An early morning jog when the town is sleeping and fog fills the space. The roosters’ crow and cows stir. The fog is so low and thick I can hear trucks and buses approaching long before I see them. This type of morning exudes a sort of peace, a new beginning, there’s a virginity to it, it’s clean, holy, pure, yes a pureness. These mornings give a new start, new hope, a fresh beginning. The air is so moist I can see it. What is that called? Mist? That doesn’t fully capture the experience of this moisture, but whatever it is I’m covered in it. I’m wet with the air. This freshness allows for insights, ideas, and energy. Anything is possible in the crisp morning. With the sun hidden behind hills the day is not yet exposed. The day is still unwritten and can be anyone’s. In this moment, on the precipice of the day, I sense a nearness to the self I want to be, the best of me. The day can be mine! As the sun peeks through, starting to make its mark on the ground, it claims the day. The sun is bold and dominant. The shift begins, and the day is no longer mine, but now it belongs to the sun. Now the day belongs to the pace, the work, the stores, the lists. The possibilities of the morning are no more. The pureness is gone. The sun exposes all, and reality is all that is seen. The sun has emerged and claimed its stake. What I captured during the early morning hours I hope will not fail me nor I it. I hope I can remain true in the demanding sun. - Caressa
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After four consecutive days of no water, I was starting to worry.
I sleep in the second story of an old wooden structure. It's endearingly called the Tree House. Mold and termites have long ago moved in and have done some redecorating. For instance, they've created rather large gaps between the wooden slats that make up my bedroom walls. So large I can observe my neighbors in their backyard through them while lying in bed. Of course I never indulge in that pastime! The structure also allows me to be intimately connected with all sounds of the outdoors. A rooster or four, dogs barking, kids playing, parents shouting, and water running. My neighbor’s backyard, like most rural Nicaraguan homes, contains several large basins for holding water. Most mornings I am awoken by the sounds of the women washing clothes and preparing breakfast in this area. I'm happy to get up at 5:30am and join them in the morning routine of clothes washing, floor mopping, and filling up of the water basins. All these chores need to be accomplished before we lose water for the day, usually around 7:30am. And then repeated the following morning. However, for the past four mornings I've missed this alarm clock. No water means no morning chores. Dishes have been piling up, the toilet needs to be flushed, floors mopped, clothes washed, water filter filled, and litter box cleaned. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed these lazy mornings, I just haven't enjoyed making the choice between taking a bucket shower or flushing the toilet. I chose the bucket shower! Last night I disappointedly went to bed with no shower. I was now out of options! However, to my surprise my alarm clock went off at 12:30am. Yes, the women were in the dark backyard washing clothes and filling up their water basins. I jumped out of bed to join them! I ran through my morning routine and then some! By 2:30am I had filled up my three large basins, flushed and cleaned the toilet, washed the pile of dirty dishes, filled up the water filter, cleaned the bunny's litter box, mopped the floors, did a load of laundry (by hand), prepped another load, and finally showered. After these two hours of abundantly running water, I was grateful for the full basins that await me in the morning. As I lay back in bed, my ears tune in with the outdoors, and at this hour they inform me the miracle is over. The water ceased to flow. The women have retired to their own beds now too. The night is silent once more. I wonder when and if my alarm will go off tomorrow. - Caressa I should mention Tim was absent for these four days due to a work event. Worked out well, as we would have had to share the limited water supply (not to mention the toilet!). Tim and I traveled around the northern part of Nicaragua for 12 days. We visited 16 Peace Corps Volunteers, saw 13 towns, and traveled almost 40 hours in buses. This song commemorates that trip.
On the first day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, A day camp in Juigalpa. On the second day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Two cinnamon rolls. On the third day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Three Dario drawings. On the fourth day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Four bald friends. On the fifth day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Five rosquillas Somoteñas. On the sixth day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Six nesting jicaro bowls. On the seventh day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Seven mugs of clay. On the eight day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Eight Mary and Josephs. On the ninth day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Nine Kiss Me ice creams. On the tenth day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Ten hills a-hiking. On the eleventh day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Eleven books to read. On the twelfth day of Christmas, Nicaragua gave to us, Twelve bus rides home. -Caressa It’s an average Tuesday, and I’m in a high school classroom demonstrating the steps to correctly put on a condom. I ask for several volunteers to compete to see who can replicate the demonstration correctly. They’re provided with condoms and wooden dildos and upbeat music plays in the background. They do the demonstration and answer correctly that free condoms are available at the local hospital. We all have fun and learn something!
Later that week I am invited to the first ever youth worker coalition meeting in my municipality. At the table sit the directors of both high schools, the non-profits who work with youth, the youth leader from the mayor’s office, the maternity home who also runs a youth health promoter club, Peace Corps volunteers, the director of the Ministry of Family Services, and several Ministry of Health personnel. At the meeting we review the alarmingly high incidence rates of teenage pregnancy and STIs within the urban area of our municipality. I think back to the high school classroom. I can say with confidence these students know the importance of protecting themselves and their partners by using condoms, they know how to use them, and they know where to find them. So why do we continue to have these issues? Upon this reflection it became clear to me that the youth need to go to the hospital and ask the nurse for some condoms. Sounds easy enough. However, the nurse in charge of condom distribution is their classmate’s mother. Will she give them condoms? Will she tell their parents? Will they receive a speech on abstinence? Apparently, most youth are too embarrassed, nervous, and fearful to find out. I am reminded of the Safe Place program we have in the states for runaway youth. Any runaway youth can receive free assistance from the businesses that hang the Safe Place logo in their window. You see the logo, you get the help. With this model as my inspiration, I pitched the idea of providing the same free condoms available at the hospitals in various locations throughout town, with a logo serving as the indicator. On the heels of the presentation, all parties at the table promptly accepted the idea. A week later we had a policies and procedures document, a slogan, and a logo. My counterpart at the Ministry of Health and I collaborated to write the policies and procedures. We agreed upon measures of ensuring anonymity and confidentiality, while also keeping track of data the Ministry requires such as sex, approximate age, and quantity of distributed condoms. The slogan and logo were developed with the help of a youth focus group. The group consisted of mainly male youth. After a fun hour of brainstorming slogans, the group voted on “Hacelo Bien”, meaning, “Do it Well”. The group thought this was the most fitting slogan since it catches the attention of youth, as it is full of innuendo and double meanings. Since starting this access to condoms campaign, I continue to provide condom demonstrations to the youth. However, my focus has shifted a bit. I now spend the majority of the session on condom negation. The youth are presented with phrases their partner, either male or female, might say to them to avoid using a condom, and they need to come up with responses in favor of using protection. To top it off, I reveal to the students that I have recently been shown the STI rates for youth in their town. I emphasize that many of their friends have STIs and they should protect themselves. This always gets their attention! I then finish the session by inviting the school counselor to say a few words on condom availability through her at school. Some youth express concern regarding confidentiality and at that point the school counselor ensures their interactions with her will stay between them. This is the first time condoms have been made available in high schools! Furthermore, we are working with small business owners who are also trained health promoters to make the condoms available at their stores. Once they are trained in the confidentiality procedures and equipped with the condoms, we will provide the youth with a map of the urban area showing exactly where the stores are. In case any youth is confused, they will know that wherever they see the “Hacelo Bien” slogan and logo, they can get free condoms with no hassle. Now the youth know why they should use condoms, how to use them, how to negotiate the use of them, and where to safely and freely get them! I expect to see a decrease in STIs and pregnancy rates amongst youth at a future coalition meeting. For the outing day with the trainee group, we’re going to a nearby pool/river venue. It’s outside of town and it’s best to take a taxi to get there. It costs C$25 each way in a taxi, which is only $1.00, but kind of pricy for Peace Corps budget. Tim and I usually walk, but it takes a while.
I needed to finalize plans with this venue for the group outing this weekend. I really didn’t want to spend C$50 to have a two-minute conversation with the manager, but I didn’t have his number. I looked all over for it because I thought I had written it down, but nothing. I texted, called, and e-mailed a bunch of people in town who might have the number. Nothing. Finally I resort to walking to the main street to catch a taxi and bite the bullet. As I’m waiting on the corner, I bump into a former security guard at our local grocery store turned friend. We’re chit chatting and it occurs to me to ask him for the number. No luck, BUT, he says he’ll ask around and text me later that day. Sure enough, at 8:30pm I receive the text! I called today and finalized all the plans. It’s gonna be a fun and relaxing time. Thanks Nelson for saving me C$50! – Caressa |
AuthorsCaressa disclaimerPlease recognize this site presents only our own opinions and does not reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps or the U.S. or Nicaraguan Governments in any way. Archives
December 2015
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