As I grew up I began receiving less and less. It would take a while before I would understand the importance of giving and why receiving is less important. It may have started during my Scouting years. We had projects every weekend that required volunteering our time and energy to serve the people in our community. We gained hours but nothing of value nothing physical. The lesson learned was the value of giving We give our time, our energy, and our service to bring smiles to the faces of the community we lived in. Some saw it as an obligation. I began to recognize it as an opportunity.
These opportunities turned into every day occurrences and a second nature. I learned that I could do simple things such as: help someone when they drop things, pick up trash, hold doors open for the elderly, provide help when needed, etc. When I first started driving, I found it simple enough to open my date´s door for her. Some may call this chivalrous, I thought it was something required for all men to do. And yes, to this day I still will open the door for my date for whatever reason. It does not have to be a special day or special occasion!
Before Peace Corps I found myself donating my time once a week helping teach English to refugees who fled their country and landed in the United States. In order to gain their citizenship, they must obtain so many hours of English classes. I assisted in this part of their lives hoping I could help change their life one day. At first I was doing it to better my Peace Corps resume, then I began to realize my purpose for being there. I didn´t mind giving two hours every Thursday. The refugees needed those two hours more than I did. I volunteered my time to help them gain access to a better life and better understanding of our culture.
Here I am! Here I am in a land with plenty of opportunity to give. I have discovered that here in Nicaragua, we can give to recieve. By this I mean I can provide education about Business to my community and to the students at the high school turn around and receive a free dinner in a random person´s house or a free cafecito at the local comedor. I tell my story, describe my goals, and give my purpose why I am here and the people of Nicaragua are fascinated and have as much or more passion than I do about what I am doing!
Nicaraguans live in a rich culture of givers.
I wish more people from the States were like this.
To whom may be reading this: I am a Peace Corps Volunteer residing in Nicaragua until May 2015. I am a teacher who is teaching the current teachers. We co plan and co teach a course called Emprendedurismo. It is a course about business, economomics, marketing, how to write a business plan, how to create, discover a market, sell a product or service, and how to be a successful Entrepreneur. I am working with local business owners as well providing suggestions and ideas on how to better their business, save money, profit more, and maybe even add jobs to their growing business. Outside of this, I plan on forming a sports and health youth group as an outlet for youth who are seeking a healthy lifestyle away from drugs and alcohol. I will eventually turn it into a study group. On days that I have free I will be teaching an English class in my community for members who want to learn our English language.
Some of these things are possible through the help of Peace Corps. If one does wish to provide help they can do so through paypal: kdfloyd84@gmail.com I am not asking for anything but want to leave the opportunity up to you to give.
Gracias por todos!
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