katie jean

Chavalandia

2011-05-30T18:43:00.008-06:00

This past weekend Aimee and I took a few 8th grade friends rollerskating. The park is relatively new, and includes a small outdoor rink. Two of the three had never used roller skates before and gave us many laughs with their fabulous falls.

Debora gave it a great shot and managed to stay on her feet by the time we were done!

Claire and Jennifer could be found on the ground often - laughing hysterically.

Aww... how cute...

The glam pose - we're rockin' those skates!

On the way home the girls got a little goofy with my camera.

This last video is from a Saturday evening church service I attended. If you've ever wondering what would happen when you combine a tone-deaf singer with a pianist who doesn't know the song or the key you're trying to sing it - well, you're in luck! Rather than causing a scene I just pointed the camera down - so there isn't anything to see. And you're not really missing much. It's all about the audio....

Did you really know how bad it could get?

Mango Books

2011-05-22T17:25:00.008-06:00

Every Thursday I drive 45 minutes out of Managua to teach English classes in the rural schools of California and San Diego. I often give rides to people along the way, and most of the time have at least one rider in the back of my truck.

One day after class I stopped for a woman who had some large bags. She immediately threw the bags in the back, jumped in the front with me, and began chatting my ear off. I learned that she was quite the entrepreneur selling clothes on Thursdays, tacos on Tuesdays, soup on Friday, and doing laundry out of her house on Mondays and Wednesdays. Normally I drop riders off at a road or bus stop near their house. This wonderful woman began giving me directions to get all the way to her house. As I found myself winding through Villa el Carmen where 'er she bade I was invited to have a mango at her house.

Upon arriving at her house I was invited inside and introduced to her daughter and granddaughter. She then handed me a large bag full of mangoes and insisted that I take them ALL. We're talking a bushel of mangoes! I graciously accepted - after all, turning down her offer would have been supremely rude - and wondered what in the world I would do with so many mangoes.

With the help of a roommate I struck upon an idea. Make mango jam! We spent the better half of a Sunday chopping, cooking, and pouring. Neighbors' kitchens were raided for glass containers and word was sent out regarding a one-time-offer of Hitch-hiker Farms Mango Jam. Within a week we had sold nearly our entire stock.

With the proceeds of Jam sales I was able to do a little shopping! A dozen or so books and a plastic container later I was dropping the books off at the school in San Diego where I had first met the Mango lady. The students were thrilled with the donation of books for their school and ravenously began reading. The delight on their faces was a joy to behold.

I love this crazy country of Nicaragua where picking up a hitch-hiker can turn into donating books to children who have none, and where a bag of mangoes is payment for a ride home.

**To see pictures of the students with their new books go to the Hope and Development Foundation page on Facebook**

oops

2011-05-13T16:18:00.002-06:00

Try to play this video rather than the one in the following post.... unless you really like cow pictures.

Birthday weekend

2011-05-13T14:31:00.013-06:00

A group of friends and I went north last weekend.

In celebration of my birthday it was determined that some music was needed.

This man was quite skilled with his hand organ and at looking stoic.

The mariachi band ended with a love song that was all about me!

We did some hiking,

and some posing,

and acted a little silly.

The coffee plants were in bloom!

They smelled wonderful - kind of like honeysuckle.

We also made sure to avoid any cattle in the road.

Alfombras

2011-04-26T19:39:00.015-06:00

The community of Sabinas in Leon makes sawdust carpets each year on Good Friday to celebrate. These are made from dyed, wet sawdust. Most families have planned a design weeks in advance - often using pictures from the Bible, calendars, tracts, or other random places. The whole process takes many hours, from laying the initial carpet and packing it in; to adding the colors. The early birds begin around 6 am on Friday morning. By the evening the carpets are wiped away as a procession passes over them.

the extra-long version... not sure what city this is...

Wire is used to draw the design into the wet, packed sawdust and boards or ladders keep the workers just above the canvas

Do you see it?

All the colors ready to go

Everyone helps

Sometimes help means keeping the picture handy

I love that they're using a picture from the huge family Bible as their inspiration

Carpets and kids alike getting watered

This is the Samaritan woman at the well - they're working on Jesus in the top left of the picture

Somoto

2011-03-28T09:20:00.019-06:00

Last weekend I crossed off the last big item on my Nicaragua bucket list.

Somoto Canyon

We chose the full-day hike which included rock scrambling, swimming, hiking, and cliff jumping.

They even had quality life jackets for us to use!

First jump into the river was a little cool.

The scenery was amazing, and the location so remote that we didn't see any other people for hours.

Swimming through the canyon and around huge rocks might be my favorite part.

Time to do some rock hoppin'

Group photo!

Does it get any better?

Our guide loved to take group photos and made sure we had plenty of memories captured in pictures.

I could do this every day and not get sick of it.

Most people only ride a boat up to this part. We had spent 5 hours hiking/swimming in from the back side to get here.

Nearing the end...

I would do this again in a heartbeat!

Somoto Canyon currently ranks as my number one favorite Nicaragua trip.

Reimagining

2011-03-26T12:47:00.003-06:00

As part of my final project for my master's program I've been looking more closely at culture. This has included going back to my old newsletters, journals, etc. and comparing my then thoughts with my now thoughts. To help clarify my thinking I made a photo collage showing the themes I'm noticing. The first picture or pictures in a section have to do with my initial ideas of culture - my North American framework for understanding it. With the last picture or pictures in a section I'm trying to show the new idea or "reimagination" of culture.

How to become a Nicaraguan Resident

2011-03-01T10:50:00.005-06:00

Step 1: Pay C$30 to the bank to get a receipt for a police report

Step 2: Spend half a day waiting in line to get your police report

Step 3: Go to the clinic and get your blood drawn for blood tests. While you're there you'll also need to get some sample cups which you'll fill later.

Step 4: Fill said cups (yes - both are needed) and return them to the clinic

Step 5: Pick up your police report (plan on a few hours again)

Step 6: Pick up your health report

Step 7: Be asked to find an original of your birth certificate

Step 8: Search high and low with no success

Step 9: Ask at your previous place of employment for a copy of your birth certificate

Step 10: Find out from them that you don't in fact need your birth certificate because immigration already has it.

Step 11: Take health and police reports to cancilleria to get them authenticated

Step 12: While at cancilleria they'll tell you to go to yet another police department and health center to get the official documents before they can authenticate them

Step 13: Talk to someone who knows what they're doing and who calls immigration on your behalf. Find out that you don't in fact need anything authenticated, don't need to go to cancilleria, and only need to get the official health certificate

Step 14: Get stuck in a traffic jam that doesn't move for an hour - turn around and come back home.

Step 15: Put it off for another day.

Big Thoughts

2011-02-08T11:37:00.002-06:00

Wow! It's been awhile since I last posted. I'm not sure if it's cause I've been so busy, or have just been lazy.

Thought I'd share some of the deep ideas and thought provoking questions that I've recently run across while reading....

Hobbes: Look at all the stars! The universe just goes out forever and ever!

Hobbes: It kind of makes you wonder why man considers himself such a big screaming deal.

Calvin: That's why we say inside with our appliances.

trying to be athletic... hah!

2010-12-07T20:54:00.011-06:00

What did you do this Thanksgiving weekend? Eat leftovers? Watch a game or two? Sounds more relaxing than my weekend. I spent my weekend pretending to be athletic. While I don't claim to have fooled anyone, I made a valient attempt.

A group of around 30 bikers rode about 100km in two days, and raised money for the local Luke Society. The project we helped fund is a land-grant program in which farmers are assisted in purchasing their own land.

The scenery was fabulous! I'm now interested in my very own land grant project. I think I'll call it "help kate buy a piece of paradise". Anyone interested?!

At the end of day one we stayed at Chococentre Reserve. The area is normally kept clear of tourists in order to provide a safe-haven for sea tortoise to lay eggs. In order to see this, you need to head out to the beach around midnight. We only got to see one, but it was worth the short night of sleep. She laid nearly 100 eggs before impressively hiding her nest and returning to the ocean.

The ride included a few river crossings. Fun, but perhaps next time I'll pack some sandals or at least take off my shoes. I joined my roomies on this trip. This is the official roommate picture from our weekend.

Stopping for a quick photo op on day two. I'm hiding second from left. Overall a fun weekend and a great ride. The road was generally in good condition and included 3 rivers, many creeks, and the occassional pig and cow to dodge. I've decided that if you stay off the main roads, biking in Nica isn't so bad after all.

The following weekend I helped at the first ever NCA mini-triathlon. A 200m swim, 10km ride, and 5km run. The entire event took place at Xiloa - a crater lake just outside of Managua. That's right, a triathlon in a volcano. Now that's not something I ever expected to be a part of!

This group is eager to get started.

Okay, before more about the tri, you need a short back-story here. I recently came across this great photo of my neices. It's a current favorite, and I asked my roommates (who were both competing) for a similar photo.

While Madison and Kailey are awful cute, I think Aimee and Carey gave it a good shot.

Perhaps if they just had the bright swimsuits...

I had the great honor of official time-keeper. Oh yes, you should be impressed.

Over 50 participants completed the tri, and many more jealously observed the physical prowess of the brave souls. Maybe next year. If they let teams compete. Maybe.

November happenings...

2010-12-07T13:51:00.006-06:00

November was filled with fun and adventures. Perhaps most memorable was my very first ride in an ox cart. Based on my experience I would say I now know:

1. Oxen stink - especially when wading through filthy water.

2. They're incredibly powerful beasts and not scared off by a 4 foot verticle climb of slippery rock - even when chest deep in water and pulling a full load!

3. Ox carts have an amazing ability to not tip. Thank goodness for that!

4. While the experience is fun, walking is faster and potentially a less dirty option.

While visiting schools I was a little surprised to see Christmas crafts being made already in the middle of November. Of course, the Nicaraguan school year ends in November, so I guess you've got to start early if you want to do any of those fun things at school!

I also spent some time visiting local private schools. This little school, Luz de Camino, had many great plans. One is to use this room as a library/computer lab. From the looks of it this plan has been in the work for quite some time, with typical Nicaraguan speed at bringing it to fruition.

I had the thrilling experience of getting myself stuck. I know it doesn't look all that bad, but there was a hidden step of stone and absolutely no traction to pull the truck up and over (or back out). Of course, I was wearing sandals, so I barefoot it to the top of the hill.

Los Perez Fence Project

2010-11-22T11:27:00.012-06:00

As North Americans living in Nicaragua we often joke about “Nica time” and how everything seems to be much more complicated here. This project is one such example. The only access to this community is via ox cart, or walking in. While most of us chose to walk the 3 Km in across fields and through barbed wire fences, the supplies had to be hauled in on ox carts.

The sand, gravel, cement mix, and metal poles were all unloaded on the side of a main road. We then scooped it up into bags to transport it to the school. Due to the poor conditions of the road and the strain on their oxen, the ox cart drivers chose to only take a few loads each day. Good thing we started this process on Monday!

By Wednesday all of the supplies were at the school and the post holes were being dug. Community members greatly assisted in both of these efforts so that when the Rotary team arrived on Thursday we were ready to begin installing the fence.

We began with preparing the poles. Cutting them down to size was not an easy task, so many hands were called for. As poles became ready others began to pound them into place as still others removed obstacles such as trees. With all the poles pounded down and level we were ready for the concrete.

Friday was mesh day.

Everyone soon understood what needed to happen, and two teams were formed. Working from opposite ends, they began to quickly move forward in laying the mesh.

Gringos and Nicaragüenses worked alongside one another, at times communicating in fluent Spanish, while other times gestures and nods got the meaning across.

By noon on Friday the mesh portion was completed. After eating a fabulous meal prepared locally, we packed up our things and for the last time journeyed around rivers, plod through farm yards, and squeezed through fences as we headed back to all of the demands and realities of lives that for a few short days were tempered by joy of giving to those less fortunate than ourselves.

The 27 students that attend the Los Perez school are extremely grateful for all of the hard work these men put in. While a fence may not seem like a huge improvement to many of us, Nicaraguans see this as incredibly important. It not only keeps the school more secure, but also keeps animals from wandering in and making a mess of the school yard. This community is exceedinly proud of their new fence and were honored to have been the recipients of such selfless giving.

greasy days

2010-10-25T15:37:00.001-06:00

The power went out this morning just as I was about to get into the shower. That means no hot water.

Some days I choose greasy over cold.

Things I never thought I would need to know

2010-10-22T14:27:00.002-06:00

As I have stepped away from teaching this year and am working with an NGO I'm finding myself doing a lot of new things. Some I anticipated, others I didn't. Many I never knew it was something to know or do.

So what is it I've been spending my time doing?

1. Posting on H&D's facebook page daily (or trying to). I only joined facebook a few years back because I was forced to, and never intended to spend as much time on it as I have this past week.

2. Filing for incorporation status. I knew it could be done, but never expected to be doing this myself. After all, teachers don't start non-profit businesses!

3. Being asked to form a pro forma budget. My brain exploded when I heard this term. Not only did I never expect to have to do this, I never new this term existed before this week. I can write lesson plans all day long, but writing budgets is about like speaking latin to me.

While there is much that is new, many things are familiar. I have a teacher workshop to plan for, and am enjoying planning lessons and preparing materials. I have also been working on a newsletter to keep supporters updated. Since coming to Nicaragua this is certainly nothing new!

All in all, it's been a good week. Sometimes crazy busy and other times pleasantly quiet. Last Sunday's sermon was from the book of Esther, and the phrase "for such a time as this" has been running through my mind all week. It's helped me to be in the moment no matter what I'm doing, and giving it my all as I trust that God has placed me here for such a time as this.

First Workshop

2010-10-07T11:05:00.002-06:00

This past Friday we had our very first teacher workshop with the English teachers that work with Hope and Development.

This is our handsome group of teachers. Some of us are sporting the new H&D polos. Nicaraguans love polo shirts. Many businesses and organizations get their logo embroidered on the shirts and they are seen as showing importance and making one look official. If only that's all it took!

We had lunch together and then practiced and discussed ideas for teaching English as a foreign language. The teachers were thrilled to have a chance to meet together and practice their English. The only negative comments regarding the workshop were focused on the size of the room and the small chairs they had to sit in. Oh, and one person wasn't happy with the amount of time spent. Apparently two hours wasn't enough. He wanted to go all day!

I'm thrilled to be done with this first one, and even more excited to continue with workshops in the future. I work with an incredible group of teachers who really desire to learn more and to become better teachers. What a blessing!

Renewing Hope

2010-09-21T10:16:00.013-06:00

May through November is Winter in Nicaragua. This means it’s a bit cooler with lots of rain. While we eagerly anticipate this season for the refreshing weather and enjoy the beauty of green once again, it brings with it new and different trials. On a recent trip to visit a petroglyph site that has been cleared and made available for educational purposes we found out just how much rain changes things.

The road to the petroglyphs is what would be considered a good dirt road. As the tree lined way winds through sugar cane fields and past quaint homes you get the feeling that this is a remarkable place. We happily made our way down the road anticipating the feelings of awe and mystery that come with seeing artifacts hundreds of years old. We did not, however, anticipate that one little wash in the road would cause so much trouble.

Coming up to the wash we slowed down to more carefully make our way across. On the left side of the road it was as much as four feet across, so we chose the right side where only eighteen inches of the road had been disturbed by recent water flow. As the front tires entered the wash we quickly realized our mistake. Rather than moving forward we were moving down. As the reality sunk in, the car settled further into the hole it was making. Suddenly the quaint homes and impressive sugar cane fields looked more like shacks spread amongst unfriendly and imposing fields filled with poisonous snakes.

We were soon the talk of the community as men, women, and children came past. Most offered help, some laughed with us, and everyone shook their heads at the futility of our situation. One gentlemen in particular took it upon himself to not only get us out of the mud, but to give us a good story to tell. He arrived in clean new jeans. Not wanting to get them dirty, he promptly removed them and sent his son home in search of some dirty work pants. After much digging and moving of dirt under and around the car he was ready to try pushing it out. The handful of men and boys all positioned themselves in front while Carolyn climbed through the window to get into the ever sinking car.

When the strength of men fails we don’t worry, but instead begin looking for a few good oxen. There is never a shortage of these incredible brutes. That is, until you need their strength to pull your car out of a hole. Then of course, they are nowhere to be found. As minutes turn into hours we are slowly acquiring all of the parts needed for an oxen team. Chocolate, a small brown ox is rounded up from somewhere deep in the fields. Later a yoke arrives, and finally a second oxen is found. The only part missing is an oxen driver. This proves to be a crucial part, as the young man who takes this role quickly finds himself in pursuit of two incredibly fast oxen as they flee the scene. Interestingly enough, this is also the only time the two oxen coordinate their efforts and work well together. After a few trials they eventually get straightened out, are walking the correct direction, and seem to put forth some effort in pulling. Alas, the car does not budge.

By this time we are turning a brighter shade of red than is healthy, and have begun to contemplate the thought of spending the night in the car. More oxen are called for, and phone calls to friends with connections are made. After much confusion and waiting, we are told that the Mayor’s office has been called and they are sending a tractor our way. Hope was renewed and we were once again able to see both the humor and the beauty around us.

The story ends much as you would expect. The tractor arrives and the car is safely pulled out in the space of 10 minutes. We are once again able to be on our way – this time on foot.

It strikes me however, that we don’t often find ourselves in situations where we are so wholly dependent on the goodwill and help of others. The feelings of helplessness, the lack of ability to do anything about our situation, and the patience and resulting resignation were unpleasant challenges and character traits I have never desired. Yet many Nicaraguans know no other way of life. When I heard that the tractor was on its way I was overwhelmed with relief. I could now look ahead to the rest of my day and see the many possibilities of what I could do. My mind was no longer fully devoted to dealing with what seemed an impossible situation.

Hope and Development Foundation desires to bring that same hope to the oppressed, burdened, and socially repressed people of Nicaragua. We want to offer to them the support that allows for both relief of current needs, as well as giving them security to dream about the future. In considering what I learned through this experience, I can’t imagine four hours better spent.

day four

2010-08-26T19:39:00.007-06:00

Yet another day of visiting schools. Today we managed to visit at four different schools as they were all realtively close to main roads and didn't require any hiking to get to them.

The classrooms here have some of the oldest chalkboards I have ever seen!

When we arrived at California the students and teachers were getting ready to head to the church for games and activities. No one could quite explain why they were playing games, and most of the students didn't even know why they were going there!

In Los Cedros old desks are collected and tossed in a pile on the side of the school grounds. Students are discouraged from climbing and playing in the pile by the barbed wire that is used to keep the stack contained. All because the ministry of education doesn't fix old desks, and the schools doesn't dare get rid of ministry of education property.

Teaching and learning outdoors is the best way to learn. And perhaps the most easily distracted... This group of third graders in Los Cedros was thrilled to postpone classes for a photo.

At the last school we visited in San Diego the students were outside playing baseball. They had a plastic bat and ball and couldn't have been happier.

Walking into the school in Osneida we were greeted with playground equipment that is in great need of repair. Two chains and one wooden seat are all that's needed, yet this playground just doesn't have any in the correct combinations.

day three

2010-08-25T21:37:00.003-06:00

Sorry, no great pictures from today. Instead of visiting schools, I spent some time talking with the facilitators. These are three incredible Nicaraguans who want to impact their communities in a big way.

Some of the plans and ideas that are in the works after today's discussions include:
1. Finding a location and teacher to receive 5 computers and training on how to incorporate this into daily learning.
2. Putting together a workshop for English teachers to give them new ideas and to assist them in thinking of creative ways to teach with very few resources.
3. Finding and purchasing seeds for use in school gardens.

There are so many more projects we would love to do, but for now the biggest obstacle is finances. Looks like a part of my job will be working on ways to get the money so that we can do the programs. If you know of a corporation or organization looking to sponsor some rural Nicaraguan schools let me know!

day two

2010-08-25T20:53:00.010-06:00

Tuesday was spent visiting three more schools - Buenas Aires, Aduanas, and San Miguel. All wonderful places that continue to impress me with both natural beauty as well as the beauty of spirit found in those who live in the communities. Walking into the Buenas Aires community, I was struck by this building and the lush scenery. Turns out, it's the local church building.

Of course the roads are a force to be reckoned with. Luckily, the Prado is up to the challenge. Ruts three feet deep would have given me pause, but Carolyn barrelled on and by the grace of God we never had reason to get out and push.

Manuel is a facilitator for Hope and Development. His job is to teach English, as well as to visit in the schools and help in whatever ways he might be needed. Here we're visiting in a preschool class and he seems to be charming the young ladies.

After a little prompting these guys did a great job circling up and posing for a picture. I'm not sure why the teacher send them outside, but it was a beautiful day for it!

The girls, on the other hand, needed a little time to prep for their picture.

Day two included two river crossings. This one was my favorite because you can't even see where the road continues on the other side until you're in the middle of the river! (It curves to the right and immediately climbs a brutal hill.)

Physical Education class includes doing things such as rotating your wrists, swaying your hips, lifting your arms, and popping joints in your fingers.

Inside the 4th-6th grade classroom in Aduanas. This school has only been with H&D for one year, but the students were more than happy to share the English they've already learned. You can also see the typical school desk here. Students don't generally have any school books, just notebooks that they copy everything into. The map, bulletin board, and storage unit are a bit unusual to see as most schools are bare of all but the desks and one whiteboard.

day one

2010-08-23T15:19:00.007-06:00

a new adventure begins...

This 3 room school houses 1st-3rd grades in the mornings, and 4th-6th in the afternoons. We visited in the afternoon, and were rewarded with songs in English. The 5th and 6th grade students receive English classes through Hope and Development and were more than willing to sing "Are you Sleeping" and "Good Morning" to showcase their skills.

The facilities include outhouses... I can only imagine what happened to that door.

Playing at recess is a serious matter. This little guy was shy for the photo but was thrilled to see it immediately after. Ah, the joys of digital pictures and instant memories.

A second school we visited. This one has three teachers. One for preschool, one teaches 1st and 2nd, and the third teaches 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. After 30 minutes in 4WD we walked another 10 to get here. No complaints here though, it was one of the most beautiful and unspoiled places I've ever been with wonderful students and teachers.

The students and teachers at Calle Nueva.

It was a full day with lots of adventure and lots more that has left my mind whirling. The graciousness of the community and the enthusiasm of the teachers is heartening and I'm looking forward to all that I will learn from them and about them this year.

Rumors

2010-05-02T11:00:00.006-06:00

NCA's performance of Rumors by Neil Simon was a huge success this past week.

It's a play that is set in the home of the deputy mayor of New York. He and his wife are having a party in celebration of their 10th anniversary. When the first guests arrive the wife has disappeared, and the husband has been shot. The play continues with more guests arriving, more chaos, and rumors abound and everyone has a theory and idea as to what has happened.

The cast and director pose after the final performance for a group picture.

Carey and I worked on the set. In order to do this we cleared out a few homes, our own included. We're still waiting to get our doors back....

The final performace on Thursday evening was well attended despite the pouring rain. Of course the humidity did a number on all of the doors (as Jason tries to get a trouble door running smoothly pre-show).

All in all, a wonderful experience. The cast did a fabulous job, and the comments and response from the audience was extremely positive. Perhaps we'll do something similar next year....

fruit

2010-03-27T13:04:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year in Nicaragua where everything starts to get brown and dry, people begin to have hallucinations of rain, and the favorite place in the neighborhood is the pool. Perhaps the one thing that helps keep us all sane is the sudden abundance of both flowers and fruits. While everything else seems to be turning to dust, the fruit bearing plants are in full swing.

Some fruits that can currently be found at my house include: bananas, lemons, mandarins, mangoes, oranges, and avocadoes. (the melon and pineapple had already been cut up and therefore were not included in the photo). Can you tell which fruit is which?

I'll give you a hint. This larger-than-a-coffee-mug-fruit is not a grapefruit. It is a lemon! It ranks as the largest lemon I've ever seen, and makes perhaps the tartest lemonade around.

Okay, one more clue... oranges are not typically orange here.

Things you find on the road

2010-03-16T16:38:00.002-06:00

Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. As my class was practicing this concept a worksheet they had asked them to use personification to describe things you might find on the street. The three specific items were a street light, a bus stop, and a mailbox. We were doing okay until mailbox. You see, there are no mailboxes here. So instead I asked for ideas of what we could replace mailbox with - what other things might we see alonside the road. I couldn't help but to laugh at the responses my students gave.
- shoes
- burning trash
- dead dogs
That's right. We don't have mailboxes. We have dead dogs.

Passover

2010-02-24T21:27:00.004-06:00

In Bible we have been studying Jesus' last days on earth. On Monday I was turning over desks and throwing books on the floor. This certainly got my students' attention, mucht as Jesus got the attention of those in the temple when he started turning over tables.

On Tuesday we celebrated a passover meal much like Jesus did with his disciples. Not only did my students enjoy the food (which surprised me!), but they also showed a rare serious and solemn side to their normally boisterous personalities.

It is my prayer that this meal was more than just good food, or a fun way to remember the symbolism of each part; but that it impacted my students on a deeper level.
Speaking for myself, it was much more than a learning activity. I'm amazed often at how much I learn as I teach.

It's chili time again...

2010-02-07T16:00:00.002-06:00

Last year our church fellowship had the first annual chili cook-off. It is now D-day of year two and I'm ready to keep a trophy in my possession! We've got two pots simmering on the stove (it wouldn't all fit in 1 pot) at the moment and are making the final winning touches.

While I'll update you with the results, go ahead and anticipate the return of a trophy to 14 A!

Mail Call

2010-01-25T18:00:00.006-06:00

Upon arriving back in Nicragua at the beginning of this month I was surprised to find a letter awaiting my arrival. While a letter is not so unusual, I found it odd that my mom would have sent me something before I had left...

This knowledge sent me looking a little bit closer at the envelope. Original post date = September 28, 2009.

Hmm.. Why did I just now receive this? And where has it been? The stamps on the back tell the story.

This letter arrived in Lietuva, also know as Lithuania on October 10.

I'm still amazed it ever made it onward to Nicaragua.

What did the letter contain you ask? Lovely letters of encouragement from my mom's Sunday School class. Those are always in season.

The last few months...

2009-12-15T16:30:00.012-06:00

It has been quite some time since I've last blogged. I'll try to catch you up with a little photo journey.

In October I travelled south for a relaxing beach weekend. On our way we spotted windmills (turbines) in the distance. With our eyes set on this view we completely missed our turn and nearly made it to Costa Rica before realizing our error. Much to our chagrine, these turbines are not new as we thought. Instead, we've never seen them before because we normally turn before them!

My roommates and I spent Halloween carving up things. Pumpkins are scarce here, but passion fruit and watermelons have been found to work rather well!

My class was studying extreme weather and storms in Science. This is not one tsunami I care to ever meet in real life. Oddly enough, I had a frighteningly real dream a few months ago about a tsunami that looked just like this, only I was in the building on the right!

As you can see, Hurricanes can destroy a village. Roofs cave in, trees are blown around, and even cars can end up in houses. (Or so goes the 5th grade version of the storm.)

My parents came to visit. Turns out they're allergic to Nicaragua. Okay, so the gas masks are actually due to the sulfur fumes at the top of Volcan Masaya. Part of the tour included looking down into the volcano to see the reflection of the lava.

They brought down a giant pile of books for me! My class was THRILLED with the pile of new literature on the back table. So many books and so little time!

Sinterklaas came to visit on December 6th. He must have gotten a bit lost looking for Nicaragua as it's a bit out of his way from Holland. We were glad to see he showed up, be it a day late.

Christmas activities at school included making Christmas cards. These guys represent a mixture of grades - all having fun stamping, cutting, glueing, and coloring.

The door decorating contest was won by 5th grade! This is just the outside of the card. It actually opens up to become a giant greeting card.

Blueberries

2009-10-11T18:05:00.003-06:00

What does it take to get blueberries in Nicaragua?

At the store where I found these it would take C$ 489. That's like $25 US.

No, I didn't buy them. I had my camera in my purse.

Lovely Legs

2009-10-11T17:55:00.004-06:00

Why is Aimee behind the stove?

A. She dropped the salt shaker

B. She is getting her gas fix

C. She is looking for a mouse

D. Her roommate likes to take funny pictures

If you guessed A, C, or D you are correct.

I can't say for sure about B.

We recently had a mouse in our house. That is until Aimee and the wooden shoe got to it. Luckily it was NOT behind the stove when she got it.

Here's to the best mouse killing roommate ever!

Happy Desk Day!

2009-10-07T22:34:00.009-06:00

Since moving to Nicaragua there are a few things I've done without. One such thing has been a desk. Most of the time the table has worked fine.

A few weeks ago I began skypeing into a class at Calvin. This means being on skype for a few hours at a time - not an ideal situation in a kitchen where everyone comes and goes.

In order to be able to work in my bedroom I took a coffee table and made a few simple adjustments...

Notice the fancy height extensions...

I am thrilled to report that as of today we have been able to put the coffee table back to use as just that.

This is my new desk, thanks to carpenter extraordinaire Joel.

No more VHS tapes necessary!

Motocross

2009-07-22T09:31:00.009-06:00

50CC 7-9 year old Motocross event, July 21, 2009

This is Levi's second race of the year. With three races planned he's almost halfway through his rookie year!

Kyle is cheering Levi on as he comes down the "big hill." This was the part of the track Levi was most worried about.

Levi passes up another biker to come in 7th at the finish line.

(okay, it wasn't all that dramatic as the other kid fell on the turn...)

Levi with his trophy. Way to Go!

Blake raced this same bike last year, and is giving Levi advice. It went something like "As soon as you start going down hit the gas; and pass the other guys."

While Titus enjoyed the races, we also managed to head over to the chicken barn at the fair and see some beautiful poultry. Titus was enamored.

Perhaps I'll join them next year...

Coffee bag purse

2009-07-09T19:33:00.011-06:00

I recently (today) repurposed a coffee bag sack into a purse. After envying one a friend purchased and not having the $ to purchase one myself I determined to make my own. One of the small benefits of living in Nicaragua is that burlap coffee bags are relatively easy to come by and were inexpensive.

I love that it's called repurposing and not recycling.... not sure what the difference is.

I couldn't seem to restrain the flash of my camera sufficiently - thus a very pink looking interior that in acutallity is red. I must admit to being a wee bit proud of successfully integrating a zippered pocket, a pouch pocket, and a snap closure.

I'm feeling so crafty - I may just make another!

98 and warming

2009-04-28T15:55:00.003-06:00

Dust clouds in my classroom
Ridiculous weather
Yesterday I was ready for rain

Suffocating heat
Everlasting dust
Anyone who likes this must be crazy
Simply unbearable
Omnipresent heat wave
Never ending

Number the Stars

2009-04-12T17:14:00.002-06:00

As a book report after reading "Number the Stars" Lily wrote, produced, and acted in a short skit based on a scene from the book.

I love how the dogs are straining to get to the food in the basket.

My new not-so-new-wheels

2009-04-11T16:01:00.002-06:00

I am officially a truck owner now. After nearly 3 years of living in Nicaragua without my own wheels, I finally changed that status. For those that need the details, it's a '96 Ford Ranger, automatic, 2 wheel drive. Nothing grand, but it's got a good track record and I'm praying it holds up a few more years.

I feel so blessed. Thanks to all those who helped with financial contributions and prayers. I keep telling people I feel like I'm 16 again, as I have new-found freedoms but have become so accustomed to living without I hardly know what to do!

oops

2009-04-03T21:06:00.003-06:00

So my students were presenting their book reports on Number the Stars today. Like a good teacher I was taking pictures while listening. I must have turned on the timer by accident. After trying a few times to get the camera to take the photo I turned it to see if indeed the light was flashing. This is what I got.

In the middle of a students' presentation I completely upstaged them as the camera flashed in my eye.

It must be time for a vacation!

Where I live

2009-03-15T11:12:00.009-06:00

This is where I live.

Apartado 14A, Quinta Allyson

Yes, my house is smiling at you.

Living room that showcases a hard won chili cook-off trophy, and a prized rooster portrait by my nephew Titus. My roommates have thus far been gracious enough to let me hang it in a prominent place.

more living room

Messy Kitchen

The window on the left leads to an open-air laundry room.

My bedroom

My first "real" quilt that I made this past summer. It is also the inspiration for the wall colors. We have a great used clothing/home items store here called Mega Botique. I got the bed skirt for $3 and the chenille blanket for $2.

You don't really want to see my bathroom, so I'll just show you enought to insinuate what it looks like. It comes fully equipped with sink, toilet, and shower (of course).

So there you have it. This is where I live. Come visit me sometime. The couch is always available.

Lunch discussions

2009-02-11T16:37:00.003-06:00

We have numerous and assorted conversations as elementary teachers over lunch. Of recent interest seems to be my inability to show sympathy. It's true, I don't like to hear people whine and I tend to have no sympathy when someone is sick.

In explaining that I come about it naturally I was explaining that while growing up we needed to either be vomitting profusely, or maintaining a temperature above 101 degrees before expecting any help or sympathy. As I was telling how my mom used to tell us that if we hadn't taken something for a headache she didn't want to hear us whine, a roommate walked up and said"that's exactly what you do!"

It has now become a running joke/challenge to whine to me about all ailments and illnesses in an effort to work on my sympathy. Good luck to them, however I don't think my ability (or inability) to sympathize is something that can be changed.

1 part chili, 2 parts awesome

2009-02-01T19:48:00.005-06:00

All week long I've been hearing a lot of talk about the chili cook-off, and how others were going to win 1st place. Those of you who know me well, know that I don't just sit back and listen to others talking smack, and can get a bit cocky myself.

Today things really heated up as other contestants were proudly boasting about their secret ingredients and how they had the best chili. Naturally I didn't take this sitting down. I took any and every opportunity to mention how we (Aimee and I) were going to win. I went to far as to ask Aimee before we left home if we should have the trophy engraved with "Aimee and Kate" or "Kate and Aimee".

I'm still a bit suprised we won. Probably less suprised that the chili was good and more suprised that desipte all my rantings we won. So for the next year the trophy will be proudly displayed in 14A. To those willing and eager to wrestle it from us next year I say bring it on! (it seems I just can't stop talking smack!)

I'm multiligual!

2009-01-31T16:25:00.003-06:00

I have a Korean student in my class who is still in the early stages of learning English. During a writing assignment this week, in which the class was to write a letter of advice as if a new student were joining us, he brought me his letter to check.

After much though and labor he had managed to write "Hi, my name is Samuel. We have a good class. I hope you like it at NCA". Underneath this were a few lines in Korean. Another Korean student came up to read those lines and tell me what they said.

After looking at the paper for a moment he started to say "Hi, my name is Samuel. We have..." At which I abruptly stopped him with "I can read that!" He stopped suddenly and looked at me with amazement. "You can read Korean?" To which another student in the class pipes up with "Well, she does have a sister in Korea."

Apparently he had been translating the Korean into English without realizing that the same was written in both. Of course, I never bothered to correct the idea that I know Korean....

yeah for packages!

2009-01-29T18:26:00.002-06:00

Kate! You've got a package!

That was the cry I heard from Rachel upon exiting the teacher van this morning. She happened to notice a box in the "errand" van with my name on it. Of course, that van was locked, so no getting my package just yet.

At recess I headed to the office in the hopes that it had been walked from the van to my box. No such luck.

After multiple visits to the office and inquiries as to the location of Enrique and the errand van he finally came back at 4.

By this time I was ready to break into the van if necessary. Luckily the key was nearby and Chepe noticed my desire to get in. After hours of waiting and wondering I finally had my package.

It's the little things that make a big difference here. Like getting a box with a book and some conversation hearts. Nothin' better!

2009-01-26T19:57:00.002-06:00

Okay, I know these pictures are a bit old (like 1-2 months), but you'll forgive me.

The lovely roommates

Christmas cookies

And that's only half of it!

Every year the teachers bake tons of cookies and take them around to the missionary families as we carol to them. This year I helped organize the event. I knew we did a lot of baking - but my oh my! To help give you a sense of size the cookies above cover two standard size folding tables. We made a grand total of more than 70 plates of cookies.

Back in Sunny Nicaragua

2009-01-05T20:51:00.002-06:00

I'm back in Nicaragua and glad to be here. I missed the sun while in Michigan. Tomorrow is the last day of no school for a very long while. Looks like I'll be heading to the beach again (hopefully via bike) for one final hurrah before starting second semester.

Sorry about the lack of pics - hopefully I'll get with it soon.

Almost Over!

2008-12-16T21:54:00.002-06:00

One day left of first semester. Tomorrow is filled with partying and fun, then it's off for just over two weeks. I'm excited to have a break, and perhaps more excited to come back next year and get started with new things!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T12:52:00.002-06:00

Things have calmed down a bit here, and for that we are all thankful. I am also thankful that the Thanksgiving program is done, and I can focus my energies elsewhere.

While the temperature is a little higher and the pumpkins and cranberries are elusive; we missionaries still manage to have a pretty traditional Thanksgiving. So far my thanksgiving dinner tally is at 2 - with a possible 3rd in the near future.

Black Friday was not spent shopping, but instead we took a trip to the beach. I biked the nearly 50km, and managed to still have energy to enjoy the beach.

All in all a splendid Thanksgiving week.

Blessing to you this holiday season, and may you too have a wonderful time with or without the traditions!

Let's declare a holiday!

2008-11-04T17:27:00.003-06:00

So in the United States today is a big day. It's election day. That means everyone takes some time out of their day to vote.

Elections are also coming near in Nicaragua. However, things work a little differently here. Election day is Sunday, November 9th. So Sunday is a holiday.

Yesterday we were told that the government declared Monday a holiday, as it is the day after elections. So no school Monday the 10th.

Today rumors abounded about no school on Friday the 7th.

Around noon school was officially called off for Friday, as the government had also decided to declare Friday and Saturday holidays.

At 2:45 this afternoon I was told that school was back on for Friday.

I'm still not sure what I believe. By this point I've given up changing my lesson plans.

I guess I'll teach on Friday if I and my students show up, if not I won't.

Reformation Day

2008-11-02T19:26:00.008-06:00

What better way to celebrate Reformation Day than to get dressed up as Reformers! Rachel and I decided to be the two Johns. We had many John's to choose from (John Huss, John Calvin, John Wycliff, even Jonathan Edwards) It was a bit startling to me how much more I look like my brother Jon when I have a beard...

John Huss, Cleopatra, and John Wycliff admire Luther's 95 Theses

Skippyjonjones (if you've never read the book I highly recommend it)

Seems like Carey got the message about being a "John"

Cinderella

One of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - I can't remember which one wears purple...

Daniel Ortega even came to celebrate with us

And of course the 5 points of Calvinism.. er veggie eating...

What do you call this?

2008-10-21T16:38:00.005-06:00

The Nicaragua unit of currency is a cordoba, often referred to as a cord.

Most Nicaraguans have relatives in Miami, and or consider Miami the place to go in the U.S.

Today while on the playground a second grader comes up to me and shows me this.

"Look Miss Poortenga, I found a Miami cord!"

Howler Monkeys

2008-10-20T17:18:00.004-06:00

While up north I managed to get some video of the howler monkeys. These are just little guys who make a LOT of noise. If you look really hard you might be able to see them in the treetops. If not, just enjoy listening. I got to listen to this for two days solid while in Selva Negra!

Matagalpa and beyond

2008-10-20T16:45:00.007-06:00

A few weekends ago - like 5 - I travelled north to the mountains. While there I managed to take in some beatiful sights.

Fruit and veggie stand on the road just north of Matagalpa.

On the way home.

I was looking for eggs when this lovely hen decided that I looked like a nice roosting place.

Claire loves all animals. Even dirty, gross chickens!

Bananas! This bunch set me back about 2 dollars.

A painting on a church ceiling depicting the devil. Some have noted a resemblance to Daniel Ortega.

Hangin' Out with Claire

2008-10-19T15:36:00.006-06:00

A week ago I had the opportunity to hang out with Claire. As her parents had conferences in the States, I stayed with her and all of the animals. One Saturday she took it upon herself to give the dogs a bath.

No, that's not from a dog fight. That is from Claire's doggy parlor. She not only gave the dogs a bath, but also treated them to a brush, cut, style and color.

Thank goodness the color was just on the nails!

Rainy Days

2008-10-19T14:39:00.005-06:00

Apparently Nicaragua has been in a bit of a tropical depression recently. While it is rainy season, and rain is to be expected, we have gotten much more than our fair share.
To help deal with all of the water rushing down the sidewalk (better thought of as river) the maintenance crew pulled out some planks and made temporary bridges.

While I appreciated the effort I'm not sure how much they helped.

Getting wet was inevitable.

Of course the students didn't necessarily mind that so much...

I had multiple ceiling leaks I was trying to catch, along with teaching above the dull roar of rain on a tin roof... and then the power goes out.

This is about the time any sane teacher says "Silent Reading Time!"

Nicole happened to have a key-chain light in her backpack. It came in very handy.

Independence part 3

2008-09-16T11:09:00.010-06:00

The last part of the festivites is the program. This is by far the largest event of the school year. All of the elementary students learn a dance and perform it for the entire school family.

The fifth and sixth grade classes are combined and perform one dance together.

In continuing the corn theme of the day the first and second grade boys are dancing with machetes. Okay, so they're not real. Machetes are used in planting and harvesting corn. In Nicaragua they're pretty much your all-purpose tool. (think duct tape)

Highschoolers perform another corn based dance. My favorite part of this was when the girls took the cup they were holding and tilted it to the guys' mouths while the guys pretended to drink. Corn is used in a few different non-alcoholic drinks in Nicaragua, thus the movements continued the theme.

And of course the best dance is saved for last. This is the teacher dance. We too, had movements based on things you do with corn. Here the ladies are throwing the corn in the air to remove any husks. Other movements included planting corn, harvesting corn, mixing corn, serving corn, and rolling corn between your hands to remove the kernels from the cob.

Independence part 2

2008-09-15T22:08:00.009-06:00

No more Spanish oppression. No more exclusion of Native Latin Americans.

Thus reads the sign above. As part of the continuing fesitivities the 7th - 12th grade classes each prepare and present a drama/presentation of Nicaragua's fight for independence. On September 15, 1821 Nicaragua along with the other Latin American countries gained freedom from Spain.

Another side of the festivities focused on corn - a staple food product here in Nicaragua. The 11th grade class went so far as to make a corn field along with manual laborers...

and to show how corn was used to make tortillas. The round white thing in the picture is a corn tortilla. It is cooking on a comal - a slightly rounded pan - over a wood fire. This is by far the most common method of cooking tortillas in Nicaragua.

The Act of Independence, written in 1821 was accepted by the Spanish crown. A major contributor to this was Miguel Larreynaga, as played by Juliane (second from right). This was part of the 7th grade presentation. Despite being the youngest group to present they did a wonderful job.

Fevelly shows a traditional Nicaragua treat made of corn. I believe it is called chincha. It is made from corn, water, sugar, red coloring, and a sweet called "dulce". I know, some of you are thinking duh Kate, dulce means sweet. I'm just repeating what I was told.

Nowadays Nicaragua is a little more diverse. Here at NCA Koreans, Canadians, Americans, and Nicaraguans all celebrate together.

Hope you enjoyed your Nicaraguan History lesson.

Independence part 1

2008-09-15T15:28:00.005-06:00

"If you brought guns or other weapons to school please be sure to keep them in your locker or give them to your Spanish teacher."

This was my favorite announcement on Wednesday (as read from the school-wide announcement sheet). Thursday was the big Independence Day celebration. In preparation for this, students were collecting and bringing in a variety of Nicaraguan themed items. As the celebration centers around a battle, some classes were even preparing for re-enactments. In Nicaragua this means bringing weapons and ketchup to school.

My class was given the task of re-enacting the battle of San Jacinto. This was a major turning point for Nicaragua in the battle against William Walker and his cohorts in 1856. One of the most well remembered parts of the battle is how one Nicagauan soldier, out of ammo, picked up a rock and killed an American by striking him on the head.

Notice the profuse bleeding as my students slowly clutch their throats and take their last breaths. It was a moment of much agony and suffering.

Dear God, Thanks for the rain. Love, Kate

2008-09-10T17:17:00.004-06:00

Picture this: a downpour so torrential it turns a sidewalk into a river, my classroom into a lake, and traps my class in the music hut on the other side of the soccer field. This was my day. To make things more interesting students of all ages were preparing for Independence Day by building huts, practicing dances, and making murals.

Today I was glad to have my crocs! Crossing the river/sidewalk was actually fun. I even went so far as to give rides across. I was a bit like a kid playing in a puddle.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

celebrating birthdays gringa style

2008-09-09T21:16:00.002-06:00

Today was Laura's birthday. Laura was recently hired at NCA as the upper elementary teacher aid. Laura is Nicaraguan and comes from a middle-class family. She and her parents work at the school and ride 45 minutes each way on crowded buses to get to and from work.

To help celebrate her birthday a group of teachers took her out for dinner. This was a big deal, as her family never eats out at restaurants. Due to this, she did not know of any restaurants to go to, and let a gringa pick. This of course means TGI Fridays.

Laura (third from left) and Marisa (second from right) had never been to Fridays before. While it was fun to share this North American experience with them, I couldn't help but wonder what Laura's perception of all this was.

It's hard to always distinguish between being kind, and being overbearing. Lord give me wisdom to discern when to be meek and when to be bold, when to be humble, and when to be assertive.

oh when the ants, come marching in...

2008-09-08T19:53:00.005-06:00

I'm officially four weeks into school and I'm still loving my class. That's a good sign.

This weekend is Independence Day here in Nicaragua, so we have a long weekend ahead. I'm looking forward to heading up north to Selva Negra. It's a coffee plantation turned tourist friendly. Best of all, I'm going with some of my favorite people - the Keelings!

So I got a major hair cut this summer just before leaving for Nicaragua, and have been lax in posting any pictures. This is the photo I took the day it was cut and styled professionally. My goal is to be able to take this picture (and other pictures of the back) to a stylist here in Nicaragua to ensure that the cut remains the same. Hopefully it works.

I have recently had some run-ins with ants. The first was just over a week ago when I pulled out a box of cereal. I had opened the box the previous week. During the interval between the cereal had become a nest for ants. Unusual as it was plain corn flakes. I tried to take a photo, but wasn't able to capture the true essence of the moment.

This is the bottom of the box after removing the plastic bag of cereal. It really doesn't do it justice.

Less than a week later I was arriving home in the rain and proceeded to open my umbrella in the van before getting out in the downpour. As I looked down to open my umbrella I realized it too had become a refuge for ants. I of course promptly flung it out the door and ran through the rain all the while wiping swarms of ants off of myself.

Needless to say, I am now a bit more cautious about opening things.

A good friend helped me to put things into perspective by reminding me that it could have been worse. Instead of ants they could have been cockroaches!

Catchin' Up

2008-08-24T15:24:00.010-06:00

Wow! It's been a long time since I've last blogged. I'm now back in Nicaragua, and about to start my third week of school. I'm greatly enjoying teaching the same grade, and thus same curriculum for the first time ever. I also have a wonderful class which is always a bonus.

But before I go too far I should catch up on this summer.

After school was out, but before leaving Nicaragua I had the wonderful opportunity to visit with an old friend. Melody used to work with me back at Big O' Fish House. She chose to come down and do some volunteer work for a few weeks this summer, as well as visit me.

I took her to one of my favorite tourist destinations - a volcano. Cerro Negro is extra cool because you can hike up in in about 30 minutes, then when you choose to come down it's a five minute slide/run to the bottom. Judging by the reaction I think she liked it.

The best part about going home to Michigan is seeing people. I particularly enjoy the littler people. Since my last visit one more niece had been added to the crew, so I now have 3 nephews and 4 nieces.

A favorite new ice cream joint opened sometime last year. This was my first visit to Mooville, a place popular with Kailey and Madison because they not only have ice cream, but also a small petting zoo!

You can't see it, but Madison is looking at a kitten. Who cares about the camera?

I found the pefect Birthday gifts in the market this year. Nicaraguan team shirts. As my nephews all play soccer and baseball this was a sure thing.

Okay, so they don't look too thrilled. Once again the camera is not their friend it seems. Instead they would rather be goofy!

Jade however, does not suffer from any sort of shyness with cameras. Oh no, quite the opposite.

I also managed to spend some time with friends, as well as back in the classroom as a student. My going back to school may have been the best thing that ever happened to my students. That feeling of having homework again, and not being in charge has helped me to see things in a little different light.

While I have a wonderful class, I do have some concerns for this year. Two last-minute registrations were added to my class, both with some high needs. One is a learning disability which has yet to be named. This of course, makes it a bit more difficult to know what the needs are and how I can best meet those needs. The other is a child who is bright, but speaks minimal English. As I teach entirely in English the first few weeks will be hard for him, as well as for me as I try to teach him fifth grade material using a the vocabulary of a 4 year-old.

Praise God that I made it back, all be it a little late due to flight issues. Chapel is going very well also, and I managed to find time during teacher prep week to finish my final assignment for a class I took this summer.

Field Trip!!!

2008-05-24T08:13:00.014-06:00

May 15th and 16th have come and gone. The long awaited field trip for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders is over. Now it's time to blog.

The first ever overnight field trip for elementary students was a complete success. Almost every child attended, and everyone had a wonderful time. We stayed at a fabulous Baptist retreat center (Centro ABEM) where there was tons of room for anything we might desire to do.

While horse drawn wagons are a common sight in Nicaragua, most of my student have never had the opportunity to ride in one. The tractor drawn version was a big hit!

Taekwondo! The kids loved this. What 11 year old wouldn't like learning kicks, jumps, and blocks from Miss Poortenga #2? (As my sister fondly became known as)

Horseback riding was another big favorite.

This activity took a bit more planning and preparation than expected, as the law in Nicaragua requires that you get permits to take livestock across departmental borders (think county lines).

Science activities included Solar clocks, Making compasses, and following compasses to a buried treasure.

The ever popular potato gun. This has been renamed in Nicaragua as the lemon launcher, as they are a bit more plentiful and ideally sized than Nicaraguan potatoes.

We spent all day Thursday and Friday in the sun. By the late afternoon everyone was tired. Even the students!

Roasting s'mores and singing songs by the campfire was yet another North American experience we were able to integrate into the trip. A few students enjoyed the s'mores so much that they went back for sixths, sevenths, and more!

Smart teachers follow the rule: Don't do for your students what they can do for themselves. This rule was applied to our benefit on Friday morning.

All in all, it was a great field trip. During the trip the question kept coming up: Are we going to do this next year? My answer: Ask me next year.

Fifth Grade Fun Time

2008-05-22T17:52:00.014-06:00

Every Friday afternoon my class has 30 minutes (or less) of fun time. This has come to include things such as silent speed ball, dodge ball, indoor soccer, free time, and much more. As it is the end of the year, they're starting to become a bit bored with the same old games. Therefore I introduced them to some fun with food.

The object is to get the oreo from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands or other body parts.

Step 1: Clean your forehead. Necessary during the dry season in Nicaragua when 5th graders spend their lunch hour running around in the dust.

Step 2: Twist oreo. This step actually requires a bit of skill!

Step 3: Place cream side lightly on forehead. I would like to emphasize lightly.

Step 4: Use eye and cheek muscles to slide the oreo down toward your mouth. Careful not to drop it! hint: slowly chew other half of oreo to work your upper cheek muscles

Sounds easy right?

Problem #1 Get oreo stuck on eye.

Problem #2 Work too fast and drop oreo on chest.

Problem #3 Nose causes oreo to go off course

Can we play with food more often?

Muchas Gracias!

2008-05-07T16:16:00.006-06:00

To all who recently attended a night of music at Hastings Reformed Church

On Sunday, May 4th my lovely sis lead a fund raising event for the 5th grade missionary teacher of Nicarauga Christian Academy.

the lovely sis, Laura

I recently purchased my plane ticket home for the summer at a cost of $450 (yes, an incredible deal and also necessary as I need to take summer courses to keep my teaching certification). I also had taxes of about $1000 that I needed to pay this year. I didn't have the money for either of these. Sunday's event raised $1500.

My God is so BIG so STRONG and so MIGHTY there's NOTHING my God cannot do!

The Eccentric Playground

2008-05-06T14:54:00.009-06:00

Despite the heat, the students at NCA still enjoy the playground.

Vicky (3rd grade) is in a bit of a pickle.

Sabrina and Hye Lim enjoying the good life.

1st grade boys love their futbol!

(but what's that in the background??!)

Is that a circular saw??? On the playground???

Only in Nicaragua

Laundry

2008-04-30T21:19:00.002-06:00

When I arrived home after school today this was what greeted me from the clothes line. 4 roommates = 4x the undergarments!

True Love

2008-04-26T17:57:00.005-06:00

Anyone who loves books knows the sheer joy of walking into a bookstore, and the thrill of finding a great new book. This is one of the things I have missed most about not living in the States. It is well known to my good friends and family that bookstores are my weakness.

There is a little shop not far from my apartment that sells books. I had known about it for a while, and checked it out previously to find they only have books in Spanish. My Spanish is definately not that good. Last night while visiting this shop again, I found two shelves of books in English. I was thrilled! I even found a book I had been wanting to read for some time! You can imagine my excitement.

I returned this afternoon with cash in hand, intending to buy one - maybe two- books. In typical Kate fashion, I found more than expected, and bought three.

Guess what I'm doing tonight!

Hypnotizing Chickens

2008-04-21T21:38:00.004-06:00

Some friends and I recently watched an bonus feature on a dvd that showed some random guy hypnotizing a chicken. Just before leaving Santo Tomas this weekend we decided to try it ourselves. After a good 10 minutes spent chasing down chickens, we finally caught one. Here's the rest of the story.

Santo Tomas

2008-04-21T21:10:00.008-06:00

This weekend I went to Santo Tomas. This is a small community 3 hours northeast of Managua. This region of Nicaragua is known as Chontales and is best likened to Texas. Cattle country through and through. While getting out of the city is always relaxing, I particularly enjoy the country. Riding in the back of a pickup through fields feels a little like home to me.

This is riding in style! We needed to bring chairs out for a bonfire our first night, so Rachel and I took full advantage of them. This is a very Nica way to travel. The only thing better would be hammocks.

Roasting hot dogs.

Here I am styling my boots.

Okay, they're not really mine. I just borrowed them as I forgot to bring my shoes.

Sorry to say I dont' know the name of this horse. I asked one of the ranch hands, and his answer was completely beyond my recognition. So here I am on X after a successful ride. She was the laziest horse of the bunch and would do no more than a SLOW walk for me. So what did I do to pass the time? Take pictures of course!

Can you guess where I am?

Rachel Mae

2008-04-14T19:45:00.006-06:00

I'm an aunt again!

Pictured are big sisters Kailey and Madison with the 3rd little Poortenga girl. Madison's and Kailey's looks say it all. Extreme joy and wonderment at the arrival of a sister.

Rachel Mae Poortenga was born Sunday, March 13th. She weighed in at 8lbs 3 oz, with a total length of 21 1/2 inches. Reports are that she was in a bit of a rush (or perhaps Jon wasn't in enough of a rush) to take her first breath of oxygen. A short 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital she met her family.

Congratulations to the new parents and big sisters!

This aunt can't wait to come home and spend some time with my beautiful nieces.

I shared the above picture with Ana, the empleada that cleans my room at school. She wanted me to be sure and express her good wishes to my family. Nicaraugans are so amazing. Even without having met a single member of my family, she cares greatly for them, simply because they're my family.

Reading Buddies

2008-04-13T12:44:00.008-06:00

My class is reading buddies with the 2nd grade class. Here are a few of the most recent moments enjoyed by both.

Jesse and David pore over their book together.

Diego and Gustavo enjoy the shade tree while reading.

Hye Lim, Ye Bin, and Tiffany make great partners.

Diego and Luis Carlos found a fun seat in hopes of getting what little breeze can be found this time of year.

Alonso waves while Juan Pablo ponders what he has just read.

I just realized the wide nationalities represented in these pictures. While I am in Nicaragua, my students are from all over - United States, Canada, Nicaragua, Korea, Taiwan, China, Honduras, etc. Thus all the fun names. 10 points to anyone who can correctly pronounce every name on this post.

If you passed the first test try these two names:

Nayerlis

Uguim

The first is Nicaraguan, the second is Korean. Among the students at school these are positively the most difficult.

Dry Season in the Tropics

2008-04-08T20:45:00.004-06:00

During Spanish class this afternoon we were joking about how there are two kinds of weather here in Nicaragua. Hot and really hot.

Today is one of those really hot days. It's 9 pm as I'm typing this. The Sun has been down for nearly 3 hours, and I'm dripping with sweat.

This is why hammocks were invented. A soft mattress with sheets and pillows is suffocatingly hot. If I had a hammock I'd hang it up on my porch tonight and sleep outside. At least with woven rope there are air holes.

Perhaps I'll go shopping tomorrow....

Got Aloe?

2008-04-05T12:48:00.006-06:00

A few of us ladies have formed a team and joined a volleyball tournament. We were introduced to this opportunity last year, and have enjoyed it again this year. Today was our second-to-last game, and I finally remembered to capture some moments on film. We are self-named the Sunburns (notice the SPF factors on our shirts).

Where did the ball go?

Rachel, Michelle, and Carey are all drooling over this great Set from Aimee.

One of the benefits of the teacher van is the simplicity with which it can be broken into. After our game we needed to get home - but the key was in the van. No problem, all you need is a knife and some ingenuity.

Have you done this before?

Girls and their Cars

2008-03-29T09:17:00.003-06:00

As Extra Credit points in Science, my students had the opportunity to make a rubber band powered car. Here are some of the more ingenuitive ones.

Anamaria becomes a human sling-shot.

Debora uses the sling-shot approach in a different way. The peg on the board was attached to a peg on the underside of her car.

A Day of Theophanies

2008-03-26T21:06:00.005-06:00

I have a friend's blog I love to check because her words always seem to lift my spirit. One of the things I love to read are the ways in which God is working in her life.

I've often wished I could slow down a little and take the time to notice the little things God is doing for me every day. I guess they just became so evident to me today that I couldn't miss them. So here they are - in as close to chronological order as I can remember.

It rained last night. It never rains here in March. The cool breeze and sweet smell refreshed the earth and my dry soul.
I finally received my December finacial statement from World Missions. While I had been worrying about how I would afford required classes, God was busy opening wallets.
An email from a friend about how she missed spending time with me, and offering a much needed escape from my daily reality.
While talking about how to change bad decisions to good ones with my 5th graders I was amazed at their ideas as well as their behavior. God was working in their hearts even as we discussed it.
I didn't have to walk home from school.
A roommate shared the pleasure of a care package she received. Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix - Yum!
Bible Study filled with great discussion, refreshing insights, and renewed excitement in God's Word.

I feel like I could go on all night.

Semana Santa

2008-03-23T21:26:00.003-06:00

As you know, this past week was Holy Week. In Spanish that's Semana Santa. And Semana Santa is a BIG deal in Nicaragua.

Virtually everything shuts down here by Ash Wednesday. Good Friday is quite possibly the biggest holiday of the year. Nothing is open, and there are parades and special services galore.

My favorite part of Semana Santa is that it's also Spring Break! This year I went to the World Missions retreat held at Vistamar.

I was really suffering for Jesus this week.

The second half of my week was spent resting and relaxing here at home. School starts back on Tuesday. Too bad I have to teach! Nicaragua would be incredible if I was on vacation all the time.

Bald is Beautiful

2008-03-07T15:49:00.004-06:00

Every year at NCA we have Festival. This is a time for students, parents, and teachers to get out and enjoy each others company with games, food, and fun. A favored activity is getting teachers to do crazy things. In keeping with the idea of crazy I volunteered to shave my head - if they raised $1000.

Can it be true? Did it really happen?

Unfortunately, no. They didn't manage to raise the $. I still have my hair.

Bummer

January in Nicaragua

2008-01-30T20:38:00.001-06:00

My family keeps telling me that it's a cold winter, with lots of snow days. Somedays it's rather difficult for me to imagine snow.

... I did wear long pants today. It only got to a high of 91.

Reminders of Winter

2008-01-14T19:59:00.000-06:00

What does Winter mean to you?

To me it means snow,

visits with friends,

and lots of fun times spent with family.

Here are my most photogenic family members.

Who are these handsome guys? Only the world's coolest nephews. Levi, Blake, and Titus - I miss you guys already. But don't worry your favorite Aunt will be back this summer... and don't tell Laura you like me more :)

Madison, who finally used my name the day before I left, and I enjoying some wintertime swinging. It was more like "I can't possibly move in this get-up, so you'll have to carry me everywhere in the snow, and if I fall off the swing don't worry, cause I'm well padded and the ground is pretty soft right now."

Kailey and I found the driveway to be the ideal hill for sledding. Due to the numerous trees along both edges she insisted we always ride together. I guess she figured I would be good padding in case we lost control. I wasn't about to complain though -you see she was added warmth for this now thin blooded-almost a Nica - girl

I must also take a moment to pay attention to beautiful Jade. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of the two of us during Christmas. So you'll just have to imagine here. Think of me, then multiply my incredible good looks by 10, subtract 21 years, add a mischievous twinkle to the eye and you have Jade.

Happy New Year

diggin' up them holes, diggin.

2007-12-04T16:23:00.000-06:00

A rather unassuming mound don't you think?

But things aren't always as they seem.....

Don Jose (a school gardener) and I were walking around school one morning when we noticed something interesting about this particular area. We found some things that seemed to be fossils, and decided to take a closer look. It seemed as though we had found a burial ground right on the campus of NCA!

This was the story I told my students. They believed every last word of it, and were excited to go check out the dig. Of course we had been studying paleontology in Science, so we now knew the steps to a successful archaeological dig. This of course should have clued them in to the fact that I was up to something...

Paleontologists use very small and delicate tools so as not to harm their findings. In 5th grade this means plastic spoons and paint brushes.

What? Is this what you meant by burial ground? Miss Poortenga, did you put stuff in the ground for us to dig up?

Despite the disappointment at not finding a true burial ground, Diego proudly displays the play-dough fossils he has found.

Power!

2007-11-13T09:46:00.000-06:00

Today is officially the 12th day of uninterrupted power. Do you have any idea how wonderful this is? We don't know why we haven't had the usual outages, and we're all a little hesitant to even question it, but no one's complaining! I daily thank God for the continued power. Just a thought - when was the last time you gave thanks for being able to turn on a light switch?

To make it even more enjoyable Nicaragua has had marvelous weather in the past two weeks. We're talking highs in the high eighties, lows in the high seventies, and a cool fresh breeze all the time. The Sun has been shining nearly all day every day, with gorgeously clear skies every night. This is definately the time of year to live in Nicaragua!

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

2007-11-07T21:19:00.001-06:00

We recently finished reading the story of Nathaniel Bowditch as written by Jean Lee Latham in Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. As our final project my students had to make a board game based on the book. I was blown away by what they came up with and can't wait to try playing them all!

Mission and Beyond, made by Diego C. and Markie looks like just came out of the box.

Raquel, Stephany, and Sabrina enjoy playing with the over-size, homemade dice.

Derek and Annie try out another groups' game.

The highlight of making the games was getting to show them to our 2nd grade reading buddies. The 5th graders loved to see their young friends enjoy something that they made. As one of my students was overheard saying "Whoa! He actually liked playing it! I can't believe he liked my game!"

Weddings 'R Us!

2007-11-06T19:44:00.000-06:00

This Saturday NCA hosted a multi-wedding. The brides are all employed by the school as cleaning staff and have been getting together weekly for a Bible study. Marysol, the school counselor has been leading the study, and after much discussion and prayer it was decided that NCA would host a wedding for any of the ladies who would like to get married. What?! Is that how it works in Nicaragua? No, not really. (although if I wanted to get married to a Nica it would work that way...) The five brides pictured below all have husbands and children. They have not, however, had a real wedding. One hadn't even had a civil ceremony!

The wedding was a public demonstration that they wanted to make of committing their marriages to God. It was also a way for the NCA faculty and families to show our Nicaraguan workers how much we appreciate them. The entire wedding was made possible through the donations and volunteer efforts of the NCA community.

Of course, in true Nica style, the evening was stormy and wet. As the ceremony was being held in the chapel (think pole-barn with a tile floor, but without any walls) things got a little wet. Amazing how on this night of all nights, the rain managed to come down horizontally to thoroughly soak even the guests seated in the middle of the room! You know it's a true Nica wedding when it starts at 5, but it's actually sometime after 6 when the brides are finally walking down the aisle. The reception consisted of the Nicaraguan version of fried rice, rolls, and salad (think lots of beets) served with a warm glass of coca-cola. It was all of these things and more that made the evening truly charming and entirely Nicaraguan!

My roommates and I pose with Carmen. She has 8 children, and never dreamed of a real wedding until a few months ago.

Rainy Days

2007-10-11T14:41:00.000-06:00

It's rainy season in Nicaragua like I've never seen it before. Monday morning I was walking into school and noticing the crocus-like blooms. Later in the morning it started to softly rain. I kept thinking it was April. It has been raining ever since with only 1/2 hour breaks at most. The oddest part about all the rain is the light showers. In my year of living here, I'd never seen a light drizzle or rain until this week.

It's pretty amazing to see the rain coming down in torrents and then with just a brief interlude of sunshine the puddles are mostly dried up. I wish I could capture a photo of it, but rain is pretty tricky to photograph.

Another tricky part of the rain is teaching in a downpour. You have to understand that the classrooms are pretty much open-air. The windows don't have screens, and your room is never completely sealed off from anything. While we do have ceilings in the classrooms, the roof is tin. SSR anyone?

(silent sustained reading)

Things I Love about NCA

2007-09-22T10:47:00.001-06:00

Some Fun Pics from Friday.

My lovely roomie Rachel was playing around with my camera. I figured it was a silent call for me to include her on my blog. So here's to Rachel.

I couldn't resist capturing this image as I passed by. On the left is Wong Yong, a 1st grade student. On the right is Narayan, a 9th grade student. Both were waiting after school to be picked up, and Narayan took the opportunity to teach Wong Yong chess.

Rio Blanco

2007-09-18T21:10:00.000-06:00

Rio Blanco is a small, untouristy town about half-way between Managua and the east side of Nicaragua. It is set in the midst of beautiful hills where it rains most of the year round. While it was an easy 4 hour drive to the town, it was not without amusement.

My favorite part of course was the temporary bridge that was built after Hurricane Mitch came through in 1998, and is still being used today. It was just wide enough for one vehicle and you could hear it clunck and rattle as you drove across. Being Nicaragua, it wasn't just a small river you were crossing either. It was a tremedously deep ravine with a rushing river plowing through it. It is rather amusing how often we find ourselves saying things like "This would so not be legal in the States."

Once in Rio Blanco we hiked up to the top of the surrounding hills where there are numerous waterfalls. These waterfalls act as the water supply for the town. The hike and the sights were amazing, and the whole area had a feeling of untouched beauty about it.

The happy hikers enjoying the waterfall.

Of course, hiking in Nicaragua means going places that are not well travelled. No pavement, wooden markers, or mulched trees on this path! These are the shoes half-way through, when we were still trying to stay relatively clean.

Our entire group posed for a picture mid-way down. Pretty incredible to think that there are 3 different communities up in the hills. We're standing at the gate to the local church. There is also reportedly a school with two teachers and 20-30 students. The town of Rio Blanco is still an hour hike away through pastures, dried river beds, and the rio blanco (white river) after which the town is named.

Independence Day

2007-09-18T20:39:00.001-06:00

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll keep my comments brief. September 13th was an extra special day at NCA. This year it was filled with presentations, murals, songs, and dancing.

5th grade in front of their classroom and the mural they prepared as part of the presentation on Nicaragua.

Miguel reciting information about Nicaragua to the attentive lower elementary students.

Those wonderfully attentive and respectful 2nd graders listening to the 5th grade presentation.

Annie in traditional costume presenting her part.

After our presentations we got to be the listeners. The 11th grade put together a spectacular video re-enactment of the battle of Hacienda San Jacinto where William Walker was defeated. Walker was a U.S. citizen who came down and basically tried to make himself king of Nicaragua. Man do we have a thing about manifest destiny!

After all of the presentations the program for the parents happens. This is when all of the classes present the traditional dances they have been learning. Of course the best dance was the 5th/6th grade number. Okay, perhaps I'm a bit biased.

The beautiful 5th and 6th grade ladies showing off their moves.

NCA Teachers

yep, we get to dance in costume as well!

This year's Independence Day celebrations were spectacular. And in true Nica fashion the weather was not to be left out! We had a traditional early afternoon downpour that may have dampened other parties, but not ours! And the best part was the long weekend off!

Coming soon... pics of my weekend trip to Rio Blanco.

Color Day

2007-08-24T13:18:00.000-06:00

Fridays are color days at NCA. This means students don't have to wear uniforms. As today was also school pictures, I had un clase muy guapo! I also couldn't resist putting them in groups according to the colored clothing they were wearing.

Amy, Luis Carlos, David, and Miguel are proudly orange today.

The rockin' pink group includes Debora, Jennifer, Diego H., and Sabrina

Annie, what color is your group supposed to be?!

Camping with the Nephews

2007-08-23T21:10:00.000-06:00

This past July my nephews Titus, Blake, Levi and I went on a camping trip. We decided to do the hike-in camping at Ludington National Park. The park is beautiful and has everything you could wish for - beach, dunes, forest, Lake Michigan, an inland lake, and even a lighthouse. We had to carry everything a mile into our camp site, so everybody had to help! Titus and Levi are hauling their gear.

Unfortunately, we chose the one day it rained in Michigan this summer to camp. Instead of tons of hiking, we got to play in the tent. Titus and Blake, pictured above are being unusually calm.

We did find time for the beach and hiking. I enjoyed the clean white sand and the non-salty water for a change, although it was a little too cool for me to get wet...

Home in Nicaragua

2007-08-05T10:39:00.000-06:00

I'm back in Nicaragua and it feels like home. School starts on Monday (August 6th). This year I'm teaching 5th grade. I'm excited about the curriculum and the students, now I just need to figure out what I'm doing! Luckily the first week is only 4 days. It's been warm and rainy here since I arrived a week ago - just perfect if you ask me!

Korea, part 2

2007-07-03T02:44:00.000-06:00

As Laura teaches from 3-10pm every day, I made her take me to Seoul this morning for some more sights. Above is the South Gate, the largest city gate in Korea, and once part of the city wall.

We managed to see a changing of the guard at Deoksgung (a palace of yet another Korean king). It included a large drum, trumpeters, much fanfare and even some grunting/growling. Very amusing!

a large drum...

trumpeters....

and just imagine him growling....

Korea, part 1

2007-07-02T04:41:00.000-06:00

I've had 12 days now to enjoy Korea (only 7 more left!) and visiting with Laura. I'll try to keep it short, but we covered a lot of ground in this past week. Korea is a relatively small country, and quite easy to navigate with buses, trains, planes and taxis - all of which we used. While waiting for a bus we killed some time by taking photos of ourselves in the bus station. Super fun!

I managed to plan my trip to Korea to coincide exactly with the beginning of the rainy season! Our journey began in Bupeyeong, Korea, where Laura lives. From here we travelled to Gyeongju. This was the capital city during the Silla dynasty (57 B.C. to 918 A.D.) and is a major tourist destination. There are tombs, palaces, museums, folk villages, and temples galore.

Laura is checking out a tomb of a Silla dynasty king.

Said to be the most perfectly constructed temple due to it's symmetry, positioning of Buddha, air circulation, and direction in correspondence to the sunlight, Bulguksa temple was originally built in 528.

We did a city tour one day of the Gyeongju area. Only one problem, it was conducted entirely in Korean. Luckily some other tour members knew some basic English and helped to translate. Here we all are in front of yet another Buddha.

Thanks to Lonely Planet, and my ability to read a map, we managed to never lose ourselves. Not to say that we always knew where we were.....

We caught a flight over to Jeju-do, Korea's "semi-tropical" island. While it wasn't exactly the beach destination Laura was hoping for, it provided lots more to see. Here I am standing next to an harubang - a grandfather stone sculpture. These are carved from lava rock, and typically look rather cheerful. The original purpose of the harubong is unclear, however some now believe that if you hold the nose of one and make a wish it will come true.

The residents of Jeju (and perhaps greater Korea) had an interesting way of showing (or not showing) hospitality. Above you can see a traditional gate post. Two of these would line either side of the entrance to the home. The owner of the home would place 1, 2, or 3 poles in the corresponding holes to indicate if they were home, would be back soon, or were away. Three poles places in the gate posts would indicate the owner was away. Only two indicated that they would be back soon (aka - please feel free to wait), and none indicated an invitation to come on in!

Laura is trying out a traditional Korean style swing. I must admit they are surprisingly difficult to get moving!

This past weekend we headed to Chuncheon for the International Taekwondo Open Championships. One of the highlights was watching an exhibition group from the Korean army perform some taekwondo gymnasitcs. All men are required to serve two years in the army here, and part of their training is learning taekwondo. Above you see a man jumping 7 other men and flying head-first into a two sheets of wood. And yes, he broke them with his head.

One last parting image.

Yes, it was taken in a bathroom.

No, I did not accidentally stumble into the men's room.

I'm told they also exist in Europe, however this was my first experience with one. The "toilet' is on the floor and is fondly referred to as a "squatter'. Luckily for me, my Korean students from NCA had warned me about this, so I was prepared. So prepared in fact, that I even had a camera ready!

I made it!

2007-06-20T02:42:00.000-06:00

I successfully completed my trip to Bupyeong, Korea. It all began on Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. when I left home for my flight. 24 hours, 2 flights, and a Korean subway later and I'm here!

I had to stop myself a few times from using Spanish to ask a question. At least I knew English wasn't going to work!

No pictures just yet, but they will be forth coming - I promise.

For now I'm just hanging out at Laura's apartment waiting for her to come home from work. It is currently almost 6 pm in Korea (5 am Eastern Time) and she's not due until after 10 pm.

The Death Toll Rises

2007-05-30T07:42:00.000-06:00

It is officially the rainy season in Nicaragua. This means it's cooling down, everything is blooming and greening, and the end of school is near. It also means the bugs are back! I don't think I've ever seen so many flying ant things. One night they were so thick over my floor that I just started walking around killing 5-10 with each step!

Tuesday night when I got home from Bible Study, I noticed yet another cockroach scurrying around. I promptly got my shoe and took care of the problem. To my dismay there were many, many more - all of which died at my hands (shoe). I must say I felt rather proud after killing 5 in a matter of moments.

The other night there was one by my bedroom door as I was about to go to bed. I grabbed my shoe, aimed, and missed! Don't tell my roommate, but the cockroach went scurrying under her door. Guess there's two ways to get rid of a cockroach - kill it, or send it to someone else to deal with.

So perhaps this doesn't look all that large to you at the moment. Now look at your big toe and imagine a bug that size. And this isn't a large bug in Nicaragua.

Now this is a large bug!

Nutrition Center

2007-05-29T14:16:00.002-06:00

This Saturday morning IGNITE the youth service group from NCA was out again. This time we went to the Nutrition Center just up the road to play with the kids and spend some time with the orphans who live there. The center was started just over a year ago and is already overflowing. Most recently they have received numerous newborns who were left in trash cans, along the road, and in the woods.

While the center does a great job caring for these kids, they need so much more. The children were well mannered and well cared for, but they need to be loved too! That was our task.

We brought some books with and the kids loved having us read to them. The quality time we spent with them means so much! They have caregivers, but they are little more than workers. Having someone come play and take time to care about them is their highest need.

So high in fact, that they didn't mind listening to me read in Spanish! I know I slaughtered nearly half of the words I read, but that didn't stop the kids from piling on my lap with more and more books!

The kids really enjoyed the company of the high school students. Sam finds himself bombarded by more energetic kids than he can handle!

Blowing bubbles was a favorite of all!

My classroom meets Pollock

2007-05-25T07:22:00.000-06:00

Recently the Art teacher at NCA went a little crazy and decided to do some Jackson Pollock painting with her Art/Music Appreciation class. Pollock, you may know, applied paint liberally and in new methods such as throwing, dropping, and splattering. This Tuesday we donned art shirts, covered everything with newspaper, and the paint was flying!

Maria skips the cup and applies paint directly from the source!

Leah focuses hard on her form as she tries to get the best possible splatter effect.

Adolfo and Jared work together to splatter paint.

Quesillo, Quesillo!

2007-05-19T18:32:00.001-06:00

This week I had the privilege of visiting with the Penas family for dinner. Debora is in 4th grade and will be one of my students next year. Her mother Ena Patricia is a Spanish teacher at NCA and invited Debora's current teacher Aimee and I to have Quesillos with them.

Quesillos are a traditional Nicaraguan food that consist of corn tortillas, cheese, onions, and sour cream. (This picture includes gallo pinto which is a staple here - red beans and rice) The catch was that Aimee and I would be doing the cooking! We had a wonderful time with the family and learned a lot. I'm already planning on making my family try this awesome dish when I'm home this summer.

A two-piece tortilla?! I don't think Aimee intended for it to turn out like that!

Tortillas are made by hand. Nicaraguan women can turn out about 1 tortilla in 30 seconds. I was pretty proud of my 2 minute tortilla! Guess I have some practicing to do.

Aimee and I show off our wonderful tortillas!

Enjoying the fruits of my labor!

My first MC job

2007-05-08T23:46:00.000-06:00

National Honor Society. I was never a member as a student. Now as a teacher, I find myself as a faculty advisor for the NCA chapter of NHS. This past week I have been planning, preparing, and persuading others to help with the induction ceremony for new members. I can now say it was all a success. The new members are inducted, I didn't make a complete fool of myself, and best of all - it's done with! And no, I didn't sleep through the ceremony, despite what the picture may lead you to believe...
Sam graciously translates for me as I seemingly zone out...

I hired a great photographer for the evening. She was a little bit of a last minute hire, and I actually pulled her away from her work to take photos for us. A great big thanks to Kellan for her help in capturing the evening in photos!
I just hope she managed to get her homework done after the photo shoot. That 5th grade teacher can be a bit harsh about incomplete homework :)

The 14 members of Honor Society try to pose for a picture.

Train Wreck

2007-05-07T23:24:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was my birthday. In honor of that (and a few other May birthdays) some of the other teachers arranged a smoothie/game night. Ticket to Ride, a game involving laying train tracks to make your assigned routes, was one of the major events of the evening. It is a rather simple game, that requires attention and good luck. Luck was not with me. I now lovingly call the game train wreck.

I also had my first experience with the VIP theater. It costs less than the average movie ticket in the states, and comes complete with reclining leather chairs and an order-in menu. I think I enjoyed the seat more than the movie!

Despite the fact that I didn't, and still don't, want to be another year older, it was a good birthday.

2007-05-07T22:47:00.000-06:00