Yo...

I’ve been really busy lately with quite a few things. As you all know, I’m teaching business classes in high schools. In these classes the students have to form their own businesses (8ish students), create a new product and make a business plan with all of the facts/figures and intentions of the business. The culmination of the class is a competition between all of the student businesses in the country. First there’s a local competition at the school level, then a regional, and ultimately a national. The local competition was in September, and right now we’re in the midst of scrambling to piece together the regional competition. I’m in charge of the activity because I’m the only business volunteer living in the city where it’ll take place. It’s a lot of work, and among other things, we’re struggling to get funding to pay for the auditorium we’re using. Every day when I’m walking down the street, I have at least 2-3 people ask me for money. It's really tough being perceived as wealthy (because I'm white) but having to ask various businesses in the community for money...

That being said, I’m really looking forward to the competition. Because my students have only had a half a year of the class, they won’t be participating until next year, but the other students (from the volunteer that I replaced) from Ocotal definitely have a lot of potential.

I’ve only experienced one other student competition here in the OC – a science fair. I know I’ve already mentioned this to a few people, but I think it’s interesting enough to write about here as well. So, here goes: I show up to plan with my counterparts in one of my schools for class the following day and there’s a science fair underway. Out of curiosity (and lack of natural disasters in Nicaragua – the land of lakes and [active] volcanoes (not that I’m complaining)), I climb the steps to the classrooms where the projects are on display. I honestly expected to see the standard mix-this-chemical-with-that-and-poof!-a-volcano!-type projects, but what I got was beyond my wildest dreams. A solid 70% of these students, my students, had made home-made booze. I wasn’t brave enough to try the rum, but the 6 kinds of wine made out of various types of fruits were all too intriguing. I can’t say I’d buy it if it was in a store, but it honestly wasn’t all that bad…

On another note, I’m living in my new place a loving it. I live with 3 old women, 2 cats and a dog. It’s awesome. Some may say my future has presented itself about 30 years early… Anyway, the dog’s name is Suki, the dark grey cat’s name is Negro, and the light orange cat’s name is Chele (translates to ‘white person’).

Pitaya: awesome fruit
Guyaba: good fruit
Pineapples: we can still buy ‘em here for about $.50 US
Avocados: mmm mmm mmm…


I just got my absentee ballot in the mail. I was out of the country (in Ireland) for the last election, so I know how this all works…if there is a big enough spread between the candidates in the state of Minnesota, the absentee ballots won’t even be looked at. Hmm…assuming I’m living in the US for the 2012 election, I’m probably going to need a coach when I go to vote – I’ve never voted in the States.

Miss you all!