My new Peace Corps Fixed Gear!

So I talked about it in a previous post, but what the hell. You all might as well see my creation.

As you can see – I got my fixed gear finally! The whole thing cost me 950 cordobas to build up (just the components since I built everything), and for now, it rides pretty well. It’s some Chinese frame (a piece of crap) as well as all the components. Unfortunately, that’s the only thing we get here in Nicaragua in terms of bike components – total crap. Just to make myself feel more ‘at home’ I threw on my 140 dollar Selle Italia saddle (so…about 3 times as valuable as the bike itself), but just to fit in with the other Nica bikes, I threw duct tape over the front of it. That’s nice and unattractive. Check out the red cable lock I bought! Not quite that huge Kryptonite chain I have back in the states, but really you don’t even need a lock here. Last crime in my town happened over 3 weeks ago.

Peace Corps Cribs

In case any of you were wondering what a Peace Corps place in a city looks like, here are a couple photos from the apartment I stayed in in Chinandega.

Yea, not what I expected either

Yes, that´s a microwave

It has cable too! As you can see, he also has the Guitar Hero video game.

Country and Job Assignment

Nicaragua

So Peace Corps has decided that my professional and education experience warrants sending me to Nicaragua where I will be a Business Educator and Advisor. My primary duties will be teaching entrepreneurial education courses in one or two high schools, working with NGO’s and local small business owners to provide support and training in basic business development. My primary responsibility will be to teach Junior Achievement type classes to at least 3 sections of 50 students, as well as educating those youth that are not within the school system. Further responsibilities include working with community groups and local governments to implement economic development strategies, provide assistance to project beneficiaries in financial management techniques, planning, and organization development.

I’ll live in a rural or urban area in a town with anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000 inhabitants. Most places have running water, electricity, and transportation. However, some places rely on well water, and due to the incredibly hot summers (where temperatures regularly top 100 degrees), there are often water shortages, and electricity can be intermittent depending on where I am.

The lowest the average temperature gets in Nicaragua (for those that don’t know) is 87 degrees. Gross. I guess I’ll leave the winter coat at home. Natural hazards include volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Excellent! Everything I’ve never experienced before I’ll be able to experience in one place!

I did a business marketing project in my Business Spanish course this last semester, and coincidentally, my target country was Nicaragua. So I’m already well versed on the economic, demographic, and profile of Nicaraguans. Talk about luck.

I leave May 5th for orientation, and arrive in the country May 7th. Pre-Service training will be from May 7th through July 18th. My Service will last from July 18th, 2008 until July 16th 2010.

How exciting.