Starting to settle in

Hello all! I figured it´s been a while since I´ve written so I will try to remember back to all I´ve been up to in the meantime. Fortunately, I was able to fix a potentially awful housing situation. I was trying to be flexible with my housing options because not much has been available that falls within my budget, and I almost settled on a house that I really wasn´t that thrilled about. I did like the neighborhood, though, and was luckily able to set something up with the owner of a house right across the street. This landlord is much nicer and more willing to fix up the house before I move in - she even let me pick out what color to paint the inside of the house (I told her I wanted something very bright!). She´s going to lend me some furniture, dishes, and a lot of other stuff I´ll need which is going to be SUPER helpful since I won´t have to buy everything. So I´m very excited to FINALLY be living on my own in a house that I actually like and with really great neighbors - just need to wait until the end of the month when the current occupants move out.

The next couple of weeks I will be involved in teachers meetings/trainings before school officially starts the first week of February. I am trying to do an environmental survey with the teachers before the school year starts so I can assess what they know about environmental problems in Nicaragua and what their opinions are about how we can incorporate environmental themes into the curriculum with the students. I also found someone to do a tree nursery with, and a good spot to do it. My coordination with the mayor´s office in doing a youth group has been pretty frustrating so I´m trying to go ahead and do the tree nursery on my own. I know the youth group will get formed eventually, and once school starts it will be a lot easier to find people to participate.

So once February roles around, I will (hopefully) be living in a new place and officially starting my job. I now have enough connections with important people and friends to feel like I actually live here and can get something accomplished. It´s taken me a while, but I feel like I´m finally here. I´ve taken some pictures of my site, finally, for your viewing pleasure. However, I didn´t anticipate coming to the internet cafe today, so I will bring them with me the next time I stop by. Thanks for your patience...I will try not to disappoint!