27.6.08

Work Ethics

The paper has been completed and I have begun to concentrate on my job here. After a long afternoon on how to write a grant proposal for FSD, I was overwhelmed. There are a lot of pieces that go into a grant and they give us two and a half weeks to write it. The idea of putting in more septic tanks is a good one, however, FSD does not fun infrastructure or aid, which simply giving away septic tanks can be categorized in that way. They want sustainable projects. What does sustainable mean? I’m figuring that out. It means education and ensuring the project continues when the intern (me) is gone. Sustainable also means, under the best circumstances, that it will also need no more money given to it, instead in-country participants will have the means to fund the project in any necessary ways.

So with septic tanks I first have to have the need of the community stated. So we will go around to some 50 or 60 families and survey them both on their knowledge about the disposal of their dirty water and if they would be willing to put forth the labor as long as we are supplying materials. The survey will be a key part to showing the grant funders that the community has interest and a need for septic tanks. Also from this survey we will be able too see what knowledge the community has or doesn’t have about water disposal and septic tanks. Then we will make a brochure about dirty waters and septic tanks that especially hits points not as well known in the community.

Unfortunately this week has been possibly the least productive weeks of my life. I had a fairly full day of work Monday. Tuesday I had an all day trip to Esteli for a meeting. Wednesday I was told not to come in until the afternoon, which I found out was because my supervisor had a meeting all morning. Then I got a phone call today saying to take the rest of the week off because my supervisors child is ill and she doesn’t feel well either. So I basically haven’t worked all week and most of the kids down here with me working 9 hour days are kinda mad at me. But that’s just the way things work here. Even when we are working we are taking a break every hour to paint our fingernails, stare off into space, or eat something. We know we are over-worked in the US and down here they have no one to really answer to and get little work done. Trying to balance these two mindsets and be as productive yet as relaxed as possible is all of our challenge here in Nica these days.

Other than that…a group of us traveled to Granada last weekend and stayed overnight in a hostel. It was a nice weekend together but Granada is a really touristy place that you sometimes can feel like a number with a dollar bill sign. It’s a hard feeling to explain. Like most trips, the place doesn’t matter it’s the company.

Last night (Wednesday) we went out to dinner and dancing to celebrate our coordinator’s (Mariana) birthday as well as an intern’s good-bye party (Katie has been here since Jan. and Wednesday was her last day). It was a very good night. We ate Mexican food and then went to Hipa Hipa, a dance club who were celebrating their ten year anniversary. So it was a great night of celebration. Needless to say when I got the call this morning not to come in today I was slightly relieved since I got in at three in the morning last night. But I give it to all of my friends who got to their jobs at 8am this morning (Thursday).

14.6.08

Well I’ve been in Nicaragua for a week now and I haven’t seen the internet for about 5 days. Anyways, we’ve had about 5 days of orientation (in which I spent a day and a half with my friend Brendan, who was in Bolivia with me) and now we are with our families. I’m currently typing this up in my living room while my host dad watches boxing. We just finished a “competitive” few rounds of virtual billiards, a game program that came with the television. My family is a mom, dad and 17 year old daughter. They all are really great and complimented me on my Spanish, so I’m feeling good about that. Living conditions are interesting…not as nice as the kids (Megan and Kate) have in Masaya (about an hour down the road). I have so many bug bits that I don’t have the courage to count them for fear I will hit triple digits. So I may get dengue or malaria…we’ll see. On a happier note, I did get a mosquito net with Winnie the Pooh on it with the resourceful help of my host mom. So tonight will be my first night sleeping under it, hopefully it’ll work. It’s pretty hot here…no, it is very hot here, all the time, constant sweat (and itch for me).

I start “work” Monday. Besides not knowing where I’m going or who I ask for when I get there, my real concern right now is this 20 page paper I have due for a professor who took me to Colorado in late May. Doing research and writing 20 pages in uncomfortable conditions is a very intimidating situation and therefore I have waited until the last minute to begin. I just hope I don’t get sick before Friday, when the paper is due. If I do, that could be an extremely sticky (pun intended) situation. Plus I was served and ate lettuce tonight, which could be foreshadowing the days to come. Positive thinking could prevent any unwanted mid-night wake-up calls.

On a lighter note, the coordinators are really great. There are three, two from Nica and one from Puerto Rico who went to college in New York. They are all very different from one another, which is refreshing to see different points of views and such.

Gracias por leer. Thanks for reading…hopefully and I do not doubt more stories (probably funny) to come.

Hope all is well state-side or wherever you may be reading from.