Welcome to Nicaragua!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I made it safe and sound to Managua, Nicaragua! We have already gone through a day of training and will continue here for two more days before heading to Esteli. I woke up this morning and had no clue where I was, it was quite startling. Anyway this post is going to be short as I have to head to my language interview so PC can assess what my skill level is currently. The interview is set to last twenty minutes and I will be amazed if I know more then five minutes of Spanish. Hope all is well in the states and I will be able to check my email fairly consistently for the next 2 days while I am in Managua.

Quick note... My brother pointed out that I had my email address incorrect in the last post. I have since corrected it but just in case the correct email is jhollins@gmail.com.

One last night in the USA..

So tomorrow I will arrive in Managua, Nicaragua. The last month has been a blast: from going to baseball games with my brother to boating with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. Then, I finished up the month with visiting my mom and relatives in Illinois and down to Charlotte, NC to watch some dirt track races with my dad and say good bye to my step-mom and brother. It has been a great trip seeing everyone and got a chance to do a lot of fun things. But, all that will now come to an end as I head to a whole new world in Nicaragua.

I have now gone through two days of training here in Washington DC. Each day I see new challenges that I never thought of, however, I stay steadfast in my excitement to arrive in Nicaragua and take in the new challenge. I will arrive in Managua tomorrow around 11:00 am with 38 of the most amazing people I have ever met. The kindness and warmness shows through with every volunteer I have met.

After arriving in Managua, Nicaragua tomorrow we will have a three day retreat. During this time we will receive training on survival Spanish, vaccinations and knowledge on safety and security. We will also be tested on our Spanish knowledge and placed accordingly in our home stays. After the retreat the Agriculture volunteers, around 20 of us, will head to Esteli where we begin our home stays with 11 weeks of intensive training on language, job training, safety and security. During this time we will be staying with a local family and training with 3-4 other volunteers for 8-10 hrs per day. After we complete this training we will be sworn in as PC Volunteers and will receive a site all to our own. Wish me luck and feel free to send me any questions or comments that you have, you can do this by email (hollinsj@gmail.com) or post a comment below (thanks Sam and Bryan, although I'm guessing it was more Sam).

Why the Peace Corps?

So its less then two weeks until departing for Nicaragua and I wanted to take a chance to explain why I am joining the Peace Corps. As you can imagine I have been asked this question almost on a daily basis, and yet I have not been able to come up with a concise two sentence or less answer. That's because there are WAY too many positives that I will gain out of this experience. Learning Spanish, helping out people that truly need it, traveling a new country, testing my skill and determination. I could go on and on about all the things that intrigue me about this experience I am setting out on, however luckily at the end of our 80 page book on Nicaragua that the PC gave to us there were several welcome letters. One of these stood out to me as why I want to join so I will share that with you.

On a quick side note, I am not planning on running away and never coming back. I want to take this chance while I am young and unattached to try to make a small difference, try to help people out that truly need it while growing and challenging myself. I have plenty of time to settle down and climb that corporate latter, now just isn't the right time...

With out further ado here is the passage, and I do apologize to the author as I did cut out several sentences as to make it shorter and more relevant to my interests.

"The most important quality that a successful aspiring Peace Corps Volunteer should have is a willing attitude. One should be ready to adapt to another culture without a lot of resistance. You must maintain your thoughts and ideals, but have an openness to them maybe changing a bit and that being just fine.

Things are going to be awkward, uncomfortable, and just plain weird, but go with it. It will all mean something in the end. Maybe realize that you may not change the world, but you are going to make an impression. You will see poverty like you have never seen before, but those poverty-stricken people will become your neighbors and your friends. You will spend many days drinking coffee with them, sharing food with them, and talking. You will teach and you will learn. They will give you warm tea when you are sick. They will teach you how to wash your worn-in clothes on stones. They will take you to hidden rivers and waterfalls. Many will listen to your advice about planting trees, taking birth control, or not throwing their trash on the ground. They will correct your incorrect Spanish. They will smile at you when you have a bad day and toss you some inside joke that will make your struggles disappear for a moment.

In the midst of all of it, you will be a better and stronger person. Have a great time and savor all of it. This experience, your Peace Corps host country, and most of all, the people in it, will influence you in ways you can never imagine."

—Annie Burtch

You can find the full letter by following the link provided in the last post.

All about Nicaragua..

Nicaragua, where is it, what is there to eat, whats the weather like? I know many of you are asking these questions, I know I was when I received my invitation to serve in Nicaragua. Luckily we received an electronic book from the Peace Corps that is about 80 pages long, through my reading I have shortened this to 2 pages for you. So enjoy reading the struggles I get to look forward too including living on rice and beans, learning Spanish and the luggage requirements (yes, we are only allowed to check 80 lbs of luggage).

History of the Peace Corps in Nicaragua

Nicaragua probably derives its name from an Indian chief, Nicarao, who ruled part of the area at the time of the Spanish Conquest. The first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Nicaragua in 1969. Volunteers provide assistance in areas such as education, vocational training, rural nutrition, rural waterworks, agricultural extension, cooperatives, and municipal development.

Agriculture is the cornerstone of the Nicaraguan economy. The principal domestic crops are corn, beans, sorghum, and rice. Cotton, coffee, sugar, bananas, and tobacco are the principal export crops. Additional export products are beef and shrimp. The combination of unemployment and underemployment exceeds 50 percent. The U.S. Marines introduced baseball to Nicaragua in the early 1900s, and it is now the national sport. Most communities have baseball teams and weekend games.

Government

A 1989 accord permitted free elections in 1990, in which Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, known for her conciliatory nature, became president. Nicaragua has experienced relative peace since 1990, and the country has celebrated three successive free elections to date.

Nicaragua is an independent republic with a democratically elected president. Presidential elections are conducted every five years. In the most recent election (November 2001), more than 90 percent of eligible voters went to the polls in an unprecedented demonstration of hope and faith in democracy, electing Enrique Bolaños as president.

Environment

Nicaragua is the largest of the five Central American republics, with a land area of almost 50,000 square miles (slightly smaller than New York). It is the least densely populated of the Central American nations, with a population of 5.3 million (July 2004 estimate) and an average annual growth rate of 1.97 percent.

The climate varies with the region, but Nicaragua generally is hot and tropical, with cool, comfortable nights and a very short dry or cool season. Known as the land of lakes and volcanoes, Nicaragua has a diverse environment including highlands, lowlands, tropical forests, lakes, and two oceans. Lake Nicaragua is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world and contains such aquatic oddities as freshwater sharks.

Agriculture Volunteers generally live in small, remote communities (as few as 200 residents) concentrated in the northern region of the country. Most(but not all) Volunteer homes have electricity, and most have running water. However, both electric and water service may be intermittent.

Food and Diet

The staples of the Nicaraguan diet are beans, rice, eggs, dairy products, meats, and foods made with corn. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are grown locally, from cabbages and carrots to pineapples and papayas. As a result of the endemic poverty in Nicaragua, most Nicaraguans’ daily diet consists of gallo pinto, a mixture of red beans and rice fried in vegetable oil, which might be accompanied by corn tortillas, cabbage salad, a small amount of meat or chicken, or locally made salty cheese.

Transportation

Most Volunteers travel in Nicaragua on commercial public buses, flatbed trucks, bicycle or foot. . For the vast majority of Volunteers, traveling to and from site entails a ride in an old school bus, which may be overcrowded, slow, and sometimes unreliable. At more rural sites, Volunteers may be required to travel in converted flatbed trucks, as the rough terrain makes bus passage impossible. Volunteers are not permitted to own, drive, or ride on motorcycles or to own or drive other motorized vehicles at any time during their service. In very few instances, Volunteers also own or rent horses to travel from home to isolated communities and farms.

Health Issues in Nicaragua

The most common health problems among Volunteers are upper respiratory infections and diarrhea. Some gastrointestinal problems can be avoided by boiling drinking water and thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables before eating them. Two additional major health concerns in Nicaragua are malaria and dengue fever.

How much luggage am I allowed to bring to Nicaragua?

The Peace Corps’ allowance is two checked pieces of luggage with combined dimensions of both pieces not to exceed 107 inches (length + width + height) and a carry-on bag with dimensions of no more than 45 inches. Checked baggage should not exceed 80 pounds total with a maximum weight of 50 pounds for any one bag.

People and Culture

The majority of Nicaraguans can best be classified as mestizo, a mix in which neither the European nor the Indian cultures predominate. The official and predominant language in Nicaragua is Spanish. More than 90 percent of the population belongs to Christian denominations. The traditional social structure of Nicaragua has been essentially colonial, with a small number of wealthy landowning families at the top and a broad peasant class at the bottom. Despite the country’s economic growth in the 1970s, the emergence of a middle class, and the decade of socialist rule, there are still stark inequalities in the distribution of wealth.

The country’s educational system, a major avenue for economic and social mobility, recently replaced the traditions of classicism and intellectualism with vocational training. Thus, the lower class now has a somewhat better chance for economic advancement. The literacy rate is estimated at 68 percent.

Nicaraguans are warm, generous, and friendly. Despite the tensions between the United States and Nicaraguan governments in the 1980s, the Nicaraguans are open to receiving Peace Corps Volunteers into their communities and homes. Their hospitality is humbling.

If you do want to read the entire book the website is http://www.peacecorps.gov/welcomebooks/niwb524.pdf.

41 Days till Departure! Where will I be...

In case anyone wants to see me before I leave this is my travel plans for the next six weeks, as you will see its extremely busy but hopefully I can see everyone before I go.

Wednesday, July 25. Last day at work (How sweet it is...). Only downside is this is also the day I will be selling my car. So long to the Mustang, my first car, kinda sad.

Thursday, July 26. Moving all my furniture back to Charlotte.

Friday, July 27. Flying to St Louis, Missouri

Saturday, July 28. Cardinals vs Brewers at Busch Stadium. This will be my last Cardinals game, also last sporting event, for 3 years.

Sunday, July 29. Driving to Memphis for a week. If anyone will be around Memphis let me know because we will be hitting up Tunica for some Gambling and also Beale Street for some country music and some "scenery".

Friday, August 3. Drive to Nashville, Tn for a family reunion and a chance to see the Grandparents one last time.

Tuesday, August 7. Flying to Moline, Il to visit my Mom. Hopefully finish buying all my supplies for this adventure.

Friday through Sunday, August 10-12. Hopefully going to University of Illinois to visit friends and check out the school my Dad is always raving about.

Saturday, August 17. Flying back to Charlotte, NC to visit friends and Dad.

Tuesday through Thursday, August 21-23. Hopefully one last throw down in good old Chapel Hill. That is if I can convince my parents to let me "borrow" the car. This is where the reality of not having a vehicle is setting in.

Monday, August 27. Let the Peace Corps Experience BEGIN!!!


So as you can see these next six weeks will be extremely busy but hopefully I can see everyone one last time before I leave.

I'm going to Nicaragua!!!

So after a six month long process of applying and medical clearances I received an invitation to serve the Peace Corps in Nicaragua!

This was quite a surprise, let me take a chance and inform you a little more about the application process...

First step is sending in an application; this includes a resume, two essay explaining why you want to join and then a very long survey about past experiences.

Second step is an interview; this is where you meet a RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) and discuss if you have the skill set required to join. The RPCV then discusses possible programs you could serve in and finishes by nominating you (essentially recommending you for a program) to serve. I requested Latin America, however because of my lack of Spanish and the number of applicants that request Latin America this was not a possibility. I believe that the statistics show that over 2/3 of volunteers request to serve in Latin America. Anyways back to my nomination, I was invited to serve in the Pacific Islands in the Agribusiness field.

Third step is receiving Medical Clearance. This is a lengthy process including a dental checkup (five fillings later), medical checkup, vision checkup and months of waiting. Luckily the doctors said I was healthy enough to go, must have tricked them!

Final step is to receive an invitation (job offer). This is where my story gets interesting as I said above I was under the impression that I would be sent to the Pacific Islands. After reading four books on the pacific islands (let me note, this is more reading then I did during college), I received a call from a Placement Officer for Latin America. She informed me that the officer for the Pacific Islands was out of town for Fourth of July and she would see if she could process my information. She closed by asking if I had any Spanish training and asked me to fill out an extra form on my agricultural background. The next day I received an email saying that I would be receiving my invitation in the mail shortly, this was all the information I would receive until I would get the mailing. Now you would think that with the technology that we have today I would not have to wait for Fed Ex to deliver a package that would notify where I would spend the next 27 months of my life, however thats the way it goes, let the excitement build...

A week later I received my invitation to serve in Nicaragua! On Friday, July 13, 2007 I accepted my invitation to serve as a Agricultural Rural Development Extensionist. I will start my training near Esteli, Nicaragua on September 1, 2007 which will be followed by two years of services at a site to be named later on November 16, 2007.

The Peace Corps is an amazing experience, let me go through the process of what I will be doing over the next 27 months.

August 27-29. I will spend two days somewhere in the US (probably Washington D.C.) where I will meet all the other volunteers that are going to Nicaragua with me. This will probably be a group of around 20 and according to Peace Corps statistics will be roughly 60% female! During these two days we will receive more immunization we will need during our service and also finalize all paperwork for our service.

August 29 or September 1, 2007. I will start my Peace Corps journey by flying into Nicaragua.

September 1-November 16, 2007. I will be stationed in a small community near Esteli, Nicaragua where I will focus on learning three things; Spanish, Cultural Training and Job Training. From the reading I have done it looks like I will be in a group of around four other volunteers for Spanish learning, I should have about 10 other volunteers in my job training courses and then all 20 volunteers will come together for cultural training. During the cultural training we will all receive safety training and more of those dreaded immunizations. During this time I will also visit current volunteers and will put our training to use for a couple days helping and shadowing the volunteer.

Around November 16, 2007. On this day we will be sworn in for the first time as Peace Corps Volunteer, until now we have been a Peace Corps Trainee. At this time I will also find out where in Nicaragua I will be serving my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

November 16, 2007. I will pickup and move one last time as I will be assigned several projects and also a Community where I will live.

Well, I hope this gives you a quick glance of what my life will be like in the next 27 months. I will definitely follow up the next six weeks before I leave with posts explaining more about Nicaragua and also a better idea of what I will be doing.