I started reading Matthew Kelly’s The Dream Manager today after having recommended it to numerous people simply because I liked the idea of it. The idea being that when management takes an interest in the dreams of their employees they see far less turnover and overall business improves as the lives of the employees improve. It matters to us greatly—whether we care to admit it or not—that our bosses or managers recognize us as people and care that we reach our dreams even if that means using one job as a stepping stone to another. It’s no crime to have dreams and the desire to achieve them at any cost. So, I started reading the book thinking I might be inspired by the ideas but what inspired me was realizing how much of it I already know—how much of it I’ve already done. Sometimes it does take a manager or a boss to give us a leg up. Sometimes it’s a life, sports, or financial coach or a sports coach who helps us realize our dream. However, sometimes it comes from within. We are responsible for our choices. My sister says “We are our choices” which is just another way of saying, “If you’re not happy, it’s up to you to change something.”

I spent last weekend on the beach at my Peace Corps group’s COS (close of service). It was my first time visiting the Pacific Coast beach (or any beach) here in Nicaragua and I very much enjoyed it. I shared a sweet little bungalow with two other English volunteers. We opened our 2^nd floor deck door to a spacious deck and water as far as we could see. The conference itself was a bit anticlimactic seeing as how I’m not leaving Nicaragua but in many ways I am finishing my “service” before starting some new projects in a new city in an ever cooler (climate) part of Nicaragua. We can only hope it’s as cool (state of awesomeness) as life in San Jose de los Remates. There were several feedback sessions and some fascinating career development information that I’ll try to remember for next year at this time! One detail I’d like to share with you right now though: 85% of jobs are not advertised. Need I repeat? 85% of jobs are not advertised! So let’s go ahead and emphasize the importance of networking, folks, and building and maintaining solid relationships among colleagues and other business professionals. I’m already pursuing an informational interview with the father of a PC volunteer who works in education for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Can’t wait to find out what his day-to-day is like.

Anyway, living here I realize how blessed we are to have been taught not only to dream but to realize those dreams. In the last two years I’ve spent about 7 weeks total in the United States. You can tell me anything you want about unemployment but I will only respond with Nicaragua’s own figures: over 50% unemployment and it’s been that way for awhile now. So while I find great satisfaction in the type of work I do here teaching methods and as much as possible connecting with the students, I know that many things have to change in this country for a young person to even feel allowed to dream—instead of memorizing and spewing out the dreams of some historical person they were forced to read about in class.

What else can I tell you? In the morning I drink coffee from the Italian press. In the afternoon I have a second cup from the French Press. The Nica press is a pan of hot water and coffee grounds brought to a near boil. The grounds are given a few moments to descend to the bottom of the pan and the coffee is scooped shallowly from the top. I only drink Nicaraguan coffee and I prefer that from Jinotega or Matagalpa. All of this in contrast to the American way: Starbucks or whatever your brand of choice. Well, that or some sophisticated coffeemaker—the kind I was unable to operate during my last visit home.

Recently the director of my school asked me if, in English, a female dog was called a bitch or a slut. He does speak English pretty well but couldn’t remember the terminology. Kind of depends on the dog, no? I guess I could have answered both but I said “bitch” to be clear about it.

Luis and I spent about an hour explaining verb tenses to each other based upon the following sentence: I would have made lemonade if I had cold water. Hubiera hecho limonada si tuviera agua helada. We are helping each other to understand this complex grammatical construction in the opposite language. From there we practiced, “I could have made lemonade but I made coffee instead. I should have made lemonade but I didn’t have cold water. AND I wanted to make lemonade but I didn’t have cold water.” All of this on our hour-long walk through the countryside for classes in Cumaica Sur. Sounds simply enough but in everyday speech it’s not the simplest to drop into conversation. Luis lately has been asking me about the word “mean.” Does it apply to both dogs and humans? Yes, yes it does, though when we say it about humans we do not presume that they bite. When we say it about dogs, yes, we assume that the dog bites. Luis is anything but mean. He’s a person who I hope I will know for the rest of my life. And so is my friend Celia who at 10:30am this morning offered me some red, pineapple-flavored spiked punch. Shame on her. Oh and my tortilla lady, Doña Gloria encountered a coral snake (most likely poisonous) in her kitchen on the way to brush her teeth last evening. It was killed shortly thereafter with a machete. I think that’s all the town gossip for today:)