My friend Kate sent me an email asking me to fill in the following blanks:
The hardest thing about being in Nicaragua has been _____________________.
My favorite part about being in Nicaragua is _____________________________.
I loved thinking about what she asked me and sent her back the following responses that immediately came to mind. I decided to post on my blog the responses (since i've been lame in updating)
:)
The hardest thing about being in Nicaragua (believe it or not) is
living with 14 other strangers that you have to live and work with
everyday who are not like you at all. At first it was way way cool.
Super fun... Super easy. But really I think at this point in the trip
I am finding most of my struggles internally being people that I live
with (specifically the other volunteers)...I don't think that they
would ever assume that, but I have to take it to God everyday,
otherwise I'd have a breakdown... The main leader of Manna Project for
the region calls living and working with Manna Project : "the Real
World (show) meets Peace Corps"... and I would say that pretty much
sums up a lot of the dynamics here.
I mean I think i'm making my time here sound bad... but really its
not (its awesome living here!)... its just that you have to really work on relationships and
communication ... and you know me... I'm an RA... I don't share rooms
with other people... and I'm in authority over other people that I
live with... The only other time I've lived in a house with a bunch of
peeps was last summer when I lived with Ohana (my best girlfriends)...
So anyway... its been a major learning process for me to live with
others and love them.. (i'm learning that I am actually a really
selfish and short tempered person)..
My FAVORITE PART about being in Nicaragua is... oh my goodness that is
too hard to answer... It is absolutely amazing being here. The people here are so loving... I stinkin love giving kids hugs and looking into their smiling faces with so much joy! I love
teaching women's aerobics and exercise class... Its so fun to lead
workouts with a headset microphone. i love teaching! I love the
Kids... oh my goodness ... I saw the cutest kid I have ever seen
in my life last wednesday in the La Chureca Clinic. His name is Jose
Antonio ... 2 years old and would have suddened squeal bursts and
laugh for the hour straight that I played with him during the Mother's
health talk... he would scream and squeal ( in delight) and then run
into my arms to give me hugs... I would in a second take him home with
me if I could... so obvi.. the kids which are so stinkin cute are on
my Fav list... Probably close to #1 on it....
its cool that people are so friendly and at the same
time living with 14 people (however hard it may be) is also a lot of
fun... We have been having some intense Speed Scrabble games... We play Speed Scrabble Survival style with elimination of the weakest player of every round.. and we've really gotten into Rummy 500 as well.
Oooh...I just remembered that I think that one of the hardest things
nica wise--- is coming upon people in poverty who ask/beg/ for money
and are mean to you about it. I want to help out and give them
everything i have.. but they are mean and degrading to your person and
expect stuff from you because you are american.. it's been hard for me
to reconcile not giving money to the poor when I have with their
requests which are loaded with Loathing... (and we've been told not to
give people money too)
The hardest thing about being in Nicaragua has been _____________________.
My favorite part about being in Nicaragua is _____________________________.
I loved thinking about what she asked me and sent her back the following responses that immediately came to mind. I decided to post on my blog the responses (since i've been lame in updating)
:)
The hardest thing about being in Nicaragua (believe it or not) is
living with 14 other strangers that you have to live and work with
everyday who are not like you at all. At first it was way way cool.
Super fun... Super easy. But really I think at this point in the trip
I am finding most of my struggles internally being people that I live
with (specifically the other volunteers)...I don't think that they
would ever assume that, but I have to take it to God everyday,
otherwise I'd have a breakdown... The main leader of Manna Project for
the region calls living and working with Manna Project : "the Real
World (show) meets Peace Corps"... and I would say that pretty much
sums up a lot of the dynamics here.
I mean I think i'm making my time here sound bad... but really its
not (its awesome living here!)... its just that you have to really work on relationships and
communication ... and you know me... I'm an RA... I don't share rooms
with other people... and I'm in authority over other people that I
live with... The only other time I've lived in a house with a bunch of
peeps was last summer when I lived with Ohana (my best girlfriends)...
So anyway... its been a major learning process for me to live with
others and love them.. (i'm learning that I am actually a really
selfish and short tempered person)..
My FAVORITE PART about being in Nicaragua is... oh my goodness that is
too hard to answer... It is absolutely amazing being here. The people here are so loving... I stinkin love giving kids hugs and looking into their smiling faces with so much joy! I love
teaching women's aerobics and exercise class... Its so fun to lead
workouts with a headset microphone. i love teaching! I love the
Kids... oh my goodness ... I saw the cutest kid I have ever seen
in my life last wednesday in the La Chureca Clinic. His name is Jose
Antonio ... 2 years old and would have suddened squeal bursts and
laugh for the hour straight that I played with him during the Mother's
health talk... he would scream and squeal ( in delight) and then run
into my arms to give me hugs... I would in a second take him home with
me if I could... so obvi.. the kids which are so stinkin cute are on
my Fav list... Probably close to #1 on it....
its cool that people are so friendly and at the same
time living with 14 people (however hard it may be) is also a lot of
fun... We have been having some intense Speed Scrabble games... We play Speed Scrabble Survival style with elimination of the weakest player of every round.. and we've really gotten into Rummy 500 as well.
Oooh...I just remembered that I think that one of the hardest things
nica wise--- is coming upon people in poverty who ask/beg/ for money
and are mean to you about it. I want to help out and give them
everything i have.. but they are mean and degrading to your person and
expect stuff from you because you are american.. it's been hard for me
to reconcile not giving money to the poor when I have with their
requests which are loaded with Loathing... (and we've been told not to
give people money too)
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