La Computadora

We gave a computer class in the Solar Center yesterday, and I discovered something about learning and teaching. With twelve students, seven computers, and six teachers, we introduced people to touchpads, mice, double-clicking, shift buttons, click-and-dragging, word processing, powerpoint presentations, and excel spreadsheets.

Many of the ¨students¨ had already used computers, fortunately, and used the hour to practice typing and work in powerpoint. Others were learning to use touchpads by moving the cursor over a picture until it was visible and by clicking and double-clicking to destroy cartoon fish. A different game had letters (both uppercase and lowercase!) falling until they were typed. I´ve gotten quite good at that game. Curse the lack of an ¨ñ¨ on my American keyboard.

Well, after playing the mouse and keyboard games for a while, I opened up the Spanish version of Open Office and said ¨Check it out, you can write stuff!¨ Only to realize how boring and pointless that was. Look, the tab button can do indents. Woo-hoo.

But wait!
All of my time spent playing (pointless) computer games and creating (pointless) powerpoints about friends for my Communications class rushed to mind. All of my time in Spanish classes here and at UD talking through (pointless) situations came back to me! Oh, all of the (pointless) creating and destroying of folders and documents and pictures that I had done, at home and in computer classes! Why, the best way to teach might be to give a (perhaps pointless) assignment and be around to help!

Anyway, that was how the other volunteers were doing it, so I followed suit :-) I like the method, as long as the assignment is reasonably enjoyable.

On that note, I´m looking forward to helping Frederlinda create a powerpoint about her family. Anna suggested it to Frederlinda during the class, and Frederlinda´s excited to learn more about Powerpoint, Excel, Word, and everything else from Anna.

Wicked sweet!

Hasta luego,
Pete

Las Clases

Spanish classes every morning with Prof Chico are going well. I have nearly mastered the past tense. The imperfect, present perfect, and future tenses will be the next ones to fall. I see them, waiting with bated breath, wary of their approaching conjugation.

I´m really curious to see how much my Spanish has improved since I´ve arrived. After a while, we´ll have oral interviews to be officially ranked as Intermediate-Low, Intermediate-High, Advanced-Low, or wherever we land. Wish me luck in a few weeks.

Work is progressing with the solar autoclave (more about the projects soon!) and I´m wicked excited that Vince and Lori are here--Vince for the weekend and Lori until the cows come home...

Hasta muy pronto,
Pete

Granada

I spent last night sipping piping hot sweet tea, relaxing in a hammock under the stars in Granada, full and content after a chicken quesadilla and a chilled mojito from a nearby bar.

Just wanted to let you know that it´s vacation weekend.

I would write more, but Vince, Anna, and Dan are in the pool, and I have my swimsuit on.

Later!

Pete

Para relajarme

Work is progressing. There are ceiling and roof tiles being replaced, a solar cooker being constructed, and a plan for gutters coming together. I´m glad to claim a small part in each activity.

To relax, I´ve been thinking...

Things I´ve learned since I´ve been in Nicaragua:
1. Vegetables are edible.
2. Shirts should not be off for long when there is sun.
3. Shoes should be worn while playing soccer to prevent injury.
4. Food takes a long time to prepare.
5. A corn tortilla is much easier to eat after it is wrapped around moist food.
6. Plantains need to be eaten with a jug of water nearby.
7. The @ sign is ALT-6-4 on the numeric keypad (haven´t seen @ on a keyboard yet).
8. Photovoltaics are expensive and inefficient.
9. Solar cookers are expensive and aren´t used for much here.
10. Vicente Fernandez is amazing.
11. The internet is difficult to explain in a foreign language.
12. I take Wikipedia for granted.
13. I have no idea what separates ketchup from pasta sauce.
14. Hugs are incredible and necessary.


Things I´ve craved since I´ve been in Nicaragua:
1. A Blooming Onion from Outback Steakhouse
2. Water (It´s easily available; I just find myself desiring it a lot)
3. A hug
3. Frederlinda´s soy cakes with ketchup on top
4. Fresh lemonade (so delicious... I drank the entire last pitcher.)
5. Pepsi and Coke
6. An ice cream cone from the Eskimo man (he answered my prayers yesterday!)
7. Solar-roasted coffee
8. Real pasta sauce (not just a mix of ketchup and barbecue sauce)

With much love and appreciation (Thank you for reading my posts!),
Pete

P.S. I´m taking Spanish classes!

muy corto

Still kicking.

I´ve learned to enjoy the taste of tomatoes. They´re like a fresh, juicy piece of summer.

The coffee here is also amazingly appealing. I´ve only had a cup, but I´m warming up to it. I learned to brew the sweet stuff two days ago.

I walked to the fields with Frederlinda´s brother Amilcar this morning. He was plowing with the pair of bueyes that normally stand near the house. I walked down and back with him seven or eight times (about a half hour) and was tired. He was in the field plowing from 6am to 1pm today.

More later!

encantado escribir a ustedes,
Pete