Home Sweet Home

Oh my goodness i am so sorry i haven`t written in a while! these last few weeks have been NUTS!

I finally finished my two projects that i needed to complete while here in Jinotega! last week i pulled my hair out and whipped them out all at once! I didn`t want to be stressed this last week!

But let`s see....school and Los Pipitos has been the same old same old! I`ve done a lot of random things since the last time i wrote...so sorry i can`t really recall what i`ve done.

I`ve been hanging out with these 2 girls from New York who are doing service here with the family that teaches my host sisters english...wow that was confusing. Yeah but it`s been fun getting to know them and have some English in my life! haha... we`ve played a lot of games...gotten our nails done...and learned some NIcaraguan folklore.....good times.

The deaf community here has also been crazy. The school and daycare that cares for the deaf students brought down their coordinator from Oklahoma where an organization funds and helps run this certain house. Her name is Karen and she is the most interesting and wild person ever! I just love her. She is originally from Sweden but has been in Oklahoma for 5 years and is fluent in spanish and now knows sign language after 2 weeks! I`ve only seen her a couple times but she can sure talk your ear off but i love it! I also have learned so muchg more about the deaf community and their home from her which has been awesome! i can explain it better later! But a big group of about 20 other people came down to paint, do construction, and perform tests and medical assistants for the kids which is really awesome! so many white people here...it`s weird...which is weird that it`s weird....haha

let`s see...My family and i have been exchanging gifts and my money is flying out the window...so if you feel like making a donation to the ashley fund...i will be eternly grateful...haha

I`ve also loved how close i have gotten with the people and my family since being here...I laugh so much and it makes me sad to think i am leaving them all so soon! But it makes me realize how bad i want to come back...and SOON please!

But don`t worry...i am a little more happy than sad because i get to come home so soon! These 3 months flew by didn`t they? I can hardly believe it!

but the rest of the week looks like this....

Today is club day at los pipitos in the afternoon and i`m pretty sure they are throwing us a going away party...actually i am positive they are...so bring on the pinata!

then later tonight i am going to english class with my sisters for the last time :( pretty sad...but i`ll takes lots of pictures to remember my new friends

then tomorrow is a normal day of class in the morning and sports in the afternoon. then i am getting my nails done....haha

then friday is the last day! eek...i have class in the morning then i am going by the deaf house for the last time to see all the progress that happened this week and to say good bye...how sad

then i am making some delicious tacos at my house for my going away party with my family. Funny how i am making my own food for my own party...haha...but they know i like to cook so it`s fine by me! then somehow i have to pack all my stuff...nearly impossible....then the next morning jesse and i leave bright and early at 6 for our first homes! we`ll meet up with the rest of our group, stop by my family`s house and then we all head to Laguna de apoyo for a little weekend getaway before we travel home!

There we will hang out...present our final projects and get all antsy because 2 days later we will be on a plane back home! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH....can you tell that i am excited! Tuesday morning i leave nicaragua at about 6:45....get into miami at i don`t know when...wait for 2 hours then fly to chicago...then wait another 2 hours for the arrival of peru (if their flight is on time ofcourse....let`s hope so....then drive the 3 hours back to goshen where everyone awaits our arrival...i am nervous just writing about it now!

but as excited as i may seem...i am indeed sad to leave this place that has become a second home to me. The people have been absolutely awesome and i couldn`t have asked for a better experience! i can`t wait to show you all my pictures and reflect on all the things i did! but wish me safe travels and pray as well....

I will see you all so soon and thank you so much for all the support! It helped me so much!

Well...i guess this is it! wow.....

Love you all
Ashley

A little Note

Just thought i would send out a little note to you all to let you now i am still trecking on!

This week hasn`t been very eventful so it will be a short one!

There are no classes in the morning this week because it is their vacation time! so that means a lot of sleeping in for me and it`s a lot harder to motivate myself to workout in the morning!

Delena and Gwen visited us on tuesday and it was really great to see them. We sat down and talked to the leaders at Los Pipitos and they got a feel for what we do everyday. Gwen was snapping pictures the whole time so look out for those on the Goshen blog. Then we went out for a nice lunch and chatted it up! Then they visited Jesse and I`s families..that was a really fun time. My down syndrome brother JOse did a little show for them and they were laughing so hard. He also taught a little class lesson and yelled at Delena for getting up to leave. It was a fun time.
THen they headed to another city to visit more students! fun day

Yesterday was also a little party for some Germans who are leaving at Los Pipitos. There was a lot of food and dancing and a Pinata! they made jesse and i do it! it`s also a tradition here to dance more than you swing at the thing...so i was a little embarassed! probably the first time i was ever embarassed to dance in front of people. haha! but it was interesting to talk to the germans because our only common way of communicating was through spanish. they would be blabbing in german and jesse and i would be blabbing in english, then we would turn to each other and talk in spanish. Neither one of our native languages! Weird!

And this morning was one of my favorite mornings so far. I woke up at 9 after going to bed at 9 the night before, and cooked for like 3 hours with my mom! Let`s just say i have some great receipes to take back and jordan is going to be one happy man :) Granted everything was fried thuroughly in oil but WHO CARES! it was delicious if i do say so myself. Some tacos, these corn balls in a sweet syrup and salad! MMMMM!!!!

But the rest of the week will go about the same...more sleeping and reading. Oh yeah! i read an entire book this week! that felt good. and i need to get cracking on my projects and wash my clothes....which is a workout in itself! We are blessed to have washing machines in the states!

I might be taking a trip with my fam on sunday but don`t ask me where! they are confusing sometimes and joke a lot so i`m not sure what`s going on!

But i love and miss you all so much! can`t wait to see you all which will be in about 2 and a half weeks! unbelievable!

Adios amigos and que le vaya bien en todos de sus viajes!

lOVE ASH!

Oh hey!

Sorry all for not writing in a long time! It has been hard since i don`t have any trip or exciting things to write about. I do the same things everyday!

Want to hear what I do? of course you do!

Well i head to class at the special school....stand around until i am told what to do. Then I help with the deaf classes or with the little terrors (i like to call them). There is dance class a lot so that is kind of fun. Then I head out to lunch at my house, maybe take a nap. Hang out with my fam in the store we run out of house....eat a lot of bread. oh do i eat bread. My mom makes it fresh to sell and I am always getting what i want. It`s probably not good for my health and my host dad says i am going to get fat. It`s funny. But who cares! only 4 more weeks! then i sadly will have no delicious breads....except for the homemade bread Jordan`s mom makes...that is delicious! (thanks barb and john).

Then I go to Los pipitos at 2...sit around a lot and then do crafts, or dance, or any random thing. Jesse and I are working on a brochure for them now so that helps to fill in the days when there is nothing for us to do. Then I head home and either work on homework, watch soap operas, hang out in the store, play dutch blitz with Sonia and Karen, or go to Englsih class. English class has been fun lately because there are 2 girls from the states doing service with the family that teaches the class. It`s nice to get to know them and talk in english ofcourse. I`ve also been getting some special treatment with pedicures and manicures from a friend of sonia and karen. I love it!

This week was also a celebration for kids and we had a big parade in the streets! it was fun and there were TONS of kids but it was probably the hottest day since i`ve been here and i was wearing jeans and the sun scolded my skin! oh well. I got some frescas and shade after we walked the streets for 2 hours! but those canons...i will never get used to them

Let`s see....the rest of the week and next week there is no class in the mornings! it`s there vacation which is perfect timing for jesse and I but will probably make for a long week with not much to do. oh well....i can work out, work on my project, and just relax!

Also, Gwen and Delena are visiting next week so it will be good to see them again! And this saturday jesse and I are headed to Matagalpa to meet up with five other Goshen students! It will be SO GREAT to see them again! So i`ll let you know how that went later!

um...not a whole lot more...and i don`t think i will have a lot more stories from service...just little things. and yes alli and lindsey...I have gotten the preaching from Jose about every 5 minutes! And he doesn`t like to go to Los pipitos anymore! i don`t blame him...they do nothing!

As far as everyone else...Jamie- i`m glad you are having fun! can`t wait to hear about your summer!

My kulp south lovelys and more- I miss you all and can`t wait to dance it up in the Apt!

Mom and dad...hold down the fort for me and send whit my loving this weekend!

John and barb- good luck on your bike trip and can`t wait to hear about it! but be safe!

Jordan- rock out hard this week and become famous! I`m sure some huge label will want you guys in a flash :) and can`t wait to talk to you monday!

and Happy fourth of july this saturday!

love you all!

Ash

well hola!

Welp`welp welp...guess what! as of today...I have 4 weeks left here in Jinotega and 4 and a half weeks left in Nicaragua total! Where has all the time gone! I believe that the next 4 weeks will fly by with all the projects and journals I still have to do for Gwen and Lisa...Boo. It does keep me from getting bored!

Well let´s see....it´s kind of hard to write journals lately because of all th random things that go on each day....but this week at the special needs school we have celebrated Father´s day and teacher´s day! both holidays call for fiestas, dancing, and cake at school and I`m pretty certain there is no school monday and tuesday, but sometimes it`s hard to tell! spanish is still hard....and spanish sign language is even harder.

But this week I have done random things like make cards for the teachers and my favorite time this week was when I helped with the young kids at the school....i was practically pulling monkeys and insects off the wall as they screamed and kicked. That was an adventure. um....I had a very good conversation with 2 of the deaf professors about life here in Nicaragua and in the states. It was a very good conversation and i can`t really sum it up here. Ask me about it!

um what else...oh last night jesse, my sisters, 4 deaf professors from the school, and I went out dancing. It was a really fun time. I got a lot of practice in with Salsa and Marengue....and the deaf men can dance! it`s outstanding how much better they were than all the other people who could actually hear the music. It`s interesting to think about how much you can feel loud bass bumps and such without actually being able to hear. Mind boggling i know!

But tomorrow I am cooking for the fam and doing some more laundry! that stuff is hard to do by hand! and i will write a better blog soon i promise! but just letting you know i am doing great and loving it here....but also love thinking about coming home! Don`t miss me too much!

also...RIP Michael Jackson....

Love you all and HAPPY FATHER`S DAY

Ash

Service Part 1!

Whoa sorry it has taken so long for me to write you all! I have internet in my house but the computer has been broken all week and i finally gave up waiting and came to a cyber to write you all!

Well one week has passed in this new city and i have a lot to talk about! I`ll split it into 2 parts and start from the beginning!

Last thursday night was the going away party (despedida) for our host families! it was a blast but a little stressful! The night started off with a ton of Nicarguan folk dances and then moved onto performances by each of the three spanish classes. Our class sang a very popular Nica song...but it was really hard and we sounded absolutely awful! oh well, I won`t see a lot of those people ever again! Then random families and siblings did songs, dances, and skits. My sisters, John, Casey, Jonna, and I did a Nicaraguan Folk Dance it was really funny and we embarassed ourselves but had a great time doing it! The whole night was crazy and i was in charge of some of it so people were running around frantic asking me for help and questions! I LOVED IT! It reminded me of how hectic my life is in the states and it was a good time. I never thought I would miss that! but apparently i do! Then there was food for everyone afterwards and man was that a disaster. People here don`t really have potlucks or free food so the first half of the line each took about 2 plates stacked top the ceiling with food! some families even took 5 or 6 plates out to their car! Let`s just say there wasn`t enough food and our leaders were thuroughly embarrassed. Then my family was literally dragging me out of the place because they were so hungry...it was madness. My fam went out for pizza the last night and it was delicious!

Then I went home and packed all my stuff and had a little crying fest with my sisters and Jonna from Goshen. I wasn`t expecting that but it was a prime example of how close you can become to a fam in merely 6 weeks. Then at 5 in the morning...yeah....i wake up and my sister lays sadly on my bed while i get my things. Then i went out to the kitchen where my dad read some scripture and said a prayer for my travels! it was really nice but unexpected from my dad who I don`t think liked me very much. Ask me about that one when I get back. Then I went to casa verde where about half of the group met to leave for service. Everyone seemed pretty excited and we put the most people ever in one van with tons of bags on top. We got pulled over on the way. haha

Then from Managua groups started to dispurse from the bus stop to their different locations. It was kind of sad to say goodbye to my fellow gosheners who helped me survive my first 6 weeks! but it was also an exciting time to embark on something new! Jesse and I shared a bus ride with 2 other students going the same direction and I had a wonderful talk with Chelsea on the way. It was a total of 3 hours to Jinotega and it was a BEAUTIFUL drive. I felt like i was sitting in air conditioning the mountain air was so cold! Then Jesse and I started to get nervous considering we really didn`t know if we were getting off at the right stop. but a sign that read `welcome jesse and ashley`was a good indicator! There was about 4 people waiting for us and Jesse and I had no idea who was who or for which family! We just got in the taxi and followed!

We went to my house first had some grub and then went on to Jesse`s house. Our houses are really close! It was a fun packed day but it was a really warm welcome! I`ll tell you about my fam and a little about jesse`s and some about my work! but that`s all for this time!

I am living with my good friends Alli and Lindsey`s family from last summer! they are great! I`ve got mama Tomasa who is a genuine worry wart but is the kindest soul! She has a contagious laugh and is pretty lowkey! I can even serve myself my food which is a blessing in itself! Then I`ve got papa Romon! He is a hoot! Lowkey as well but makes me laugh too! Both my parents have a store run out of our house and spend all day everyday there assisting the customers! it`s a fun atmosphere.

Then there is Jose Romon.....he is the funniest kid i have ever met. He just turned 13 i believe and he has down syndrome. I don`t understand a single word he says but he is a so funny! But like seriously i have not understood a single word he says except for `ya`That`s ones not too hard. He also loves to dance to reagaton. Oh man he is a vulgar dancer but I laughed so hard i cried when he danced for the first time. it was great. I also took a lot of videos so you can watch them when i return. Then there is sonia and karen who both of which aren`t actually related but have been living with my family for about 5 years...going to the university here in Jinotega. They are close to my age and have become the closest with them. We talk all the time and it`s like having 2 sisters! they are great. I`ve also been going to their english class during the week which is a fun time. It`s really hard for them to pronounce things in english but creates a laugh for me! We also stayed up late last night talking about wedding stuff and school. It was hard to explain scholarship money in spanish. Let me tell ya! but it was a great time. Jordan....they liked your song! And lindsey and alli....they loved that video of you i have on my i-pod from kulp south! sorry... haha

But let`s see during the week I work at the special needs school in the morning doing basically whatever. Jesse and I aren`t really needed there but help out in the deaf classes mostly and have a lot of fun communicating in a THIRD language. He know`s a lot more than me but the kids don`t care...a simple smile lights them up! I am good at smiling too! Then in the afternoon we go to Los Popitos which is a like a day care fun time in the afternoon for the kids. We do anything from sports, dance, art, and crafts. The kids are great but yet again....Jesse and I don`t do that much. It will get better though! we`ve only had one week! But i`ve already learned alot from the kids here and am having a great time! I will write again but i have been here way too long and i want to get more in depth another time! But i love you all and i am so close to being home! only 5 more weeks! WOWZA! love and miss you all

Ashley

I´M LEAVING Diriamba and headed to Jinotega!

So my last cyber time here in Diriamba has officially come. The workers here are going to be very confused when I don´t show up anymore...I´m a regular!

But today has been a crazy day, running around buying last minute gifts for my host family, working on the going away party plans, and preparing myself for my exam and speech tomorrow in class! Where has all the time gone!

But friday morning...bright and early at 6 in the morning....is when I officially head off to Jinotega. It´s going to be an interesting trip with all my luggage and a huge water filter for Jesse and I. I think i accidently turned the font italic...don´t ask me how i did these keyboards are wack!

But i thought for my last blog here I would list some of my favorite memories or things i´ve learned from this first half.

1. I like a lot of foods that I never thought I would....like cow toungue and fish right on the bone....that´s right I ate cow tongue twice.

2. I don´t know my alphabet very well because every time i look in my spanish to englsih dictionary it takes me so long! I´m getting better though! probably because i use it so much!

3. I adore ice cream and sweets! I can´t go one day without them! it´s probably because i am fed so much salty, oily, greesy, fried foods!

4. You can´t ever go into a trip or event here in Nicaragua with expectations. Everything i have imagined thus far has been completely wrong....you just got to keep an open mind and not have an imagination!

5. I am just as capable as decribing love in spanish as i am in english. My family didn´t really understand how meaningful my engagement and the song jordan sang for me was until jonna and I explained it for 2 hours....WITH translated lyrics to the song. Let´s just say that took a long time...but my family finally understood how in love I am....that was a good day! Que bonita!

6. Oh and I know that I can actually communicate in spanish now and have conversation! it´s a miracle!

7. I love having sisters! My sister in the states is my best friend and role model and it has been so nice to have sisters here to! They are just great and I love them! Also my brother here is a pest and without my sisters I would go nuts!

8. Worship songs are very similar here in Nica as they are in the states. All of the praise and worhsip songs i sing at church I hear in my house! It´s a nice familiar sound and also reminds me how great God is all over the world!

9. I love the little things back in the states and they are way more important to me than i thought: pools, tv series, long conversations, music, mirrors (especially mirrors....they like don´t really use them here!), cold drinking water, warm showers, soap ( they don´t really use that here either YIKES), air conditioning, toilet paper (its expensive and not in most public restrooms), couches( they are also expensive and not in a lot of houses), pickes, and RANCH DRESSING ( i am craving it so much)! And MUCH MUCH MORE! but it also shows how spoiled I am in the states...and i will never take those things for granted again!

10. BUT, the united states isn´t as great as it seems. With it´s foreign affairs, debt, war, and the crazy stupid things it has done for NIcaragua!

11. The people here are very family oriented and they are so close! They are very dependent on the family for everything but everyone is so willing to help! Also culture and history is very evident in every NIca....a lot of people in the states don´t know about their history! they should! it´s important!

12. There is not really any stress here or busy schedules....that is very new to me! very nice actually!

13. Nicaragua is a great country full of a lot more culture and heritage on the Atlantic Coast! it like a whole other world on that side, which there is actually a great divide between the 2 sids today! WHO KNEW!

WOWZA I think that is it! but I am really excited for a change in scenery and will update you on my new life and service assignment as soon as I get the chance! it will be probably be a week or so! But I love you all and thanks for the support thus far! I´m half way! YAY!

Love,
Ash

ONE MORE WEEK....until service that is!

So the time has finally come for me to start packing up my little life in Diriamba and moving on to bigger and better things! or at least i hope so!

but before that....there are a lot of things to do! This past weekend I had a very relaxing fun time that was great for my last weekend here! Saturday....most of the group went to Hurtylandia which is a water park! i know who would have thought! granted it was only a big pool with one slide but it was SO much fun! we had some good bonding time with the group before everyone heads out all over the country! Then later that day I watched some movies, had cow tongue for dinner, and got roped into doing a Nicaraguan folk dance with my sisters for the going away party on Thursday.

I`ll talk more about that later! But then sunday, I watched approximately 4 movies and a half.....2 were in English :) and did a lot of homework for this week! Thursday is our final exam and 10 minute presentation! i don`t think it will be hard to talk in spanish for 10 minutes because i talk sooooooo slow! haha. And thursday is the Despedida! Which is our festive going away party! should be a fun time since i am doing a folk dance with one of the huge skirts!

Let`s see....yes! then Friday morning I leave for the small country town in the mountains called Jinotega where the breeze is cool and the people are welcoming! sounds like a salespitch or something! but I will be living with a whole new family in a whole new town! EEK! Jesse Heyerly and I will be working with Los Pepitos for their sports and recreation time! we are excited about that...because we both play sports and weren`t really wanting to teach or anything like that!

So that`s exciting! but i am really spacy right now and have a ton of stuff to do this week so sorry this blog isn`t as good as the others! but i will be writing one more before I leave on friday so be looking for that!

Love you all!

Ashley