Our water project here in La Guaruma has continued with good progress, after digging more and more trenches in the baking heat of Nicaragua we have now also laid pipes and began fitting taps. Part of the group moved house last week to live with different families as we had originally been split across two water projects meaning we were living quite separately. Although we were sad to say goodbye to our first families after a week living with them, it is good to all be working together and we have found our new families just as hospitable. Living closer together has also allowed for night time games of charades, poker and of course ‘I Have Never’.
Our village has a small school, with just 12 people ranging from 5 to 13 years old, every day we have spent an hour teaching some basic English including ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’’. We also held sports day which involved mixed teams of venturers, PMs and children running three-legged races, hopping with balloons between their legs and dancing under a limbo stick. We have also begun holding adult classes with the whole village fluent in no time!
Delta Yankee 5 has also been lucky enough to meet with some of the Alphas who are also working on a water project. Together we went on a trip to the nearby town of San Juan de la May where we visited a ceramics factory, some of the town’s 26 fat lady statues and slept over in a community centre.
With just a few days to go, we are all working hard to finish the project and look forward to a goodbye party in the village!
Stephan Moehrke Delta Yankee 5
ReplyDeleteHello seun,
bly dat julle projek suksesvol was - ons is so bevoorreg om net n kraan te kan oopdraai en daar is water. Soveel mense wat met ontsettend min id lewe oor die weg moet kom. Hoop jy het groot sports gehad en dit baie geniet saam met jou host familie (al was hulle n bietjie jonk:)
Clauds het gister haar enkel geswik en hinkepink nou hier id huis rond. Ons het maar gesmeer en verband omgedraai, maar sy sal maar eers nie atletiek kan doen nie. Het haar ingeskryf vir n hokkiekamp vlg week vir 2 dae by Jamie Dwyer v australie hier by ons klub. Hoop maar die voet is ok - sy't mos nog nooit so n besering gehad nie. Hulle skryf vandag n physics toets en more sluit die skool.
Die seniors het vandag hulle laaste offisiele dag v skool en vanaand is die groot 'party'. Clauds se daar gaan iemand wees by noxx om te check dat hulle nie dronk raak nie - ja, right, wil sien wie gaan dit regkry. More mag hulle eers v 7.30 by die skool wees en die reels is maar weer baie streng dat daar nie 'chaos' mag wees nie en weird pranks en dinge nie. Weet hulle het al id week opgedress en vd kids moes ander goed gaan aantrek - was nie gepas nie. Asia, christina en nog iemand het hulleself ge'avatar' met klere aan en bodypaint en dit was glo toe te 'revealing'. Belaglik se clauds want hulle het genoeg klere aangehad.
Ek sal maar more weer assembly toe gaan en kyk wat als gebeur - is vir my altyd baie lekker. Dink sommer weer terug ad tyd toe jy daar was verlede jaar. Kan nie glo dat jy al soveel goed in n jaar se tyd gedoen het nie. Wonderlike ervarings wat jy gehad het en hopelik v geleer het.
Pap is vanoggend vroeg weg Kopenhagen toe vanwaar hy trein tot in Helsingborg. Kom eers more agtermiddag terug. Ons het sushi by die skool bestel vir vandag, maar daar sal nou te veel wees - vergeet hy is nie hier nie. Dit is n fondsinsameling vir die japanese slagoffers vd aardbewing en tsunami.
Geniet jou laaste tydjie saam met al die vriende - jy sal baie v hulle seker weer kan sien as jy gaan swot in September. Ek het vir jou bietjie ekstra geld in jou rek gesit om klere te kan koop by Kolie.
Mooi bly en praat weer
baie liefde
mamxxx
ps. Jos het sy 1e 'fine' gekry toe hulle vd kunstefees v oudshoorn af teruggekom het. Hy mos altyd die designated driver, want hy drink nie. Het ook nie so lekker aan sy toetse geskryf nie.
For Jessica Bridge-Dunk Delta Yankee 3
ReplyDeleteHi Bunny,
Well wonder how you are ?
It must be virtually all done now, well the hard bit anyway.
I am really hoping that you have managed to not get ill in any way or have any serious injuries other than your ear.
We are all plodding along here. Dad at work today. Rebecka and Dan have been in Scotland for a few days and should get back in Northallerton today. They had a couple of hours in Glasgow so I suggested a visit to that lovely Deli to eat !It is their wedding anniversary on Sunday. It seems this last year has been such a busy one but flown by too. I still have such good memories from start to finish of the wedding day. Do you remember going to the wrong hairdresser to pick Rebecka up and how giddy we all got.......
I am keeping my fingers crossed that you have had some serious relaxation at the very end before getting back to field base. Looking forward to hearing all about everything. Funny though how, because you have done so much I expect it will all come out in dribs and drabs.
Not got a lot to tell you really.Everyone sends their love and keeps asking me what you are up to. Obviously I have no idea !
Do let us know asap when and if you can do the magic trick with your i touch and then we can make sure we are in a suitable place to be able to communicate. Cafe Nero Leeds on a busy Saturday afternoon was not the most suitable venue.
I have missed you much and really am looking forward to hearing your little voice and having a look at you. Hope that you have been getting enough fruit and vegetables on the trip but I suspect not....
I better go now, maybe this will be our last communication through the blog. Must say it has beeen a blessing to be able to send you the odd message and even though you are unable to reply it has made you seem just a tiny bit closer.
Love you so much. Think i would squash you with cuddles if i could get hold of you now.
Your Mummykins x
To Saskia Donat, Delta Yankee 5
ReplyDeleteHey Saskia, ich habe eben deinen Brief bekommen, danke danke danke :)
Ich weiss morgen bescheid was mit den Unis passiert (15.04.11) ich fange aber auch schon an zu packen und bin richtig in reiselaune ;) wenn du dich bewerben möchtest müssen wir dein Zeugnis asap übersetzen und anerkannt bekommen, da man sich ab nächster Woche schon wieder bewerben kann.
Ich bin gespannt wie deine neue Frisur aussieht :) ich bin ab morgen 24 Stunden online auf Skype Ruf einfach an, egal wie früh/spät. Ich wollte dann am Samstag
den Flug und den Wagen buchen, ich freue mich richtig auf die Reise =)
ich liebe dich xxxx
Jonas
chris reynolds delta yankee 2
ReplyDeletehi chris hope you get this last message before you finish .. cant wait till next tuesday to see you again ... feels like ages that you've been away... looking forward so much to hearing all about the adventure and to feeding you up again.. the fridge will be well stocked!! lots of meat and veggies....went out to tea on tuesday with julie to the midway. had a great meal and a laugh as usual...this saturday is the cricket match against Terrys mates from Doncaster so should be a laugh. hopefully the weather will be good, or at least dry! Do let us know your travel details when you can... as far as we know you will be back at Manchester about lunchtime on Tuesday.. counting the hours.. everyone keeps asking if we've heard from you-have to keep telling them we only have one way communication most of the time!! Also we are wondering if we will recognise you-is your hair wild and woolly? beard or no beard? hopefully you all get chance for a shower before you return-otherwise I pity the poor person sat next to you on the plane!!!
Missed you soooooo much loads and loads of love mum dad & alan xxxxxx
Para: Delta Yankee 2/ yendry castro.
ReplyDeleteDe: alvaro fuentes.
hola yen.
Espero este disfrutando y que se encuentre bien.
Esperamos vuelva pronto.
Laura siempre pregunta por ud.
saludos de parte de todos.
para: delta yankee 2 /yendry castro.
ReplyDeletede: mi , la unica!!!!!!
hola princesa te amo montoneeeeeesss!!!!!!
estamos en cuenta regresiva!!!!! su papi está feliz xq pronto nos veremos las jachas de nuevo!!!!!jajajajajajaja!!!!!
Desde aqui se siente la adrenalina del grupo, todas las buenas vibras de esta inolvidable aventura se pueden percibir a la distancia. Que emociones habrán vivido,.... apenas y puedo imaginarlo!!!!!!
mil saludos para todos sus compañeros y compañeras!!!! sabemos que nunca volverán a ser los mismos después de esta maravillosa experiencia.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥mil abrasos, besos y bendiciones para todos ustedes, amigos/as de yen♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Rose Ashbourn, Delta Yankee 5
ReplyDeleteGreat to see a bit more about the project you have been involved with on the blog. Sounds very interesting. So you will come back with work experience in utilities implementation, teaching as well as path clearing and a lot more besides!
All well here. I have been working at home for three days in a row which is most unusual. Went to a fundraising dinner last night with Ian and saw the Vincents, who all seem fine. Going to Stoke tomorrow then home for the weekend. The last opportunity to make the house look like a model home before you return as I will be in Dartmouth for Easter! Sarah and boys coming to stay on Sunday.
Hope we might get an email from you this weekend as I assume you are now on your way back to the base and no doubt some final partying before you all go your separate ways.
Am so looking forward to seeing you soon. XXX Mum
Jessy boon cowler - Delta Yankee 6
ReplyDeleteDear poop (ahaha I can call you whatever I want cos you can't say anything back)
I know I start most of my messages like this but my messages never seem to show up on the forum!! I really hope you don't think I've been blanking you for 3 months. LOLLZZZZ.
I will update you on some pop news: apparently Kanye West is starting a fashion MA at CSM next year lololol... and everywhere in Lonny is filled with Wills and Kate merchandise. Flags, tea towels, mugs, cushions all over the shop.
I have just had 400 milk bottles delivered to my house for this job I am doing. 400 is a lot.
Tonight I am enjoying a lovely eve off though.... I'm going to bed mega early at the moment cos I'm on Ludo schedule of waking up at 7am :S
Hopee youre having a brill time still Ssejjy and that you arent too sad to be coming home. Don't worry - England is sunny now!!
LOTS OF LOVE. LIL J XXXXXX
Sabina Bridge, Alpha Yankee 6
ReplyDeleteAll reserved for the 16th. I tried to pay over the phone using google translate spanish talking to a partially bilingual receptionist. After about 10minutes we were able to establish a) what a wanted to do and b) they don't take card. Fail!
The remaining sums will have to be paid at reception on arrival in USD.
Have a great time, lots of love,
Tim
Jessica Bridge-Dunk Delta Yankee 2
ReplyDeleteHi Bunny have just realised that i have been putting Delta Yankee 3 so hope my messages have still found their way to you.
Mainly just to say I hope you are well and sending you so much love and so many kisses that they would not all fit in your rucksack.
Let us know asap when we can talk.
Love yor Mummy x
para:delta yankee 2 /yendry castro.
ReplyDeletede: maaaaaaaaa!!!!!
aquí preparándonos para PESAJ!!!!!!!! tratando de sacar todo el hametz posible. Ya hicimos provisión; dos cajas de matzá!! espero nos alcance y ....si no, ...ha comer tortilla se ha dicho!!!!
Esperamos con ansias estés aquí para poder decir juntos: JAG PESAJ SAMEAJ!!!!
♥♥TE AMO♥♥
delta yamkee 2/ ignacio camacho
ReplyDeleteholaaaaaaa!!!! espero esté pura vida y no hayan tenido más que buenos momentos.
Aquí su papá y nosotros no hemos podido conocernos personalmente aun. Es increible como pasan los dias..... pero bueno de fijo no nos vamos a quedar con las ganas de reunirnos pronto.
Queremos ya poder verlos y tenerlos de vuelta en casa, estoy segura q uds también desean echarnos aunque sea una miradita, pero de fijo tambiés desean con todo su corazón que estos últimos dias no lleguen a su fin.
Lo importante es que jamás podrán olvidar esta experiencia y podrán atesorarla por siempre!!!!! Así que a seguir viviendo la vida con intensidad.
Con cariño: xinia/mamá de yen :)
For Jessica Bridge-Dunk Delta Yankee 2 (blog post from Mum wrongly addressed to Delta Yankee 3 - nearly copied it! - hope you get her message anyway as it's a lovely one)
ReplyDeleteHey Jess,
Have sneaked upstairs whilst Dan is doing the washing up. Just made two loaves of banana bread as all the bananas from the veg box had accumulated whilst we were away. And then they sent us more bananas! Veg box getting nice now. Asparagus YUM. Gonna have it with prawns tomorrow. Not salivating yet? Going to Betty's on Sunday as a wedding anniversary treat! Can't wait - have been deliberating over the menu about what to have...maybe engadine torte and a Nepal Snow river coffee...
Got back from Arran late last night so apologies for the lack of blog posting. We had a lovely time, apart from a little disagreement when Dan tried to make me cycle up a really really steep hill in the rain with my backpack on (which probably had about 60kg of stuff in it) when my gears had broken (so I couldn't move into the right gear). I said at the bottom of the hill that I wanted to walk but he said to try to carry on, then when I absolutely couldn't do anymore, I said I was gonna get off and he said no it was dangerous place to stop (even though we were on a straight bit so all the cars could see us)! So I tried to carry on but instead of getting off carefully I nearly fell into the road in front of a police van when my chain came off. So you can imagine I told him what for about how his comments were what was dangerous about the whole affair. The other not so great part was the second place we stayed which was a self-catering barn but pretty grubby. People just don't have the same cleanliness standards do they?! It was such a lovely little barn apart from that.
Had a really nice time though - we even had to take our shoes and socks off to cross a river on one of our walks. Nearly as adventurous as your trekking eh! We got the 'Arran Rover' day ticket on the bus which was funny cos the buses were so irregular that you couldn't really rove about very much! Nice all the same though. Stayed in a luxurious hotel on our first night. Ate lots of arran hot smoked salmon, arran cheddar and arran oatcakes! Decided against visiting Arran aromatics ;-)
Got reading Never Let Me Go (book that Keira Knightley film based on). Didn't go to see the film but the advert for it made me think I might enjoy the book. Really glad I tried it cos it's so good - really easy to read but you feel like you're not just reading trash if you know what I mean. Also ploughed my way through Shadow of the Wind (thriller) but it was a bit overly dramatic and had been translated pretty badly from Spanish so didn't enjoy it that much. Went into Northallerton this morning to pick up some books that I'd ordered for my placement at Great Smeaton. If you ever want a poem about the sea, I have several books full!!!!!!
Anyway, gonna go downstairs now and read final part of Never Let Me Go. Got fire on. Will probably have a Neighbours break too.
Oooohh by the way got your letter when we got home last night and really enjoyed reading it. Was so nice to hear what you've been up to. Sounds amazing where you are. Think you must've got too used to nice food on your first phase! The food in Namibia was pretty much like what you describe on your second phase but through all my phases!!! Although to be fair I think our teas had a bit more substance than your pasta and tomato sauce. The food on your first phase sounded absolutely delicious, especially the homemade salty goats cheese.
Anyway had better stop there, worried I might have exceeded the word limit for these posts!
Loads and loads and loads of love,
Bex
p.s. text or email me if you wanna FaceTime while you're at fieldbase and I'll try and set it up on the Mac. Should be about tomorrow and Sunday. Love you!
p.p.s. Mum and Dad have bought a cream Magimix!!
For LOUISE SIMPSON of Alpha Yankee 6
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you'll get this now... but really looking forward to catching up and hearing your tales upon your return :) Looks like you've had an amazing time! Lots of love, Alex xxxxxxx
For Jennifer McGowan of Alpha Yankee 6:
ReplyDeleteJenni! It's so close to your return :)
I don't know if you'll get this now and I may be able to FB this instead (but I never blogged you as much as I wanted so I thought I'd stick it here...
Basics I want to apologise HUGELY HUGELY cause I really wanted you to get some physical post from me whilst you were out there. But I'd been really busy all term (very few things other than history-related ones get written) and I thought it would be really cool if I waited and sent you one from Berlin - or Potsdam actually, as by the time I got to Berlin it would be too late for the deadline. SO I tried, oh I tried. Got you a pretty little postcard, wrote you a letter (whoever thought a postcard was big enough to write on?), stuck it an an envelope and marched off to the Deutsche Post. Alas, the first woman looked at me confusedly when I asked for a stamp which corresponded to the address, she got her colleague and they got their boss and (by this point) it had been linguistically conveyed correctly but much draw-rummaging later... no way of sending a letter Costa Ricawards. So I went to another post office. No luck; little Potsdam and Costa Rica clearly don't want to communicizzle. So I got them here and you'll have to have them on return I'm afraid so so sorry! Do have those haribo strawberries waiting for you though...noms.
It's been good to hear from you a bit more in the last few weeks anyway; definitely good to know about the cows udders/earlobes thing. Wishing I had milked a cow (and seen all the things you've seen obv) - all such good experiences :) Can't wait to hear about them from your lovely self; life just ain't the same without you here. Mummy hawkins wanted to send you a message too but I think she must have done something a little bit wrong - don't know how/where she tried to comment but it seemed not to work!
So have fun with your rafting and raving (greatly superior to ranting and raving, yet there's only a letter in it)and I'm so proud and excited for all the things you have done and all the tales you'll have to tell!
Bet your fringe is whopping by now, miss you loads, but see you soon!!!!!
love you loads
Xandra Snikwah xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For Jessica Bridge-Dunk (Delta Yankee 2)
ReplyDeletejust read Rebecka's blog - it is just like getting a little insight into your lives .. it made me laugh so much reading about her on her bike and Dan making her carry on !! I think you two should be writers as you are both very evocative in your descriptions ! I bet Dan really paid for it for the rest of the day !
BTW that book Rebecka is reading - the film was really good but very unsettling. And it should never be known as the Keira Knightley film - there was Carey Mulligan in it who was loads better - and Andrew Garfield.
West Ham have a critical match at home to Villa - sounds as if Scotty is out. C'est la vie. Que sera sera. Whatever will be will be. Looks as if we are going down.
So anyway .. looking forward to seeing your smiling cheery face soon little one !!
Love you lots and lots and lots
xxx Dad
Jessy Boon Cowler - Delta yankee 6
ReplyDeleteDear Jessy,
I got your letter today!!!! So exciting!!! And also so strange! It was lovely to hear from you but also strange to see your handwriting and also read something that was actually written by you!!
It's fine about the no phone call. I kinda feel like it will make it all the better on Tues... TUES!!! So soon!! I can not imagine your name coming up on my phone!! Well now I feel like since its so very soon til you're home that I can keep all my news (or lack of it) til thaa big phone call.
Toot too.
Speak soon!! Lil j xx
Jesst boon cowler delta Yankee 6
ReplyDeleteSitting here drinking a beer and getting the room ready for your return slowly but surely. I can't wait to see you, I've been a busy bee sorting next weekend out. Hope to get a call off you soon. Love you!!! Xxxxxxxx
Message for Maria Bedford Delta Yankee 2
ReplyDeleteHello Mrs, just to let you know that I've texted Dad back that you're okay (as far as I know) - he was worried as he hadn't had any emails from you for a month. Gave him the blog address (again?) - hope he can figure it out!
All good here - Easter and Royal Wedding coming up so lots of time off work. Cats v. cuddly. How's the volcano trekking going? Expecting a blog post from your group soon, and maybe an email or FB message at the end of next week? Will you be awfully sad when its over? Let me know your plans when you get back to town. Lots of love from Mum (& Dad too I s'pose) xxx
Hessy BC Delta Yankee 6
ReplyDeleteJess! Alex said you're back at base and well and happy - can't wait to see you. Swift but unimportant newsflash - Double Expresso has closed! The owners fell out, for once it wasn't because of the depression... sad. Can't remember the other thing, I've been spring cleaning so I'm not feeling myself today. Your mail hasn't arrived yet, but I live in hope. Today Lilith and Bumble are 12! So they had tuna. Happy birthday girls. I hope your trip home is good and that this doesn't arrive too late for you to see it, bon voyage Bee. All my love, Mum xxx