So, it has been ENTIRELY too long since my last post. A friend whom I met in Ecuador sent me a message asking for the link to my blog, and since me daba verguenza (I was embarrassed) I decided it was probably time I got to updating.
Life here is going. We have been at site exactly nine months May 20th and I can hardly believe it. We arrived in Ecuador almost a year ago, which I also can barely believe. I am very excited that I will be visiting home around the one year mark and the end of June for a few weeks, it will be great to reconnect and visit with family and friends and have a taste of what I have been missing!
As far as work, I am trudging along. I am currently teaching lots of English and little much more, but school just started and I need to get my foot in the door so I can arrange my charlas (health presentations) later. I am also working with a youth group which is sponsored by the municipal and there are some super pillas (intelligent) kids in the group, and I hope to start a new program focused on Sexual and Reproductive Health with them. As they say there are definitely days when you are too busy, but there are definitely more days when you are not busy enough in the Peace Corps. Although, my friend Lisa made me feel better right before she COS'd (finished her service) she told me that even if I am just hanging out and talking with the women and kids in my community that I am working, and that really gave me a lift. I believe it is often difficult for volunteers to feel they are truly needed or effective, especially those of us that live close to urban centers, or live in communities where volunteerism is not quite understood or embraced. More so, it's often difficult because I am not in the middle of no where, this is no Ghana, Ecuador is pretty developed for a 3rd world country, and sometimes when you pass a Hilton or a Mcdonald's on your way to the post office, it's almost surreal. I know many of us have felt that this is not the experience we expected at all in the Peace Corps, but at the same time I think that is what makes the experience unique and so wonderful, because you cannot really define it or put it into a mold.
Although Peace Corps Ecuador is often, and fairly, called posh corps, there are definitely many of us who are roughing it. Especially one of my closest friends who is living in a casa de cana (house made from Cane) with no cell phone reception... we definitely all still have challenges. From the constant fear of being robbed in the cities, to my personal fear of the bats flying in my house, Peace Corps is definitely no cakewalk. The challenges that most people feel are difficult: being away from family and friends, learning another language, putting aside advancing your education, or an awesome job are the challenges that I, and I feel many of my mates, have long risen above. Now we are just living the day to day, praying to catch the last buses back to our sites, and praying that the someone understands and learns from our charlas (talks) or that the kids in your classroom will be quiet for five minutes. I can honestly see my personal progress in patience and acceptance of the things that I have no control over, but I also realize that I have so much further to go.
So, as I near a year in mi linda Ecuador (in my beautiful Ecuador) I hope that this upcoming year is even better than the past, challenges, parasites, and horrible bus rides and all.... bring it on.
