It's that time of year again!

            Well, it’s that time of year again.  While August usually marks the beginning of the school year in the States, the beginning of February is that dreaded time where school vacations are over, thus beginning 10 months of classes.  But rather than talking about classes, I’d rather talk about how celebrated the last month of school-less freedom.  As a Peace Corps Volunteer, we’re supposed to be prepared to be “on” 24/7, meaning that we are always technically working, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a good time doing it!

I helped lead a summer camp in the beginning of January with some Peace Corps friends.

Re-learned how to make tortillas thanks to my friend Jen (from the Chicago ‘burbs as well) visiting and asking my host mom to teach her how.

I made this sign!! (It’s for my host niece)

Had a lot of money (the equivalent of about $650) only to spend it about 15 seconds after I took this picture on buying materials and transport for my oven and stove project.

I’ve been baking with community members and friends a lot! In this picture we baked the bread for the soy burgers we made from scratch.

I was missing home and blizzards/snow when I saw this picture of my dad shoveling.  But then I thought about it, and…. 

And……. I ran (and walked) a crazy race.  I signed up for a 25k up a volcano on La Isla de Ometepe, which changed several times before the race date.  It finally turned into a 33k by race date that only climbed a total of about 1,400ft, with several options to make it longer thanks to some poorly placed markers.  The 21-miler in 90-degree heat and humidity that started at 10am was tough, but the view was absolutely amazing and I’m really glad I did it.  I even got 11^th place!  I may have been miserable a good 40% of the race and couldn’t walk normally for a few days afterwards, but I’m already starting to plan my next race.  I’m thinking either the 21k (half marathon) in March that I ran last year, and/or possibly even a 25k in May in the same national park in Costa Rica that I’ve visited twice.  That is if I can track down the Costa Rican who told me about it near this finish line (putting my creepiness/facebook stalking skills to the test).  Only time will tell!  The picture is my PC friend Kelsey and I with our participant “medals.”

And finally, pictures of Volcán Concepción and Volcán Maderas, the two volcanoes that make up La Isla de Ometepe in the middle of Lake Nicaragua.  Volcán Concepción is the ominous, larger, active one.  They are both such beautiful volcanoes, but I did feel a bit like I was staying a few nights in Pompeii.  I’ve been a bit obsessed with volcanoes since I was little, so being able to see 6 volcanoes in one day was pretty darn cool (the day I traveled back to my site).