I'm only passing it on...like hot potato!

I know I haven't posted anything lately, but I want to pass along Callie's most recent post (Fijense, I said "pass"):

http://callienicaragua.blogspot.com/2009/02/nicaraguan-health-care-where-hospitals.html

Because I work with the Ministry of Education aka the Nicaraguan Government, I cannot express certain viewpoints in this blog. In the past, there have been PC programs that have been shut down because PCVs went too far to share their opinions in a public forum. I can, however, pass information on to my readers and allow them to be the judges.

This week I met with my new counterpart and he seems cool so far. He's my age and doesn't put up with crap from the kids. I also moved into a new room with a new host family! They are the sweetest old couple, in their late 80s, and already in 3 days I've heard the phrase "During the U.S. occupation..." aka so awesome to get to hear some great stories (from the 1930s and on)!!! This weekend I'll post the pictures from San Juan del Sur and Dayana's 15th Bday.

This is why I voted for Obama

Please read the following articles in my post!

"Obama repeals funding ban"

And this is exactly why I voted for Obama, to repeal very bad decisions by a closed-minded and obviously Christian-based Bush Administration. The NGO I work for does not allow us to talk about safe sex, condoms, STIs, or birth control options. The teachers are only allowed to give classes on the rhythm method and abstinence, because why?...a major donor is a Catholic organization. These people have traveled and worked in the same poor communities as I do daily, yet they do not understand that even though they send food, clothes, and supplies, they are blocking this children from receiving a sex-education that is desperately needed to help the community rise from poverty. All they do is put a band-aid on the problem until the kids reach puberty and then we see 3 out of 4 girls in Cusmapa pregnant by age 15. Now, I see this system continue to cycle this problem, yet they keep teaching abstinence because if the teachers refuse, funding gets cut.

Now imagine a government giving aid only to foreign programs who teach abstinence only to poverty and AIDS stricken nations! That's exactly what the Bush Administration did for 8 years! What I see happening in the mountains of Nicaragua was happening all over Africa and Latin America, and yet were there any improvements to the communities...my guess is NOPE! Thank you Obama for cutting off this horrible ban that my tax dollars were supporting for almost a decade.

An article about Nicaragua's recent change (in 2006) in law to inact a blanket ban on abortion.

Also in the news last week, which made Callie and I scream with delight, was the Presidential Order to close Guantanamo Bay. After all the

Here is another great article by Human Rights Watch, I would recommend that everyone become familiar with this NGO's website and news briefs as well:
U.S. Makes Steps to End Torture

Maybe next in the news we'll see ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) or the Kyoto Protocol, since no administration has had the "cojenes" to sign either of them (in the case of the ICESCR, every administration since Carter has refused to take the issue to Congress). If you need a reminder on any of these International agreements, google search or wikipedia it for quick reference.

So, these among other things, were reasons why I voted for Obama. I knew he would make drastic changes like these and he is following through! Last week I got to watch the concert for Obama, as well as the inauguration, on our crappy cable network we have. The concert was luckily not dubbed too bad, and when Garth Brooks came on and sang "We Shall Be Free" I started to cry. Not only has the song's message ALWAYS had an impact on me, but it gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. I was sad no one else was home to watch the big inauguration day with me, but it was probably better they didn't have to watch me cry again. I was just so happy that there was hope that things would change in the U.S. and that that change would diffuse to the entire world. My favorite two quotes were:

"This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."

"And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more."

Ok, sorry Mom that was my political announcement for the day, I know you want to hear more about what I'm doing. Next post will be filled with pictures from Dayana's 15th birthday (Quincinera) and my trip to San Juan del Sur this weekend!

Thank you Jan and Mamow for sending me mail!

New Years Fiestas in Ciudad Sandino

Ahhh, 2009 has come to greet me in Nicaragua, it will definitely be a New Years to remember for years to come. I celebrated with the Cano Family in Ciudad Sandino, just outside of Managua. It's a bigger city than Somoto, but dirt roads are very common in the center of town meaning it's not quite as developed as Ocotal or Esteli which are cities near me in the north. The celebration started around 7pm with a dinner at Fatima's house, a family friend in town. Dinner was supposed to be served at 7:30pm, but we didn't have it till almost 10pm! I was starving, even though I had cooked lasagna for the Canos for lunch around 2pm. I was a good guest and brought a bottle of 7 yr. old Flor de Cana rum and it was probably gone within 40 min. The Nicas I was with definitely like to party hard! The kids and I were kind of bored and we danced a little bit, the adults were dancing like crazy and finding their inner-childhood I guess.

After Fatima's we went over to Amelia's sister's house on the other side of town to continue the merriment and dancing. I was taking in the scene and was in a more pensive state rather than a wild party mood. The reggaeton or bachata music was up loud in EVERY household, fireworks (the bottle rocket, cherry bomb type, aka bomb sounding ones) are going off right and left, hanging from the trees are pinatas and scarecrows. The scarecrows were the representation of the "old year" and they are stuffed with firecrackers and gasoline. At midnight, the old men are burned to signify the ending of the old year. I was looking around the entire time for a house fire to start, but I guess that wouldn't be possible with a tin roof and a concrete structure, right?

I was bored around 11pm, so I bought the kids some fireworks and we lit off sparklers and little fireworks. The entire celebration made up for not having 4th of July fireworks this year. We danced until 3:30am and finally the kids convinced Freddy and Amelia to go home. They didn't want to leave! For my first New Year's away from home, it was a blast!

Vera takes her turn at the piñata, it surprisingly lasted longer than 5 min and I think about 10 kids got to hit it. That's a record!

This is probably my favorite picture of me in Nica! Who would turn down a super-sized roman candle and a Toña?

The firework that cost me 4 Cords or 20 cents.

Dayana, even at 14 years of age, loved the fireworks! I thought she might be too cool for them...but I was wrong!

I'm not sure what kind of look this is, but it's funny.

The kids had nothing to do! A pack of sparklers was less than a dollar, I had to buy some. Turned out to be a great idea and everyone had alot of fun with them!

Vera wrote me down as one of her friends in her new "Me and My Friends" book I gave her for Christmas. How cute is that?

Really cute fluffy cat named Sam...who I later found out died 2 days later from eating a poisoned rat...sadness!

Hombre Viejo (The old man) who represents the old year...he was burned!

Freddy Jr. and I at one of the Cano's friends' house.

Dancing the night away with Allan, a family friend and high school teacher.

The Cano Family: Amelia, Freddy Jr. Dayana, Don Freddy, Vera

Dayana didn't smile in this picture :(

Freddy Jr. and I

The Cano family's cat Deborah gets a bath from Vera...she wasn't very happy.

The following pictures are ones from various parties in which I was paraded off as the "white" relative of the family. They were very proud to show me off! I met about 30 family members and probably 40 family friends and was invited to a whole bunch of celebrations throughout the year. I'm so happy no one asked me to be the godmother of their child, though I heard through the grapevine that one of the cousins was going to ask me. That would be nice, but problematic since the godparents are the ones who "spoil" the kids...I don't think that would be a good role for me to take on. I see disappointment in the future with accepting a title like that!

A family get together at a neighbor's house on the 30th of Dec.

Me writing thank you notes, which should be getting to everyone in a couple of weeks. I need to bring a rocking chair back with me to the states!

Alejandra, the birthday girl and Vera's godsister, who's party was on the 2nd of January.

I drug Allan's son Jorge out on the dancefloor...I swear he was happier than he looks in this picture!

Give a group of Nicas a can of Pringles and they can be entertained for hours! The following pictures are what happened when I showed them how two Pringles can make a duck beak...which I can not be credited for originality, it was the Pringles commerical when we were kids that showed us how to do it. After demonstrating the Pringle duck, there was humorous quacking that lasted for about 2 hours at a birthday party!

Fatima, a family friend, was the first one to find it hilarious...then everyone else followed suit.

Allan's new name is Donald Duck

Here Amelia was portraying Daisy Duck

The mother of Donald Duck

Dayana had no shame to show off her bill as well.

Xiloa with my adopted Nica Family

When I arrived to the airport on the 29th, I went straight to Ciudad Sandino to visit my "adopted Nica Family" aka Don Freddy's family (the Canos). Before I left for the states they invited me to come and spend New Years with them so I wouldn't be alone in Somoto. I would have found something to do in Somoto, but I figured it was better to try a new place and hang out with the Canos. The next day they took me to Xiloa, a volcanic lake (we call it a laguna) nearby. It was a beautiful 80 degree day and perfect swimming weather! I was so excited to go swimming! Surprisingly the water was pretty clean and I even gave the girls swimming lessons. It was so nice of the Canos to invite me into their home and take me on a trip with them. They are a rare find in Nicaragua, a family who does everything together despite a modest living.

The first lifeguard tower I have seen in Nica! They are only there during the busy times like holidays.

There are little huts you can sit under to enjoy the view and have a picnic.

Another shot of the laguna

And another...

You can see the old parts of the volcano all around.

From the left, me, Vera (11 yrs. old), Freddy Jr. (18), and Dayana (14)

We did the "ok kids, now you can get thrown off Katie's shoulders", I've always been the "base" person ever since I could lift my sister up.

Dayana and I

Teaching the girls how to float, very important!

Almost a chicken fight, but more just a pose for the camera

I even got Freddy Jr. to get on my shoulders, the kid only weighs 125 lbs or so!

Relaxing under one of the huts.

Shot of the group

Another pretty shot of the laguna

Another cute shot with the Cano kids.

Vera had alot of fun taking pictures with my camera, I let her go nuts with it

One of the nearby mountains at sunset, I love the clouds so much here!

Bring on the rain for Xmas in California

“It may be that the satisfaction I need depends on my going away, so that when I’ve gone and come back, I’ll find it at home” – Rumi

The flight from Managua left at 7:30am and we got to Houston around 10am or so. I then had a 7 hour layover! Ugh! So, as soon as I got off I went straight to the newsstand to buy a Cosmo and a Wine Enthusiast, I couldn’t have been happier! Then a couple minutes later I found Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, where I indulged in a pretzel (duh) with some nacho cheese sauce. Yum to say the least! My gate was pretty far away (Houston is huge!) so I took a seat and took time to enjoy my new magazines. The Wine magazine got a huge interesting looks, I’m sure people were wondering why a 24-year-old girl in holey jeans, a bleached out shirt and flip-flops was reading about wine! Might I mention that I was also carrying around an ugly bright green bag with pottery in it, so among the Louis Vuittons and Chanel bags I looked kinda pathetic. I finally got bored and went out to find the bar I had passed earlier. It was such a relief to be around people speaking English, people who were taller than me, the sound of the football game on the TV and I especially did not feel like anyone with the chromosomes XY wanted “something else”…if you catch my drift. I ordered a Fat Tire and a bacon cheeseburger (it would’ve been more American if I had ordered a Sierra Nevada) and watched the Titans lose to the Texans! Haha Mike’s team lost! I talked to some nice people and they were interested about me being in the Peace Corps and about Nicaragua, so that felt good to know that maybe the general public continued to support President Kennedy’s dream.

Finally the flight came and I arrived to Sac Town to cold cold rain! I guess I brought the rain with me! I hope this year we get plenty, last year was just pathetic. Thank you Mom and Dad for flying me home, it was the best Birthday and Christmas present ever! Luckily they brought me a sweatshirt to put on as soon as I got off the plane freezing in my sandals and sad shirt. It was crazy that just 8 months ago it was May and I was leaving for Nicaragua. Here I was again at the airport back at home…it was one of those surreal moments of life. It’s cliché, but time does fly by really fast! Before I know it will be July 2010 and I will have completed my service. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but living in Nicaragua and being in the PC has made me miss home, my family, my friends, for the first time in my life. I think when I studied abroad in Chile I didn’t miss home because it felt like I was always on vacation. In Somoto, I truly live and work there. The ride home in the car felt like a dream and I jabbered away with Mom and Dad about the trip and life in general. I can’t describe how great it felt to step inside the house and walk on soft carpet again, sit in front of the gas fireplace, watch TV in English, take a hot bath, and sleep in my queen sized bed. Just picturing these things in my head makes me miss home right now. My sister did remind me when I was home that I can always come back whenever I want and that no one would think badly of me. I love her for telling me that, it helps put me at ease and affirm the fact there is no real pressure for me to be in Nicaragua…I am here because I want to be. Later when I talk about my time in Ciudad Sandino I will come back to this theme.

Being home calmed my mind and soul and put me in the Christmas spirit. It’s hard to get into the spirit when the weather in Somoto is an average of 82 degrees with humidity. To put on my UGs and my peacoat again to shield me from the cold felt amazing! The rain in Nicaragua is so different; it’s a humid and hot rain that comes rolling in whenever it feels like it. I can feel the high pressure before the rain comes, but I can’t smell it. At home in California I can smell it. I miss the changing of the seasons, especially when summer turns to fall. Maybe I attribute that time of year to some great memories of football games, homecomings, golf seasons and the red/orange splash of colors.

It was so great to reconnect with family and friends for 2 straight weeks. Sometimes I was stressed out because plans changed and I had to cut some time out of “visiting hours” with some of you. At the least, I’d like to thank the following people for making my time at home very meaningful and very hard to leave:

-Mom and Dad, for taking Gina and I to San Francisco for shopping, eating, and Phantom of the Opera, for flying me home for 2 weeks, for the great new wardrobe and other presents, and for hopefully forgiving me for being unnecessarily overly dramatic at times.

-Gina, for all the great xmas presents that I use all the time now, for being a great sister who I laugh with and quote movies back and forth.

-Mamow, for inspiring me to always keep faith, a positive attitude, and keep busy, no matter what age.

-Nana, for hanging in there and singing xmas carols with me.

-Aunt Anne/Uncle Mike, for the great beer and being the life of the party as always.

-Aunt Judy/Uncle Bruce, for the See’s candy and cookies that I ate on the plane and for spending time with me.

-Jan and Doug Brown, for taking me to a super yummy lunch at Lucille’s (I’m craving a pulled pork sandwich right now), listening to my crazy Nica stories, and sending me back with goodies.

-Rosine, for being my best friend, taking me out to lunch, buying me See’s candy, and sending me back with some useful and yummy xmas gifts.

-Greg, for spending lots of time with me and sharing xmas with my family.

-Danie (and Millie), for our Sex and the City slumber party, Cosmos, and pizza!

-John, for taking me to the wine bar and out to a really great Mexican dinner, and of course for making me laugh like always.

-James, for giving me really big hugs for the 2 short times I got to see him, and the See’s candy.

-Natalie, for lunch at Cheesecake Factory and for being a patient listener.

-Chad, for calling me back when I was an emotional mess and a great conversation about life.

-Kimmy, for a great haircut that will grow out really well for the next 19 months!

-Allison, for the yummy cookies and the hour of catching up in Sac Town.

-Sarah and June Lehmann, for stopping by the house to spend some time with me.

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” (Thank you.) – Marcel Proust

Another interesting difference between my two homes, I dream so vividly and clearly in Nicaragua, but when I was home I didn’t dream at all. Sometimes I’ll have I’m still confused about what it means! Is the reason because I am always meditating in deeper thoughts in Nicaragua when I have nothing else to do? Am I more stressed out? If anyone has any other hypotheses about my dreaming, let me know!

I left early in the am on the 29^th, and I didn’t cry until getting into the security line…probably a mistake because they looked at me like I was some sort of psycho! Luckily I sat down across from a nice girl from Yuba City and she started talking to me which helped me calm down. It’s funny how a complete stranger can help one forget a moment of sadness. I think I was sad because I had such a great time at home and I really do miss everyone a lot at home. I know everyone will always be there, but it’s not the same 3,000 miles away. Somoto is my home, but it’s not the same home. I know I am happy in both places, happy in different ways that are indescribable because it’s a feeling in my heart rather than a list of reasons why. I’m very excited to see what challenges 2009 will present me. I have a feeling this year will probably be the hardest work year of my life…with 500 students and 4 counterparts to train and 2 local competitions to plan and the regional competition. I know I know, KT, don’t whine! Look past the obstacles and see the successful completion of the school year right?

Danni and I finally got to have our Sex and the City movie night! With Cosmos of course!

Allison and I, recalling fond memories of Spanish classes at UCD.

Gina and I in on the terrace of Macy's in SF, looking over the plaza.

The family in front of the SF buildings

Gina, Alexa my cousin, Me

Great Santa Aunt Anne!

Gina is a member of Real Madriz's soccer team now!

Yay for cooking supplies to take back to Somoto!

Dad finds another use for the ceramic artisan bowl from San Juan de Oriente...no comment.

Mom got her favorite movie, Something's Got to Give.