The Real Reason I'm Here

I don't know if you knew this, but the real reason I joined Peace Corps is to learn how to have and raise babies. It's true. It started like this...first I got my site assignment and the paper I received with the names and ages if my host family listed the age of the youngest member as "baby". When I arrived, I found out that "baby" meant 3 months old. I was a little nervous about this at first, but as it turned out, Victor Raul (aka "baby") is awesome and barely ever cried. Also, at that point he could hold his head up, so I didn't have to worry about the whole supporting-the-head thing that always makes me nervous when holding babies (that and the fear that I'll drop them).

Fast forward to April of this year, I became the godmother of Victor Raul. I'm now a "comadre" (co-mother) with my host mom. Great. But again, it has actually been fine so far since he's an awesome child.

Jump ahead to last week, when, drum roll please, I found out that my host mom is pregnant with her 7th child! I have no words for this. Well yes I do...shock. Holy crap, there's going to be a pregnant woman in my house and a new born come May 2010.

Additionally, I can't tell you have many conversations between señoras I've been privy to in which they discuss in detail pregnancy, child birth and child rearing. They usually joke that they're scaring me off from having kids, which is partly true, but not completely. While child birth does freak me out, I definitely listen to what these women talk about because let's face it, these fertile women know what they're talking about! They dedicate their lives to having and raising children.

So now you know. Maybe when I come back I’ll become a midwife (that's a joke).

On another note, my bathroom project was accepted by the NGO Builder's Beyond Borders. What does this mean? 2 groups of high school students will be coming to my town early next year to build bathrooms for 44 lucky families. I'm thrilled to be a part of this project, but there is a mountain of coordination/planning to get ready for it.

Also, I'll be in Michigan from December 21-30. I hope to see as many of you as possible. I can't wait!