Sunday, April 22, 2012

1st Step to Being a Runner: Run a 5 K

Unfortunately I have no pictures BUT you will be happy to know that I and Lindsey Leslie did in fact run 5 kilometros, that is 3.11 ish miles, today. Ya! The run/race was a fundraiser and awareness campaign for this organization called Los Pipitos. Lindsey and many other PC volunteers work with the organization. They focus on working with kids and are a great organization. I would love to learn more about the work that they do here in Nicaragua, specifically in Chinandega and possibly try to do some work with them.
As I have not exactly been running, nor am I a runner, so not really remembering what 3 miles felt like to run, my goal was to finish the whole race, running, no walking...no pausing...running. And I did it. I finished in 38 minutes and 22 seconds, which puts me at about a 12 and a half minute mile...not my best mile time ever, but I'm pretty proud. And now I have a good idea of what to train for and what my goal will be for my next 5 K which will be happening in Managua in 3 weeks. Although I am proud of my own personal victory, I am even prouder of Lindsey who finished in 3rd place! Yay!! She won a Claro package complete with a bright red hammock, beach towel, t shirt and water bottle. All in all it was a great way to spend my Sunday morning and a fantastic start to the week.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Exclamation Points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Martha!
Seafood Fest 2012- 28th and 29th of April- a weekend filled with fish, friends, ocean and sun
Happy Birthday Mimi!
JENNY Fest!-June 20-21st ish Jenny Thomas and her future husband are coming to Nica to surf, lay on the beach and celebrate their wedding!
Happy Birthdays to Jessie, Nikki, Sheila and Kerry!
IST-end of May- Peace COrps in-service training-lots of catching up with people who live far away.
HOME----Knoxille, TN visiting Emma at her summer internship July 17-July 19----Weymouth!!!! July 20-August 6th!!!
Baby-Congrats to Amanada and Brian!!!
DAD Fest!-Nov 28-Dec 8-Dad comes to Nica!
I apologize for all of the exclamation points, but seeing as you cannot hear the excitement in my voice as you are reading this blog, I must use exclamation points and BIG BOLD LETTERS to show my enthusiasm and excitement.

Kate Lena: Owner of International Shipping Company

I´ve had a decent week...the usual ups and downs, but overall it has been good. We had the inauguration for our Youth Health Promoter Training School and 28 students showed up! This year instead of one school, we have 3 promoter schools with 18-24 students in each group coming from all 10 primary schools in Corinto. The group seemed really excited and enthusiastic to be part of it. On a sad note, I had to say goodbye to 2 of my favorite soup kitchen kids, as they will be moving to Costa Rica today. Although I am excited for their journey to CR and hoping that their life will be good their, I will definitely miss them.
So with these events at work plus normal comedor activities, health fairs etc... its been a good wekk. And then it got better...I got to enter the port! I´ve been wanting to get into check out the port basically for the entire time that I have been here in COrinto, but since they are so strict, it just hasnt happened. Luckily I have a friend who works with customs for the port checking containers coming in. Last night it actually happened. It was a long process, but totally worth it. First we had to go back to my house so I could change. YOu must be wearing pants and close toed shoes. The shoes was a bit of a dilemma, seeing as the only close toed shoes that I have here are sneakers, bright green and yellow crocs or heels. I ended up in heels (not stilettos or anything too high, but still heels). Then we went to her office to write a letter to ask permission that I could enter. She wrote on the letter that I was a visitor. After a walk to the port and getting rejected by the Bossman, we returned to her office to rewrite the letter. ¨We´ll just make something up!¨ she says. I read the letter over her shoulder as she is writing realizing that she has just made me the owner of an international shipping company and that we are entering the port at 9:30 pm to check up on one of my garlic containers. I immediately get a bit nervous wondering if they are going to ask me questions about my ship, my containers, my company. I never realized how strict they were there, but it makes sense. I totally could have been smuggling in drugs or guns or who knows what. Anyway, this time Bossman says Yes, of course I can enter, so we do. I put on my hardhat and my orange bright glow in the dark vest.
How cool. Right now there are 4 ships here-one from LA unloading containers, one from China who is delivering sugar to somewhere else and the other 2 we did not get to see. I honestly could have sat there and watched them load sugar for another hour. For someone, like my friend, who has been inside the port many times, it was old news. But for me, it was so interesting! I have no idea why...it shouldn´t be really. There is not too much to see, especially at night. But I found myself wondering where they came from, who the workers were and where they were going. Anyway, it was a fun field trip for the night and I´m hoping the opportunity will present itself another time to explore...maybe during the day and maybe we´ll get to board a ship!
Signing off,
Kate Lena International Shipping Company Owner