cuerpo de paz training

I am writing from an internet (Cyber) cafe in my training town of Santa Teresa. There are 6 computers and the internet is quite slow compared to High Speed in U.S. price is 15 cordobas per hour. Exchange is 20 cordobas per 1 u.s. dollar. Peace Corps Orientation in Managua ended on Saturday, Jan. 24 in the evening. During orientation I was assigned to a novice- high level of Spanish proficiency after language interviews. 3 other PCTs all female were assigned to spend our 12 weeks of training in the small town of Santa Teresa.

There are a total of 21 peace corps trainees, all health education promoters. 5 male, 16 female. on a nicaraguan map, all 21 trainees are spread out between 5 cities in the department, Carazo, just south of Managua and Masaya. 5 pepole in Diriamba, 4 in Dolores, 4 in Rosario, 4 in St. teresa and 4 in La paz.

I love the town and my host family. My mother is a nurse for the town´s community health center (the town is too small to have its own hospital) and my father is a security guard for the same center. I have a sister who is 30 years old, brother who is 25, sister who is 11 and carlitos who is very cute and 6.

My diet consists of a lot of carbs. Gallo Pinto - rice and red beans on a daily basis if not for two out of three meals. typical breakfast is fruit with pan (bread) or eggs if im lucky. for lunch or dinner i will usually have steak with gallo pinto. Nicas love there white bread here. and for me is not nutritious (in reality for everyone) but oh well diffferent strokes for different folks as they say.

I use a mosquito net over my bed. My room is quite samll about 8 feet by 8 feet and the bed is (never thought i would find a bed too short for my liking, since im soo short) is a bit short! In comparing my host family´s house with the other three in santa teresa, mine has the least amount of money or comfort and the smallest footage of house. but my family treats me very well and they live comfortably for their means and are very happy and warm towards me as a guest.

our first day of language class was today. it feels like college because i have morning lecture from 8 am to noon go home for lunch and have an application (lab) from 1-3. this afternoon consisted of walking around to all 4 host families and mapping out their homes in santa teresa. Interstingly in santa teresa there are no street names but everything is located and directions given according to their proximal location to the Iglesia de santa teresa.

weather wise it is very humid, but not as hot as i was anticipating. actually from nov to april is their dry and ´´cooler´´ season. i don´t know the exact temp. but at night by 5 am it gets chilly enough to use a blanket. the sun is very bright and closer than in mn.

learning about all the technical skills and things we need to do such as form youth groups to educate about adolescent health, and techniques for decreasing undesired teeen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and malaria/dengue is very overwhelming from the implementation standpoint. but that´s what trainnig is for. it is a mirror for us to use when we are solo at our site beginnning april.

love to everyone and i will try to update again soon.

Nicolas