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!