Homecoming

This past week my training class and I had our (belated) midservice conference. Due to elections and severe weather, the Peace Corps postponed our midservice conference by three weeks, so even though our plans to stay together at the Earth Lodge outside of Antigua were canceled, it was still nice to finally come together with my training class, discuss the challenges and triumphs of the last year, and just catch up with friends from my training class I haven't seen in months.

During midservice conference, as a training class we celebrated the completion of our first year of service, which is a huge milestone in a volunteer's service, especially for me, since my first year was filled with many a challenge, including (but definitely not limted to) my counterpart-diablo ( I swear, I am moving past evil, evil she-devil who shall remain nameless) and my second host family's racist and inappropriate comments about me being Osama Bin Laden's daughter.

According to most volunteers, after mid-service it is all down-hill because you know the lay of the land and are better euipped to handle living in and serving within a different culture from your own. Additionally, you have met those key people that will want to work with you...I am not sure how true this is for me since I have only been in my new site for about six months...I feel like I am only just starting to meet people--both in terms of potential community counterparts and friends and surrogate family. It is a LONG process. I think for me it means that in about six more months I will finally feel like my feet are on the ground and I know what the hell is going on...and then I will have like 5 more months of service until I fly home...GAH. Better late than never?

Anyway, midservice was also great because I went back and stayed with my first host family. And it was just like going home. The kids all remembered me, and when I entered the gate, I heard little voices yelling, "Noorita! Noorita!" Then I was completely surrounded by my host nieces and nephews as they enveloped me in hugs. It was amazing. I wish all of my peace corps' service could feel like this...simple and umcomplicated. Oh, well at least I know I always have a home in San Luis Las Carretas with the Menchus...where it all began for Noorita Menchu =)

Maybe by the time I finish up my peace corps service and leave Chiché, I will have another surrogate family that I will feel as close to as my first family and will have to adopt another last name, and truly be Guatemalan with three last names!