Recapping last week on MPI NIcaragua: the interns jumped headfirst into their respective new programs, each with challenging responsibilities and exciting roles. How did they fare in their first week on the job? Did they succeed in pulling off their various leadership positions and activities? Read on to find out more:
Teaching. Laxing. Sweating. And having a blast all at the same time. According to intern Zach Ripberger, “I found it both exciting and challenging to plan and execute the lessons more independently.” In math class, both Zach and Maggie took the reigns on enlightening students regarding the intricacies of angles.
On the other hand, intern Amrit has found a passion in Lacrosse the Nations (LtN) and gym classes for she enjoys, “how LtN not only allows students to find an outlet through sports but also how each practice incorporates a lesson on respect, leadership, teamwork, etc.” Who ever said learning couldn’t be fun?
Meanwhile, over at the clinic, interns Esther, Elhaam, Savannah, Chicky, Rachel, and Amanda have jumped in and assisted with patient intake at El Farito--learning about medicine and playing with several adorable babies. Chicky has even been given the chance to shadow with Dr. Wendy at the Cedro Galan clinic and Dr. Helen at the Villa Guadalupe clinic, each of whom have helped her to discover more about her specific passions regarding a future career in medicine. All in all--has this intern group been working hard? Check. Have they been learning Spanish? Si, mucha. Are they still sweating buckets? You bet. But most of all, are they thankful to have a pool? 100%.
Now, let’s flash to the Manna House, where between frequent dips in the pool and Game of Thrones binge-watching sessions, bonding between the interns has proven a huge success. After one late night pool party, Chicky almost accurately imitated Mike’s charming British accent and Team “Becky with the Good Hair” came out on top of intern/PD trivia (pop quiz: what is coprolite? See PD Martha for details). Naturally, the next step for the interns was to take their new-found friendships to the next level with volcano boarding on Volcan Cerro Negro in Leon. As frequently quoted by the interns’ favorite tour guide-turned-best friend Derek, this “radical extreme sport” redefined the words “heights” and “thrill-seeking” for the group as they hiked and sped down a 720-meter volcano. Casual. Overall, the outing resulted in one of the interns almost breaking the daily speed record. In fact, intern Amanda came only several kilometers per hour away from winning the day’s speed competition, clocking in at 67 kilometers per hour instead of 68 (we still claim it counts).
While the remainder of the weekend escape may or may not have included a failed photoshoot at the statuesque Cathedral in Leon’s central square, all in all the interns found fabulous food and inspiring views on virtually every street corner. This action-packed week came to a close with Maggie’s 20th birthday celebration--complete with several renditions of the Nicaraguan birthday song and a cookie-topped funfetti cake courtesy of PD Madeline.
It’s safe to say that with each coming week, the interns have found MPI Nicaragua’s Internship program to not only be educational and thought-provoking, but also a fun and relaxed way to kick off the summer and add a few more sites to their travel logs. Where will the interns be next week? How will they survive the upcoming Murder Mystery Night and the first food-themed Camp JAM activity? Check back with us la proxima semana for a detailed account on the interns’ next adventures.