This week is the week we’ve all been waiting for with baited
breath. Sites were finally assigned on Monday. On Tuesday we had our
project partner days where we met the people who had requested that
volunteers be sent to the communities and then we went with them to
visit the community we’ll be living in for the next two years. I was
completely surprised and a bit overwhelmed when I got to my site and
they had thrown me a welcoming party. Around thirty members of the
community of El Cedro, Miches attended, listened to my introduction and
my project partners’ presentations, and ate. I was amazed that they had
enough food for all those people. A full dinner, too.
My host family is lovely. The mother is the secretary of the school, the father owns an auto repair shop that’s somewhat, kind of connected to their house. They have four boys between the ages of 17 and 22. Thank god two of them already have girlfriends. I was really afraid there for a second. The house is also very nice with 24-hour electricity and running water. There is no cell reception with the Peace Corps’ network, but the family has been quite generous in sharing their phone minutes so far. The best part about this place, though, is the view. We’re nestled in the foothills of the mountain range, green as green could be, and a river runs practically in the back yard – if there were distinct yards. The beach is minutes away as are a couple of lagoons. The only unfortunate thing is, of course, the presence of roosters in the morning and another bird, yet to be named, who fills the night with its all but lovely chirping on half second intervals to accompany the blasting music from down the road. Oh the noise.
The pueblo of El Cedro (meaning the cedar) is small, there is one school for all grades with a total of about 600 students and 11 teachers. I asked to be placed in a town exactly like this, with a motivated group of teachers and facilitators, which they all seem to be. They also have a fully functioning CTC (community technology center) complete with kindergarten and small library. I feel as though I’ve struck a gold mine, yet I’m not quite sure what to do with it now that I’ve got it. I am the only ICT volunteer out of 22 who has been assigned to work jointly with two labs, the school’s and the CTC’s, but they both seem so organized already that even with two labs, I’m afraid I’ll be difficult to find an area where I can help. When I return to begin my 3 month diagnostic after swearing in, I plan on sitting in on each of the teachers classes, to get to know them and their methodologies as well as the students. I also plan on observing the classes at the CTC. Other than that, vamos a ver.
My project partners seem great so far. One is the math teacher at the school and another is an encargado at the CTC. During our mini-seminar before departing to our sites, we planned out a rough itinerary for this week, something which they enjoyed doing and have actually adhered to thus far with punctuality, which is incredibly impressive. So far I’ve been presented to all of the morning classes at the school, the attendees of tonight’s Catholic church service (the experience of which I’ll refrain from elaborating on), boys at the basketball court, people at the ice cream shop and in various family’s homes. I look forward to Friday’s activity – a safari around the area including both lagoons, the beaches, and nearby towns.
There is so much more to say, so much that I’m feeling and experiencing, yet I’m not quite sure how to say it. The only thing I can really put into words is – wow – it’s actually happening. I mean, this is it. This is going to be my life for at least the next two years and I have no idea through which paths it might take me. It’s exhilarating, really. Overwhelming, exciting, and exhilarating.
My host family is lovely. The mother is the secretary of the school, the father owns an auto repair shop that’s somewhat, kind of connected to their house. They have four boys between the ages of 17 and 22. Thank god two of them already have girlfriends. I was really afraid there for a second. The house is also very nice with 24-hour electricity and running water. There is no cell reception with the Peace Corps’ network, but the family has been quite generous in sharing their phone minutes so far. The best part about this place, though, is the view. We’re nestled in the foothills of the mountain range, green as green could be, and a river runs practically in the back yard – if there were distinct yards. The beach is minutes away as are a couple of lagoons. The only unfortunate thing is, of course, the presence of roosters in the morning and another bird, yet to be named, who fills the night with its all but lovely chirping on half second intervals to accompany the blasting music from down the road. Oh the noise.
The pueblo of El Cedro (meaning the cedar) is small, there is one school for all grades with a total of about 600 students and 11 teachers. I asked to be placed in a town exactly like this, with a motivated group of teachers and facilitators, which they all seem to be. They also have a fully functioning CTC (community technology center) complete with kindergarten and small library. I feel as though I’ve struck a gold mine, yet I’m not quite sure what to do with it now that I’ve got it. I am the only ICT volunteer out of 22 who has been assigned to work jointly with two labs, the school’s and the CTC’s, but they both seem so organized already that even with two labs, I’m afraid I’ll be difficult to find an area where I can help. When I return to begin my 3 month diagnostic after swearing in, I plan on sitting in on each of the teachers classes, to get to know them and their methodologies as well as the students. I also plan on observing the classes at the CTC. Other than that, vamos a ver.
My project partners seem great so far. One is the math teacher at the school and another is an encargado at the CTC. During our mini-seminar before departing to our sites, we planned out a rough itinerary for this week, something which they enjoyed doing and have actually adhered to thus far with punctuality, which is incredibly impressive. So far I’ve been presented to all of the morning classes at the school, the attendees of tonight’s Catholic church service (the experience of which I’ll refrain from elaborating on), boys at the basketball court, people at the ice cream shop and in various family’s homes. I look forward to Friday’s activity – a safari around the area including both lagoons, the beaches, and nearby towns.
There is so much more to say, so much that I’m feeling and experiencing, yet I’m not quite sure how to say it. The only thing I can really put into words is – wow – it’s actually happening. I mean, this is it. This is going to be my life for at least the next two years and I have no idea through which paths it might take me. It’s exhilarating, really. Overwhelming, exciting, and exhilarating.
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