Well, we have just returned from our one week site visit. Our town is rather large, beautiful, and clean! Needless to say that we were kind of in shock when we arrived because the town is really so progressive and has so many great programs that we we wondering what we were doing there. The first day we went to meet our host family. We have a Mom, a Dad, a sister who lives there and two brothers who do not live there. One of the brothers actually married a Peace Corps volunteer a few years ago. You would be surprised how often that happens in Peace Corps Nicaragua. The family was really nice and accommodating and they taught us how to make gallo pinto, the national food of Nicaragua (basically fried rice and beans). We have to live with the host family for 6 weeks and then we will FINALLY be allowed to move into our own house so we expect visitors!
On Monday, we went to visit our multigrado schools, which are all located in the campo. While our town is clean, beautiful, and wealthy in comparison to the rest of Nicaragua, the campo surrounding the town was extremely poor. I was in shock at how poor the little towns were and the living conditions of the people. I know we have been prepared for this but it really hit me hard that first day in the schools. The second and third days we went to visit our other schools. My farthest school is a little over an hour away on foot and there is no other way to get there but walk. Alex borrowed a bike to get to his far schools but it still took about an hour or so. Usually the roads are so poor and full of holes that it impossible to navigate even on a bike. Besides visiting our schools, we also visited the mayor, the police, the ministry of education, the library, and a local NGO. We are going to have a lot to do these next few years.
We are in our last week of training in the pueblos. Next week go to Managua for a week and then we officially swear in as PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS. We stay in Managua for a week to attend a conference and then on Nov. 23 we officially go to our sites. That is all the news I have for now and I promise to update pictures when I have 5 spare hours because it really takes that long. Miss you all!
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I agree that it is hard to believe how these folks are able to live, stay healthy, be happy, raise a family in conditions that are so foreign to us gringo's. When Dana & I were in Costa Rica we were in a small town that seems to have had similar conditions as you described. But these folks were happy. I alos enjoyed the way families supported and took care of each other, something we don't see in our modern society. Your care package goes out tomorrow. I will send along magazines in the near future as I gather them in my travels. Adios, Julio
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