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

WOA! One month!

Can you believe I´ve been gone for one month already!? i can hardly believe it myself!

Well the first new thing I can think of is that I have a cold! you wouldn´t think it´s possible with all the warm weather here but believe it or not...i got one somehow! It might be because of the changing of seasons. It´s rainy season here now...which when it rains...IT POURS! but i get that cold sniffle season changing thing from my mom! thanks mom!

Let´s see...from my last entry a lot of exciting and boring things have happened! Thursday was our trip to Masaya. It has been my favorite trip so far! We left after spanish class and it only took about a half an hour. We first visited a famous Nicaraguan Potter and his family that makes the most beautiful pottery I´ve ever seen. Masaya is a very artistic city where a lot of tourists go to buy beautiful bags, pottery, carvings, paintings, and jewelry. Let´s just say my money dissapered that day! But this family works all day out of their home, making their own pottery on the wheel, glazing it with these special glosses, CARVING the most beautiful designs for them, and then HAND painting them! all before firing them. They made some of the most beautiful pieces i´ve ever seen! Getting goods for fair price in Nicaragua is hard so they were glad to have so many people willing to buy their goods at fair price...and to not resell them for more! But their ideas of fair prices were so cheap compared to some of the pottery in the US. I almost insisted on paying more for some of the pieces! they took so much time! just another difference in countries...Nicaraguan people don´t really need hundreds of dollars for one piece to survive in their culture.

Then from there there were two options for the group: see an active volcano or go to Catarina for a view of the Laguna de Apoyo! i chose the latter because I was tired of walking up volcanoes! who would have thought. But me and 5 other people (including our country coordinator Delena) went to catarina for a beautiful view of the Laguna! if you have time...just look up one picture of it and you´ll understand! But we also saw some very eager men with horses who wanted us to go for a ride. Since we had an hour to kill, we decided we would do it! it was also only 100 cordabas (5 dollars) for an hour! so worth it! man was that a fun time. Also if we stood out as these white americans before...imagine a big group of us on top of horses screeming down the street in english! we stuck out a lot but had a lot of fun! except at the end of the tour...the leaders INSISTED that the horses run to the finish...i was not happy because it HURT and it was the end of the ride when it hurt the MOST! haha...but fun none the less.

and it was a good thing we chose that option because the volcano was closed and the group walked up a smaller boring one...haha!

Then from there the entire group went to the main market in Masaya where there were more shops than i could handle! i bought a beautiful new purse (you all know i have a purse problem :))...the guy gave me a wonderful discounted price! which was a lie because everyone got bags for that price and we sat and watched a little of some Nicaraguan Folk dance while we ate dinner! It was a fun night! also my host mothers birthday! we woke up that morning at 4:30 to sing her happy birthday! apperently it´s a tradition to sing in english here...let´s just say that i was the only one who knew all the words and the tune...it was really funny!

Then friday class was fine and we had a lecture on Liberation Theology. Then after that Jonna and i had a trip to a lakehouse to hang out with her family for 2 days! So we get in a mototaxi with this stranger who turns out...doesn´t know which house we needed to go to and we ask a ton of people before i finally call my sister and find out where it was! The rest of the night we just talked to all the families..laughed...and layed in hammocks as the rain poured down for hours! We went to bed...the ceiling leaked on my half of the bed and didn´t make a very pleasant sleep but somehow i slept with soaking wet sheets! i must have been tired

then the next day we woke up at 6....went to the beach....and sat for a long long long time! Jonna read a book while i watched some kids play soccer on the shore. It was really relaxing. Then we went back to the house on the river for lunch and we slept in hammocks for another couple hours! It was really relaxing but i got kind of bored by the end. Then i went back to Diriamba around dinner time and ate at my grandmother´s house for MOther´s day! it was such a big day for everyone! Then we went out for ice cream and they bought me this huge banana sundae while everyone else had these little small bowls! they like to spoil me!

Then sunday i slept in! oh man it had been a long time! then we sat around, watched tv, and had delicious fish for lunch! it was the kind you sit and pick at for hours, savoring it the whole time! it was great! but my cold made me sleepy so my family wondered why i wasn´t talking...i think my dad might have been mad at me....he is hard to read sometimes....and i can´t understand feelings in spanish let alone simple sentences! oh well!

Then sunday night a group of us went to casa verde to watch a movie with Gwen and Lisa...we had popcorn! oh man it was great, but the movie had really thick scottish accents so i didn´t really catch a lot of it. it was fun though!

But other than those adventures, everything has been great! I only have 2 more weeks left of spanish class before i leave for service! SO SOON! I am really excited to embark on a new town soon but will be sad to leave the group! Service will be pretty lonely but i´ve got a lot of good books to read and spanish to practice! It will be great! but i love you all and email me if you have something exciting to inform me of! Have a great June 1st and oh guess what! Friday, May 29th, was exactly a year from when I will get married! yayayaya! I was really happy that whole day!

And thanks so much for the pics Jordan, Barb, and John! it looks so pretty!

I love you all!

Ashley