Just an update

I've been back about 2 months and everything is back to normal.  I am having English classes in my house with no more that 3 kids at a time so that is very nice.  I still have my class at the school for the younger kids and that usually turns into a free-for-all, but they seem to like it that way, so I can live with it.  ( for an hour a week)

I was planning to blog last sunday, but just when I got all geared up, the power went out and did not come back on until sometime in the night.  Then, as I was getting into the shower the next morning, with the bathroom light on, I discovered there was no water.  I learned later from another teacher that there would not be water FOR 4 DAYS !!!!! Apparently, they notified all of us good citizens but I did not get the message.  They use these red moto taxi's ( a three wheeled scooter with a cab on it)  with HUGE speakers strapped on the top, to go up and down the streets announcing everything from a water shut off to a death/funeral in the town. They also use the same means to sell green peppers, announce church services, announce baseball scores, etc. so I have pretty much grown to ignore them.  Besides, the guy doing the talking is also the guy driving the moto taxi and it usually sounds like ....  "BLADHALDKFGeotjvnsjfleiwqjdkgfnvbjgtoyJito" or worse, to my ears.

I'm attaching some photos.  One is of the 50th Anniversary celebration of Peace Corps ( 30 years in Nicaragua) that was held in a very nice restaurant in Leon.  I went and took one of the principals ( directora) of one of my schools.  It was nice, very small and simple. I think she enjoyed the information.   I guess in the past they have had a lot more money to spend on celebrations and the like, but they have had their budget cut so they are cutting out the frills, too.

I took a bike ride this morning, my first other than in the streets of Malpaisillo.  It was a little scary as there is virtually no shoulder and the buses and trucks move awfully fast.  But, I made it.  I went out to a little community to give some money to a family to pay the bus fare for the young woman, Jackeling, who I have mentioned before.  She is going into Leon 3 days a week to help out and observe in a deaf school so she hopefully can get hired as a teacher and hold classes here in Malpaisillo for our deaf kids, their families and those from the surrounding comarcas.

 I have learned that the reason there is so much deafness here is because the families have access to antibiotics over the counter and those which end in "micin" have the possible side effect of deafness.  Apparently, when children are born in unclean conditions they often suffer "sepsis" which the family then  treats with this antibiotic which apparently kills the infection but often results in deafness.  The rate here is 5x that of the US.  Actually, I am surprised it is not higher. 

Anyhow, I have gotten involved in attempts to get some deaf education going here.  I am planning to host a week or two "camp" when the kids are off school in January, to teach them some basic signs and finger spelling.  Kids love that stuff and learn much faster than grandmothers...I am sure.  I am hoping to work with the lady who directs the Public Library.  She is currently in Pittsfield, MA on an exchange with their library.  She has never flown before and she is traveling alone.  The folks in MA offered to allow her to bring a traveling companion, but apparently we would not issue the person she chose a VIsa so she is coming alone.  That will be a riot !!  She is very eccentric !!

So, the first picture below is that of a litte........doggie !!! how pitiful is she ??Her name is Margarite and she has a family but its not much of a life.  I have started feeding her and giving her fresh water.  She chows down on both.  I got a pill ( 10 cordobas==about 22 cents) to give her to kill fleas.  Sometimes they bite her so bad, she cries out and then goes after them.  Very sad, and she is filthy.  The little girl who owns her calls her their Pekinese.   If she has Peke in her, its a very small percentage.  Anyhow, I am giving her some food and comfort for a year or so.  I'll try to get a better picture but she is very timid.  I told Helen, her owner, that she is very timid and Helen says thats because we hit her.  Duh !!! There are no pretenses over here...that is for sure.  I have been feeding her for only a few days, but the other night she came and I did not know it , so she barked, to let me know she was available for eating.  I have this flea killer pill to give her so I have to buy a hot dog to stick it in now that she'll let me get close enough to toss bits to her.

Margarite having a little snack and some fresh water on my front porch.  She is very timid but at least she does not run when I open the door.  She waits for something to appear in her bowl. 

This is Helen with her pig.  Her family owns Margarite and they live right behind me on the next calle but we have a very high concrete wall between us.  This is not my street, mine is paved.  This is the street that connects my street with Helen's  and it  is a river after the rains.  The rains come down so hard and fast that the earth cannot absorb them so theres a lot of runoff and the plants dry out the next day. 

 

This is the 50th Anniversay of Peace Corps celebration.

These are some 5th graders with their teacher , Brenda.  They took some gifts and a cake to her house and invited me.  They'll each get a copy of this photo when I remember to t ake my cable to Leon with me. She is a fantastic teacher. 

This is an inside shot of a little place in Leon, La Rosita.  Some gringos own it and they cater to extraneros from everywhere.  Lots of PC vols. meet there for various purposes and TO EAT !!! 

This was taken at the restaurant where the PC held its 50th anniversay.  Just a shot from the second floor down to the entry way.  Its very pretty with lots of beautiful woodwork.

I have internet in my house thru a modem that connects to the phone system.  That has been very nice and lets me keep up with my loved lovely ones in the US.   I have a granddaughter skiing in Chile right now with her ski team and then she has been invited to ski with the US ski team ( not as a member of the team, just as a prospect) this winter in Austria, while the rest of that crew spent several days on Lake Powell.   My son and his wife have been travelling a lot with their music and this past weekend was spent in Santa Fe. Check out Finnders and Youngberg on YouTube.   When he isn't traveling the world to Star Trek conventions, my brother is in upstate NY writing screen plays and fighting the fracking companies that want to get into the shale in his part of the woods. My sister is in Annapolis doing good deeds in a thrift store that supports the elderly in their homes, that is,  when she is not in Florida, running the condo association down there.

So, thats it for me for now

Love,
Pat
PS  Margarite says good bye too !!!!