8/11/2010
Here my address first off if you have any old good books send them my way its great to get anything in the mail. Sorry its been a while with the posts ive had trouble at the cyber figuring out how to get everything up.
Peter Mynsberge
Cuerpo de Paz – Nicaragua
Apartado postal # 3256
Managua, Nicaragua, Centro America


Over a month later and I'm back. Sorry I haven’t posted in a while been really busy trying to figure out odds and ends and before I knew it over a month past without a post. I had my last language interview and passed, went to Yali my new site (yeaaaa) and meet the Ambassador and got sworn in as a peace corp member. Meanwhile teaching classes, creating a product with some youth and selling it in San Juan de Oriente. Having a competition with the youth and selling more of the product, Also going out on the weekends, packing, living in Managua and going to embassy. That goes over abvout everything that I have doing and giving excuses of why I haven’t posted but thankfully I got some time now and ill go in to a little bit more detail about what was mentioned above.
First off language I know this is my main topic to start off blogs but I feel like I should let you know so that others out there can possible understand how difficult it is to learn a new language. Im technically intermediate low right now in Spanish but that might be pushing it. I still have a lot of difficulty understanding others. I also got to the point where I can tell when im messing up and I know there are better ways of saying the things im trying to say but you sometimes just let it go. I need a hire a professor to teach me while im in site (Yea im living in Yali now ill talk about it in a few.) So im trying to find someone that will be able to teach me well and that I get along with. Im also spending a lot of time reading in Spanish and making notecards. Its helping but I know I got a long way to go. Im hoping by Christmas Im strong enough to understand most situations and different people.
My site Yali, im in a relatively large town around 5,000 people I believe. Its in the north of Nicaragua and nestled in the mountains and when I want around it feels like im in a scene of a movie sometimes. Im about 6 hours from Managua so if I get sick I got a long way to go. Im assisting teaching in 4 schools, 2 our in my town and 1 is an hour away and the other 2 hours away. So each Monday im traveling 4 hours for work in a bus, into the mountains. On friday ill be working at the other school but I need to speak to the school about it. My family heres seems great but theres a lot of people in and around the families house. They own 4 homes, one of which I live in (see pics below for new room.) The brother Jarol has a video game business which is popular here. Kids cant afford PlayStation and Xboxs so they can use it for an hour for about 10 cords or 50 cents. I feel safe but it just a different life im getting use to.
I got sick really sick a few weeks ago. I had the Dengue, its a virus transferred by mosquito. I had a bad head ache, my body felt like I just did a whole body workout for a day, in other words hurt really bad, and all I wanted to do was sleep. So for about 4 days I laid in a hotel bed and ate some American food. It was pretty bad. Also just so you know there’s a Dengue epidemic here now it hasn’t been this bad for 10 years so they say.
We had some interesting talks in the embassy about 2 weeks ago 1 from the Ambassador and some from former peace corps people about life. It was really cool to be there and nice to hear from someone who got out. By the way the ambassador is a really nice guy I cant remember his name right now but hes really gave us some good advice and seemed to be happy about everything we were doing.
Swearing in was great. We all just hung out in Managua and went out drinking at night. It was really fun to have one last harra with everyone in the group. We ate Mcdonalds and some Pizza and the final day we had sushi (It was alright but id always be happy to go to that place in Boston Funguari?) The business people had a pool at their hotel so we swam a bit to. I was at the other hotel with the agriculture people and it was nice to hang out with them for a change. Also the director Carl had us all over to her house after we got sworn in for dinner it was a very nice thing to do and great for all of us. That night we partied and I looked like a person from the movie Reservoir Dogs (pic below.) I doubt anyone is reading this but I hope your all doing well at your sites.
Im sure I got more to say but it escapes me now so on to the RIFT

The R.I.F.T
While I was visiting my site I went out with the person I was replacing in Yali to meet the teachers and some people in the down. We ended up getting some drinks and hanging out pretty late since it was his last night and I got home around 12 and everyone was asleep. So I had a key for what I thought was too one of the doors of the 4 houses. Tried the key on all the doors and to no avail. I went over the the garage entrance where theres metal barsto keep people out and I was trying to find a way in. Meanwhile I was flickering my lighter so see. After about 3 minutes I flick my lighter and see someone on the other side about a foot from me just staring. It was straight out of a horror movie. I screamed and feel over and began to explain I lived there and if they could let me in. They just told me they didnt know over and over until the grandma of the house woke up and let me in. Not a good way to end my first night in sight.
I bought a ticket to go to Matagalpe this weekend to head to my site. I paid about 60 cords for a nice bus. When I bus pulled up going to Matagalpe I got on figuring I had the right bus. Nope had to pay again on the bus another 60 cords. Bad feeling.
I had my first day of work on monday headed into the Rica about 2 hours away. I finished work around 2 and waited for the bus for about an hour it was supposed to be there at 2:30. It never came. So for about 3 hours I thought I was going to be sleeping in the streets of the Rica. I now 2 people in the Rica and there is no hotel and no hostel. So ended up staying at the directors house for the night and woke up at 4 to catch a bus back to Yali. Welcome to working for the Peace Corp.
My friends family has a monkey as a pet. Definitely going to visit in the future. Ill post some picks.
Ive been eating crema in site that I can bear anymore. It tastes exactly like how the cows smell and is the texture of yogurt. Today was the deciding factor im going to have to talk to my family tonight.
I had to use the bathroom in the Rica and when I entered I stood up and found my face confronted with about 6 spiders webs. All with creepy spider about 8 inches from my face. I went really quick.

Thats it for now in my next post if I remember anything ill post it. Ill try to keep up with about 4 posts a month if I have time. I do have a ton of time now so im sure it wont be a problem

May Peace be onto you
Peter