Maria's Spanish Immersion Program

 Maria is enrolled as an “active listener” at a local private Catholic school.  aka Spanish Immersion.

It seems the catholic schools school calendars in Nicaragua rival even the best of the US private schools.  Here has been the schedule the first 3 weeks:

• Week #1: No school Friday (Assumption of some Patron Saint)
• Week #2: No school Monday (Day after HIPICA – big horse parade)
• Week #3: No school Friday (last Friday of the month)

The curriculum actually seems to be a little more advanced then US standards but there doesn’t seem to be the parental involvement that we have been accustomed to.  Last week Maria turned in a home work assignment.  She was 1 of 7 students who turned in the project (velocity of water) out of about 34 students in the class.

Maria has tutoring twice a week with two young Americans women who are directors of The Peace Project.   http://www.thepeaceprojectnicaragua.org/  Sarah and Caitlan run an after-school-program at a public school at Laguna de Apoyo and have been a great help to Maria (and parents) during the transition.

Making friends when you are not completely fluent can be a challenge but Maria has made several friends at school.  Below are a couple of her friends, who came over one after to work on the school project.  Notice...by Maria' hand...a pocket dictionary...and in front of her friend, the ipad translator at work.  Both work well :) .