Amy OT

Nicaragua. Upside down and backwards from what I knew in the States. Or just different. Depends on your point of view. You adjust you thinking when in a place that's not your own. And I'm sure I'll experience reverse culture shock when re-entering the States in 2 months. I thought I'd be fun to share some things that are now a part of my world here. And share random photos of places and food.  Learning your way around town... most streets don't have names. Homes don't have numbers or addresses. Addresses are stories with reference points. I stand in awe each time I'm with someone following directions to a new location. It's incredible we find places. (our neighbor's dog Max) Mail is tricky. Not the system we have in the U.S. So no online shopping and 2 day shipping. Amazon doesn't deliver here. It takes 2-3 months to correspond with the States; that is if the item makes it to the destination. If you want something you can't buy...

  Hello friends! As month 3 comes to an end, just want to update with some quick photos and stories. Please keep Nicaragua in your prayers - the political unrest and economic side-effects are far from over. The common people are feeling it and need strength for each day.  This beautiful country and its people are teaching me so much. I am regularly eating large helpings of humble pie. Two weeks ago, a whole pie. But so much good is coming from this experience - even the tough parts. Some sound bites to sum up some of the lessons:  You can't change people.  I'm a blip here. Nicaragua operated without me and will again just fine when I'm gone.  Ask questions. There's a history behind how things got to where they are. The impact you leave may not be tangible or palpable and that's ok. Messy is beautiful. Trust your schooling - you know more than you think. This was never about me. I'm a small piece of a much bigger story. Some snapshots of life her...

Nicaragua is beautiful. Just gorgeous. It's a hidden gem and I'm so grateful for the chance to live life here for a time. We all get different seasons in our lives that we can only live once. Somehow it's taken 2 months for me to figure that out. Whatever season you're in, I encourage you to enjoy it and find something good in each day. Tattered bridge that people walk over daily Volcan Masaya  La Playa Let me brag about the people here: they are so patient. They're patient with my Spanish. Patient when there's no water. Patient when the WiFi or power go out. They are eager to serve each other and quick to meet the needs of others. I feel so selfish here over and over again. There's a community mindset vs. individualism and it's amazing to be a part of. People's schedules are fluid and family comes first. If someone has a need, they meet it without keeping score. Wow... the love runs deep. Clinically, I'm seeing:...

My neighbor has a 3 by 3 tin structure by the road where she makes and sells tortillas. You can hear her slapping the dough into a perfect circle, a technique all the woman know here. I’ve “helped” with the tortilla making a few times in my home & did not have the secret touch. She works by the open flame  in the daily 80-90 degree heat, making an equivalent of $1 for every 16 sold. So when she called me over to our barbed wire fence where our land meets and gifted me a tortilla with melted cheese this morning, you can imagine how immense this act of kindness felt. Tesoros de Dios is the only center of its kind here, providing services to children with severe disabilities. All to often our kiddos are out for weeks to months due to pneumonia, another surgery, becoming too fragile to travel, etc. The physical therapists do home visits to check up on these families and I’ve had the pleasure of going with.  I love these home visits because they show me more o...

Mothers gather together for a devotional at the end of the day before riding the program bus home.  This is Tesoros de Dios - the place I spend my days, Monday to Friday. It is not your typical school on any level but rather a conglomerate of programs for children with disabilities. It is a beacon of hope within the community, as the other special needs school in the country has stopped operating for the time being.   Here is the education building. It used to be a house, but has been transformed into a number of classrooms.  The first floor of this building is for palliative care, physical therapy, and a kitchen. The second floor holds offices where the program planning and administrative duties take place.  I had the privilege of riding a horse this week! And I had the chance to help with a horse therapy session. They engage in activities for core strengthening and eye-hand coordination. It was special to be a part of; the highlight of my week...

I arrived safely!  My host family is amazing.  The staff at Tesors de Dios,  the special  needs school, are amazing!  There's a large missionary community close by of North Americans who are either teaching English or serving in various capacities. I met some this week. Culturally, there's so much to learn!! I'll speak more on that later. Bugs are not fun. Ants. A cockroach. The BIGGEST spider of my life! Like a mini tarantula. It came out of no where in my room and praise God my host family was still awake. Thankfully there was a clear path to the door... not sure what my plan would have been otherwise!   I learned that the school year here is from January to November. Winter break is equivalent to summers off in the States. I didn't realize this until I arrived. I came during the last week of vacation for the children, a week of preparation for teachers.  Because it's a prep week, there hasn't been a whole lot I can do. ...