As I sit in my hammock this morning before it is about 100 degrees outside, I am actually proud of myself for making it two weeks in my site. Considering I have 102 weeks to go, I probably should not revel too much, but since everyday has been a sort of a challenge, I will let myself celebrate just a bit.
I have heard from other volunteers that the trick to surviving is having something to look forward to every month. I saw surviving, not because we are being chased through the jungle by wild animals, or at least most of us are not, but living daily here really is a challenge. Everyday activities that appear to be simple, or at least would be simple in The States have become a complete chore for me here. For example, doing my laundry. While I am incredibly fortunate not to have to go outside and scrub my clothes on a rock here like I did in the Sierra, I now have to face the inconveniences of less than modern technology. So, we have a washing machine. But since I am in the Campo, and indoor plumbing is well, almost only outside, our washing machine hose is connected to nothing and there is no such thing as a spin cycle on this machine. So, to wash clothes I must put the water in by hand with a water hose and then let me clothes wash, and by washing I mean I watch them go around in a circle for about 30 to 40 minutes. After watching my clothes circulate, I have to take them out and put another load into the dirty, soapy water that I just used. After another load I drain all of the water out onto the ground, place my soapy clothes back into the machine and then add more water with the hose. I once again let my clothes circulate for 30 to 40 minutes and then put in the other load after the first set of clothes are finished. Needless to say, this is not the cleanest that my clothes have ever been, but it works…my pants are just a little stiff.
Another recent and relevant example is going to the doctor. I remember being in The States and getting sick, I would call up the doctor’s office, get an appointment, usually that day or at the latest the next, I would drive up in my car, be seen within an hour, go to the drug store, get my meds and be on my happy way. Well, here I live in the campo where the doctors are as sweet as can be, but not always as knowledgeable as you may need them to be. So the Peace Corps has specific clinics, hospitals, and doctors that we are allowed to see. Lucky for me, the nearest clinic or hospital that is approved is two hours away in Guayaquil. So, I have been suffering with this ear infection and in order to go to the doctor I had to take a two-hour bus, and then a $2.00 taxi to the emergency room on Saturday to see a physician. The advantage was that I was seen quickly, the disadvantage was that I had to pay for it and wait to be reimbursed by the Peace Corps after filling out some lengthy forms. Needless to say, I had to make the trip back as well with a horrible fever in a non-air-conditioned bus with people standing up the full length of the aisle for two hours. Thankfully, I had a seat.
Besides being ill, fighting with a washing machine, and having my many run-ins with various creepy crawlers all is not lost here. I spent last week helping out in the subcentro, or clinic, weighing and measuring the local school kids and handing out medicine. I also am learning other skills, one of which is injections, which I plan to keep “learning” for the next two years. I also went way out into the campo with my organization PLAN to help take photos of kids who are a part of their international big brother/big sister program and I had the chance to meet some adorable schools kids. I also spent a day in Guayaquil exploring the big city with my mom and meet up with some other volunteers for lunch and ice cream, so no worries I have still been enjoying myself and learning a ton as well!
Obviously, none of my problems are as grave as many of the people that I am here to hopefully help. These are just examples of adjustment. My host brother’s girlfriend gave me some great advice my first days here, that everything seems really hard and difficult right now, but that in a little while it will all be easy. I believe her; it is just tough to see the future when you are having a hard time getting through the present.
As for my Spanish… it is still a bit weak, but it is getting there. I have a trip to the beach to visit another volunteer to look forward to for this month, so that is covered and as soon as I am able to hear again, I plan to be back in the subcentro full force and hopefully getting things together to begin teaching English as well. I am constantly reminding myself and other volunteers that we have only been here for two weeks, and we have plenty of time to change the world.
