Los Quinchos: 2008, 2009, and 2011

Sustainability and Reflection

2011-07-29T09:46:00.001-07:00

After three summers in Nicaragua, I thought it was time to share my experiences and feelings about Los Quinchos with both the founder and director of the organization. I struggled to come up with a project that would help Los Quinchos hold their workers accountable for reading and working academically with the Yahoskas. Unfortunately they are limited to only 3-hours a day schooling. They can't spend all of their free time watching soap operas! With the library resources Nour and I have provided over the years, and the reading-workshop trainings we have modeled, they have the resources to increase academic rigor for these kids.

I was frustrated to see that the books were not used on a daily basis. I shared this with Zelinda and Carlos Vidal in our hour and a half reflection/planning meeting. I proposed the development of a documentation system for the main Los Quinchos library, as well as the Yahoska library. This system requires the educators to log their daily reading sessions with the children. Zelinda and Carlos really liked this idea, so I developed the spread sheets. They are currently being bound into accountability booklets (thanks Nour for taking the time to do that!). The educators (the employees who work at the Yahoska complex and the main Los Quinchos library) will need to document who is supervising reading time, the date, what time the library is opened, and what girls are present at the time of reading workshop. This system will allow Zelinda to know to what degree the academic resources are being utilized.

We also developed a concrete reading schedule for the girls - with an hour and a half of reading built into each day! Lets get reading!

International Pen Pals

2011-07-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

Letter writing is an essential thing for fourth graders to learn. Knowing this, I wanted my students in Richmond to feel a sense of purpose when writing a letter to another person. With this notion, our class decided that we would write letters to the children I work with in Nicaragua. Boy was this a success with the Yahoskas! Each Yahoska received one or two letters, depending on their writing ability and age, to read and then respond to. The girls were ecstatic to receive letters from my students! Half of the letters were in Spanish (as half of my students came out of the bilingual program and have the ability to write in Spanish) and half of my students wrote in English. For the letters in English, Nour, Gloria, and I spent large amounts of time translating the letters to each individual girl. With the ittie bittie Yahoskas, we sat with each of them and helped them to write their letters - it was great allowing them the time to think through their life experiences and develop letters that describe their 7 year old lives in Nicaragua.

I can't wait to throw my previous 4th grade students in Richmond, who are now big fifth graders, a Nicaragua party during lunch so that they can see the pictures of the girls receiving the donations the collected, ad well as receive their pen pal letters!

Richmond, CA Elementary Students Help Those in Need!

2011-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

As mentioned below, my fourth grade students were amazing and got really into our 4th grade philanthropy unit (see several posts below). After lugging the suitcase of donations to Nicaragua, my homestay sister, Leonela, and I spent a few hours equally dividing the donations into 30 zip-lock bags. Without any convincing, she decided to come with me to the Yahoskas for the day. She seemed to be as excited as I was!.We spent the first part of the day doing reading workshop. I was stoked to see Leonela so excited to read to the girls. She has a talent working with children. After working with the Yahoskas that day, she is now interested in volunteering with the Quinchos once a week. This is exactly what the girls need, a consistent, Nicaraguan volunteer who will be there year-round.

We followed up reading workshop with the donation give-away. Before I handed out the bags, Leonela and I explained that the donations were from low-income, inner city students (the majority of who are Latino just as they are) in the United States, who are each trying to make their world a better place. The Yahoskas found this particularly exciting because they knew the donations were coming from their pen pals, whom they had already received letters from. Each girl received a bag of donations from my 4th graders. There were stoked to see that their bags contained new, colorful pencils, tooth brushes, pencil sharpeners, erasers, hair accessories, rulers, and pencil cases. Many of the girls carried their bags around with them for the remainder of the day, displaying that the new supplies were very special to them.

¿Vamos a leer?

2011-07-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

Throughout the past few weeks, we have focused on identifying potential themes in the stories we read, generating summaries, and connecting with characters' feelings. The girls were more than enthusiastic to share their connections with the characters. As time went on, they also were eager to share their "resumens" of the books we read. I have seen a lot of improvement.

What proved to be difficult was having deep discussions around theme. The first few times we read together, there were few hands raised when I asked, "What do we think the author is trying to teach us? What is the broad idea or message in the story (aka theme)?" even after defining and discussing what theme is and means. Initially, those who did answer, came up with very general ideas. With time and questioning, using textual evidence and several simple examples, we learned how to draw conclusions about what each author may be trying to portray.

It was also exciting to realize that there can be many correct answers to the questions I was asking. All one needs is reasonable evidence to prove a point, and with textual backup, almost anything can be argued. I loved watching the smiles on the girls faces when I validated their responses - so important for children! Having watched students in Richmond, California light up when being complimented and validated, even for repeated responses already given (the other 4th grade teacher I work with does a great job of this and having observed her really helped me learn how to communicate this way) has allowed me to draw in more Yahoskas into discussions. The teaching profession easily transcends countries' borders :)

I also want to thank my college professors and mentors - they never gave up on me and believed I could be a successful Haverford student despite my rural, public school background. Any student has the ability to achieve a high-quality education, and Haverford gave me a chance! These students in Nicaragua deserve these chances as well.

I also want to send a big thank you to the CPGC for giving me the opportunity to start my life-long service learning in Nicaragua.

Library Organization and Reading Workshops

2011-07-17T16:08:00.001-07:00

Nour and I spent many hours reorganizing the previously purchased books into sections. Since we had no means in which to level the books according to grade level, we bunched the primary books on specific shelves and the secondary books on others, all with appropriate labels.
The first go around, the books were categorized by genre, but this new system seems to be working better - the girls are learning to reference and visit the shelves that correspond more closely to their reading levels (see before and after photos above).

We taught them the rule of five, aka if there are more than five words that you do not know on one page, the book is probably too hard for you. It is time to put it back and find another book! Thanks to many of my great mentor teachers, this seems to be working.

After teaching the girls the rule of five, we modeled and practiced how to return books to the library. Starting with the smallest girls, we demonstrated just how nicely we can put our books back on the shelf (to the left is a photo of our participation line). Since this lesson, the library has been in much better shape every day we have returned.

Since then, I have spent every day doing a series of reading workshops. I start by doing a read-a-loud that has a strong message or vivid imagery. While reading the book, we stop and make predictions, check for comprehension, make connections to our own lives, and summarize what we have read.

Throughout the passing weeks, I am pleased to see that the girls are extremely eager to do reading workshop. I walk into their home and one of the first questions they ask is, "Margarita vamos a leer??!!" This daily question has kept me smiling through the parasites and recent kidney infection.

The love of reading is learned

2011-07-06T17:15:00.001-07:00

After having settled into a concrete pattern, I am starting to feel the forgotten tug at my heartstrings as I read more and more with girls. I returned to Nicaragua to see the library I started in a state of disarray. The books were disorganized, all the puzzles Nour, another Haverford volunteer, had purchased were left in pieces, and the posters I had made were in a corner. Despite this, it is clear that the girls have been using the books, which is a start. Reading books is the first step, but easy access to books that a child can comprehend is the next step. The library needed to be reorganized, cleaned, and revamped. The girls need to be taught how to organize and maintain the library without volunteers doing it for them. Having learned many things from teaching fourth grade, I have come to realize I did a poor job of teaching library procedures to the girls. Building this notion into my volunteer plans, I now realize that I gave the girls fish without teaching them how to catch the fish themselves. Over the past week, Nour and I have spent many hours organizing, planning, cleaning, and teaching. The fishing practice has begun. Details to come!

Location:San Marcos, Nicaragua

La Iglesia

2011-07-06T16:52:00.001-07:00

I had my first nicaraguan evangelical church experience last Tuesday. My homestay mom, Dona Ivania, asked me to accompany her, so I thought I would give it a shot. As we entered the open-air church, it started to downpour on the tin roof above, relaxing me, as I am very used to the comforting sound of the rain's pitter patter. Accordingly, the small congregation began to sing a sweet song saying, "Let god rain down on us." The song continued for about an hour, and as time went on, I watched many people sway to the music while weeping. The singing provided a good outlet in which the community could release their emotions. In places that bear such hardships, church remains a place in which people can come together and release pent up feelings.

Location:San Marcos, Nicaragua

4th Grade Philanthropy Project

2011-06-28T00:57:00.001-07:00

My year has been full of laughter, tears, and amazement as a Teach for America Corps Member. Teaching 4th grade at the lowest performing elementary school in Richmond, California has been an incredible learning experience. My 32 students were full of energy, excitement, and passion. As the year progressed, I started to share my Nicaraguan experiences in the classroom. My students' interest was instantly sparked and they continuously asked me questions about the Yahoskas and Los Quinchos. Feeding off their energy, I planned and implemented a philanthropy unit, in which the students read "Three Cups of Tea: The Young Readers Addition" as a class. The students developed a class philanthropy project, and chose to center their goal around the Yahoskas. The goal was to fill a suitcase with useful donations. Their project was a success! I am leaving for Nicaragua in the morning, loaded with a 48 pound suitcase full of Spanish books (donated by my students, their parents, several other donors, and some that I purchased) and a 47 pound suitcase full of other donations. I am extremely impressed by my students drive and generosity.

My students also wrote pen pal letters to the Yahoskas (I will be spending a good bit of time translating the ones written in English). While in Nicaragua, I will conduct a writing workshop in which I will help the Yahoskas learn how to write friendly letters in a three paragraph format. I think they will really enjoy connecting with my 4th graders, many of whom are from Mexico. In several of their letters, students describe their experiences as latinos in the United States as well as what life is like living in an impoverished, urban community.

2009 Projects

2011-06-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Before I depart for Nicaragua this year, I wanted to sum up the 2009 experience I had with a few photos and explanations, since I broke my fingers and directed readers to the picasa photo site:

1) The Yahoska library was constructed, thanks to the many donors (you know who you are!). The girls now have books that are accessible at their home. With the $2000 raised, I was able to buy several hundred books for the library.

To the right is Doña Ivania (the Los Quinchos librarian/my homestay mother) at Ispamer, the main book store in Managua. In the middle is a photo of Chris (a carpenter from the United States, was generous enough to make the bookshelf for free) and a few workers from Los Quinchos helping to set up the bookshelves needed for the project.

Below are photos of the girls helping me to organize the books into categories, labeling of the categories on the bookshelf, and the final product!

2) Together, the girls and I did a good bit of both individual and group reading. I was pleased to see their interest and enthusiasm for reading increase over the course of my stay.

2) With the Yahoska psychologist present, I organized and lead a two-part sexual education workshop with the oldest Yahoska girls. Each one lasted about two hours and the girls had the chance to discuss any topics they chose. For thirty minutes, the girls wrote down questions they had and passed them in anonymously. We then formed a circle and placed all thequestions in the middle. The girls read them aloud and we had discussions about each question. The intention was to only do one session, but the girls requested a second.

3) Using the poetry of Ruben Dario, Garcia Lorca, and Pablo Neruda, I put together poetry

books for each of the girls. Using these compositions, we engaged in poetry workshops in which we learned about similes, metaphors, personification, and the use of vivid imagery. After various sessions, I passed out notebooks for the girls to write their own poetry and prose. After many writing workshops, the girls produced some fantastic work!

4) Using the poetry and prose the girls wrote over the duration of my stay in San Marcos, they performed their favorite pieces at the Open Mic Night I organized. Italian volunteers, the directors of Los Quinchos, as well as many boys from the boys program attended the two-hour performance. The girls performed beautifully after our long dress-rehersal, in which we learned how to project our voices, speak with distinction, and stand proudly as we share.

Broken Fingers! http://picasaweb.google.com/Maggie.Bishop18

2009-08-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

I have two broken fingers, so it is difficult to blog. To see the wonderful projects going on at the Quinchos, check out my photos in the link above.

Return to Nica. Fundraising and Planning

2009-06-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

I feel fiery and frenzied as I fiddle with whatever I can get my hands on...anxiously waiting to return to Nicaragua, the country I started to know and love summer of 2009. I am ready to return!

About a month from today I will be lucky enough to return to Nicaragua for a second CPGC internship, entitled as a "continuing connections" grant. I can't describe the pent up excitement that is causing me to wretch around in my desk chair every day while doing psychology research at Haverford College (for the two months preceding my internship). So the 2009 blog starts here! Please read below if you are interested in my last year's adventures.

Firstly, I would like to thank Jeffrey and Christina Lurie, who have been ever so generous as to contribute a generous donation to my upcoming library project. The plan is to start a library at the Yahoska complex (read below for a description). This week I will be sending out letters to friends and family in order to raise more money for books and library supplies. Library project #2 is getting way.

I also met a psychologist during the Red Sox/Phillies game who is eager to help me plan my second project for the summer, a small poetry/writing workshop. The workshop will try to incorporate and encourage the expression of pain and domestic violence topics. This psychologist has written a book for adults regarding the process of surviving 'rape and sexual assault,' and he is also on the review board for a known psychology journal.

The race is on to plan as much as possible in the next month before I head down south. But as many of us know, plans need to be malleable if any implementation and sustainability is desired.

NOTE TO READERS

2008-08-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

A few people have been confused -- the entries at the top are the most recent.

Sorry if my grammar isn't perfect. I haven't had time to edit my spit fire entries I compose at the internet cafes (sivers).

Treats for the Contest Winners!

2008-08-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

El Concurso de Lectura was a success in the Yahoska household! The winners of the contest read huge numbers of books in a three week period. It was such a fun experience to walk into town with the girls for Ice Cream (first with the younger winner and then with the older winners a second time around). After sufficient begging from the girls, we all went to the park to play after eating. I forgot how excited kids get before and after they go out for ice cream :) All the girls promised to continue reading after I left. We will see how that goes!

Somos Bonitas Adentro y Afuera (We are beautiful inside and out)

2008-07-30T22:00:00.001-07:00

Many of the Yahoska girls have never been asked to discuss their inner feelings about their personalities, but project Somos Bonitas Adentro y Afuera prompted some of these sentiments.

Two weeks ago I took individual photos of every girl and had them printed in Managua. It was an entertaining process to get the girls to pose for me, but we all ended up having a good time and laughing quite a bit. It was an even more incredible process to find the hard-backed board I wanted to mount the photos on. I had to take a bus to a neighboring town to find a large Styrofoam piece one might put in the trash. The workers at a Refrigerator store were glad to hand over their extra packing material. I painted the board red and pasted the photos of the girls in order of youngest to oldest. Below every photo I wrote ADENTRO: and AFUERA:. I brought the poster board to the home of the Yahoskas, and was immediately surrounded by smiling faces and screeching voices saying, "ENSEÑA!" (which means show me!). After every girl got a good look at the poster I began the two day process of discussions.

I discussed what I thought was beautiful inside and out about the personalities and faces of every girl. We talked about how the media often emphasizes outer appearances, and how it is important to realize there is more to a person than the clothes they wear or makeup they put on. A few of the girls blushed and smiled nervously as we talked, but eventually they all warmed up and enjoyed talking about their favorite personality traits and physical features. A few of the older girls became a bit teary. I think it was refreshing for them to be able to express their love for themselves to someone who truly cared. With the older girls I emphasized how much I loved it when they were positive, and I told them how important it is to maintain their positive attitudes. They need to receive encouragement and positive feedback as much as possible.

The Reading Contest - El concurso de Lectura

2008-07-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Reading is an activity that isn't often encouraged in Nicaragua. Accompanying this problem is the lack of access to books. With the 300+ books that have been added to the Quinchos library, thanks to my generous donors, the Quincho children have bright new books to read. The only problem is the lack of motivation the kids have when it comes down to opening the books. With this problem came about a short-term solution that I hope will encourage “reading for fun” in the future.

It is difficult to encourage children to have fun while reading, so we thought it was a great idea to have a small competition between the girls and boys of Los Quinchos to see who can read the greatest number of books in the next four weeks. The kids must read a book, give a small summary, describe the theme, describe their favorite character, tell what they learned from the story, and answer whatever questions we have in order to receive a star on the “concurso” (meaning contest) chart. The two boys and two girls who read the most by the end of our internships (Gloria, Rose, and myself) will be allowed to walk into San Marcos with the three of us to get Eskimo ice cream.

I was a bit worried for the first week of the contest, because the kids were so busy and hadn’t had time to come to the library, but two days ago I asked their caretakers if I could bring them to the library for extra reading time. This was no problem, and there started the beginning of the contest. All then needed was a bit of encouragement and a person to walk them to the library. We will see who wins the contest☺

Below are photos of several Italian women reading with the girls. A great proportion of the funding for the Quinchos program comes from Italian donors, who often venture to Nicaragua to see the progress of the projects and to volunteer however they can.

I Could Not Help Myself - Saving Dying Puppies

2008-07-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

All of the excitement of the trip came on day three when we all took a trip to a beach about an hour away from the town. Right as the bus passed the various houses made of garbage bags and plastic which lined the beach, I noticed four tiny puppies in the sand. They were all struggling to stand up and seemed to be choking on the granules of sand. A few of the girls laughed, but most of them were concerned. I was mortified...

Gloria and I immediately got off the bus and picked them up. I filled my two Frisbees with water and put the overheated puppies into them so as to cool off. We scooped water into their mouths as they tried to stand up but could only then collapse back into the Frisbees. This situation was just too much for me to let go. There are hundreds of dogs I’ve passed by in Nicaragua, unable to do anything because they were ferule or grown up, but these puppies were vulnerable and were going to die if we did nothing.

Many people in my group thought I was crazy, but I took the puppies onto the bus while everyone else was at the beach, and poured water into their tiny mouths with the cap from my advil bottle. I looked ridiculous covered in sand, sitting on the floor of the old, dingy bus with a Frisbee on my lap and a dog in my arms. I called my mom to ask her what mixture of liquids I could give the dogs besides water, and she called our veterinarian to get a solid answer. She called me back and instructed me to mix milk, water, and eggs together. Cows milk is isn’t good for the puppies to drink straight, so the water would dilute it. The eggs were for extra calories, because the puppies were so starved.

The caretaker of the school (a young man who had grown up on the streets of Managua and went through the Quinchos program) traveled with us to the beach that day. He was one of the few people who followed me onto the bus, and he seemed interested in what I was going to do. I asked him if he would be willing to walk to the local town to buy milk and eggs to mix with the water. He gladly agreed and off he went with the sum on money I gave him. He promptly returned not twenty minutes later and handed me the items I’d asked for, along with two syringes. I had no idea the small desolate town would have syringes, and I was overcome with hope! What a thoughtful guy! My job was about to become much easier.

Using the syringe, I gave them all 4 ccs of the mixture and proceeded to let them rest. I ruffled the puppies fur with my sarong and then wrapped them all in it, placing them at the back of the bus to sleep. They were exhausted, but glad to be in a warm, comfortable place. They instantly crawled on top of each other amongst the comfort of my sarong, and were happily asleep.

For the next four hours, while the girls played and enjoyed the beach, I sat on the bus with the dogs, taking them to the bathroom (disgusted by the parasites I could see in their fecal matter), feeding them, and ruffling their fur as to make them feel they had a mother to love them. I was really worried about two of them, as they couldn’t stand up on their own for most of the day. As time went on they quickly gained their strength back. A few of the girls stayed on the bus with me for most of the day, very interested in the process of rehabilitating dying dogs. We had some great conversations about animal care and the treatment of animals in Nicaragua.

I ended up taking the puppies back with me to the schoolhouse. I knew I would have a tough trip back to San Marcos the next day, as I was planning to leave a day early so as to get the dogs to the Veterinarian. The night was full of surprises. I put the puppies in a box with my sarong, and was frustrated but relieved when they gained enough energy to climb out of it. They began to develop some personality, and followed a few of the girls around when I woke them up to go to the bathroom. This was the point where I was starting to be sure I was doing the right thing. It was a bit of trouble to get them back to the schoolhouse, and I hadn’t played with the girls on the beach. I knew it had been beneficial for the girls who had stayed on the bus with me, so I hadn’t completely neglected my internship responsibilities.

That night, the same young man who had gone to retrieve the syringes, brought with him a friend, named Wilbur, who said he wanted one of the three puppies. I was hesitant at first, knowing the puppies were all very sick and needed massive amounts of attention. He told me he had wanted a dog for a long time and would take great care of it, giving it real puppy food. I made sure to ask him never to hit his dog, as I see many people do in Nicaragua. Wilbur responded with, “Claro que no!” Of course not! “I think it is awful how many of my fellow Nicaraguans treat animals, and I will never do that.” With this statement I was convinced, and I handed over one of the girls. The boy immediately wrapped the tiny thing in his shirt and said, “I will name her Princessa.” My smile spread ear to ear. By this time it was around eight thirty, so we spent the evening talking and making jokes, while I played with and comforted the other two tiny beings in the box. I showed Wilber how to feed Princessa with one of the syringes, which I gladly gave him as an accompanying tool for his new puppy.

After the boys left, I dragged my sleeping back outside. Rose, another volunteer, is allergic to dogs, so I decided it would be best to sleep outside with the puppies. Until sunrise, I woke up every hour and a half to feed the babies and take them to the bathroom. The night was full of whimpers from the dogs, screeching from the bats, and buzzing from the bugs. I was sure to thoroughly spray the perimeters around my mat with deet bug spray, for the insects here are far superior size wise to those in North America.

Gloria and I traveled back to San Marcos the next day. It may have been one of the most tiresome days of my life. We took a taxi to the town of Posletega, and then three buses to get ourselves to San Marcos. I played the role of “crazy gringa,” who thinks she the mother of a few puppies, for the span of the day. I did receive quite a few smiles alongside the weird looks. The most attention was paid when I whipped the puppies out on the concrete in the middle of the chaotic bus stations to go to the bathroom. People surrounded me on several occasions, all which asked where I got the dogs. My only response was, “they were abandoned by some mean person on a beach in the North. They were going to die if I didn’t take them with me.”

The microbus driver to my town asked me what happened, for I was sitting in the front seat with the anxious puppies. He seemed touched by the story and drove me to the Vets before he stopped at the normal loading place in the town square. The people here can be so nice!

I begged the vet to take the dogs for a few days, so as to rehabilitate them. He was nervous they wouldn’t make it because they had some blood in their fecal matter and urine. Thanks to the emergency fifty dollar bill my grandmother gave me five years ago, that I have kept in my wallet since, I was able to pay for all of their medicine and their five day stay with the vet. Might I mention that vets here don’t normally take animals overnight, but my fifty dollar bill convinced the nice man. He only charged me five dollars a day to take them….not bad compared to what that would be in the states.

I found a home for them the same day. A friend of my family was looking for a puppy, and agreed to take them both. Yay!! I then slept for 22 hours straight, only waking up to have dinner shoved down my throat and to go the bathroom. Gracias adios!!

Between Little Girls Playing and Bats Screeching

2008-07-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

It is hard to truly view all of the tradegy and extreme problems of Nicaragua, and I came to this realization when I accompanied 15 of the Yahoska girls on vacation to a northern town called Posletega. For two weeks the girls school had vacation, and about half of the girls went home to their families to visit. The interesting part of the trip started with a bumpy ride to the North of Managua, which eventually caused the old, rickety bus to break down. The Yahoska workers played this off well and pretended it was merely a stop for lunch. After the bus cooled down, we chugged on to our destination.

The Quincho program doesn’t have exuberant amounts of money, so they travel to places where they can sleep for free. About eight years ago a volcano erupted and killed thousands of people in and around the town of Posletega. The Quinchos reached out to the devastated place and built a school about three kilometers from the main town. This was where we stayed.

The first day was full of Frisbee, soccer, a piñata, and story telling. Before bed I read the girls a meditation from a book I was so lucky to find on our latest trip to Managua. It was so exciting because this book was one that was read to me when I was little, so it was crazy to be able to find it in Spanish (it was found in the used books section). Despite the older girls listening to their Reggeton music not a 100 meters away, the younger girls enjoyed the story and were intent to have it read to them every night they were on vacation.

We all slept in the two roomed school, the girls and their teachers in one room and the volunteers in the other. The rooms were divided by what seemed like a cardboard, wood collection. We slept on the Nicaraugan version of sleeping bags, which were merely cotton filled mats for the floor. Right as I was about to fall asleep the bats came to life and began to swoop in and around our room from the storage room to our left. Between the girls talking in their sleep in the next room and the “murciélagos” yapping, I slept very little the first and second nights.

Keep on Adding - Library Editions

2008-07-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Left in my funding for the library was 650 dollars, of which DonaIvania, Gloria and I put to good use. With 650 dollars left to use, DonaIvania, Gloria, and I ventured into the great city of Managua to purchase more books for La Biblioteca. We spent five hours in three stores debating over what books to buy. The library needed a few sets of special text books for the children to use after school, several types of science books, music books, poetry, more “learning to read” books for the smaller Quinchos, and libros in various other subjects. It is amazing how far 650 dollars can go in a third world country. We filled two backpacks and six bags full of books to lug back on the “MicroBus” to San Marcos.

Amongst our favorite purchases were books about physical and sexual child abuse, homosexuality, and a book about “all you need to know about your period.” We also chose some books about animal care and animal rights, along with a children’s meditation book (of which I used to read when I was little…only in English). Below are some photos of us with our favorite books.

Thank you so much to those who contributed to this project. Its success is evident by the smiles on the children’s faces when they walk into their newly renovated and liberated library. DonaIvania, the librarian would also like to make a special thanks to those who donated. Your contributions have brought tears to her eyes on several occasions.
The library has a new look and a fresh feel!

Playing Tourist for a Change

2008-07-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

It was an instant relief to be reunited with my group of friends from Haverford who are volunteering in Nicaragua. Fourth of July weekend was celebrated with laughter and story telling. We ventured to a southern beach called El Coco and filled each other in on our internship experiences (while taking in a bit of sun). It was the perfect get away in the middle of our 10-week span in this fascinating country. It was a bit difficult to play tourist after volunteering for so long, but we comforted ourselves by realizing our money was going toward the improvement of the tourism business. An increase in tourism would greatly help Nicaragua’s economy. It has as many beautiful sights as does Costa Rica but lacks the economic stability to advertise. It is hard to publicize and improve the tourism business when forty percent of the population is in extreme poverty.

In the Southern part of Nicaragua exists a beautiful sanctuary for the mothers of the ocean, who once a year travel thousands of miles to lay their eggs in the same sand from which they originally emerged. La Flor is a natural turtle reserve in which over 20,000 turtles come to between July and September to lay their precious, valuable eggs. About one in every hundred of their babies will survive to become procreative adults.

Besides birds and small mammals, humans are their most detrimental predator. Turtle eggs are a delicacy in Nicaraguan restaurants; so many poor residents will sneak onto the reserves and steal the turtle eggs after they are laid. But how can we blame those who are merely trying to survive and feed their families by digging up a few eggs to sell on the streets? Humans are slowly destroying nature, but poverty and corrupt governments are slowly destroying humanity. Who is at fault?

Our group was lucky enough to witness one of the great giants lay her eggs deep in the sand. I can’t begin to describe how incredible the mother turtle looked as she struggled to lay and bury her 100 some odd ping-pong like eggs and then flop back to the ocean. These incredible creatures can live up to 200 years old and have been around since the age of the Dinosaurs.

My group also arrived on a night when nine eggs had hatched, so the workers at the national reserve allowed us to set them free into the ocean. It is much safer for humans to bring them down the beach than to let them travel on their own, because many predators are constantly on watch in hopes to grab a bite to eat. It was quite a sight to watch the tiny beings scamper away to the distant roar of the waves. Sometimes we forget to appreciate the beauty beyond human kind. Nature has so much to offer.

La Chureca: Who knew one could become addicted to a trash dump?

2008-07-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

I found that my first visit to La Chureca, (please see early entries of my blog for a description of the Chureca) proved to be very emotionally difficult, but now I want to go back weekly. After the initial shock of observing how people live amongst the mounds of garbage, I was eager to put myself back in the place that made me so uncomfortable. If people can live there every day I can surely work their once a week. The children that visit the Los Quinchos building day after day were the magnets who drew me back. I spent five hours last Thursday counting, coloring, and working on the "homework" the children were assigned at school. I was glad to see that some of them were regularly attending the available school nearest to the Chureca.

Walter, the child I have become most attached to, spent over an hour coloring and talking to me about the pictures in the coloring book. It is clear how intelligent he is, and I hope he continues to be the motivated child he appears to be. The Quinchos program instills work ethic, support, and hope for these children that would otherwise have little more than trash to go through and non-supportive families to go home to.

Thanks to the Dentists!

2008-07-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

It is amazing what will make a Nicaraguan child smile. Normally new tooth brushes are fun for a minute or two, but the Yahoska girls looked as if it was Christmas when I distributed new tooth brushes that Dr. Obannion and Dr. Stein & Shannon graciously donated. They all carried their new possessions around their property for at least an hour, holding them while laughing and completing their chores. They were all eager to keep the packaging the brushes were wrapped in, but their teachers said that wouldn't be necessary. For many of them it is nice to have a brand new posession.

If a small fraction of the dentists in the United States could donate tooth brushes yearly, there would never be a shortage in Nicaragua. We can all dream. Fire starts with a spark, so thanks again to the dentists who supported Los Quinchos and the Yahoska girls in lighting a spark. You brought smiles to their faces, and from now on their smiles will be brighter!

Better in Real Life, But Here Are Photos of the Yahoska Complex

2008-07-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Every day a smile comes to my face as I approach my volunteer site. The outer walls are decorated with pictures and bright colors, proudly displaying the Yahoska title. The Yahoska property is like a small farm, with two goats, a pig, and a dog and cat. Mango trees scatter the acre sized piece of land and the girls frequently scamper up the tree trunks to throw mangos down to their friends. Daily life includes meals, school (the girls travel to and from the town of San Marcos for school -- either in the back of a pick up truck or by foot), and various activities, including daily chores.

These girls are very well behaved and are constantly running from activity to activity. I'm always amazed when most of them jump up with a smile to go sweep a floor or wash dishes. They hand wash all of their clothes and suffer through their homework when not dancing or running about. Every day is different. I try not to get in the way of their daily routine, but instead entertain the girls that have nothing to do.

Two days ago was Gloria's birthday (Gloria is another Haverford Volunteer). I went to the Yahoska's early so the girls could make birthday cards for her. It is amazing how excited they get over the smallest projects. I whipped out paper and markers, and they immediately squealed with delight. It was the cutest thing watching them make their cards. "What do I say?" "Is this pretty enough?" "Will you help me write my card in English?" were some of the many questions they posed. I was touched when a few of them wrote me cards, explaining how much fun they've had with me and te quiero mucho! I want to take every one of them back with me to Kentucky.

Animal House Love - Learning about Animal Rights

2008-07-01T15:34:00.001-07:00

Not only is the Yahoska living space wild and crazy because of adolecent girls, it is buzzing because of their frantic pets. Living on the Yahoska property are a large pig, several goats tied to trees, and various ducks. A few weeks before I came, the girls were given a two month old kitten and a young puppy. Both were starved and full of parasites the first time I saw them. As I have mentioned in previous entries, many of these young ladies have been abused and pushed around, so in turn they treat their animals in an abusive manner. My family is rather passionate about humane treatment of animals and animal education, so I was immediately shaken up over the conditions of their pets. After my first day with the girls I walked home in tears, wondering what I could say or do to influence the fair care of these pets.

As I was falling asleep that night, I realized I merely needed to treat their pets as I do mine. Immediately the next morning I walked into the local pet store (which wasn't what we would call a pet store in the States) and bought two weeks worth of kitten and dog food, food bowls, and anti-parasitic pills (to try to eliminate the gross amounts of parasites that are in their intestinal tracts).

Before lunch on the day of my big purchase, I whipped out the food, medicine, and bowls. I immediately had ten girls surrounding me, questioning what I was up to. I explained that the kitten and puppy need special food to eat, and they need specific types of medicine when they are sick, just as people do. I also emphasized that their bellies hurt when they are hungy and pointed out the kitten's protruding bones. Rice and beans are not sufficient foods for any cat or dog to consume. It was clear the girls had never heard such things. They all listened eagerly, nodding their heads, and occasionally asking questions. We mashed up the parasite medicine and mixed it up into each pets food. The kitten was purring the entire time it ate. They all took note of its happy mood.

Every day I have tried to reinforce appropriate care of the pets by giving them extra attention, talking to them, and discussing animal rights issues with the girls. It seems that the girls are starting to treat the animals in a more peaceful manner. Today we casually discussed how one can go to jail in the United States for abusing an animal. We also talked about how great animals can be for your mental health and how it has been scientifically proven that pets reduce anxiety levels for their owners. I threw out the points that many jails give their inmates animals to take care of to become better people, and they all seemed a bit shocked. I merely smiled. These pets could turn out being very therapeutic for the girls.

The Newly Liberated Library

2008-06-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

My past week has been spent revamping the Quinchos library, which included books enclosed in wooden bookcases, within a small, well lit room. The books were disorganized when I arrived, lacking labeled sections or easy access. I saw great potential in “La Biblioteca” and realized so much more could be accomplished beyond buying new books.

The librarian, DonaIvana (also my host mother), has been laid back yet excited about my ideas. With her help, we have revamped the space. We first ventured to Managua to buy posters for the walls, school supplies, and of course, books! (Thank you to those who helped me raise the funding for this project. It made all the difference!) We bought an insurmountable number of books, most of which have been read/or looked at by the children as of now.

Rose and I spent two full days, a total of about 16 work hours, sorting, piling, and categorizing the books, the old along with the new. We created categories such as History, Social Sciences, Geography, How to do Things Section, Sports, Math, Science (with sub-sections of Geology, Astronomy, Chemistry, Biology, etc). An entire book case was devoted to children´s books, organized by level of difficulty.

Amongst our organizing were curious children mixing up our piles and occasionally asking for advice on what to read, or inquiring "what is this?" (To the left are many of the new books we bought and below is a photo of the organizing process.)

The final result was better than I could have ever imagined. We hung up the posters, put the finishing touches on the library (cleaning, straightening etc), and watched as the kids walked in after school, all of whom marveled at the posters and newfound brightness of the room. It is now easy to seek out books from the various sections. The children are more engaged by the light atmosphere.

About 1/3 of the money I raised remains, and now that we have reorganized the library into sections, and have a better idea of the contents, we can spend the rest of the money on the three or four sections that are lacking. In Nicaragua, children do not have their own copies of text books. They travel to school every day, listen to their teachers lecture from the selected textbooks, and are expected to complete their homework without any references. The library carries many of the textbooks to use for reference, but much of the remaining funding will be used to complete and amplify the text book sets.

The library funding from my family and friends has provided about half of the textbooks the library holds. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this project a reality.

Daily Life in Nicaragua

2008-06-24T14:58:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to imagine life outside the United Statets, and before leaving for Nicaragua, I had a hard time contemplating what life would be like working in a small, suberban town. I have been placed with a homestay family, and I share a small bedroom with Doña Ivania, my homestay mother, and her daughter Leonela. In the living room is another bed where two of Doña Ivana’s sons sleep, and in the other bedroom sleeps her oldest son.

Water is only available from 8 p.m.- 10 p.m. so my family fills large vats with water to use the next day. The toilet is also un-flushable, so one needs to pour a small bucket of water rather swiftly into the front of the toilet, and down go the contents. We forget how lucky we are to have running water at all hours, and it rarely crosses our minds how much water we waste by showering with running water. I usually take bucket showers, because it is too cold to shower past eight at night.

I have grown very accustomed to all these differences, and feel it will be hard to readjust to the ways of the United States. Food is another topic I find very different here. Many Nicaraguans eat rice and beans for breakfast, or a mix of the two called Gallopinto. It is great the first few times, but after a few weeks one becomes very tired of this delicacy (but I should try not eating for a few days, as many people here do not, and then see how great Gallopinto seems). Chicken and white rice are the signature lunch and dinner items, and a mango from the tree in the back yard serves for dessert.

Peanut butter, jam, butter, etc are all too expensive for the normal Nicaraguan family to afford. The only reason I eat toast and peanut butter for breakfast is because I buy it myself to share with my family. Refrigerators are also hard to come by. My family has one that currently doesn’t work, so they buy the food they need daily, including milk. Fruit is also very expensive, although Nicaragua produces a lot of such things.

Snacking doesn’t really exist here, so one is always good and hungry for the next meal. For this reason, I find rice and beans very tasty!

San Marcos

2008-06-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

I’ve spent four weeks in Nicaragua and have already fallen in love with the country, despite my run ins with hongos, parasites, and various other health problems one might encounter when in a tropical country.

More than a week ago I arrived in San Marcos, a quaint town full of life but begging for improvement. It is far better off than many towns, considering it has various medical care, a few coffee shops, pharmacies, and a market place, not to mention it is somewhat safe. This isn’t to say that there is not a high level of poverty…as in other towns; San Marcos is chalked full of stray dogs, children who beg in the park, people without shoes, and thin faces which show hard work with little to show for it.

The cycle of violence and neglect is vicious…and is not only reflected on people, but on animals as well. A man abuses a woman, and the woman then yells at her children and kicks her dog. The father may get fed up with his family responsibilities and leave, pressuring the mother to provide for her children. Many mothers in extreme poverty prostitute their daughters to make a few extra Cordobas. Several of the girls I am working with have been put in this situation. It’s incredible that these girls are motivated enough to go to school, do their homework, and still have the energy to smile and play. The spirit of children is unlike anything else.

The day I arrived the children welcomed me with open arms, wondering who I was, where I was from, if I liked Nicaragua. Many of the girls remembered me from the day I visited, and dove into my arms as might a long lost friend who hasn’t seen me for years. From the second day on it appeared as if I had known the girls for years. They all crave love and attention, considering they have two adults who live with them, who are unable to give sufficient amounts of awareness to all thirty girls.

The same goes for the sixty boys in the program. Every day this week I’ve found various little boys say, “MARGARITA HOLA!!” I’m ashamed because I haven’t memorized all of their names, but in time I will come to learn them!

It’s hard to realize that 90 percent of these children have been molested, abused, and/or neglected. All of them possess incredible potential and merely want to be cherished. It’s incredible how easily they pick up English and other various languages, like Italian. Many can rattle off Rúben Dario poems they memorized in school, one of which is named “Margarita.” With every new fifth grader I meet, I hear the poem Margarita. By the end of the summer I will know the poem by heart just because the kids recite it so much.

There is a huge necessity for books and reading practice. Much of my time has been spent reading with the kids, sounding out words as we go.

Coming to Center and Getting to Work

2008-06-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

Today marks the day I will begin my internship in San Marcos. My heart is racing a bit as I blog my last entry before I turn in for the night...or early morning. I can't wait to get settled in with DonaEvanya and her family and begin work at the library and with the Yahoskas. The delegation portion of my summer has come to a close and it is time to start my internship. The past three weeks have helped to ease us into Nicaraguan culture and to get us familiar with the history of this country.

For the past few days my delegation debriefed and re-centered at The Tisae, a nature reserve fourty minutes into the mountains surrounding Estali. It was great to have time to myself, and I meditated and relaxed from the Mirador, a lookout point at the top of a small mountain. The hike up was cathartic in itself, but I more so enjoyed sitting for hours on end in silence, enjoying the sound of the wind and the sometimes angry, at times joyful clouds pass over my head.

I enjoyed the Mirador twice with friends, and a third time by myself, allowing my mind to wander about my past, present, and future. This is the time of my life and I'm soaking in Nicaragua little by little. Such a small country has so much to offer.

Achuapa and LaGartillo

2008-06-13T23:11:00.000-07:00

It's easy to overlook the small towns in Nicaragua, because they are way out in the "campo," but our delegation was lucky to be introduced to Achuapa and LaGartillo. Both towns were once harshly hit by the Contra war but are now rebuilding their strength, schooling systems, and economies. The regrowth has proven to be difficult, but these pueblos have managed to get by, maintaining their pure culture and kind populations of people.

Interacting with children, farmers, co-operative workers, natural medicine women (to the left), and musicians brought us all to the realization that Nicaragua is stronger than we ever knew. Its people have endured insurmountable traumas and yet are still trucking along, even after seeing their families and towns destroyed.

I was touched most by the women of whom we spoke with, all of who display the pain of war and loss in their aged faces, but still diligently work to rebuild their communities while raising families. The Womens Movement is the most powerful and influential political movement in Nicaragua, and this fact is evident by the spirits of the women in Achuapa and LaGartillo.

Goosebumps from LOVE

2008-06-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

Granada, a quaint “extranjero” town full of culture and life has chosen to exhibit a photography exhibit, sponsored by LOVE, Lens of Vision and Expression. The children of La Chureca have endured a life of poverty, starvation, and disease, but LOVE has provided a small escape and skill for several of these kids. The program aims to aid marginalized children in breaking the cycle of poverty. (the photo to the left and the photo of the woman and child below were taken by children at the dump)

Eight children were chosen to participate in LOVE’s workshop, which allowed the children to use digital cameras to document their lives and the conditions that surround them. The photos exemplified the sensitive and dignified aspects of human life, even when existing in what may seem like unlivable conditions. “By allowing these children the freedom to use their creativity, it gives them a voice that otherwise goes unheard,” dictates Samantha, the founder of LOVE.

Our group was privileged to witness the opening of the exhibit. The mayor of Estali was present and gave a wonderful speech to the public, which included the photographers. The looks on the children’s faces as they eagerly pulled us in all directions to see their phenomenal photographs displayed around the room. I looked around at my friends and noticed several of us had goosebumps. It only takes a woman, a few cameras, and an open space….with a little hint of enthusiasm and dedication to empower children….from anywhere.

Visit LOVE to find out more and see some of the photographs the children captured. http://lensofvisionexpression.org

How do we help?

2008-06-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

It is hard to come into a country such as Nicaragua and not feel helpless. I don't want to serve as merely a tourist but a volunteer that is here do whatever necessary to help in the best way possible. I'm here for what, 10 weeks, and I feel like there is enough work to be done for the next 10,000 years. All I can hope to do is have a positive influence on the former street children I will be working with from day to day (my internship starts this Saturday, June 14).

Pronica, the non-profit organization I'm working for this summer helps to promote healthy living, education, the empowerment of women, and agriculture to many people in Nicaragua, especially for women and children. Their goal is not to fix the problems that exist here, but to facilitate the Nicaraguans to help themselves.

Two days ago my group visited La Chureca, a garbage dump which is the final destination for 1.5 million people's trash. In and around this dump live over 1000 people, who dig through the trash day after day to find measly recyclables that could possibly be sold back on the streets. A great deal of domestic violence and sexual assault occurs within these families of people and their community. Children are infected at early stages of their lives with parasites and STIs, which often go untreated and unnoticed. Eighty percent of the women in this "barrio" or community have gynecological abnormalities, and have little access to treatment. The conditions are so bad that many journalists and socilologists have come and snapped photos, which can be found by merely googling "La Chureca." Many of the inhabitants feel as if they are in a human zoo because of all the people that take their photos.

You can not understand how horrific the conditions these people live in until you drive through the dump. My mouth dropped open and my eyes immediately welled up as I bumped up and down in another volunteers SUV, which drove us through the mud that was created from Hurricane Alma and the following rain storms. I couldn't believe my eyes; there were hundreds of people digging through the mountains of trash with sticks, so as to be able to feed their families for a day.

At the top of a large hill overlooking an eroding, contaminated lake, lies ProNica's dwelling that serves to feed children from the dump a hot meal a day. The building is somewhat of a refuge and positive atmosphere for the children to play games and get educational attention. Near the "Los Quinchos" building is a nurses office and farther away is a school building where the children have the option to attend. Los Quinchos gives the children hope and a small fraction of the necessary attention they deserve. Once in the walls of the Quinchos, one can almost forget what lies beyond.

I learned a lot from the children we played with at Los Quinchos (which is the program I will be interning with all summer - but in a different location with former street children). The children enjoyed themselves and were so appreciative of the smallest amounts of attention. Many family and friends donated toys and materials for the children, which we brought with us that day. The children squeeled in delight and played eagerly with the bubbles, jump ropes, puzzles, and markers we had brought. Thank you again to those who donated!

These children, and community members deserve more than they have been dealt. It wasn't these children's choices to be born into such communities and families. A lot can be learned from the conditions that people live and work in, and there positive attitudes they put forth despite such situations. I'm still not able to process what I experiences for that long hour I spent in the dump, but with time I will sort out my feelings.

If you are interested in helping to support Pronica and Los Quinchos, please visit pronica.org.

Beyond the beauty of natural wonders

2008-06-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

Between the beautiful volcanoes, rain forests, and waterfalls lie many farms, towns, and cities, all of which contain many people who have nothing but themselves. Eighty percent of Nicaragua is in poverty, and it is the second most impoverished country in the Western hemisphere, after Haiti.

Most people survive day to day eating beans, rice, or corn. Many only make a dollar a day, which isn't sufficient to support the typical family of ten. The illiteracy rate has risen to forty five percent and the government is doing little about it.

The government has held several corrupt leaders who have stolen foreign aid funding, such as funding that was donated to help reconstruct the country after the Contra war and the 1972 earthquake (which killed 10,000 people in Managua, the country's capital). The country is in billions of dollars in debt because of unpaid loans, so the government is less than willing to reach out to its many poor citizens because it can not help itself.

From Natural Disasters to Natural Wonders

2008-06-07T17:25:00.001-07:00

As we gallivanted around the city of Estali last week, we were amidst tropical storm/hurricane Alma, which kept us from departing for a day or so. During this time I was bit by a dog, which then ate my medication...and I thought it was going to die, as I was whisked off to a doctor to check out my bite. This is not to forget that a gallo (a rooster) crowed incessantly for the entire night outside my window the night before the hurricane started. This was an eventful period of my trip!

After the torrential rain calmed down, we took an adventure to a cascada (waterfall) about 45 minutes from Estali. It was refreshing to experience a bit of nature and pure air after running around the city all week. It is easy to become overwhelmed with emotion between the poverty and amazing organizations trying to improve the conditions of the country, so for an afternoon we escaped. The natural wonders here are more beautiful than most can imagine.

Speaking of natural wonders, Nicaragua is home to many volcanoes, several of which are active. We drove up a mountain in Managua yesterday to gaze into one of them, Volcan Masaya. Nicaragua could and should increase its ecotourism, but the country's government is in such bad shape, and is so corrupt, that Nicaragua does not have the man power or attention needed to make this happen.

Estali at Its best!

2008-06-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

FunArte: http://www.funarte.gov.br/
Estali may have its poor parts and sad sights, but the hundred murals painted by FunArte add to the city's charm and hopeful feel. FunArte, another non-profit organization, offers free art classes for the children of Esali. When conjuring up an idea for a mural, the children discuss and choose an issue of importance that involves their personal community. Some of these themes include hope, racial equality, health education, empowerment of women and children, and motivation. The children and volunteer artists then design a sketch for the mural and progress into the actual painting process.

This liberating and educational process has proved helpful for many youth in Nicaragua. Not only has FunArte helped to beautify Estali, it has worked to empower children and encourage them to access their inner artists.

Non-Profititeering in Esteli

2008-06-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hope exists. Non-profit, grass roots organizations are shining in Nicaragua and working to instill lights into the vast darkness or poverty. Many of them have lit up the city of Esteli, and work to better the lives of those around them, educating the population on the history of the revolution and the realities of Nicaragua today, through the arts, various museums, and radio programs. Several of such, my delegation turned to for education and experience so as to be a bit more aware of the hope and progress in this developing country.

The Gallery of Heroes and Martyrs:
A small museum can hold large amounts of history, and event greater amounts of emotion. "The Asociacion de Madres por los Heroes y Martires De Esteli" is a museum which contains photos, dates, names, and memorial items of those that gave their lives in the name of the Sandinistas during the Contra War. This museum gives the hundreds of mothers from Esteli a memorial ground to honor the cause for which their sons and daughters died. There are names present which don't have documented dates of death, which are refered to as the "desaparecidos." This term refers to those revolutionaries who fled to the mountain ranges to fight against the Contras and never returned. Their bodies were never found and could have been thrown from helicoptors or merely thrown in a ditch (both situations were common). For some it was better not to know how their sons and daughters died, because the situations could be more brutal than anyone would ever want to imagine; to have the bodies of their loved ones back in their arms was enough pain to endure.

Dona Guillermina Meza, a mother of two deceased Sandinista soldiers, opened the Galeria in the early 1980's for the sake of the mothers who lost their children to the destruction of war, the Esteli community, and for the sake of institutional memory. All photographs, stories, and items in the museum have been donated by the families of the soldiers. Might I comment on how strong a woman Dona Mina (how we referred to her) has grown to be. One can see the toll her pain has taken by the looks in her eyes, but a special spark exists in her gaze. A spark of hope and motivation to remind and educate all about the tragedy this country has seen.

Above is one of the multiple murals that decorates the walls of the Gallery.

Mama Licha Birthing Clinic:
http://www.mamasclinic.org/
Mama Licha, a middle-aged woman with a strong appearance and a motherly aura, greeted us at the stoop of her home as we all chanted “buenos dias!” in unison. She led us through her quaint house to the patio, which is now her “birthing clinic.” Mama Licha worked with the ministry of health for thirty years, and upon reaching a certain age she was made to retire. Due to her phenomenal and trustworthy reputation, women started appearing on the very stoop my group passed through that morning, begging for her help and assistance. Having no facilities to birth babies, she allowed these women to bear their children in her own bed, volunteering all she had.

By chance and word of mouth, two women from Yale fell upon this famous mid-wife and there after decided to aid Mama Licha’s with her dilemmas (lack of space, volunteers, and medical tools). They rallied for funding in the states and came up with enough money to build Mama Licha her own clinic in her back patio. Nicaraguans travel from near and far to work with this infamous woman, and now she has incredibly facilities to aid her. The amazing thing is that Mama Licha charges no money for her services. All of her medical procedures and facilities are run on pure donations. She has displayed that dreams and dedication can lead to reality. My very dear friend Jane Seymour will have the pleasure of working at this clinic as a volunteer for the duration of the summer.

Radio Cumiches: “Donde vos contás por que tu palabra”

Descrimination, human rights, household violence, sexuality, treatment of children, nor poverty are common topics of conversation for most adolescents, but Radio Cumiches brings these pressing topics out into the open by liberating these themes in the form of wavelengths. Gustavo Chovarria, a man bothered by these gross issues going unspoken that have plagued this country, gathered up what little money he had, and founded this organization.

By merely walking the streets around local schools in Estali, Nicaragua, volunteers ask children to write questions they have about household or political issues, then returning them anonymously. Some examples may be, “I’m 12 and female. Why is my eleven year old brother allowed to go out and I’m now?” or “My mother beats me when she is angry with my father. Why does she do this?” With these questions, the adolecent volunteers discuss and answer these questions the best they can, amongst the sessions of popular music.

Gustavo decided Estali needed to have “public conversations” about the issues which afflict the children of Nicaragua, and that is just what he has accomplished. Radio Cumiche is one of the most popular radio programs in the country.

The Esteli Experience

2008-06-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

During our first week in Nicaragua, we traveled to a town two hours North of Managua, the capital. Driving into the city it was clear that Esteli wasn't as poverty stricken as Managua, but was still struggling to survive and thrive.

Language school and my homestay proved to be the least bittersweet experiences I encountered. I was comfortable, engaged, had time to retreat from my thoughts and inner pictures of poverty and maltreatment of the Nicaraguan people. Below are photos of my Spanish class (and our Spanish professor Nuvia), which we all participated in for five days from 8-12 pm, the women who kindly let me into their home, and the daughters of two people I have come to know and love. The last photo is of the adorable, yet overly energetic puppy who bit me when I had toast in my hand.

When he bit me, I dropped the medicine I had in my hand, and he ate it. It was a wild day being shuffled off to a doctor to have my finger checked out while the puppy was shuffled around to the vet. Other than that day, Boogie was a fine companion.

Tropical Storms, A dog bite, Lost Luggage - but then there is Nicaragua!

2008-06-02T22:29:00.001-07:00

Lost luggage, a hurricane, a rooster, and a dog bite. How enticing! My parents have persuaded me to describe these four instances to get you hooked. My luggage was lost the first night, the rooster kept me up while in Estali the third night, the hurricane/tropical storm hit the fifth night, and I got bit by a dog in my homestay house. Despite those instances, I had a great week! Below are a few excerpts from my journal:

Day 1: I boarded my plane and sat next to miguel angel. What a great guy! We talked for two hours. He is 31 and from Mexico - works for Mava, a company which works in conjunction with GE. He was in louisville for 10 days so we had a lot to talk about, and he was thoroughly interested in my trip because he wants to get his Ph.D studying poverty in developing countries. We conversed half the time in Spanish, which was a great comfort to me upon entering Nicaragua. I then had a two hour layover in Houston and boarded the 747 to Managua.

Again I made friends with my fellow row mate, an old man from Nicaragua, named Juan, who was traveling to visit his family. He works in Nebraska most of the year and travels home once in a while to experience his old life and relax with his family. I wouldn't doubt it if he had fought in the revolution. I didn't have the guts to ask about it.

The flight was great. I talked to Juan in Spanish for a while, which was quite difficult because his Spanish was really slurred and difficult to understand. He said my accent was fine and should be great once i spend some time in his country. The weather was a bit shaky, but it was incredible to watch the lightning show from right next door! The sky was gorgeous and it was awesome to watch the storm as if I were in an imax theater.

We waited in line through immigration and went to baggage claim....I waited and waited, but I recognized no bags! I am currently without my luggage and will hopefully get them later. We are off to Estali tomorrow morning, and Lillian (she runs the quaker house) is going to the airport tomorrow to get them and will bring them to me on Monday. Esteli is about two and half hours from Managua.

The country is great in terms of culture, but it reminds me a lot of the 9th ward in terms of poverty. There are very few green spaces in Managua, and the places that are green are only in existence because they in the spaces of destroyed buildings, which were annihilated by the 1972 earthquake. 10,000 people died from the quake and the center of the city was destroyed. This is currently one of the reasons why Managua is so dysfunctional, it has a poverty stricken, non-existent center.

Day 2: It is hard to sleep when it is 80 degrees, but I am sure I will get acclimated soon. Air conditioning is something I have taken for granted! Dina and I sat out on the patio during breakfast and soaked up a few minutes of sun while eating. It was delightful to breathe in the fresh, warm air and feel my pale skin absorbing some Vitamin D. all of us then drove about twenty minutes to the bus station to depart for Estali.

The drive was interesting scenery wise. I gazed at the beautiful mountains and volcanoes which were scattered with makeshift, tin houses without walls. Trash lined all of the roads and every so often I would see a poor dog sifting through the trash would catch my attention. I tried to not allow it get to me, but since my parents have brought me up to be an animal lover, I was somewhat devastated. The dogs weren't very cute ...skinny and puney, but all the more alive and suffering. there are several volcanoes along the mountain ranges, which i find fascinating.

Estali is much prettier than Managua. There is a significantly smaller presence of trash and many of the houses are in better shape, and provide more imaginable living conditions. Although, there are very distinct parts of Estali which are awful, we have yet to visit them. I am becoming better at navigating 3rd world cities without street names as we speak. It is all about landmarks...which may seem obvious but at first it is second nature. No Washington street, no 1st Avenue?

We met with Doñamina at the Galleria for Heroes and Martyrs, a museum which is a tribute to the brave and patriotic men and women who died for the Sandinistas during the years of the Nicaraguan revolution. It was she who marched us around Estali to our homestay families. Francisca is my homestay "mother" and boy is she fascinating! Three of her five children live in the US. I have come to know her whole family relation to Doñamina, who lost two of her sons to the war.

Fransisca guided me to Doñamina's house after I was settled. It was interesting talking to her various family members about their family drama, the country as a whole, and the various music that is popular. It has been difficult to take everything in at once.

Nicaraguans are friendly and kind, the children smile a lot, and the country is dying for attention. So many of people have the potential to succeed, but haven´t been taught how. There is too much to be done and not enough help. Only time and energy will tell in this country. I am only glad to be a part of it for a time and have the opportunity to interact with children that need attention.

A brief history lesson

2008-06-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

I myself am not a history buff, or even one who thoroughly enjoys history, but I have to say that Nicaragua beholds a bittersweet, wild, and devastating past 100 years. Pre-departure Nicaragua, I was somewhat eager to learn about the country I was soon to be a part of, but I wasn't prepared for the extent of hardship that is so prevalent to this day.

If you are a history person, or are interested in a brief history of Nicaragua, Dina Rubey, a wonderful friend from Bryn Mawr, who is also in Nicaragua for an internship, sited a brief history from the Loney Planet Guidbook. If you care to read it, please do. I have finally found some history that strikes my interest! Please don't be baffled by the long entry if you are not a history person; merely read it if it interests you:

(Paige R. Penland, Gary Chandler, Liza Prado. Nicaragua and El Salvador. Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. 2006. 55-58).

"Nicaragua won independence from Spain in 1821, and the resulting power vacuum led to a civil war. In 1852 the conservatives took power for 30 years of peace, if not prosperity. For the next two decades the USA dominated politics in Nicaragua. In 1914 the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty was signed, granting the USA exclusive rights to a canal it had no intention of building, just to shut out the competition. The occupations casual brutality- torture, political killings, dragging the bodies of dead rebels through the city streets- inspired one teenage boy, Augusto C. Sandino.
The liberals mounted a noble, if ineffective, resistance to the US occupation, which wilted completely in the 1920’s. But Sandino- by now a commander of his own personal army- continued fighting. The US trained the Nicaraguan National Guard under the command of loyal bureaucrat Anastasio Somoza Garcia.

In 1934, Sandino was murdered. Somoza overthrew the President in 1937 and took power in a US-backed dictatorship. The US allowed Somoza to amass landholdings equal to all of El Salvador. After his 1956 assasination, Somoza was succeeded by his oldest son, Luis Somoza Debayle. The US Kennedy administration was graciously granted full use of Puerto Cabezas for launching its disastrous 1961 invasion of Cuba. Luis Somoza called for elections shortly afterwards, lost handily to Liberal Renee Schick, then quietly retired.

His younger brother, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, was not as eager to give up his birthright.
Luis died in 1967 and Anastasio assumed the presidency. The West Point graduate used the National Guard ruthlessly, stifling a growing call for democracy. An increasingly militant group of university students calling themselves the Sandinistas tried to counter him.

A 6.3 earthquake in the early morning of December 23, 1972 killed 6,000 people and reduced 15 sq. kilometers of Managua to rubble. The world, moved by the holiday devastation, donated aid on an unprecedented scale; Somoza diverted almost everything to family and friends. The Sandinistas were, with this one powerful betrayal, legitimized. Nicaraguans from every walk of life threw in their support, and over the next five years the nation became ungovernable. The Narional Guard destroyed entire cities and assassinated journalists.

Almost every country in the Americas and Europe cut ties with the Somoa regime… except the U.S.

The revolution marched to victory on July 19, 1979, and Somoza fled the country. He was assassinated shortly afterwards in Paraguay.

The Sandinistas inherited a country in shambles. Poverty, homelessness, illiteracy, and staggeringly inadequate health care were just a few of the widespread problems. Some 50,000 people have been killed in the revolutionary struggle and 50,000 were made refugees.
The FSLN (Sandinista National Liberation Front) took power, and the National Guard was replaced but he Sandinista Peoples Army.

In 1981, just days after taking office, US President Ronald Reagan canceled Nicaragua’s aid package and publicly committed his administration to helpoing the National Guard regroup and re-arm as the Contras, whose mission to overthrow the Sandinista-led Nicaraguan government would last a decade. Reagan constructed bases for Contras in Honduras and Costa Rica offering millions in training and material aid. The civil war between the Contras and democratic Sandinista government force intensified after Daniel Ortega (current Nicaraguan President) won apparently free and fair elections in 1984.

In 1985, the US implemented a full economic blockade, including food and medicine. 50,000 civilians died.

Ortega lifted press censorship, enforced a ceasefire and called for geenral elections to be held in 1990. Violete Barrios de Chamorro became the first female head of state in Central America in 1990. The transition to power was relatively peaceful. The USA finally called off the embargo, but the country was in ruins.

Chamorro decentralized the government brought the police and military under civilian control, and cut the military’s numbers from almost 95,000 at th war’s peak to less than 20,000. She constructed a stable foundation on which the nation could rebuild.

Chamorro’s replacement, who handily beat Ortega, was a blast from the dictatorial past: corpulent Liberal Arnoldo Aleman, voted one of the world’s 10 most corrupt politicians by the UN Human Rights Subcommission. Aleman siphoned off some US $100 million from government coffers, which may be chump change where you’re from, but not in Nicaragua. Even after Hurricane Mitch savaged the country in 1998 - killing 4,000 people are destroying a surreal 70% of the infrastructure - he stayed on the take.

Enrique Bolanos, also of the Liberal Party, took office in 2001, he promised to put Aleman in jail. To everyone’s surprise, Bolanos actually did it. But it was too late, in a way.
Five years later, in 2006, Daniel Ortega of the FSLN, was democratically elected yet again."

And so we are, seven women from Haverford and Bryn Mawr immersed in this post-war, progressive country. We can only hope to give back to Nicaragua a small bit in comparison to what it will give to us.