I think I have been putting off writing a blog entry this week with the hopes that something interesting and exciting would happen that I could write about. Bad news- nothing happened! Last weekend I got to meet up with some of my friends from training who I hardly ever get to see because they are in a different department and that was a whole lot of fun. Too much fun to be exact. We danced and had drinks and stayed up all night! It felt so good to be surrounded by the people who really get me here. It was interesting to see how everyone is changing and evolving during our time here.
On Monday I was in Huehue, the department capital, for a meeting with Casa Materna which is a part of Project Concern International. The NGO is going to be sending technicians to a bunch of the aldeas in Santa Eulalie, including mine. They will be setting up improved, healthier kitchens and water systems, creating a school garden and providing the kids with food. This is all very exciting news for me! The NGO also bases its philosophy on the fact that education is the only true route to real change so the technicians will be giving health talks to all the students. I only stayed for the morning part of one day of the three-day training so I am not sure exactly what else the program includes. Either way it will be great having some Guatemalan support in this endeavor to improve the health of my community.
I have been getting letters regularly which has been amazing! Keep them coming please! Getting mail brightens my day! Actually getting the post office man to actually be in his office so I can pick up my mail brightens my day…getting letter brightens my week!!! In a letter I received this week from my dear friend she commented on how reading my blog is seems like I am always: kicking ass and taking names” but in her letter I wrote of some struggles and it is good to know I am being challenged. For everyone else who has not received a said letter I will make an effort to be a little more open. I have really hesitated putting the negative stuff on here because I do not want to seem like Debbie Downer. I also so not want people at home to worry about me too much. With that said let me write some negative…
I have no functioning latrine and no health post!!!! First, the latrine. I was supposed to have a latrine BEFORE I arrived at site but fijese que I still do not have one. After the new one filled with groundwater I was told Peace Corps would send me the materials so I could construct an above ground composting latrine but I still have no materials thanks to the terrible weather we have been receiving. I shall just keep waiting… Second, the lack of health post in my town. It is very frustrating that I would be assigned a site that does not have a health post/center. I have nowhere to go work, no home base, nothing. I see all (minus one) of the other volunteers and they work with their health post staff in the schools and in the communities and have a group of friends. I do not. I have to work out of my house which means I am home WAY too much. It is also almost impossible to get people to meet to schedule my work. No one really understands my role here and thus they struggle with having me work. I FINALLY met and scheduled my October charlas this afternoon which was a huge stress off my shoulders. Now if only I were sure those charlas will actually happen…vamos a ver.
On another note, I have been here 5 months now! How crazy is that! 2 months in site! Time really does fly by fast here even if the days only crawl by ever so slowly.
No comments:
Post a Comment