2 years...wow

I´m now in my 3rd full day at site as an official Peace Corps Volunteer.

The swearing-in ceremony was held on Friday at the training center. We were one of the only training groups (I heard the only, but maybe us and one other group) to have all members swear-in, so that was exciting. The ceremony was very nice with speeches from one of the host-moms, a guy from the embassy, and a fellow trainee, Douglas, who gave an amazing speech even though he was very sick and vomitted right before and after his speech. Then we all made our tearful goodbyes to our host-families. I wasn´t sure if I would cry, but as soon as I hugged my 5 year old sister, I could feel the tears welling up. I had thought that my 12 year old sister couldn´t come the the ceremony because she wouldn´t get home from school in time, but I later learned that she did in fact get home in time, but didn´t want to come because she knew she would be upset and cry...I think my heart broke into a million pieces when I heard that. But I was able to talk to her on the phone and of course I will get to see the whole family whenever I go back to the training center over the next couple of years.

So here I am now at site. So far I´m feeling a little lost. I wake up each morning wondering how I can fill my day so as not to get bored. It´s...kind of working. I checked in with the health post, but I always seem to get confused looks when I talk to the people there. My municipality guy, Walter, is always very helpful and accompanied me to Humay (where the municipality actually is - about a 20 min drive from my site) to meet the mayor. Beyond that I´ve been handing out the official letters that my APCD (my WatSan director) gave us to officially present ourselves to various community members. Peruvians are big on having official documents and getting them stamped so, under the advice of Walter, I made sure to get copies of each letter and have the copy signed and stamped for my own files. Now I have credibility...yes!

Tomorrow I will go to Pisco which is the biggest city near me and get a dresser, set up my PO Box and do some other stuff that I can´t do here in Bernales. On Friday I have a introduction at a school in Humay. Beyond that...well I´m not sure. I almost just want to jump in and start my community diagnostic, which I think I will next week, but I need to get the forms which are on a disc, which I can´t access from the local internet cafe. I really need to spend a day or 2 just going through information and getting a plan of attack, but it´s difficult without a computer. it seems strange to say that, I mean this is Peace Corps, right? Computer access doesn´t seem like it would be necessary, but we do actually have a survey with valuable information that my APCD needs for data collection purposes. I also want to add to the survey so that I can have thorough information, but again, I need a computer to really get that all organized. Ugh! In the meantime I feel like I´m kind of at a stand still and I´m worried that people are going to wonder when I´m going to start "working." Maybe I will talk to my municipality guy and see if there´s another computer somewhere that I can use. I´d like to say that I wish I had a laptop, but 3 volunteers have already had thiers stolen since arriving here, so I think I´m better without one. Still, it´s hard.

I finished reading my book today, which was my excuse to go to the plaza and just hang out. That way I was not staying in my house and it gave people a chance to talk to me if they wanted (which a few people did). All of my other books and reading material are in a box in Lima waiting to be sent to me...ugh again. So I guess I will read through my World Map Project manual which we received after swearing in which is the only reason it´s not in the box with the rest of my reading material.

Due to this free time, and in hopes of looking like I´m actually doing something, I´m thinking about starting the World Map Project and possibly start teaching some English classes (I haven´t the faintest idea how to do the latter, but I figure I´ll just figure it out and start with basic conversation depending on the ages of attendees). Maybe I´ll also start a garden in my back yard...we´ll see.

I hope I am not souding negative. I expected the beginning to be like this - a little awkward, feeling a little lost, etc. - and it is just that. I am still very hopeful of future projects and really want to get started doing the community disgnostic so I can really meet/get to know people and start getting an idea of projects to do.

I made the comments section public, so hopefully you all can post comments if you´d like. I would love to hear from all of you. I will set up my PO Box soon (tomorrow hopefully) and send that info out ASAP. Take care and talk to you soon!