Showing’em the Ropes

coffee blossoms.

These past two weeks were relaxing at first then turned busy before I even realized it. After returning from the whirlwind of the Eye Care Campaign in Perquin, it was tough coming back to site after being on my feet all day, translating, moving around, talking, helping, and just being “on” so to speak. I took a few days in site to just be with my host family to relax and recoup. This may or may not have including making a batch of brownie batter, having every intention of baking them…then slowly eating the batter over a few days (I did not add raw egg don’t worry), this is obviously normal. Right? Duh.

Walking to grind the Maiz...

Anyways, in other news, I have been working on a grant for computer classes for youth in my community to take a course on the introductory concepts of using computer. I wanted the class to focus on the importance of taking care of a computer, creating a document, learning Microsoft programs and managing the internet. Most kids just seem excited to learn facebook. But, I take it as a motivator. There will be around 10-11 kids in the class and I am really looking forward to it. So, the grant was approved, YEA!!!  Had to have the director of the school and my counterpart sign all the legal paperwork (No I am not responsible for this and this and where do I sign?), but that took hiking to the pueblo for 45 minutes, missing the bus to come back home, NOT hitching a ride back home, then finding a day my school director was actually IN the school to sign them. It took all week. Fortunately, I am sending the documents into the Peace Corps office on Monday to move along the paperwork and get the money to start classes!

 Lena for the rainy season and Erika & I at Abuela's house :-)

Besides computer classes, been trying to collaborate with the mayor’s office in my pueblo in doing training's for youth in the region. Had a meeting with their youth director (he’s the same age as me) to try to coordinate schedules with the Instituto (we don’t have high school within 30 minutes of where I live, this is a 2 years shorter replacement) students to give classes maybe once a week in preparing for post-graduation experiences. Such as figuring out what they want to do with their lives, creating a resume, practicing job interviews, etc. I have a whole wonderful guidebook on each of these sessions fortunately that Peace Corps in their library of random manuals, I hope it works out.  Besides that, I have submitted a solicitud (formal request) to the US Embassy for book donations for the small library in my school. We shall see how all these things work out, but either way….it’s making time go by faster!

Armadillo for dinner?

Speaking of learning, this weekend I hosted a trainee who is a part of the new training group which arrived in January! All the trainees visited Peace Corps Volunteers (they are only trainees for now, will be sworn in as PCV’s in April) this weekend to “immerse” themselves in the campo life. My trainee is named Andrea and she is adorable. I was impressed with her attitude to do just about anything. She was a go-getter and reminded me a lot of myself during training. It was a blast being the “old/more experienced” volunteer for the first time and teaching a newbie the ropes. It was a great weekend, minus the random wind storm that started on Saturday, all of a sudden late afternoon it was FREEZING. The wind was so strong that during the night I thought the roof was going to fall off (it has in the past according to my host mom).

Andrea was a good sport and we did some hiking and spend time visiting families and giving her opportunities to practice her Spanish. I think once she gets to site, she’ll be just fine. J

This is a short and sweet update, but I don’t have much to report. Tuesday I am heading out to my best friend’s site, Miss Jamie to help give some arts and crafts classes at her school, it’ll also be fun to visit her and is literally on the opposite side of the country of where I live. It’ll be a lot of traveling. In other news, I have a friend coming to visit towards the end of March! Miss Maggie will be able to experience all things Salvadoran for a week in the campo. I may or may not be counting down the days till she arrives! 

Get ready for adventures with her next update. ;-)