Happy Anniversary, Nica 67. Two years in, three months to go.
“In Mongolia, you might live in a ger; in Swaziland, it could be a rondavel. Just as each Volunteer experience is different, so is each house.” (read more)
“Whether you’re a Volunteer in Costa Rica or Cameroon, Jamaica or Georgia, Tonga or Togo, there is one constant of Peace Corps service: you’re going to see some pretty awesome sunrises.” (read see more)
Happy Anniversary Nica 66. Two years in, three months to go.
Emily / Nica 64 / TEFL
“As countries around the world seek to advance and connect, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) of the 21st century have access to technology than their predecessors never dreamed of.
But with the power of access comes great responsibility; the Peace Corps blog was born. Volunteers often start blogging strong. Their excitement fuels updates, committing cultural faux pas provide easy and hilarious content, and everything seems so new… for a while.
Then an incredible transition happens. Through integration, gaining cultural understanding and the simple passing of time, a PCV’s host country becomes a little more like home. Volunteers might say later that this is when they really started to feel like they hit their stride, but it is also often where their blogging faded away. It doesn’t have to be though.” (read more)
Conor / Nica 64 / TEFL
“Millennials – that tech-savvy, selfie-taking, debt-ridden cohort born between 1980 and the mid-2000s – are now the largest generation in the U.S. workforce. Welcome.
Despite all the negative things that have been said about us – we’re narcissistic, spoiled and entitled – a consensus is now growing that recognizes us as a hard-working generation that wants to make a positive social impact” (read more)
Andrew and Emily / Nica 64 / TEFL
“So what did you think about our last class?”
“It was OK. I really liked the Walk-to-the-line activity, but I don’t know if they completely understand possessive adjectives.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Every time we gave an example with a possessive, they seemed to wait for one student to move, and then they followed. I think they were just mimicking him.”
“Good observation. What can we do about that? Do you want to re-teach the material, or try a different assessment to see where individual students are?”
“I would like to do a review of the material. But how?”
“Well, let’s look for some ideas here in the TEFL Manual. What do you think about this one?”
Almost every co-planning session we have with one of our counterparts begins with some variation of this conversation. Looking back on the first half of our service, we recognize that it’s conversations like these that are the heart of the TEFL program in Nicaragua.
Samantha / Peace Corps Stories
Oh Nicaragua, Nicaraguita
That girl at the bar said you have no culture
But I know
Culture is not something can see in colorful cloth or folk dances
But something you taste, like the dust that lines your mouth in April before the rains start
Like the ash baked into tortillas
And those small strawberries that come down from the mountain once a year
And culture is something you smell
Like the elote blackening in the street
The red and black paint drying on telephone poles
And the trash burning outside
It’s something you hear
Like the cars with the speakers tied on top, announcing a funeral
The sound of a plump mango falling from the tree
And every adios as you walk by
It’s something you feel
Like the warm hand of a stranger, inviting you in
The bumps on the road, as you pass by the mountains
And the ache of your heart, once you’ve left
Peace Corps held a poetry contest in 2015 that received more than 800 submissions from Volunteers in the field and returned Volunteers. Samantha Austin’s poem received the runner-up prize in the returned Peace Corps Volunteer Category. Austin was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua from 2010-12.
*Originally published on http://www.peacecorps.gov
Emily and Andrew / Nica 64 / TEFL
“Like any applicant and wannabe Peace Corps Volunteer, hours were spent scouring the Internet and talking with any RPCV to gather information and get a glimpse into what was to come. We were looking for something a little different though: information about serving as a couple.” (read more)
via @peacecorpsnicaragua: Repost @haleyyyjules: “Sweet Tamale day! #tamale #hostfamily #nicaragua #peacecorpsnicaragua”
Who are you?
Thomas Bagby Orange… (*dramatic pause*) Jr.
What do you like to go by?
Thomas, Tom, TO, Orange and/or any variation.
Where do you call home?
Glen Allen, VA
Why did you join the Peace Corps? Continue reading “Entrance Interview: Thomas, TEFL 68”
via @peacecorpsnicaragua: Repost @snrtasolecita: “Teacher Adrian with 11th graders today in Chin City. 🙌 #peacecorpsnicaragua” #peacecorps #teacherlife #tefl
Who are you?
Jasmine Williams
What do you like to go by?
Fachenta Frankie! Haha, just kidding. Call me Jasmine!
Where do you call home?
Peace up, A town down! (And for those of you who suffered a childhood without the musical stylings of Usher and Lil Jon, I’m from Atlanta.)
Why did you join the Peace Corps?
I joined the Peace Corps for many reasons but I think that they can all be summed up into the fact that I just want to be a better person. I wanted to learn more about this world, the environment, how to grow my own food, speak Spanish and how to make a lasting positive impact in the lives of others. My aunt and uncle met in the Peace Corps while serving in Ecuador in the 90s. They’ve always been an inspiration for me, because they’re incredibly interesting, well-traveled and full of amazing stories. I want to be just like them.
What is one thing you want to do while in Nicaragua?
Aside from my professional goals, I want to eat a meal in each departamento.
What is your perfect pizza?
This is a hard one, because I’m torn between two pizzas from the same pizzeria. If you’re ever in New York, do yourself a favor and visit Artichoke Pizza. The spinach and artichoke is creamy and delicious without being too overwhelmingly rich. The crab pizza is seasoned with Cajun spices, breadcrumbs and succulent pieces of actual crab meat. I typically order a slice of both, because a.) I’m grown; b.) I love to eat; and c.) I’m indecisive as hellllll.
Who is a character from a TV show or a book that you’ve always resonated with?
Jess from “New Girl”, because she’s a teacher who’s slightly awkward, has a definitive aesthetic and sings show tunes. Side bar: Another Peace Corps goal of mine is to play “True American” with my compañeros during a holiday. It’s a game that was created on the show “New Girl” and I’ve always wanted to play it!
Have you ever danced in the rain? If not, HOP TO IT!
Ummm, absolutely! But I need to do it again soon! The conditions are perfect.
Do you believe in pinky promises?
Yes, but they’re only valid if both parties simultaneously kiss the swirl of their hands while the pinkies are locked.
Are you an PCV in Nica 68 (or an older group) but haven’t yet responded to the Entrance Interview Qs? Never fear, the questions are here.
via @peacecorpsnicaragua: #RPCV repost @jlwayy: “Today I received an email with the subject ‘Avoid active volcanos at this moment’ ”
#peacecorps #peacecorpsnicaragua #sancristobal #chinandega #blanford
#peacecorps #peacecorpsnicaragua #sancristobal #chinandega #blanford
Who are you?
Andrea René Franke
What do you like to go by?
Andrea (pronounced the Spanish way!)
Where do you call home?
Portland, Oregon is where I was born and spent the first 23 years of my life. However, a RPCV from The Gambia once told me that home is something that is internal and once you have it you can be at home no matter where you are in the world. I would say that is a meta of mine.
Why did you join the Peace Corps? Continue reading “Entrance Interview: Andrea, TEFL 68”
via @peacecorpsnicaragua: #repost @laura.linde: “Dirt roads, barbed wire fences, and a little ol’ volcano pretty much sum up my slice of campo. #peacecorpsnicaragua #peacecorps”
Va Pue Magazine 
Recent Comments