My Typical Week

This week I feel like I don’t have much to write about. The week went as planned and I am loving volunteering with these kids. My week involves helping the children with computers from Monday – Thursday for 2 hours each afternoon (one hour per class), as the program doesn’t run on Friday. From Wednesday – Friday, I help out in a first grade class from 7.30 – 11am. I really enjoy the computer class as the kids are well behaved and they are so happy to use a computer and it’s a real privilege for them. On the other hand, the classroom is enjoyable being able to help teach the kids the sounds of letter combinations and simple addition and subtraction sums. The class is where the kids are really naughty but you soon learn to ignore those and help the ones who want it. It is really interesting for me to compare Australian education to here. I must say, we (Australians) are doing a pretty good job. One example; I see a typical morning being the kids copying 5 letter combinations from the board (eg. ma, me, mi, mo, mu) and then coping 5 words beginning with ‘m’ and a picture. I think the idea is good but the children have at least an hour to do so and some could complete is in 10 minutes. So, I believe the children are either under-stimulated and therefore play-up or under-stimulated and don’t understand so join-in on the naughty behaviours. Then there is a small group who are trying to learn and are trying to ignore all the distractions around them.

Here is a video of my house:

 

Back Volunteering in Granada

This week, I moved back to Granada continuing volunteering at La Esperanza (http://www.la-esperanza-granada.org – if you’re interested). I moved back into the same house but all the past volunteers have finish so the house has all new people in it. 3 housemates speak Spanish as their first language (2x Spain, 1 x Columbia) so it’s good to practice my Spanish but they also speak very fast to each other making it very difficult for me to pick it up. The others are from Switzerland, Australia and US. It was nice being back with the children for the computer class and saw many smiles. As my volunteering is only 2 hours each afternoon, I asked the coordinator if I could volunteer in a classroom in the mornings. She was worried it might be too much work and I would get exhausted, so she said I could have 2 days there but I’m going to go an extra day anyway. This time, I have rented a bike for $2 a week so my 40-minute walk is now a 20-minute ride. On Friday, I was leaving school walking my bike out and one of the boys from class (second grade) asked me something in Spanish and I just smiled and said ‘Si’, only later did I realise he was asking for a dink home, as he starting jumping on my bike. It is very common for locals to dink all the time, but I was a bit unsure if I could balance him but thought I’d give it a go. Luckily, all went well and got him home safely.

The weather has still be hot but is slightly cooler from 36 degrees each to now 32 degrees but still humid. I wear another singlet under my work shirt, and on my ride to and from school, the under singlet is totally covered in sweat with not one inch dry. A shower straight is the priority. We have also had a couple of rainy days where the streets turn into rivers and the temperature drops.

Unfortunately, I’m still having difficulties transferring my photos from my phone to my computer so still no other photos from my trip but I have managed to upload some videos for you to enjoy.

Little Corn Island

Snorkeling at Little Corn Island

Miraflor Homestay

Miraflor Homestay Backyard

Ometepe & Laguna

Mum and I headed south to Ometepe, the world’s largest island in a lake, and one of Nicaragua’s largest tourist attraction. After a whole day of traveling of a flight, catching a few buses, a taxi and a ferry we arrived in Ometepe in the evening and found a hostel for the night. The following day we bused to Ojo De Agua, a natural water spring reserve. It was lovely here but more like a swimming pool rather than an untouched water spring. We hitched to the next town and found a place for the night, the Lazy Crab. The next day we went and looked at some ancient carvings in rocks but there wasn’t much to see. The afternoon was spent renting bikes around part of the island but after a few hills and one large one, it was time to turn around.

Next, we bused and hitch-hiked to Laguan De Apoyo for 2 nights (my favourite place – except for Corn Islands) where I have been twice before. This place is amazing for swimming and relaxing, right on the lagoon, in a hostel with beautiful settings and a view over the lagoon. One morning we jumped in the kayaks and decided to paddle the whole way around the lagoon, only to have our arms exhausted by the end as we thinking it was at least 10km. We also tested out stand-up paddleboarding and being successful at it.

DCIM100GOPRO

The last stop for Mum, was a night in Granada where we didn’t do too much before heading to the airport the following day. We had the most amazing time travelling together, even though I got asked more than her regular 20 questions each day. It was super sad to see her leave with many hugs and tears.

Now, I’m back in Granada continuing my volunteering in the school with the computers for the next 4 weeks.