Two Year Roller Coaster

Every day, no every hour, in the Peace Corps is so different from the previous one with indescribable ups and downs, highs and lows. I wake up expecting one thing to occur, but by the end of the day a million other things have transpired...some coming at me completely out of left field...

Today, I wasn't really sure what to expect, and to be quite honest, I was dreading going out in the 40ish degree weather...I was dreading having to wait an hour outside the office in the blistering Quiché cold for my counterpart (host country national who is, for all intents and purposes my partner at work) who always shows up late. And even though I know this, my stupid work ethic keeps me from being anything but punctual...However, I forced myself out of the warmth of my my many, many covers only to find a missed call from my host dad from San Luis Las Carretas (SLLC) (from my first host family). I called him back and he said that he was going to be in Quiché, because he had some business there and hoped that if I wasn't too busy we could grab some coffee. Too busy...ha ha! Don't make me laugh. Considering I still have no idea what the heck my job entails and I spend many hours listening to my counterpart make phone calls (some of them very interesting, like when a friend called her for medical advice for her sick baby, and my counterpart replied that the child was suffering from the evil eye and the mom should draw a cross on the child's head, get holy water, and pray....yes, I swear, this actually happened), I told him I was sure my counterpart would allow me to meet up with him.

Best Monday ever! I love my first host family so much. I was very lucky with them; we just seemed to click. I remember when I first got to that house in SLLC. My host mom and sister were making tamales, and even though I had no idea what I was doing, I joined in and we just starting chatting about all sorts of random things, including of course what most conversations in guatemala center on--boyfriends and marriage (poo poo to both...!). We fell in to an instant comfort right from the get-go. Anyway, it was nice to catch up with my host dad and hear about my host family and how they all miss me (it makes me feel loved!). Most of all, it was just nice knowing that somewhere in Guatemala there are people who get me and who care about me and consider me family. And who I can always turn to (He reminded me that I have to visit...and I intend on going back when I am finally allowed to travel)...

After we met for coffee, I brought him to the office to meet my counterpart, which was an awesome idea, because I think me introducing him to my counterpart showed my counterpart that 1) I am a human being, not just a strange North American and 2) I must be a somewhat decent human being if, in fact (in the words of my host dad) I "won the hearts of my entire family" (his exact words, I swear!). It was also nice to have a parental-like figure bragging about me to my counterpart, just to reassure her that, indeed, I am quite capable...and likeable!!! Or at least some people find me likeable, anyway!!!

So after my host dad left and we said our goodbyes, I was met with yet another surprise...

my counterpart gave me a KEY to the office! This may not seem like a huge deal to anyone other than myself, but let me reassure you all, this was, indeed, a momentous occasion. To me this signified that she is beginning to trust me, if just ever so slightly, more. Also, it means I no longer have to sit out in the cold, freezing my bum off. Happy days!!!

For me it is these little surprises that make it all worth it. Even though there have been, and will be many more ups and downs, the Peace Corps is a roller coaster that I am willing to ride for the next two years, because the highs make it all worth it...or maybe i am just an adrenaline junky and like the rush...or maybe I am a masochist...!