I just realized I have yet to explain what a Casa Materna is . . . next week?

While my first weeks in Nicaragua lasted forever, they are now flying by. I can see the end of training and I am excited. But, what I´m really ready for is getting a permanent site assigned to me. It is going to be amazing knowing where I will be living for the next two years. Training has been fun, don´t get me wrong but, I am ready to start work. I´m ready to move into a city, maybe be the only gringo in town, and get going. Surely this is the response Peace Corps is trying to solicite. They make training a never ending labyrinth of activities and responsabilities. It pretty much guaruntees that the 9 out of 10 of us who make it to swearing in will be itching to get to our sites. Now if they would just tell me where I will be going . . .

A mural created by a HPCV in La Dalia´s Casa Materna.

Like I said, life has been crazy busy here. My week consisted of class, HIV/AIDS presentations, condom demos, and more 5th graders. Those kiddos are monsters. Their redeeming qualitiy though, the minute I ask for a volunteer every little hand shoots up into the air. I am constantly amazed by this. Every single one of them is fascinated by helping out in class.

This is what happens when Lucas, Robyn and Jenny steal my camera. Love it.

This upcoming week I will be heading north back to Chinandega with the other 23 trainees. We are paticipating in an HIV/AIDS workshop. The department of Chinandega boarders Honduras and the ocean. These two factors have created a very high population of HIV/AIDS. Thus, HIV/AIDS week is in Chinandega. I am stoked. Although Chinandega is ridiculously hot it is also full of energy and really an amazing city. Life seems so vibrant there.

Well in off to work on a charla . . . water saftey!