15 November 2010

Time to dress up! Thats what Im talkin about.









So after almost a year in country I have been craving a good reason to dress up- put on a fabulous pair of schoes, a gorgeous dress and just strut my stuff! Well, I was in luck. This past weekend the Small Business sector of Peace Corps Nicaragua put on a fundraiser for their up and coming national business fair. It was a a nice evening cocktail party held at the Holiday Inn in Managua. Needless to say . . . I went!




Cassie and I on our way back from Managau. Obviously we had a great time!

Reading Time. Outloud.




Ive been working a lot lately at a local NGO called Circulo de Amigas. Long story short it is located in the city of Jinotega, in the neighborhood Linda Vista del Sur, and gives scholarships to girls from the neighborhood. Theses girls are outstandingly smart, outgoing and really driven. A lot of them end up going on to University . . . that is incredible.



Anyway, I recently started a reading circle with some of the younger girls at Circulo. They read a lot of picture books. I want them to see that when you are 8 years old, Harry Potter can open your eyes, Narnia can be a whole new world for you.

We have been meeting weekly, a group of 5-16 girls around 8 years old. We are working on the first Narnia book. They love it! After the reading circle we do an activity (crafts, fun science experiments, geography or cooking/nutricion). The picture from this week are crafts. Halloween masks anyone?

Small Business Fair . . . jelly anyone?

I am lucky. I have not only one but, three site mates that live here in the city of Jinotega with me. Two are English Volunteers and the third, Daina, is a Small Business Volunteer. Daina has been in site for over a year. She works in the local high schools teaching them how to start up their own business, be ingenuitive and most of all believe in themselves. This year she completed her first year of classes and had a fair for her kids. They worked in teams of 5-6 the entire year building their business plan.

Check it out.


Here area few groups that did particularly well.





And . . . this group not only won 1st place in Jinotega . . . but they went on to win Regionals in Matagalpa . . . and will soon be competing at a national level!


Oh, did I mention I was a judge? Very cool.

October 15- Dia Internacional de "Washing Your Hands!"


Every year October 15th it is the International Day of Washing Your Hands! How fabulous. It may sound a little bizarre and different, but I can not tell you how important this day is. A lot of people are not taught what washing your hands can do for you. That a little bit of soap, running water and a clean towel can keep away your horrible constant bathroom visits. It can keep away that nasty cold. The list goes on.




So, this year in Jinotega MINSA got together with all of the local NGOs to set up a huge fair focusing on the wonders of washing your hands. Check out the fabulous posters I made . . .