Pulseras y Dengue Fever

Hello again! Seems like I´m only going to be able to get to the Cyber once a week. Training has definitely picked up like crazy. I typically wake up around 6am (more like 4am when my 3 year old host brother wakes up and starts yelling "Donde esta KATIE!" outside of my room), attend Spanish class or a series of Charlas (lectures) from the Peace Corps until lunch, attend more Spanish class or Charlas until 3 or 4pm, prepare for the night´s activities (like our Youth Group), eat dinner around 6pm, watch a telenovella (soap opera) and go to bed by 8pm. The days here are long and packed, but they are definitely a lot of fun.

Last night, we had our fourth youth group meeting (and were observed by our trainer), in which we started our recyled art project. With the kids on Tuesday we had decided that we were going to make pulseras, or bracelets, weaved from plastic shopping bags that are all over the streets of our town. We figured a few kids would bring one or two bags and we would spend most of the time teaching them how to make the bracelets....INSTEAD they showed up with TONS of already made, intricately weaved bracelets that they had been practicing making all week AND one kid even made a piñata out of plastic bags and bottles!!! We also had 22 kids attend the meeting. We basically sat back and let the kids who knew what they were doing teach the others. It was awesome. We are hoping to make even more in our next meeting and perhaps figure out how to write Nicaragua into the bracelet, like those cool tourist bracelets you can by all over the world.

Tomorrow is a day I am not as excited for. We are going to the school at 8am with the fifth and sixth grade students from the local school (hopefully they show) to make our school huerto (garden). Although I know this is a great thing, it is supposed to pour rain tomorrow because of the hurricane on the Atlantic coast, and digging in the mud will make an already challenging day even worse. Oh well.

Other than that, I am finally feeling like my Spanish is somewhat coming to gether. I can use complete sentences (most of the time) and am actually able to apply what I learn in class with my family and friends at home. Next week my training group of four is going to be split into two separate groups, and I am going to be placed with a fellow trainee who I consider to be a much better speaker than me. I am definitely happy to have been placed with her, but I will have to work to keep up.

Can´t remember if I have mentioned my bud Sissy yet. She is the four month old kitten living in my house. She is a pretty funny/sad little character. Her "job" acccording to my family is to catch mice, therefore she barely gets fed. I have taken to sneaking her food under the table and feeding her almonds in my room, as she is so skinny I can´t stand it. She also sleeps in my lap during class. This is becoming a slight problem, however, as she waits for me outside of my room, the bathroom, sits at my feet at the table, etc. Not only is my family catching on, but she is going to be one sad kitten when I (note: my food) leave. I am also her sole guardian in the house against my host brother. He tends to pick her up by one leg, kick her, hold her upside down, the list goes on. He does the same to the dog, but she´s a bit tougher.

A few more things to add to my list of strange things Nica´s love/do:
1. point with their lips (as in they make a kissing face and point their lips in a direction, rather than their hands)
2. they are obsessed with the 80's...I spent 3 hours last sunday watching 80´s music videos with my host nephew...
3. they are equally obsessed with Michael Jackson (and therefore like wearing white shoes, tight pants, etc)
4. every man must make some noise or comment about every woman who walks by or he is no longer a man
5. beans must be eaten with EVERY meal...no exception to this rule

That´s all for now!! Xoxox