Village Life

I live in the ANS Village.  To most of you that doesn't mean much but it's like living in a really small community.  If you have ever seen the village the "Others" live in on LOST then just imagine that but with a fence around it. :) There's lots of people, some excitement, and neighbors.  I lived in dorms with lots of roommates in college but it's not quite the same when you have families living around you rather than young adults.
About a week or so ago, maybe two weeks I was reading in my room (I do that a lot) and I hear Alex (my dear friend and neighbor) yell "SARAH! LAURA!  Come to my house ASAP and bring your cameras...I have something to show you!!!!!"  So in humoring my good friend in neighbor I did as she told me with as smile and went over to her house.  She told me to look in her toliet...my first reaction is "Alex, your gross!"  But Alex isn't the kind of girl who would poop and tell so I humored her.  This is what I found:

For those of you who don't know that is an iguana.  They are really common and we have tons on campus but I've never seen one in someone's house let alone in the toliet.  WHO KNEW!  So we went and got our good friend Melvin.  Melvin is one of the guys who is head of maintenance and he fixes things when they break.  He fixed my toilet, my air conditioner, listened to Alex cry when she an ant nest in her house; He pretty much does it all.  So here is a fun little video of Melvin the magician working his magic :)

My favorite part of this video is when Alex smiles in the end...haha! That one of the many reasons why I love her! :)

In other village news my friends bought motorcycles!  Learning to ride a motorcycle when you live in the village is a ticket to freedom and they cost under 2,000.  I couldn't get a picture, but i'm sure there will be one to come!

This semester has gone so so fast!  I can't believe it's only 8 more days of teaching for me.  Two this week, one week of SEMANA SANTA ( spring break!) in Costa Rica and Panama, and then we have Monday off the following week, and the next Monday off and then we leave!  It's gone so fast but I'm ready to be home and start the job pursuit!

One way I really need prayer is just of this whole job thing. Just that God would give me wisdom as to where to apply and he would just provide what I need in those places.  I had a little "worry day" on Saturday.  (Worry Days are day I freak out about the future)  Luckily I was able to talk to my mom who reminded me that it really isn't in my hands anyway!  Yay for wise mothers!

Next post will be full of Semana Santa pictures!!! WOOO HOOO!

Florida, Fifth grade, and Mombacho!

I am really a terrible blogger.  I think about it frequently but often put it off!  Oh well...here I am now and I've done a lot since my last post.

1. I traveled to Florida to see my family and for a break in between my two placements.  It was really relaxing and I had a lot of time with my dad to travel around Florida.  I got to go back to Jacksonville, which is like a third home to me!  And I after living there all summer I got to go to St. Augustine.  Which was an awesome colonial town.
After a few days with my dad the rest of the fam fam got there, just in time for my baby sister's national cheerleading competition.  They got second!!!!  Which is such a sweet accomplishment and I am so so proud of her!  Here are some pictures from that week!

The Fort at St. Augustine

It was also BIKE WEEK in Daytona...these are our new friends...The Phat Bastards.  My Father talks to everyone!

Dad and I at the Fort
*Photo credit: Phat Bastards founder :) 

Beautiful!

On the road to St. Augustine

The Oldest School House in the USA

Heather had an interesting idea that rice crispy treats made a good breakfast...."It's cereal!"

Iowa All Stars Fusion!  My sis is the 6th from the left in the back row

So proud of you JoJo!

We were bored waiting for our food

Impossible to take a good sister pic

2. I started 5th grade!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!  It is really fun and even though it's like a job in itself to get my students to stop talking, I love the 5th grade level of intelligent conversation.  It's so amazing and I love hearing there thinking.  I have 3 science classes everyday and then Language Arts.  We are reading The City of Ember.  If you like young adult books I would totally recommend it...I read it in one night and am waiting for the next one to be returned to the library.
In science we are doing ecosystems and using a FOSS kit that I used in 5th grade, which is totally fun because the kids think it's cool I did the same experiments as them.  We currently planted terrariums and the kids are really learning a lot...it's fun to see them collaborate and have to rely on each other.  Sorry no pictures from 5th grade yet.

3. This weekend we climbed a volcano.  This was probably the most physically taxing thing I've ever done in my life.  We climbed mombacho from the base to the top!  Most people take a military like vehicle up most of the way and then hike around the top...not us!  I didn't ever think it be so steep!  We saw people from Seattle there and they asked us where we were from.  We told them and they're like "Really!  We hike all the time and we would never dream of doing this!"  Yeah it was nuts and my muscles kept telling me it was a bad idea.   Getting to the top was so rewarding though...knowing I had conquered the volcano! There was a lot of praying going on in that last half hour (it took 2 hours to climb).  Here are some pictures that highlight the best parts of the climb:

The Volcano Mombacho from Granada...where we started the day at Kathy's Waffle House :)

These Howler Monkeys we saw on our hike up.  They were peeing as I was trying to walk under the tree...so I waited and then RAN REALLY FAST!

The one flat part in the road...it was AWESOME!

A Model of the volcano Mombacho

View from the top...looking over the crater at Granada and Lake Nicaragua

This is the crater

Learning to Long for More

Sunday I leave Nicaragua for a week.  I am so excited to have cleanness (not a word), no burning trash smell, good food, English, and Walmart....the list could go on.  But the point is that Sarah and I are stoked to go back to the states for even just these 7 days.  I've made out my list of must do's: Target, Asiago breakfast sandwich at Panera, Poncheros, Firehouse Subs (Florida!), STARBUCKS!, Kilwins (another Florida fav), driving, petting animals, drinking sink water, not getting whistled or kissed at, and sleeping without ants.
It's funny because everyone who is from the states or has ever been to the states is really excited for us.  My friend's fiance is Nicaraguan and doesn't really want to go to the states or live in the states.  He has known this his whole life and doesn't know the joys that are offered in the US.  (Note: I'm not implying the US is great and wonderful, it just has a lot more than Nicaragua)  She just tells him that it's better than Nicaragua but he likes his milk that makes me gag.  He likes where he's from and doesn't want anything different.  I feel like it's a lot of how I am.  I know where I am but I don't always believe that what God has ahead of me is better.  It's better to wait for something big than stay where I am or get little joys now when God promises Heavenly treasures.
As I said I've had a lot of time to read lately and have gotten really into a book by Elizabeth Elliot called Passion and Purity.  I have to say this book has not been what I thought it would be about!  I have learned so much and have actually seen my self in a lot of what she talks about in the book.  She doesn't only talk about physical purity but emotional purity.  Emotional purity or the Christian-ese term "guarding your heart" has always confused me.  What does it mean to guard your heart anyway?!?
A few years a really liked this guy and even though my close friends thought he might have an interest in me.  I thought I was again "guarding my heart" and I never pursued it...not even a little.  It wasn't until we were apart that I really realized how much that relationship (or whatever you want to call it) had hurt me.  There were so many times I thought about bringing it up, sending an email, or being like "WHAT IS THIS? What happened?"  One of the things Elizabeth Elliot talks about is how often we ask God to either give us what we long for or take that longing away.  What God tells us is "I want you to learn to long for something more"  I have to say this has been a hard learning experience and it's lasted way longer than I ever would have imagined.  And even though I am over him and have moved on I still think it's important for me to be pray that God will teach me and I will learn to long for something more than just this...just going home for a week...just Nicaragua...just the lima beans if I have the promise of an ice cream sundae...getting the drift of what I'm learning? :) (last one might have been a stretch)
I feel like being here has been a challenge for me spiritual but it's in these challenges that God is moving, teaching me, and molding me to be the woman of God he has created me to be and for that I am thankful.

The ultimate poop story and other tales from ANS

So last Wednesday one of the other first grade teacher came into my classroom after class.  He told me i would never believe what had happened today.  He told me that during reading time he sent one of his little boys to the bathroom.  After the boy had been gone for a while the maid that cleans our block came into the classroom...note that she never talks to us.  I guess it's a cultural thing that they "workers" don't talk to the teachers...weird but it puts it into perspective.  Anyway the lady motions him outside.  Jason is the last classroom on the row.  The maid tell him that she caught this little boy of his pooping next to the wall just around the corner from his classroom.  Sure enough there was poop there.  The maid told the boy to go to the bathroom to wipe and wash his hands...haha!  So the little boy comes back and Jason asks him if did it.  He says "no Mr. i didn't do it..."  Jason then pointed at the security cameras and said he would just look at the video.  The little boy then quickly admitted to doing it...His reasoning?  He was having such a good time in his reading group he didn't want to be gone too long.  WOW...I told Jason that he should take it as a great compliment to his teaching! haha!

So for the past 4 schools days: Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday I have been on my own...aka no cooperating teacher and no substitute.  Which is fine but has been very taxing especially since I am trying to get things done before I go home in 2 WEEKS!  I can't wait for a week in Florida with my Dad for most of it than the rest of my fam for 4 days!

Friday one of my favorite teaching moments...like EVER!  I found out via a mom that the girls in my class had been ganging up against one of the girls and she was going home crying every night.  This broke my heart especially that this is the one of the nicest sweetest girls that is in my class.  So we (me & my assistant) told the girls they had to come in during break and eat lunch with us.  While they were at specials we rallied the troops and got around 7 other 1st and 2nd grade teachers to join us.  We planned a little skit in which I was left out by all the other girls and they wouldn't talk to me.  The same situation my little Mia was in.  When they came into the room they all sat around one table expect for Mia.  I wanted to cry just looking at them!  I couldn't believe my girls were doing this!  I didn't tell them what we were doing...we just started acting.  It was awesome! A few of the girls came up to me during the skit, while i was cry and ask "Ms. Laura are you ok?  Are you crying?  What's wrong?"  After it all the other teachers left and we talked to the girls about how they thought I felt.  Mia started crying and we were able to really reconcile the girls' friendships with each other!  Mia was all smiles the rest of the day!  It was so rewarding and she kept coming up to me and giving me hugs.  All I could think was: This is why I want to be a teacher!  I want to be able to teach kids to love each other...build community and grow together!

My first graders have also started dating I guess!?  What in the world!? I had one of my little boys writing "Takoa <3 Mikela" on his paper!  I told him he better erase it or I would hang it up in the hallway...haha!  He doesn't even care that the whole class...including all 3 of his teachers know!  The best things is for Valentines he sent her a candy gram.  The next day she brought him a little card.  For cards we usually put them in their homework folders so she gave the card to my assistant.  At break Laura, who is my assistant, told me Mikela had written Takoa a card.  I asked if it was really bad that I wanted to read it...she told me she already did so I did too...(not sure if this is professional, probably not, but too cute to resist)  Let me paraphrase the card to the best of my knowledge.  "Takoa, Thank you for the candy gram.  I know that you love me and it's ok.  I love you too but please don't tell the class.  Mikela"  You can't tell me that isn't precious.  Yesterday, I talked to his mom who is a friend of mine.  She said she doesn't understand where he gets it...She explained....They don't even have a TV! haha  The best part is Takoa's little sisters is telling her mom that my cooperating teacher's son is her 'novio'...aka boyfriend.  They are in K4...which is preschool.

I'm going to keep this one strictly class related because I have so much other stuff to say that no one would read it if it was that long.  But I hope you enjoyed these little tales :)

Life in the First Grade

As of yesterday we have been in Nicaragua for a whole month!  It is crazy how fast it has gone and really how much I am beginning to feel comfortable.  I'm learning the routine of life here which is definitely growing on me.
First of all I LOVE my students.
Last week was a little difficult.  Friday after discussing with two of my male student why 'Where's Waldo' books are inappropriate to pick out during library time, I had to have an even serious talk with one of them who checked it out behind my back.  I had never been more disappointed in a six year old!
This week has been really fun.  Monday could best be described as a little awkward.  It was the first day I was teaching all day and I felt like I was a chicken with head cut off!  I was all over the place.  Yesterday (Tuesday) was just a really fun day!  I am beginning to really appreciate the little personalities that are in my class!  Today my mob boss gave my cooperating teacher a half eaten pastry...its funny because this kids love food so much.  He is also the one who calls me Ms. ALL THE TIME....finally yesterday I told him I asked him what my name is...he told me Ms.  So I started calling him "boy." :)
Friday they had Tiger Meeting...here are some of the pictures from it:

This little girl is from my class...she did a great job helping to MC the Tiger Meeting.

One of the groups from my class presenting their sentence on families.

"Families can be big or small"
The little boy standing up on the right, with his hair slicked back is my mob boss...

This one was very cute...their sentence was "Families are stuck together with love glue"
SO GREAT!

An update on life in the 3rd world:

Friday Sarah and I got a taxi by ourselves to come home from Spanish lessons.  I was pretty proud of our skills however began to panic as the taxi drive drove straight through the turn to our school!  I was said...Sarah, we were suppose to turn back there.  The taxi then preceded to pull into a hotel and go inside.  We were panicking because we weren't sure what was going on and taxis are a site of many robberies and kidnappings in  Managua.  So we got out of the taxi as the man came back.  He got his phone and we started walking alway.  I was just pissed and Sarah was trying to call everyone in our phone.  We ended up walking a ways to the only skyscraper in Nicaragua and called a taxi from there.  I think this was one of the best ways to call a taxi...when under the influence of fear and adrenaline :)  Anyway we got home safely but a the same time shaken up.  The problem is that we are white and don't speak Spanish so we couldn't understand what he had said to us.  The pluses were that we are becoming familiar with the city that has no order what so ever!  We knew where we were and where the school was.  It was also around 5:30 so it was still somewhat light out.

This weekend we chilled at home.  It was really great to just sit around and read, especially since I'm on a major reading kick.  I've just been reading every night before bed for a half an hour to an hour.  In the past month I have read like no tomorrow!

Books I've Read:
 The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury - Redemption, Remember, Return, Rejoice, Reunion
Really great series that I really connected to!

Currently Reading:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - my kindle has free classics so I'm taking full advantage!  I think Gulliver's Travels is next.

Passion and Purity by Elizabeth Elliot - I absolutely love Elizabeth Elliot!  I read her "Let Me Be a Woman" a few years ago and was blow away but her insight and wisdom.  I've had this book since part way through the semester but haven't taken the time to read it.  I started it the other night and can't put it down.  It's amazing how now when I'm a single woman, in another country, trying to decide what to do with my life I have time to read it...timing is perfect.

*Any book suggestions are also taken :)

Here are just a few more pictures from my life lately:

My bedroom! 

Our living room

Our little kicten

other view of our living room, into our kitchen

My kick butt neighbors...haha
Allen is on the left- he is my friend Hailey's fiancée
Alex is on the right...she is fierce :)
They are both in Takwando

Alex and her new kitty Elton...who I frequently call Elliot
Alex is a proud mom

This little man is the hit of the neighborhood

First Earthquake + First Espanol lesson

This afternoon after my last lesson of the week, I walked to lunch with my cooperating teacher.  (I eat lunch while the kids are in Spanish) I had just sat down with my usual lunch of chicken strips with honey mustard and amazing homemade chips (great meal for $2! or 40 cords).  I was eating with my two friends who teach in the middle school when our table began to rock.  At first I though someone was just moving the table but then no one was moving and it lasted a little long for that to be it.  I looked at my cooperating teacher, Maria, who was smiling at me from across the room asking if I felt that.  IT WAS MY FIRST EARTHQUAKE!  Awesome!
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc00017cj.php
Then the sirens started going off in the school.  Being from Iowa there is no reason why I would ever need to know what to do in case of and earthquake so I had to ask her where I was suppose to go.  She said we just had to get away from the buildings and trees.  The siren only lasted a minute at most but I found out the tremor was a 5.1!  Such a cool experience.  Nicaragua has 50 volcanoes, 7 of which are active.  There is a lot of movement and shifting of the plates here.
My second unique experience of the day was our first Spanish lessons.  This is no Ballard High School Spanish class.  Professora Balew has nothin' on this lady.  She spoke Spanish the entire time...it was super intimidating and my brain literally hurts after being immersed in it for dos horas.  It's kind of crazy how much I can remember though because I didn't think it was as much as it was.  This lady teaches Spanish for the Peace Corp and is giving us lesson for 5 dollars each time!  I'm hoping I come home a better Spanish speaker and understander (not sure if that's a word but oh well my brain is fried!)
:)
:

Starting teaching/weekend out of Managua

Last Monday was my first day at school.  It was only a staff work day but it was really nice to get to know the other teachers and the school without the worry of kids.  I meet my cooperating teacher who is very sweet and I am very excited to be working with her.  We also are doing a book study for professional development which I am really excited about.  I realized my need and desire to be constantly learning more professionally and this definitely is helping to fulfill this desire.

Last Tuesday I met my kids.  I don't think I have ever been so nervous to meet a groups of 20 six and seven year olds.  It is kind of hard because some of the don't know as much English and the kids usually talk to each other in Spanish.  This has been especially true after coming back from a month of winter break.  It's kind of difficult situation because I want them to be conversing with each other and doing think pair share but I never know if they are on task or not.

This week I have taken over writing.  It has been an adventuring figuring out what works and what doesn't with all ELL kids in a very open environment where it's usually fairly loud.  Have three little angels that don't seem to want to do any writing but I have already seen improvements in there stamina to write.

Yesterday I came home very frustrated and overwhelmed by the whole experience.  I called my mom and she suggested really focusing on building relationships with my students.  Today this was my main focus and I have to say it made it much more enjoyable.  I am beginning to appreciate and get to know the little personalities in my class.  I know you aren't suppose to have favorite but let's face it I have a little tiny favorite.  This little boy is seven years old and I have nicked name him the mob boss.  He is absolutely hilarious and always has a comment to say after every class discussion.  He also loves food and money and is very good at ordering people around.  The thing is they listen to him because he just has that mod boss way about it.  My teach and i constantly are smiling at each other when he does something that is mob bossish.  :)

The other really exciting thing is that we got out of Managua this weekend!  It was awesome!  Managua can kind of kill your spirits and so it was nice to see other parts of Nicaragua.  On Saturday morning we went to Granada for breakfast.  It was SO GOOD!  We went to a place called Kathy's Waffle House and then toured around Granada.

Above is a picture taken from the Cathedral's bell tower looking over at Lake Nicaragua.  The largest lake in Nicaragua

This is the cathedral!  I think it is so absolutely stunning!

This is a video of La Laguna.  We went to an overlook on Saturday then went swimming in it on Sunday! So much fun and so beautiful!

This is at a the Monkey Hut Hostel.  If you ever visit Nicaragua look it up! We went swimming and ordered pizza which was super good, but Sarah got sick after eating it.  As you can see though it's a little piece of paradise.

To get in you jump off the end of the dock.  We then swam out to the far floating dock.  I hope you can see it in this picture cuz it's kind of far away.  The water was really choppy this day so I was exhausted swimming out there and back...plus I had run Sunday morning so getting out of bed on Monday was a bit of a challenge. :)