Swearing-In

WHO: Essa (aka Vanessa)

WHAT: Peace Corps, Environmental Education

WHERE: Nicaragua

WHEN: Sept '05 - Nov '07

WHY: La vida es un carnaval

We spent this last week in Managua having endless logistial sessions...but now we know EVERYTHING there is to know to be effective Peace Corps Volunteers. (Ha)

We hung out all week at the "Casa Grande" (the Big house), which was rumored to have been giving to the US Ambassador in the 70's by one of the Samoza dictators. Who knows if it's really true. It really is big and in a few years, will house the US Ambassador. It was built in the 30's (and is one of the few buildings to have survived all the hurricanes and earthquakes that have plagued Managua) on a big hill overlooking Managua and Lake Managua.

Here's the Nica 39 Environmental Education group all dressed to kill. All 19 that arrived two and a half months ago have sworn in - we didn't lose anyone! Oh, and I lied about the President, he didn't come. Never was scheduled to. Oops. But he will be attending the All Volunteers Conference next week. I'll try and get a pic.

Here's my training town group - Marcy, Celine, Noemi and me!

Maura, Nazareth and Mihail attended the Swearing-In, along with all the other training town families.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm....blue frosting....

So, we're now officially volunteers - not just trainees. This weekend our training group will be headed to Playa Coco, where, if we're lucky, we'll be able to see turtles laying their eggs. Keep your fingers crossed. Then, it's back to Managua for the All Volunteers Conference (with Pres Bolanos - I promise ), and Thanksgiving dinner with an Embassy family. After that, we are scheduled to head off to sites and actually BE volunteers.