show all of us.

The bats fly all around us (literally hit my friend joe in the face) at night. The cute little lizards are always crawling on the walls outside. 

Anyway, surprising to myself is that I am not too nervous - not for any of this language stuff. I talked to a returned PC volunteer and they said they wasted a lot of time worrying, and could have been enjoying, and that we all will get it. Might as well enjoy it. I certainly plan to. This is a SICK opportunity and still cant believe I am in here. In fact, I feel so lucky, that I still keep thinking I am going to somehow have something happen that will make me leave! But overall, I feel good here. 

Like.. good on the inside - emotionally, mentally, whatever you want to call it. It feels good.

Whats cool is that Ive been able to speak with people in our group in spanish outside of classtime. That doesn't sound like its a big achievement, but it is a monumental effort to consciously decide to speak something that neither of you know terribly well and pass up quick, easy, and fun (and non-brain-hurting) conversation. But I have opted for the former many times, and its so fun.

DURING classtime - get this- we had it outside, and there was literally a parrot in the tree next to us skuawking

We have a few fluent speakers in our group, and those are some of the people I have been having quick chats with and practicing with, and other times just whoever is around me. I am really trying to get into my mind the idea of not being embarrassed. Its an incredibly difficult thing to get out of your mind. I have more than not won the battle thus far, and will continue to push myself to do so.

My environmental education group

Some of the most helpful people here have been current PC members that have been in country for a year who are volunteering to be here for our first 3 days to ease our transition. We ask them any and every question (where to travel to, how to meet people best, what to eat, how to pay host parents to get them to cook for you (muahaha), if anyone from their group is dating a nica (the answer is yes), how to go about getting cell phones, abotu safety, etc).

The past few days the PC has given us med kits, given us shots, started us on malaria meds (which are supposed to give you crazy dreams), and given us Nicaraguan money (the equivalent of like.. 8 dollars, which apparently is supposed to last us until next Friday?? I already spent half of it on drinks - woops). They have taken care of us so so much and have looked out for us. They are all so nice - all of the staff in country. Many are Nicaraguans themselves. 

clearly excited about my "Emergency Diarrhea Medical Kit," as labeled in red

The next three months are going to be spanish classes for the entire day, and an activity in the evening that helps us practice what we worked on that day. The way they tested us the past 2 days was first a one-on-one interview, then today we split up into teams of 8, and played some games in spanish that would bring out how much we knew. 

I actually surprised myself for how much spanish I remember. I am no impressive speaker, but talking in a different language is hard, and I am not doing too bad. 

The amount of info, however, that the PC covers in their sessions with us is insane. Im trying to internalize it all but a mans brain can only handle so many words in one day.

I have been going out of my way to spend time with each person in our group. Its tough because there is only so much time in the day and between events and sessions, but thats always the way I operate and always will. I want to know and be close to as many people as I can. 

I keep trying to go out of my way to ask how each person is REALLY doing - not just to say the typical response, but to actually see if they are okay emotionally and mentally so far. Every PC group has several people drop because of various reasons, many of which are because they are homesick, or sad/depressed. I think most are in high spirits now, and as for me, I think we have been so busy that I havent even had the time to think about being homesick. 

Ive lived a lifestyle the past few years that Ive been away from family and "home" for extended periods of time, and that has more than adjusted me, such that this actually feels totally normal to me. Tonight I got to skype with mommom (in delaware), and jay and mom (in LA) for the first time since I arrived. 

I posted a few pics to facebook and added a status or two about me leaving, and its really encouraging seeing so many people supporting me, sending messages, and wishing me luck. It makes me feel so much better to know that.