Study Time!

Happy Monday!

I finally slipped up and broke my goal of a post a week; it can get so busy down here! I hope I didn’t keep anyone holding their breath too long! This past week was exams week for all of the kids, from primary to secondary. So from students, to teachers to tias we were all busy making sure the kids were as prepared as they could be.

After teaching for two full weeks I am getting into the swing of things and was excited to see how all of my students performed on their exams. Along with a local teacher, I teach grades 2-6 as well as multi-grade in which students are learning to speak Spanish or write, or both. Some of the children who come here only speak Miskito (an indigenous languages) when they arrive, so first they must learn Spanish. Class can be hard with disciplinary problems but I am learning how to work along with my students to earn mutual respect in order to reach our goals. It is also really great that I live alongside my students, allowing me to can connect with them outside of the classroom. This way, I can understand the situations they come from and adopt teaching methods that best suit their needs. It’s also great for the boys in my house because they have a live in tutor!

However, we didn’t only study English this week. We learned how to multiply double digits, civic responsibilities and rights, the difference between similes and metaphors and much more. Tuesday night was math night so I brought along a deck of multiplication math cards that I had found in the volunteer house. A few kids were struggling with times tables, so I figured I would try teaching the way I learned; running through decks of flashcards. I started outside with one of my boys and then another joined in. So we made it a game; whoever answered correctly first got the card. At the end the one with the most cards one. Well, it got pretty competitive so we got some spectators. The next game they joined in. And then some more came. And then the older boys in the house paired up with the younger ones in teams. And then the house next door came to check out the raucous and ended up joining in. By the end we had about 15 boys screaming out their multiplication tables and grabbing for the cards they earned. Although at one point I was in the line of some grabbing hands, I couldn’t think  of a better way to break the monotony of studying. They were having so much fun and doing math at the same time, what could make a science nerd like me happier?

However, by Thursday the morals were dropping a bit because of the long week. So I channeled my lovely mother and did what she always did for me when I was younger; lighten the studying with a snack. Now I cannot compare to the gourmet platters of hot chocolate and apples and peanut butter my mother used to bring to me, but I tried. So after dinner I handed out chocolate bars to all the boys as a combination “Good Luck/Keep on Going” snack.

            In other news, I finally tried my hand on macheting! Everyone in the volunteer house has a weekly chore, one of which is gardening. Although it may sound dainty, it consists of cutting the grass/weeding the area around the house with our very own machete. Yes, a machete. I decided to learn how/help out another volunteer who’s turn it was on Friday afternoon. After an hour of awkward arm swings, three popped blisters and a gallon of sweat, I would say it was a success. Along with the other volunteer, I successfully put on a very entertaining show for the girls in the neighboring houses. Although they offered loads of advice and showed me how several times, the success was in the show that I put on rather than the grass I cut. I’m going to give my hands a break this week but will keep you all updated on my “macheteando” skills. Stay tuned.

            Here are some pictures from the celebration of Padre Wasson, the founder of NPH, last weekend. Each house had to make a mural in his honor to enter into a competition. I'll let you judge...

The youngest boys house put on a skit and all dressed up like angels.

My house decided to make a giant W in honor of William Wasson's initials. 

Here is a look at the back of it. 

Sew much love

Imagine a table full of 10-year-old boys excitedly sewing up holes in their worn backpacks, pants and shirts. Each boys head is down while the concentrated silence is only pierced by shouts of “¡Mira! ¡Yo lo hice!” (Look, I did it). Impossible, you say? Nope, just another Tuesday night in Casa San Jose (my house) at NPH.

After spending two full weeks with the boys in my house, not only I am finally learning their names, but also that it truly is the little things that matter. Earlier in the day, one of my boys asked if I could bring a needle and thread to the house that night so that we could work together to sew together is well worn book bag. When I returned the second night to finish the project, it seemed half the house had found something that needed fixing. However, they did not want ME to do it; they wanted to do it themselves. So, armed with an extra sewing kit (THANKS GRANDMA!) and a lot of patience, we had an impromptu tutorial and sewing class. By the end of the night, everyone had been successful and avoiding pricking himself too much with the needle.

As I sat and admired the boys, I realized the grace I am searching for already exists in each one of them. All I can do is help them to see how much they are filled with. And to do that, all it takes is spending time and listening. This week of orientation has further compounded this realization. Each department has spoken to us new volunteers about what they do and how we play a role in that department’s tasks, as well as the overall mission of NPH. All the insight and suggestions have been extremely helpful in identifying my role here for the next year. I am starting to see it as a combination older sister/godmother/companion/friend.

As a tribute to the memorial of Father Wasson’s passing this weekend, here is a link (and part 2) to his biography. The video talks about the Father’s life-how he came to found NPH- and the principles that still guide the organization today. I would highly suggest it to everyone as another way to learn more about the worldwide family of pequeños that NPH has raised with love and care.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera to our sewing party but here are some pictures of my boys from a photo shoot we had another night…..

And some of the beautiful churches in a city named Leon that I visited on my weekend off…

Also, if anyone was planning on sending me something, the last address I posted was WRONG. This is the correct one…

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos

Eliza Herrero

Apartado de correos #29

Jinotepe, Carazo

Nicaragua, Central America

First Week!

¡Buenos dias from Nica!

I am just about done with my first full week here and there is so much to tell! I have not started teaching yet, but rather will be spending the next few weeks orienting myself. So today I’ll just be giving you an overview of life here as well.

            For those of you who still don’t know what Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos is I highly suggest checking out their website and reading up. But if you’re too lazy to read all that, here’s a quick summary…It’s a home for about 300 children in Rivas, Nicaragua that meets all of a child’s needs. I am starting to think of it as a small town because we have an infirmary, priest, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists,  dining hall, market, primary and secondary schools, housing for all kids, soccer fields and fields where all of our food is grown. The children are here because some way or another they cannot be fully taken care of at home. Whether their parents don’t have the money to provide for them, are too sick, or have passed away they are welcome here.

            And boy are they welcome here! There is so much love and care I am overwhelmed at the system they have developed. Each child is assigned to a house of other boys (or girls) of their own age. Then each house has a tia/tio who is the primary adult responsible for them. Then there are a few older kids to help out the tio. Then there is (in about half the houses) a volunteer assigned to just those kids. So there is quite a bit of love going around.

            I was lucky enough to be assigned to “Casa San Jose” which is a boys house ages 9-12 or so. I know what you’re thinking “BOYS? But she’s a girl?” But my boys are amazing and not at all too much to handle.  Yes, it may be the first weeks and they may be on their best behavior but I already love them. I will take some pictures of them and make sure to post them next time!

            Even though I’m not teaching yet, I have gotten into the schedule pretty well. Here’s my daily schedule…Wake up at 6 am and have breakfast with my house at 615 and then stay with them until they go to school at 7:15. When I start teaching, I will go with them and teach until noon but for the next few weeks I am doing other orientation things in the morning. Then I meet with them at noon for lunch and help with homework afterwards. After homework the boys all have chores so I either do more orienting stuff or relax. Then I come back and spend the afternoon with them. This includes anything from teaching ultimate, watching them play soccer, going on a walk or just hanging out at the house. Then we eat dinner at 6:30 and hang out in the house until bedtime at 8. So that’s my typical day, more or less.

Love,

Eliza

The volunteers home. There are 6 of us living in this house. 

I feel like a princess with my mosquito net!

The house of which I am a "madrina", which has a gorgeous view and spacious yard to play.  

Here's a few of my boys after I showed them how to take a selfie.