PC/Nica (Peace Corps Nicaragua) was not my first choice, or second, or even third. While applying to the PC they ask for "your top 3 regions of the world" where you would like to serve. My answers included SubSaharan Africa, South Asia and the South Pacific and I am off to Central America. Ha. Only the Peace Corps. After being bummed for about 30 seconds I realize that Nica has a lot of really great things going for it.
1) Its close! Its proximity to the US makes it easy for all of my friends and family to write me, send me care packages (please) and visit (pretty please!)
2) Nica is the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere which means I am moving up in the world! After spending a couple of months in Haiti (the poorest nation) this summer/fall Nica might provide greater access to internet, cell phone service (nica cell phones) and their power system (although unclear whether it will function) is the same as the US- so goodbye converters! Bucket showers, lack of electricity and large insects will be some of the wonderful amenities I can look forward to- but enough speculation- developing is developing and I tend to love developing countries!
3) Knowing Spanish fluently will definitely be benificial to my future career and employment.No matter how sexy "I can speak Nyanja" sounds, it probably wont be as useful after my two years of service.
So, Nicaragua it is. Google it. Wikipedia it. Peacecorps.gov it. I will post more about my specific job descriptions, the fun of packing for a 27 month "trip" and of course- updates from the field once I am there.
PS There is no spell-check? I apologize and also giggle because I refuse to write things in word, spell check it and then paste it in this box and thus, live with the bad spelling/grammar etc! Its all part of the experience right?
