anniversary

It was July 11, 2008, that we arrived to Nicaragua. Confused, exhausted, frustrated over lost luggage and language barriers and currency exchance – but so full of anticipation for the year to come. And we had no idea then what the next 13 months would hold or how fast they’d fly by.

So it was that last Saturday marked our MPI one-year anniversary. A year ago on that day, the old PDs picked us up from the airport and whisked us off to dinner at a traditional Nicaraguan restaurant called Doña Haydee’s. Over our first tastes of gallo pinto and cacao, the “old balls” recounted funny stories from the year, telling us what to look forward to and what would be hard. And last week, we found ourselves in the same restaurant on the same day… but this time a year later, with the new group in tow. The parallels were uncanny and bittersweet. This time we were the old ones. We were the ones speaking Spanish with confidence, advising what to order, and laughing over the past few months.

Having the new group of PDs finally here (after so many hours of selection and anticipation!) incites even stronger feelings of nostalgia for the past year… and both despair and excitement in expectation of the coming transition back to life in the States. It’s a beginning for all of us. The beginning of adjustment and orientation for the newbies. And the beginning of the end for us “old balls.” There are lots of goodbyes to come as we begin our trek out.

Leaving this place behind will be a process of contemplating and reconciling. Saying goodbye is hard, but perhaps harder is the thought that this phase of life is ending. Living in community. Working alongside friends, both gringo and Nica. Spending hours in a rural neighborhood, playing and exploring. Sitting in families’ homes. Speaking Spanish. Having time to ask the “why” questions and put together a more complete picture of what is this world. It’s all about to end.

Nikki heads out next Wednesday (because she wants to go to med school or something?!?) and the rest of us depart in early August. The next few weeks will fly by. And though it seemed at times that this time would never come, when I board my flight to go home I know I’ll be wishing this chapter wasn’t over.

Emily

fourth of july


Many of us have realized that this month (or in Laura’s case, two months) has been one of the greatest of our lives. For sure one of the best summer months ever. With working hard during the day and relaxing and bonding at night, loving the kids and volunteers nonstop, Manna breeds an environment that is like summer camp mixed with the peace corps. You serve and get served and love and get love, several times over every day. We are not wholly selfless- we have a pool, a house mom, and electricity despite our third world conditions. We are not selfish, either- we don’t have a TV set (to the disgust of many Nicas who watch telenovelas nightly) or air conditioning or a dishwasher. But what we’ve learned down here, among many other things, is that life is so much more than what you have (or what you don’t). And on the Fourth of July, a day where we wonder why Americans are so blessed (even the poor and hungry) and so fortunate, we can take a step back and just be thankful for it all. Our elections, while political and emotionally involved, are free from bloodshed or assassination. Our job market, while unsteady and chaotic, is at least able to provide for the majority of Americans and continues to provide a life above the world poverty line — unlike the workers in Chureca who live on less than $1 a day (called extreme poverty, and half of the world lives in that label). Our faith, while seemingly divided more and more each year with the onset of religions from Scientology to Kaballah to the church of people like Fred Phelps, at least allows peaceful coexistence...

Chase
Summer Volunteer

cone day

To reward strong attendance in literacy and math classes yesterday, we took twelve students to Volcán Masaya National Park for the afternoon. A standard spot for tourists, this volcano is active, smoking high into the sky and topped by a giant cross. Although it’s just a few miles outside of Managua, these kids from the rural areas of Cedro Galán had never seen a volcano before, much less hiked to the sulfury summit.

As the micro wound it way up the side of the volcano, we pointed out the dried lava and volcanic rock from past explosions. The chatter amongst the kids was hilarious as they bounced in their seats and discussed how ugly it was and how they wished they could witness an explosion and float away on the rivers of lava! We arrived to the top, clambered out of the car, and peeked over the safety wall into the gaping hole that led down “into the center of the earth,” as a few little boys claimed. After photos at the rim and a short hike to the cross mounted above (where we could barely breathe because of the sulfur!), reactions were divided. Some students continued to exclaim “¡Que tuani, que bonito!” while others thought it was “feo” and just far too smelly to be worth their time.


The ride down the volcano was concluded by a short visit to the park museum and then a return to Managua. In typical Manna fashion, we tried to tie this expedition to either math or literacy by insisting that it was Cone Day! A volcano is a cone, funnels are cones, and… ice cream comes in a cone. So we wrapped up the attendance celebration with an ice cream party in El Farito. And we learned that ice cream cones drip wayyy too fast in the heat of Nicaragua!

All in all, it proved to be a unique day for these twelve math and literacy students. Though Nicaragua is called the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes, the majority of these children have never had the chance to come in close contact with either. So whether they called Volcán Masaya “feo” or “bonito,” we were blessed to stand beside them as explored such a notable and powerful (and cone-shaped!) part of their nation.

Emily

loca for piñatas

I was unaware that a large part of my job description would be "party and event planning." The amount of rice and beans consumed in Nica is an appropriate parallel to the number of parties and special events we've hosted lately (read: LOTS). The formula for a rockin' fiesta is as follows: piñata + soda + cake + reggaeton music + gringos for crowd control during the piñata frenzy. The presence of a piñata jammed pack with cavity creating treats sends children and adults alike into a tizzy. (Side note: the piñatas are often very creepy Chuckie-like dolls or large animals), but I digress. After being swarmed by children begging to have a go at the piñata, one lucky child at a time is blindfolded and starts swinging. The following moments seem to pass in slow motion. Should even one piece of candy squeeze out and fall to the ground, people dive, wrestle and fight on the ground for the treats like their lives depend on it. Often times the child up at bat doesn't realize there are people diving around his feet (due to the blindfold) and continues to swing that bat like he's aiming for a home run. Thank God that no serious head injuries have occurred. A few weeks ago at a giant birthday party we put on for the local children, there were no less than 50 children in a massive pile clawing their way to candy heaven. The icing on the cake was several moms who used their height advantage to tackle the still hanging, yet mostly destroyed, piñata and ripped it to shreds. Planet Earth should do a slow-motion segment on this phenomenon; it is simply stunning to watch.

Next to Jesus' birthday, mothers' day is probably the most important holiday in this country. Consequently, we've tried to honor the mothers of the children in our programs and any mothers in the local communities we've gotten to know during our time here (nearly one year!!!!). Monday morning we had a special brunch for mothers only; the idea was to have a classy, relaxing lunch for the moms, a time when they could have fun and enjoy each other's company without the looming presence of needy children. We played a few games, raffled off some prizes and provided a delicious meal of eggs, tortillas, cheese, fruit salad, pound cake and coffee. This morning we had a similar celebration for the Chureca mothers in our child sponsorship program. We brought a piñata, cake, soda and raffle prizes; fun was had by all!

In the spirit of mother's day, I'd like to quickly honor my adoptive Nicaraguan mothers. I lived with their family for a week, teach or coach all five of their children, and recently was the confirmation sponsor for my 'brother' Enrique. Jamilet (the mom) and Gloria (the hilarious and token mildly-crazy grandmother) are incredibly hospitable, loving and generous. Not only that, but they are constantly scheming to find me a Nica husband so I'll live next door to them and stay forever. I feel so comfortable sitting outside of their tiny, dirt floor home surrounded by their loving presence. I know they think of me like a daughter because Gloria often (jokingly) threatens to spank me with a belt for doing something bad. Feliz día de las madres!

Finally, a huge success story on the soccer team front. No, we didn't qualify for World Cup South Africa 2010, but we had a surprisingly successful game on Friday against the Chureca girls' soccer team. This is the fourth encounter of the two teams and due to the fiesty, spunky nature of many of the girls on both sides, I was prepared to break up fights and deal with many a complaint and problem. Miraculously the game went in the opposite direction. Not only did we win 3-0, but I've never seen my girls behave as well as they did nor get along as well. Girls who normally sit out and complain were encouraging each other and playing hard! Two young mothers handed off their babies and ran around with their friends. A few who normally skip practice to make out with their boyfriends showed up and complied with our rules of having fun, no fighting or complaining, and encouraging each other on and off the field. They were sportsmanlike to the other team and a few of the girls really stepped up to be leaders among the team. Plus, they looked great in their matching black uniforms!

Enjoying actually being a coach instead of a strict enforcer,

Christina