So, first I want to apologize in advance for what will most likely be a very long and grammatically incorrect reading experience; thinking in Spanish for the last 3 months has ruined my English, which is sad because I used to be such a grammar snob...oh well...I did hear that the Peace Corps does change people…! =)
Anyway, the last three months have been a whirlwind to say the least, and I am barely able to catch my breath as I write this. I have had so many adventures and great experiences, some all time highs, and very, very few lows (thank goodness), and I can't believe that my three months of training are almost up (this Friday marks the training end date!). For those of you unfamiliar with the Peace Corps experience, the first three months is spent in training in local communities. For this reason, I have been living with a wonderful family, who I really have come to love, for the last three months. My host parents are kind and very generous, and all the adults have an awesome sense of humor, so I can comfortably joke around with them, which is also pretty nice. And the children are always fun to play with, whether it be tag or soccer, or even the occasional English lesson (which they consider playing…!) Saying goodbye will be difficult. My host parents have already told me that they are going to talk to the director and ask if I can just stay with them for the next two years! haha.
The Peace Corps has actually given us some money to throw a thank you party for our families today and to say goodbye in style...we are going to cook them a great feast of spaghetti, garlic bread, and cake (very American, right?? maybe not...but on our peace corps' budget it is all we can afford for about 30 people!!!)
Also, this Friday there is a big, official ceremony at the US ambassador's house where we swear in as REAL Peace Corps Volunteers (I think we get a mini diploma saying we have graduated from trainees to full volunteers; which is a definite Peace Corps Rite of Passage!). Saturday we move to our permanent sites--the place where I will spend the next two years of my life...it is all so crazy...and scary…and exciting…and I can barely process all of it.
So, about the site...
This last week I was able to visit my site, Santa Cruz del Quiché, which is nice because it is a Cabacera (or capital). This means I have an actual grocery store and a Dominos (in case I get homesick for subpar pizza! Yay! And I know I will…), as well as a superb open-air market pretty much seven days a week with most every type of produce I could ever want. After living in my small Aldea (village) (like barely 1,000 people), I have to admit that upon first arriving in Santa Cruz, I was more than a little overwhelmed as the cabacera has about 65,000 inhabitants…which was shocking after being so sheltered these last 3 months. Also, It was a little hard to swallow at first because my partner organization (a women’s non-governmental organization called CODEFEM, which basically stands for the women’s collective for the defense of the woman in English….it sounds better in Spanish, I swear) which partners with municipal governments in an effort to strengthen women’s political participation and access to basic services in line with basic human rights, although is centered in the Cabacera, actually works with 3 municipal governments about 4-6hours away. So, immediately, I was like how in the world am I going to get to know my community if I am never here!
Also, in terms of housing, for the next three months, I have to live with a family (Peace Corps’ policy for the first 3 months of service) (this does not include the three-month training period where we also live with a family). However, my family does not live in the cabacera; they live about 15 minutes away by microbus. And their Aldea is TINY. The whole point of living with a host family is so that they can help you integrate into the community where you work, but my family doesn’t live in the community where I will work…So, anyway, I had all these thoughts floating around, but in true Guatemalan style, I have to remind myself of the very popular Guatemalan adage, “Poco a Poco” (Little by little) and just give myself time to let it all work itself out…which I know at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, it will…
Oh, and a little descriptor of my new house…Rustic…no hot water (sometimes no water in general), bucket baths (when water is accessible) and no flushing toilets (now this is the real peace corps experience! Up until this point I have totally been spoiled in training with the luxury of a real stand up shower and flushing toilets…oh well, good bye material comforts…!) The town is basically one street (I think there are seriously like 10 houses…if that). It is very removed and the area is silent (which is rare for Guatemala!) However, like I said, I just pop on the microbus for 15 minutes to get to the center…
Anyway, while my new host family seems nice (one mom, her two fully grown kids-son, 28 and daughter 26 (so maybe we can be friends! yay!), I am ready to move out to the cabacera and live on my own (so I can feel like a real adult once again!). However, I will take advantage of being surrounded by people, and try to build some strong friendships, like the ones I have already been lucky enough to form with my current host family! And hopefully, poco a poco, I will start feeling like a member of my new community rather than an awkward extranjera (outsider)
So, that is all for now
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