Just Another Update from Nicaragua

Today is my three week anniversary in Nicaragua.  I can't believe I've only been here for three weeks!  It seems much longer than that!  I feel as if the days go by quickly here, but looking at the time by weeks it seems slower. Back home, I felt the opposite.  

This past weekend, we went to the beach for my birthday on Saturday.  It was so nice to just relax.  The journey there was interesting, with few paved roads and potholes that can't even be compared to the ones in Cedar Falls.  There was hardly anyone there.  It was very relaxing, but I wish we could have spent more time on the beach and less time waiting for our food.  Overall, the weekend was really nice and relaxing.

In the classroom this week, I've been co-teaching with my cooperating teacher a lot and working one-on-one with students.  I've also been teaching by myself.  It's really hard for me right now because I still feel like I have a lot to learn, so it's hard to focus on the positives when I feel like everything I do needs improvement.  My cooperating teacher and I have been talking a lot about this lately.  I really am enjoying teaching in the classroom and working with the students, but I feel like I have so much more to learn, especially about the culture.  The culture has such an effect on teaching and I wasn't prepared for that.  I know that as the weeks progress it will get easier, though.

On Friday I was right outside the classroom with the students.  I was talking to one of the second grade teachers and she was asking me about how I liked Nicaragua.  Right at that point, the ground started to shake.  There was an earthquake!  I experienced my first earthquake, and it was a 5.1 at that!  http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc00017cj.php

A fellow teacher, Laura, and myself have started taking Spanish classes twice a week.  The instructor is intense because she speaks solely in Spanish, but she has a really great sense of humor, especially since we are now able to understand her!  It helps just to bring back some long-lost vocab and verbs as well as listen to her speak and speak amongst one another.  

No exciting plans for the weekend yet, but I'm sure something will come up!

One last little note: Geckos are very common in this climate and have been enjoying crawling all throughout the house since we've been here.  One gecko went a bit further and decided to join me in the shower the other night!  Just plopped down from the ceiling!  Sneaky little guy!

Birthday #22!

I cannot believe I am celebrating my January birthday in a tropical climate!  I thought I would always be freezing to the bone on my birthday, but not this year!  I do however want to start with last weekend since I haven't updated since then.

Last weekend I got a great opportunity to travel to Granada, which is about 45 miles from Managua.  We ate at a place called Kathy's Waffle House and had a good ole' American breakfast.  The city is beautiful and it was nice to walk around and see the volcanoes and lakes that are present throughout Nicaragua.  I can't be sure on the exact number, but I know that there are over 40 volcanoes in Nicaragua.  We then had an entertaining and comical evening in the ans "village" (apartment area) with the other teachers that lived here.  There were many laughs and drinks for all.  Sunday consisted of a drive to the Laguna, which we had seen from above on Saturday.  The Laguna is a beautiful, clean body of water that is a crater made from a strong volcanic explosion.  It eventually filled up with rainwater and is now surrounded by lots of lush, green trees!

Man, oh man I am really starting to get to know all of the crazy personalities in the 5th grade!  They are all so unique and I learn something new about each of them every day. I taught my first lesson a few days ago and as the students were working, a mouse runs across the entire length of the classroom!  Of course, the girls scream and stand on top of their desks while the boys chase it and try to catch it.  Needless to say the students were not very focused for the rest of the class period!  The students are really starting to warm up to me this week, which is really nice.  Today, I can't even count how many times I heard "Happy birthday Ms!" They are so sweet, and it didn't stop with just some well-wishes.  During the first break, three of the boys in my class gave me cookies. During the second break, they push me out into the hallway.  When re-entering the classroom, they all start singing happy birthday to me.  Just melting my heart is what they're doing!  They all spread apart to reveal some pizza for the class and two birthday cakes!  My birthday would not have been as special as it was without the students.  They are beyond wonderful.  Sure, they misbehave, but they have good hearts, which is all that really matters anyways.

Just a few little tidbits that are unique to my experience here:

• All of the students call their teachers "Ms."  All of the time, over and over again. "Ms., can I get a drink of water?  Ms., what am I supposed to be doing right now?"  Sometimes this gets stuck in my head even after the students have left for the day
• They are obsessed with my Toms shoes.  Not all of the students, but a few.  I will be explaining something and they will say, "Ms. I like your shoes!  Are those Toms?"  Goodness, no focus whatsoever sometimes!

Hopefully this weekend will lead to some sort of adventure and more time putting off my TWS (oops)   :)

The beautiful city of Granada, Nicaragua

The Laguna in Apoyo

Frying plantains!  Delicious

Some of the treats from my wonderful students!  I don't think the cake says "Miss Vandy", but close enough!

Nearing the End of Week One

Where oh where do I begin?! Quite a bit has happened since I last wrote, but I will try to give just a brief synopsis of what's been going on the last few days.  On Monday, I met my Cooperating Teacher and some of the other teachers and staff members on campus.  It's great to see how much they work with one another, including the Literacy instructor, the Special Education teacher, and the Elementary Principal.  The students were not there on Monday, so I had plenty of time to get to know my Cooperating Teacher and ask her questions about her classroom and the students.  She's a very easygoing person and has a lot of great ideas.  Since this is only her first semester at ANS, it feels as if we are a team.  I really value the respect she has given me and am looking forward to future lessons and time spent planning!  The teachers from grades 3-5 met for a book club on Monday, and will continue to meet every Wednesday.  This is a time for professional development and to share ideas and how to use the methods described in the book in the classroom. 

Tuesday was the first official day of classes.  My Cooperating Teacher has all fifth grade classes for science, and then teaches the "homeroom" class Language Arts.  There are far more prep periods than I could have ever imagined, so there is plenty of time to eat lunch and plan lessons for the days to come.  I have never been in a school where teachers were given so much prep time!  It is mostly due to the fact that the students have Spanish every day with a Spanish teacher and a special (music, art, PE).  The majority of the students in the classroom are Nicaraguan, and none are from the U.S.  This surprised me, but I think it will be very beneficial for me to teach a class comprised of almost all Nicaraguan students. 

Some differences I have noticed between Nicaraguan students and American students include the following:

• Nicaraguan students are VERY chatty, especially during instruction
• Since this is a private school, the students are very privileged (nannies, maids, tutors, etc)
• They always speak in Spanish, unless answering questions from the teacher.  It's not that they can't speak Enlish, it's just that Spanish is their native language
• They are world travelers (US, Spain, Switzerland, France, South America, Canada, Holland)

I have not taught a full lesson yet, but I have done a lot of co-teaching.  My main focus right now is to get to know the students' names, their interests, and my Cooperating teacher's teaching style.  I've gotten to know the more outgoing students in class, but with the quieter students it has been through email.  My Cooperating teacher had the students email me about themselves and what they did over break.  It was great hearing all of their adventures, and one student sent me some links to great vacation spots in Nicaragua!  Some interesting facts about Nicaragua:  Their staple food is beans and rice with plantains; for New Years, fireworks are a huge form of celebration;  a form of greeting includes kissing on the cheek when hugging; (more Central/South American thing) people always arrive at least a half an hour to an hour later than the planned time to meet.

I am looking forward to a weekend of sleeping in, working on lesson plans and the TWS, laying by the pool, a neighborhood Greece-themed dinner, and hopefully a trip to the beach!

I have yet to adapt to Nican food, as you can see.

One of Laura and I's better meals (chicken, peppers, mashed potatoes).

Please look at our food and not our faces!

The Calm Before the (Much Anticipated) Storm

This weekend hasn't been too exciting as I relax for the last remaining days before my Teacher Work Sample and before lesson planning begins.  For those of you who don't know, the Teacher Work Sample (TWS) is an assignment given during student teaching to document our learning goals, assessment plans, instructional design, student learning, and reflection.  It's a lot of work, but is a great way to document what I learned during Student Teaching.

On Friday night, Laura and I went out with one of the teachers at ANS and her friend visiting for the week.  We went to a middle eastern restaurant that served hummus, eggplant, pitas, etc.  There was also an option to order a hookah flavor, but we did not order any.  The area that this restaurant was located in was very unique.  Every new location we visit here in Managua is so unlike the last.  On our way back from dinner, the taxi driver ran out of gas, which was both comical and a bit scary since it is frowned upon for foreigners to walk at night.  We ended up getting a second taxi to make it back to campus.  

Saturday consisted of a bit of soaking up the sun and swimming in the pool.  I have been told on multiple occasions that this is "cold" weather (88 degrees) and that the classrooms will get up to 100 degrees once we get closer to May.  I am glad that I won't be here during the "wet" season, which begins in May, since this results in moldy everything (so I am told).  Today I went to church with our neighbors and Laura.  The service was in English, which was nice.  I enjoyed the service, but will also be asking around to find out if I can attend a Catholic mass with someone.  Tomorrow I will finally be meeting my cooperating teacher!  Tuesday I will meet the students and get the ball rolling!  I am looking forward to this since transportation is limited as is the safety factor here, so most days I have been hanging around at the apartment on campus.  I have not gained my adventurous spirit yet here so I'm still a little timid about going out without knowing much Spanish and not knowing the area very well.

Below are a few pictures of my living quarters:

¿Cuánto para este teléfono celular?

Today has consisted of a few more adventures than the first couple days since I've been in Nicaragua.  Laura and I's first interesting experience happened at the metro centro as we attempted to buy a cell phone to communicate locally.  The man helping us did not know any English, and we know little to no Spanish.  With many awkward stares, giggling, and pointing, we managed to purchase a phone.  We did not, however, purchase any minutes, but we thought we had.  Luckily, we had some help later in the day to help with some translating for the purchase of minutes.

I have been enjoying this beautiful weather by laying by the pool and walking around campus and  have met some lovely people who work at the school. They have been more than hospitable, giving Laura and I advice about the area, safe transportation, things to do, etc.  We went to a lovely mall with numerous restaurants comparable to a nice mall such as Jordan Creek.  It's just amazing to see the vast difference between certain areas of Managua.  I think that I will slowly fall in love with yet another city.  Two days ago, I did not think this would be true.  I have found a new understanding and a desire to learn about places around the world, learning about the people of different cultures, and seeing their ways of life.   I know I came here for Student Teaching, but I think I am about to learn so much more than how to teach and what to teach.  My mother always would ask me, "Why Nicaragua?  Why don't you want to stay in the Midwest?"  It's mostly because I want to see the world in 3-D, and I don't think I can do that by staying in the US but this is just my opinion.  It's just fascinating to me to see different ways of life.  I feel as if staying in one location your whole life is great, but there's so much more out there.  Life is short, so it's important to take opportunities as they are thrown at you!

Managua as we are landing

Our apartment

The school entrance

Welcome to Managua!

Well, before flying into Managua, I had a horrible feeling of regret and a feeling that I had made a wrong decision.  I think this is not that uncommon of a feeling when going into the unknown.  Once getting onto the plane and seeing the beautiful water, and thinking of the tropical weather, I quickly had a change of heart.   Upon landing, I looked around and saw houses (better termed “shacks”).  Since Managua is a large city (1.7 million), I guess I was expecting it to look more like Dongguan, China and less like, well, the third world country that it is.  After an hour car ride from the airport, we arrived at our destination. The school grounds are gated and there is both a pool and basketball courts.  The apartments are set aside down below on the school grounds.  They are small, but rather nice.  Air conditioning was a great option to see, but we did not have access to the internet.  After someone helped us unload our belongings into the apartment, we were sort of left out to dry.  When we went up to the office, however,we were able to exchange our money and get a ride into the local grocery store.  I also spotted a few fancy-looking buildings, a Burger King, and a McDonalds!  Civilization wasn't too far away after all!  After a rough start, I’m hoping for a change in attitude from myself and a better experience from here on out!.  I am definitely looking forward to meeting the other teachers and the students!

And the Journey Begins!

Hola!  I am starting a blog to keep in touch, inform others of what I'm up to, and also to document moments throughout my trip to help me remember my entire experience.  As of right now, I am looking forward to some warm weather, getting to meet my cooperating teacher, see the school, and meet the students.  Nervousness is definitely a huge feeling right now as well as excitement.  I will try and keep this up to date as much as possible.  Feel free to follow the blog, make comments, etc.  I look forward to keeping in touch!  Off to Nicaragua bright and early tomorrow morning!