Volunteering? Do it the Nica way

It’s been about three months and everything’s fine.  I teach from Tuesday to Friday and have my only day of preparation for the week on Monday with the weekends free (although I always seem to do some sort of errand on those days).

In my public school classes we are making slow but steady progress on the basics: the alphabet, numbers 1-100, introductions and greetings, time, “Being” and its various uses and forms, etc.

What is interesting here is the difference in ages found in one.  For example, in my fifth grade class at Assumption Immaculate the ages range from 11 to 15.  Younger students are more likely to participate in class activities, while older students may be a bit reluctant.  I always consider it a great success that everyone participates in some activity.  Fortunately, the age difference also has its advantages.  Older students learn some grammatical concepts more easily and can thus help their classmates.

Changing the subject, I have finally left Diriamba to enjoy the country a bit.  My trip to the Mombacho volcano was impressive. Just a little tired.  Without exaggerating, I can say that the road to the top is the steepest I have ever found in my life.  I almost had to crawl a few times.  However, it was worth it once I got to the top.  Although it was quite cloudy, the view was spectacular.  You can see Granada, Las Isletas, the Apoyo lagoon, and even Masaya.

I also went to Matagalpa for a weekend and I must say it was nice to climb the mountains and get away from the scorching heat of the rest of Nicaragua.  While there, I visited Selva Negra, an eco-lodge and coffee farm located just outside of town.  The trails wind through the rainforest and are flanked on all sides by lush green flora that facilitate a disconnection in the mind from the responsibilities of everyday life.  It is easy to lose your sense of urgency between the songs of the birds and the howling of the monkeys in the jungle.  Despite walking more than 15 km, the trip was quite exhilarating.  The region of Matagalpa is also famous for its coffee and chocolate, which I made sure to enjoy before leaving.

This Saturday, May 4th, One, Two… Tree! will be welcoming its first regular volunteer to Diriamba! We are looking forward to expanding our English classes to more schools in the area. Welcome Josephine Lane!

Greetings,

Patrick