It’s the begining of a New Year and Nicaraguan kids only go back to school in February. Let me sum this up to say that the school day is short, the vacations and fiestas are long. The locals are commenting on how the days are muy frio, which means that the current Jan/Feb cooler weather, which feels great to us, is cold to them. In the evenings I saw tourists in sweatshirts and the other night I wore my first long sleeved shirt in six months of living here. It is officially the windy season. Its great if you like wind, which we do. I love how there is a dry season a rainy season and now the windy season.
Kids are starting to think about going back to school. I had a few new kids at my door requesting “mochillas” (backpacks) filled with what’s needed in order to go to school. Thanks to a generous donation by my good friend Sharon Rosenzweig back in the US, four kids who have had very little schooling due to lack of necessary funding, excitedly received backpacks filled with supplies. At the one and only stationery/school supply store they now know me by name. The balance of Sharon’s donation went toward replenishing supplies as well as new shoes for the original four girls who were outfitted for school early in the summer 2009.
Of course, once the kids run out of the door and down the street to the barrio where they live, another five or six show up at the door to ask for their own mochillas and zapatos (shoes). I explain that I can’t do it for everyone all the time, un poco un poco and select the two oldest girls in the group and tell them to come and get backpacks from me next week.
If you (any of you out there in internet land) would like to help send a kid or two to school… It takes the basics of a backpack, supplies and shoes – which is more than most can afford and so school is not the priority for most – please email me at petakaplan@hotmail.com.
Any level of contribution is most appreciated.
Peta, thanks so much for doing this and posting about it. These two are real cuties and it’s great fun to help them go to school. Such a simple thing, but monumental. You rock, as usual.