Nicaragua has been amazing thus far. The people have been so welcoming and we are very appreciative towards their kindness.

Today was our last day of work. We have laid down the blocks to the frame of the building. I can’t believe from Monday to Thursday we’ve built the foundation of this library. We’ve learned the daily hard work this community endures everyday such as making cement, wiring rebars, digging holes and much more. The children of Los Lopez have passed by the construction site to greet us, play with us, and laugh with us during their recess. Most of our group has developed a family bond amongst us.

During our siesta, the clinic at Las Conchitas was opened to the community. Maryann our volunteer in our group is a full time nurse in Brooklyn, NY. She had the opportunity to see patients. Pregnant women and children are treated first in Nicaragua, and the rest are lastly treated.

A few teachers from Los Lopez school visited us to share how their school system works. Elementary school students attend school for free, but the students have to wear a school uniform. Most parents cannot afford the school uniforms- the children can go to school without uniforms. However, they feel embarrassed because they do not have a uniform, so some decide not to attend school. These teachers have overcrowded classes that teach combined grades. These teachers wear many hats in their role, besides teaching the basic math and language class, they teach physical fitness. Unfortunately, they do not offer specialized education class to students that have physical disabilities or speech problems. Regardless of disabilities, the teachers are responsible to address these concerns to the parents and to make sure these special students are properly educated.

As you can see they have a lot of responsibilities, in addition they are not properly compensated and the lack of funding from the government is limited. Luckily Bridges to Community has been an asset to impoverished communities, such as providing students scholarships. These children have the drive to expand their knowledge-it is unfortunate that they experience several obstacles.

Stay tuned for more updates such as the dedication ceremony, our trip to Granada, visit of the Masaya volcanoes, and much more!

Namaste,

Fouzia

Volunteer and Blogger

Click to view slideshow.

There is freedom, however there is still limited growth and economic instability that the Nicaraguans face.

David and Jacob from the Bridges to Community staff discussed that in Nicaragua there are some areas that have Free Trade Zones. Free Trade Zones are businesses that pay their employees very low wages. These employees work long hours in “sweat shops” from 5 am to 7 pm, in addition to the poor health conditions.

Even though they celebrate this holiday of freedom, there are still challenges in their everyday lives.

Nicaraguans are innovative and creative workers that strive to make their community and families live a better life. I can see their enthusiasm, especially when local artisans visit us to sell their products – such as clothing, pottery, hammocks, purses, and postcards that are made out of dried corn leaves – to earn income for themselves and their families.

In Los Lopez we are making some progress in building the library, but there are a few setbacks due to the lack of heavy machinery (the mayor’s office is supposed to send a machine to level the land for the next building, a large classroom). The electricity here is limited, so mixing cement is difficult, as it is done without machinery. However, it’s a learning experience that if you have “lemons, you can make lemonade.” For example, we mixed cement, gravel and sand with our shovels, whereas in America that can be completed within ten minutes with the proper machinery.

We are working hard along with the community. As we work we are teaching the masons English, as they teach us Spanish.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Namaste,

Fouzia

Blogger/Volunteer

  They created two receiving lines as we entered into Los Lopez. The beautiful children were dressed up in their school uniforms – white shirts and navy pants/skirts. The community applauded us as we were approaching the site. We were extremely touched and overwhelmed by their warm welcome. The principal and the PTA greeted us and thanked us for our presence and support. It was definitely a tear-dropper moment, as they shared that they were waiting for this day for us to come – likewise we felt the same way. We began building and digging holes, thus far we made progress. We built rebar columns, as well as painted the computer lab in Las Conchitas. The library in Los Lopez will have donated books; and hopefully raise more funds to buy books from Managua.

  The library will be used for elementary students through high school students. Elementary students begin their classes from morning to afternoon and high school students study in the afternoon. For those of you reading this blog that would like to donate Spanish books or donate money, please visit www.bridgestocommunity.org to support the Los Lopez library. Once again, another touching experience.

  Stay tuned for day 4 – 7/19/11 – Nicaraguan Independence Day, and more updates on our construction.

Namaste,

Fouzia

Volunteer and Blogger

    To build a school for this community is setting the path for the future for these children.  We will be visiting Los Lopez to build a library in the school.  We are now settled in Las Conchitas (named after the Virgin Mary), sleeping in dorms, experiencing the culture and the simple joy from this community. 

    We played soccer with the children.  The children are so precious and playful that you can’t help but embrace them.

    We visited a Mime/Theatre School in Granada.  Children from this community learn acrobatics, acting, and mime in a theatre setting.  It is an enchanting location that has bottle accents on the ceiling and walls décor.  Diego, who manages the theatre, served us this refreshing drink called “Frog Juice,” which the ingredients are lemon, ginger and molasses – it tasted just like iced tea!

    Day 3 we will begin building the library, and we are so very excited and blessed to witness this construction.

    Stay tuned for more updates!

                                                     Namaste,

                                                     Fouzia

                                                     Volunteer/Blogger

Celso (volunteer from Bamboo Moves) drinking “Frog Juice”

Bridges to Community’s Computer School for the children in Las Conchitas.

MaryAnn (volunteer from Bamboo Moves) and I getting acquainted with our netted bunk beds.

Theatre Mime School – the house was built with recycled plastic bottles.

Theatre Mime School – the house was built with recycled plastic bottles.

Performances that take place in the theatre.

     Besides the cuisine, we just found out that we will be building a small library building for an elementary school.  The library is part of the construction of a new kitchen, library and a new classroom building.

     Bridges to Community have completed several projects in the Masaya area, almost 400 homes to this impoverished community. This will be the first school that they are building in this community.

    With all these necessary changes there are also challenges from government bureaucracy.  The Nicaraguans struggle daily with unemployment and underemployment.  These struggles have been going on for years, due to political instability.  At times it seems that the needs of the ordinary Nicaraguan citizen are ignored.  At present, the Sandinista party (socialist) is the ruling party.

    Today I arrived at the Managua Customs and I was amazed by the multitude of US non-profit organizations, churches, and missionary groups that are coming to this country to make  change in this country.  I’m so grateful that we are here to lend a hand.

 Stay tuned for more updates from this journey.

                                                  Fouzia

Photos:  Check out our group picture from our lunch at El Filete with Bonnie Gordon

Check out the scenery of the Masaya Lagoon.

Check out “me” already blogging

Check out my first meal

Thankfully, I will be blogging about this experience, due to winning a scholarship essay contest of why I would like to go to Nicaragua and what does community me to me. The Queens Ledger Newspaper rewarded a $500 prize towards my trip and to journal this experience and have it published on the Queens Ledger Paper. Such a rewarding honor, that I will never forget!
Stay tuned when I arrive to Nicaragua for more amazing updates on the construction and pictures!

Namaste,
Fouzia
Blogger and Volunteer

Join us, summer 2011, as we venture to Nicaragua to build a house for a family in need. You don’t need to know yoga, you don’t need to speak spanish, you don’t even need experience in construction. All you need is a helpful, willing heart.