Casi 4 Meses..

Lindsey Croasdale 8653-3167
Sector Uno - Teotecacinte
Correos Jalapa
Jalapa, Nueva Segovia
Nicaragua, Centroamerica

Phone number +(505)8653.3167

Here is my mailing address if anyone would like to send a letter. For packages, I´m going to share a P.O. Box with someone but haven´t gotten around to working that out yet but this address is good until then. If you want to send a package, make sure to put ¨Jesus Te Ama¨ and ¨La Bendicion de Dios¨ and crosses, photos of jesus and mary, etc. all over the package because people will be less likely to steal it if it looks like it´s from G-d. Also, if it´s no more than 2-3 lbs it is less likely to be stolen.
My old address still works too for much more sensitive/expensive packages!!!

Well,
So here I am in Nicaragua, almost month 4 and still haven´t really told you all too much about my life here for goodness sakes. For the next 2 years I will be living in a town called Teotecacinte. The community has a population of about 5,000 people - which is ENORMOUS for an agriculture volunteer - and I have the second largest site (population-wise) of all the Ag volunteers in Nicaragua. Geographically speaking, I´m the furthest north of all the Nicaraguan PC volunteers and about 3km south of the Honduran border. In fact many people in my community will go to Honduras for things because it´s often closer. My host family is absolutely beautiful - I have a mother, father, brother, sister, and nephew of 1.5 years, there is a cat and 3 dogs, 2 horses, 2 roosters, about 6 hens, and several fairly large chicks of mixed gender.
My projects right now, besides getting to know the community, are teaching about vegetable gardens and tree nursuries in the school twice a week, teaching soil conservation, organic farming techniques, and healthy animal care with my INTA (INSTITUTO NICARAGÜENSE DE TECNOLOGÍA AGROPECUARIA) counterpart to producers in my community and helping them to organize their Community Seed Bank, helping to organize a cooperative of the women in my community who are recipients of Bonos from Hambre Cero (a program where animals are given to peope from the government to help fight poverty) with my MAGFOR (MINISTERIO AGROPECUARIO Y FORESTAL) counterpart, and starting next week...cooking classes and building improved ovens.
My projects to come will be continued work with the women with Bonos and to help with management of their backyard, working with community credit banks, a reforestation project, working with the oher volunteers in the department to start a Farmers´Market, and other projects for overall improved soil conservation and nutrition practices.
Needless to say I´ve been super busy but extremely happy here. There are ups and downs of course... I miss you all like crazy, and all of the little things I used to take for granted like: chocolate chip cookies, playing music with friends, going somewhere without being stared at for extremely long periods of time, muffins, hummus, granola, pizza, wine, sundays with friends, national geographic magazine, easy access to internet/communication/information, gainesville, bike rides, warm showers, washing machines, long absences of mosquitos, live music/shows, being out of my house after dark, safe drinking water, and long walks by myself without having to constantly worry about my safety or without being hassled by some machista asshole.
I really love it here but there are just some things that I think I will always hold dear to my heart, and will long for them in their absence or apreciate them like crazy when I get the chance to experience them. But come November when I can leave my community I´ll be paying a visit to my buds in their parts of the country... goodness how I miss them too :)
Anyway I´m sending my lovin back home... I think about you all all of the time.
Love,
Yours Truly

P.S. I like letters a lot and want to write you too <3

Settling in slowly but surely...

Hello ya´ll!

My new nica phone number is
+(505)8653-3167

I receive free incoming calls and texts so if you have skype or a calling card you can call me anytime. Nights are better for me but I´ll answer during the day too.

I´m in my new community now, it´s about 3km south of the border of Honduras and Nicaragua, and every morning I thank the heavens as I look out to a field of corn and a beautiful montain range. I´m missing my family and friends like crazy, but my new host family is so warm that adjusting has been so much easier. More to come I don´t have much time here right now.
My new mailing address to come shortly as well!

Love you all :)

Nica, Nica, Nica

Jardin Botanico is beautiful. My family has been so wonderful, welcoming, and understanding of my strange and new situation. To say the least I feel extremely grateful!

I wish we could stay in this community the whole time because what a community! There are SOOO many trees creating plenty of shade (and mosquitos) to keep the tropical air very cool during the day. This week Jesse, Jessa, Kurt, and I have had intensive language classes, and assistance in getting us started in the community. For example, our Language Facilitator walks with us to other houses to help us feel more comfortable while we introduce ourselves initially. This week we will be helping to form a group of young people in the community who are interested in building a compost, vivero(tree nursery), and un huerto (garden for food and necessities). Also, for possible commercialization projects. Some of the ideas we´ve had are oil extraction from the many Acetuna trees that the people do not use normally.
Because the language classes have been so intense it´s been difficult to switch back and forth from Spanish to English and then back again. And when I wake up in the morning, after dreaming and thinking in English all night and feeling quite groggy, then it´s awkward and kind of silly when I switch back to Spanish again. My Spanish is improving little by little (poco a poco)... I just need to speak more with my family. At first I thought my family was shy or maybe didn´t know what to do with me, but now they have really opened up and are speaking to me more and more each day.
All in all, I have a great feeling about all that has happened... and it´s only been one week.. holy crap!
The other 45 trainees are ABSOLUTELY amazing. I´ve never connected so easily and so closely with a group of perfect strangers so quickly. But we are a family now and it´s wonderful. :)
I miss mis queridos mucho. Hopefully I can figure out a way to use my laptop and skype you soon.
Amor de Nica,
Lindsey

Address...

My address for the next 3 months!

Lindsey Croasdale, PCT

Voluntario del Cuerpo de Paz

Apartado Postal 3256

Managua, Nicaragua

Central America

Preveo muchos cambios y sorpresas...

My assignment! iY invitacion!

Country: Nicaragua
Program: Agriculture and Sustainable Food Security
Job Title: Sustainable Food Security Volunteer
Departure: May 11, 2010

There you have it. Since my nomination in August, I have been preparing for a journey across the Atlantic. But behold, I will be about 1,000 miles from home and speaking Spanish (which is probably for the best). I couldn't be happier that this ball is on the move... no matter where it ends up moving to.

Expected departure date is May 11. I am having a going away party at my parents' house in Coral Springs Saturday May 8 for all who would like to come.
I will be in Gainesville April 9, 10, 11
And in Philadelphia/NJ sometime between April 26 and May 6
So if you will be in these areas too... hit me up!

Here We Go...

With approximately 4 months to go until my expected departure to whichever-francophone-country-West-Africa, I'm beginning this blog as part of the many preparations I've undertaken. Learning french so far has been the most intense of my preparations. I really pray that I will know enough by the time I leave to avoid any delays or setbacks due to language barriers. In addition, I've continued to brief myself on West African political climate, study Agroforestry techniques used there, brainstorm about down-time projects using little resources, try to convince my parents that this is a good decision, make contacts with people going through these similar motions, and finally convince myself - body and soul - that this is really happening.

I'm beyond excited and very anxious to go, but there are many things I still need to do before I leave. Confidence building is my main priority right now - and that may come most with language fluency and a self-defense class... a machete wouldn't hurt either.

So this is the beginning and my first-ever blog post.