Hello out there in cyberspace! I realize it has been like a month since my last post, but I have kind of been in Peace Corps Limbo. After reconnect I realized that I could not continue at my site because there was just no working with my counterpart. Luckily, I have a great APCD and project specialist who were willing to give me a site change. However, site changes don't happen over night. So, I have spent the last month visiting other volunteers, helping with their projects, and traveling to antigua and the peace corps office for various events (since I have the time to do so).
While it has been nice to visit other volunteers and see their amazing projects come to life, it has been a little frustrating and depressing as I feel like my peace corps experience really has yet to begin and while I am proud of my fellow volunteers for all that they are accomplishing, I have to admit I am jealous, because I can't really say I have accomplished that much (as of yet, but I know that will change). Also, while I try to keep myself busy, I can't help but feel like i am stuck in this liminal state...just waiting...and there is no other way to describe this feeling than "blah"...
However, this last week I spent taking a refresher of spanish classes and visiting my training host family, which always makes me feel better. Funnily enough, my host family and I both agreed that after a week of spanish refresher classes, my spanish is actually worse off...I hope it is just because my mind is tired and everything is jumbled...Anyway, it was nice to be somewhere resembling "home"...It was nice to be with my guatemalan family. Whenever I go back there, it feels like I never left. They told me that I should ask my director to just be placed with them...!
Additionally, my two host nephews told me they had a present for me. They presented me with a tiny package of newspaper. Within the newspaper was a "piedra magica"...a magical stone they had found in a nearby river. They proudly presented me the brilliant shining stone and told me, "It is magical. The shininess will make it so that you are always happy. And also this will help you to never forget us"...
As weird as this past month has been without having a site or work, when my host nephews presented me with my magical stone, I almost cried out of happiness. I felt so loved and appreciated! As bad as things have been with my counterpart and with work, I have made some great connections in this country. I have a second family here in Guatemala. And even though at times I feel like my peace corps experience hasn't started, it began the day I arrived in this country. Everyone's experience is different, but that doesn't mean it is any less "peace corps"...
