The PD Experience

This is an excerpt from a post that one of our PDs, Kiely, wrote about her experience as a Nicaragua PD thus far. If you're interested in applying for the 2013-2014 PD team, click here!

"I have been a Program Director for four months now. It took me one month to learn how to make the 'tostonés,' or fried plantains, on my own at home so I could basically eat fried deliciousness whenever I wanted. It took me two months to feel as though I had solid friendships in the communities where we work. It took me three months to feel as though I could understand a full conversation in Spanish (which was at a zero percent comprehension-level when I arrived) and four months to feel as though I am now fully at home in my beautiful surroundings. To be a Program Director for Manna means allowing yourself to be swept up in an energetic, excitingly new pace of life. While I joke about the arbitrary benchmarks of my experience, after living in Nicaragua for four months I can say with certainty that I am getting exactly what I wanted out of my choice to become a Program Director. I have learned to actively create or expand new programs, teach classes alongside other PD’s and how to make the necessary decisions about what our community programs may need to become more sustainable in the future. My personal development with Manna thus far was brought home for me today in Chureca with the U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua as we chatted about our experiences as long-term Manna P.D.’s: 'Thank you,' she said to us all after our discussion, 'for being such great ambassadors, yourselves'."