Photos, finalmente!

A while ago I wrote to you all about a special workshop I put on. It was a one day course taught to 20 young women in a rural community hours away from any health services. No one travels to these people. The police don´t make it out there. The closest doctors forget about them during national vaccine campaigns. Even the closest school forgets to go out there and recruit students for the next year. Obviously these women were in need of attention.

A local agriculture volunteer found funding and invited me up for the day. We spent the morning talking about health education and the afternoon sharing stories about our rights a women. It was a wonderful experience.

Well, 2 months later, I finally have photos. WOOOOOOO

Learning about HIVaids (VIHsida).

Vulvas. Enough said.

Talking about how the immune system works. I like to add in a little dance.

A serious, and pretty fun, conversation about what we deserve.

Closing 2011 with a wonderful group of young women- Circulo de Amigas

As my close of service approaches there are a few things that make me think twice about leaving. One of them is Círculo de Amigas. It has been an incredible NGO to work with. Their work and focus on young women is outstanding. In a culture strongly influenced by machismo, this single NGO has dedicated their efforts in developing young women and helping them succeed against the odds. Girls are given the opportunity to be smart, to be sassy and most of all empowered. They are told not what they can´t do, but everything they can do. When I first moved to Jinotega, Círculo de Amigas opened their arms and welcomed me in.

Over the past two years these girls have grown into young women in front of my eyes. I remeber the day I came in and Katy and Milena were wearing makeup, bras and heels. When did that happen?

Well, all I can say is these girls are some of the brightest and strongest people I know.

I love them.

Before I left for the holidays we had a little Christmas party. The girls, along with Doña Claudia, organized the entire event. There were skits, dances, a dancing competion and even snacks. Check it out.

New Year and Close of Service

Happy New Year!

The holidays have been a whirlwind. After Purísima I left Nicaragua and headed back to the US for a short and sweet Christmas. I arrived in Houston on a Saturday and left just over a week later. Enough time to see the lights, go to Christmas Mass and open presents the next morning.

After a day in Nicaragua I hopped on a Tica Bus and headed out to Panama for the New Year. Two days later Julie (a TEFL volunteer in my department), and I got in a taxi in Panama city and for $4 finally arrived! FINALLY. *For those PCVs in Panama, I have one word for you- JEALOUS. The city was gorgeous. The people were charismatic and warm. The prices weren´t that bad. It is amazing there.*

We celebrated New Years till the sun came up.
At the Panama Canal we behaved like tourists and read our way through the museum.
In Casco Viejo we drank wine and danced.
We visited the National Art Museum to see the Da Vinci Exhibit.
We loved the Panamanian life fully.

Vista of downtown Panama City from the Casco Viejo.

Me at the Panama Canal watching the ships pass.

A research vessel from Norway passing the locks.

Julie and I on our last night in Panama.

Now back in Nicaragua I´m ready to celebrate the new year with my close of service conference, youth groups, and women´s month in March. Let´s do this.

Felíz Navidad/ Felíz Navidad/ Prospero Año y Felicidad

Sorry I haven´t written in a while. Life has been a little crazy as of late. I have been to the States and back: visited the boyfriends family in Georgia, had a med school interview and was almost stuck in the US unable to fly back to Nicaragua. For the cherry on top, I gave a workshop the week before the trip to a group of 20 young women out in the mountains, 3 hours away from the nearest health post (not even health center).

Now that I am finally back in Nicaragua I am ready to take is slow. Yesterday I took a bus out to a TEFL volunteers site, walked 40 minutes through the coffee fields to get to her house, crossed two rivers and arrived to a plate of rice, beans and tortilla. It was great. As I arrived another volunteer came in. Looks like we both had the same idea. Get a free lunch at Julies house!

Today will be relaxing too. It is a national holiday, Purísima. We are celebrating the Virgin Mother.
(In a loud call and response)
¿Quíen causa tanta alegría?
La Virgen.
La Virgen.
It is something like a mix between Christmas and Halloween. Gifts are involved as well as going house to house and collecting candy. I love it.

Off to celebrate.

Love you all.