A brand new year, a brand new hat

Back in Nicaragua. It was a little harder to leave the US this time. Not only was my little sister telling me how awesome it would be if I just lived in San Francisco, and it would be, but I also had a crippling pain in my back which made traveling for 9 hours seem that much more daunting. Luckily I was able to sleep most of the way. I even got to practice my Spanish with a lady, sure to get lost in the Houston airport without me she told me, on her way home to Nicaragua. It was nice to chat for a little while, but as soon as I got back on the plane I was fast asleep again. I arrived safe and sound in Managua ready for a smooth transition back to my site, but my pain didn't go away so easily. After a few tests it was concluded that I had a UTI, but just to be safe I stayed an extra day to get an ultrasound of my kidney too. I was told by the doctor that I should drink plenty of water so it would be easier to see my organs, including my bladder. So with a full bladder I went to the doctor, only to have him push the ultrasound wand into my bladder making me have to pee. As I'm holding it in, he asks me to describe my illness to him in Spanish. At this point I had spent 3 days in Managua watching cable TV in English. The most Spanish I had used was in the Houston airport, but even at that he said my Spanish was good. I think he was just being nice, hoping I wouldn't pee all over his floor. While his assistant was typing up the report to be sent back to the Peace Corps, he explained to me that everything looked fine. Then he went on to tell me that I should get a hat, a large hat. My skin is very delicate, he told me, and the sun is clearly damaging it, he could see from the redness in it. I didn't really know how to respond. How does this have to do with my kidney? And how can you even see in the lighting of the ultrasound room? And more importantly, don't you know I hate hats?! Hate them, on me, on other people, in movies flying away inciting a romantic dash to retrieve it. Good riddance I say, let the hat fly free! So I got a hat. But I was determined not to spend money on a hat, so I just found on in the Peace Corps office. Of course it was the windiest day in the history of Managua and my hat flew off as soon as I left the building, but no romantic ran after it, just me, looking like an idiot who wears a hat on a windy day. I carried the hat all the way back to my site, only to leave it on the bus on accident. Maybe it was fate, but now I was committed to making this hat thing work. So finally I did the unthinkable, I bought a hat. I bargained the lady down to a dollar thinking she'd never go for it, and before I knew it she was shoving it on my head and taking my money. So now I have a new look, a new hat, and hopefully less skin cancer. Happy new hat!

In the Vos

This weekend wasn't great. I missed the bus to the city on Saturday which means I still don't have a phone. Staying at home, I was pretty bored and realized I haven't really made friends in the community yet. We did go to the river which was fun, but I got sunburnt even though I put sunscreen on. I watched way too much TV, in English and in Spanish. The only upside was that I didn't feel too bad about not getting anything accomplished work wise because it was the weekend. But after that nothingness of a weekend, I had a mini break through tonight with my host family. On Sunday night for whatever reason, my host family decided to ask me all those questions you usually ask when first meeting someone. We talked about my family, my education, plane ticket prices, future plans and, my favorite topic, Africa. I answered all their questions easily about myself and family. When we got to talking about Africa, I told them as much as I could and then, when my vocabulary started to fail me, I shared videos and pictures. All gathered around my computer to see videos of Dante dancing and the women making shea butter. It was great to share this with them, something unique to me, which is some what of a challenge being the 4^th volunteer here. There's the first volunteer, the one that is getting married to a Nicaraguan, the one that's already here and now the one that's been to Africa. The best part about the whole evening was the switch from formal to informal, something not as recognizable in English. They started using “vos” (what they use instead of “ch”) tense with me and dropped the “usted”, a sign of closeness. This was something easily adapted by the teenagers in and out of my classes, but until now had been reserved by my host family. With the intensity of the rapid fire questions and the excitement of African photos, I didn't even realize the “vos” until after we were done talking and I was on my way to bed. Did they just?....Yes they did I'm in the “vos”!

Blue skies!

My role as good weather fairy continues as I bring sunshine to Nicaragua. I was informed on our way to the capital from the airport that Nicaragua had enjoyed record breaking rainfall every day in the previous week. I prepared myself for the worst. On the news my host mom and I watched the floods that affected communities across Nicaragua due to the rain. In spite of this, I have yet to see rain during the day. It rained a few times at about 4am, but that was it. It's been beautiful and sunny everyday! But I heard it was a little rainy in the capital, but I didn't see any when I went in last Monday. I've been told that the region I'm going to is suppose to be the hottest in the country, but we'll see. It can't be worse than Mali right? Come to think of it, everything here must be an improvement right? I observed a class today that another volunteer was co-teaching. Afterwards we talked about the challenges and he's experience so far in his town. “So you have teachers that care about teaching? And they don't hit the kids here? And all of the kids have notebooks and pen? And they don't have to pay for school?” Other than large class sizes, I don't see a problem here. They could improve their class management a little maybe... I guess my standards are a little low. We'll see how long that lasts too. I'm sure my optimism will be dampened, just like the weather can't stay beautiful forever, or maybe it can... I'll work on it.

Also I have a phone finally. Let me know if you want the number.

And even though I am really loving it here so far, I do still miss you guys! I think about you guys a lot.

The Mali of Latin America, 2nd poorest but just as Awesome

Wait you guys have paved streets here....?

So how different is Nicaragua from Mali? Well other than being on different continents, they already seem figuratively oceans apart. Let me give you a comparison as an example. My third night with my Malian host family during training consisted mostly of my host mom miming everything from “You want food?” to “Do you want to throw water on yourself out of a bucket?” I remember singing “Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur” to the kids because I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I couldn’t wait to get back to the other PCVs and speak English. The night ended with me lying in my mud hut thinking, “What did I get myself into this time?” At the end of all that, I ended up loving my time there.

And then there’s Nicaragua. On my third night, in Nicaragua, my host mom took me to hang out with her friends. This is where my Spanish was really tested. I justified a beer with the fact that it would improve my Spanish, which it did of course. So instead of trying to act out shower in mime, my widowed host mom and I joked about her getting a “gringo” boyfriend, me trying to translate Kenny G and then trying to explain in Spanish why I wanted to do a third year in Nicaragua. When asked, I found that I had already forgetten how to say amigo in Bambara. As it is only my third night I think I’m off to a good start. I can already see myself staying longer…. Sorry mom.

On to the Next Adventure

So as many of you know, I am going to Nicaragua at the end of the week. I know that I was slacking a little as I was leaving Mali, but with all new experiences should come newly enthused blog posts! My visit to Ameriki (last time I will use that I promise) was made amazing by many friends and family. I earned a few free beers and much needed shopping trips. It was like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into 3 weeks, minus Mindy's wedding which was just like a family reunion on the beach. Anyway... thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm. I promise to stay safe and keep in touch.

Stay tuned for more.... but until then enjoy these facts on Nicaragua, now you know as much as I do!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_985.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1225218.stm

Closing Time

This last week was our “Close of Service” Conference. I went into it with little expectations apart from all of my training group and then some (about 60 PCVs) getting together and staying a a hotel; AC good food, a pool. In the beginning it felt like an over exaggerated high school graduation party complete with drinking by the pool and listening to old favorites. By the third day I realized that's what it really was. We were all just over grown adolescence unsure of our futures. The speaker and organizer of the conference started us off just like any speaker should with enthusiasm and random stories. She promised to make sure we knew by the end of the conference how valuable our service really has been not only to Malians but also to our own future. She was going to pump us up and make us even more self center than we could ever imagine, that is of course if we didn't make fun of her ice breaker games... Half way through the conference we started to make some head way on resumes and what to do with our futures and what paper work we have to do before we leave (one of the beauties of working with the US government). I was feeling pretty good about my resume and my future in general, as one of a few that has a solid plan for next year, and then we heard the career panel. The guests on the panel were obviously living abroad in Mali, and as RPCV (return peace corps volunteers) had chosen to work in development, all but one who was an international school teacher. I'm not sure if I want to live abroad or even do development work, but they all, including the school teacher, made it clear that it is near impossible without a graduate degree in something, anything really, and that made me reevaluate my position on furthering my education. Not now of course, but now the “definitely not” has turned into a “maybe”. I still want to have a better idea of what I want to do first.

As the days turned into hours I was in denial about my two best friends, Hunter and Rabayah, leaving. They both chose to leave early for different reasons, Hunter a Peace Corps extension in China starting now and Rabayah grad school. Although I, and most of my other friends, don't leave the country for another two months we were force to realize what the ultimate outcome of the conference was, the end of our time here in Mali. Of course Hunter was busy trying to finish all the last minute paper works and goodbyes, leaving the best for last, so it seemed so abrupt, rushed. The Peace Corps driver came 30 minutes early to take him to the airport, the only time something ever happens early in Mali. Because he was leaving from the hotel of our conference there was a large number of people there to see him off, but only a few of us were actually crying. And before we knew it our big white hunter was gone. Rabayah left not a week later. By then, most people had gone back to their sites so the group was smaller, but still the best of the best. More crying... Like high school graduation or even college, I know that the most important friends that I have made here will keep in touch but it's going to be harder since most of us are internationally minded. I am very excited to see my family and friends back home, and I know I am ready to leave Mali but I guess I wasn't ready to be sad about leaving, and maybe that's good. Maybe that will urge me to return, urge me to make even more of a difference somewhere else.

And now I go back to my site reluctantly. I don't feel refreshed or re energized to finish up my service. I feel more unsure and out of control of my last 2 months. I have seen two other services end and it's only 2 short months until I too will leave and that is a struggle not to dwell on, to not be overwhelmed by. But maybe Mali will surprise me again.

Every new beginning come from some other beginnings end, or at least that's how the song goes.

Paris

So with my busy months head of me, I decided to flee the heat and meet Mindy in Paris. It was a much needed vacation (my last out of the country was September 09) and I took a lot of wonderful pictures. They can be found on facebook with the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=2057001&id=17700453

Now it's back to the mangoes and hopefully our building will be done soon.