I apologize in advance to all that there isn't much to report but here goes my weekly reflection as always.
Our two new PDs went to Matagalpa for the week for Spanish school (wasn't that me just yesterday??) and we still only ran just the clinic this week. One thing I did get to do this week was go to Villa Guadalupe for our 1000 Days program. I may have explained this program already but just in case I didn't....
1000 Days is a prenatal care program for women in Villa Guadalupe who do not have health insurance. The most common reasons for joining the program is due to complications during previous pregnancies or an inability to afford prenatal services. Many of the women are under 20 years of age. I went to VG last week because the first few babies were born over our holiday break and I had to gather some information for the donor newsletter. Selma, our nurse, was kind enough to escort me to one of the houses of the girls who had just given birth. As strange as I felt coming in and asking her questions about her baby (and even asking for a picture of him) she was very gracious.
I also had my last day of clinic (for a while anyway). With more PDs here, I decided that stepping off of clinic would both open up my schedule and allow anyone who wanted the experience to have it. It's possible that I'll have to jump back on because some PDs will be leaving in May and June, but now I'm getting a nice break.
The other programs I'm on this "semester" are English Level 1, English Vocational Training (EVT), Girls Health, and STEM research. English 1 and Girls Health will be familiar for me but EVT will be a new experience. It teaches customer service and computer skills so that students can get jobs in call centers after completing the course. Teaching in English will be a new experience for me, but I'm excited to get into a bit of the economic opportunity programming that Manna offers.
During this tranquil and prep-heavy week, on several occasions my fellow PDs and I realized that with old PDs coming to visit in February, spring break groups coming in February and March, and interns coming in May and June, we're coming down to the last two weeks with just us PDs in the house. I'm glad I can build on my previous six months experience to prep for this crazy time but I can't deny the bittersweet feeling it brings. I know once programs pick up and we all have more responsibilities, this time will fly and I'll soon be saying goodbye to the people who were by my side during the whole of this life changing experience.
The group of friends I have here are so unique. I have years of experience with friends at home and there is always a common thread, reunions to attend, yearbooks to look back on. But when I arrived in July I met six strangers. There were very few commonalities between us except that we were all here. Over the past five months we learned how to live together, travel together, work together, all while tolerating each other (hopefully more than tolerate). And although we know each other in very different ways than our other friends might know us, we have experienced things together that we never will with anyone else. So thank you to my fellow cheles for all the moments we've shared, and here's to the many more we have to come, in Nicaragua and elsewhere (because you know you're not off the hook when you leave, this is para siempre).
Our two new PDs went to Matagalpa for the week for Spanish school (wasn't that me just yesterday??) and we still only ran just the clinic this week. One thing I did get to do this week was go to Villa Guadalupe for our 1000 Days program. I may have explained this program already but just in case I didn't....
1000 Days is a prenatal care program for women in Villa Guadalupe who do not have health insurance. The most common reasons for joining the program is due to complications during previous pregnancies or an inability to afford prenatal services. Many of the women are under 20 years of age. I went to VG last week because the first few babies were born over our holiday break and I had to gather some information for the donor newsletter. Selma, our nurse, was kind enough to escort me to one of the houses of the girls who had just given birth. As strange as I felt coming in and asking her questions about her baby (and even asking for a picture of him) she was very gracious.
I also had my last day of clinic (for a while anyway). With more PDs here, I decided that stepping off of clinic would both open up my schedule and allow anyone who wanted the experience to have it. It's possible that I'll have to jump back on because some PDs will be leaving in May and June, but now I'm getting a nice break.
The other programs I'm on this "semester" are English Level 1, English Vocational Training (EVT), Girls Health, and STEM research. English 1 and Girls Health will be familiar for me but EVT will be a new experience. It teaches customer service and computer skills so that students can get jobs in call centers after completing the course. Teaching in English will be a new experience for me, but I'm excited to get into a bit of the economic opportunity programming that Manna offers.
During this tranquil and prep-heavy week, on several occasions my fellow PDs and I realized that with old PDs coming to visit in February, spring break groups coming in February and March, and interns coming in May and June, we're coming down to the last two weeks with just us PDs in the house. I'm glad I can build on my previous six months experience to prep for this crazy time but I can't deny the bittersweet feeling it brings. I know once programs pick up and we all have more responsibilities, this time will fly and I'll soon be saying goodbye to the people who were by my side during the whole of this life changing experience.
The group of friends I have here are so unique. I have years of experience with friends at home and there is always a common thread, reunions to attend, yearbooks to look back on. But when I arrived in July I met six strangers. There were very few commonalities between us except that we were all here. Over the past five months we learned how to live together, travel together, work together, all while tolerating each other (hopefully more than tolerate). And although we know each other in very different ways than our other friends might know us, we have experienced things together that we never will with anyone else. So thank you to my fellow cheles for all the moments we've shared, and here's to the many more we have to come, in Nicaragua and elsewhere (because you know you're not off the hook when you leave, this is para siempre).
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