Today had a rough start, after a fitful night’s unrest and a bout
of something similar to homesickness. The theory that Peace Corps time
differs from real time has begun to materialize for me yet again. Each
day seems so much longer, for all that we learn and all that we make.
When emails get lost or the internet fails us once again, I’ve found
that there’s always a way out of what seems like darkness. Since I’ve
been here, frustration has materialized in the rather strange form of
giddiness and a relishing of humor other than sarcasm. The first time I
felt distanced from real time, this was all I needed. I laughed with
newfound friends and received a hand made card the next day, though I
was already feeling back to normal. This time, it took a little more.
When the laughter subsided and I was left to my own devises under the
canopy of my mosquito net, I felt uneasy. After an entire day of
festering fear, the phone finally connected and all it took was a voice
from miles away to restore my relative joviality – even though the phone
card ran out at eight minutes flat.
But why have I become so dependant on the spoken reassurance that people are missing me on the other end? Perhaps because I have fallen into Peace Corps time, the Twilight Zone on an island where knowledge of the past seems more like a wish than truth. Or perhaps I have never been able to admit how much strength I draw from knowing people miss me. So let me say now that every word sent from you to me means the world. That yes, I am able to bear the distance because I have the faith that you’ll be there when I return, our bond as strong as ever – but a reminder every now and then never hurt.
On a completely different note, I had my first interview with my APCD (Associate Peace Corps Director – in charge of the site placements) and my PCVL (volunteer leader), who I of course told that I would really, really, really like a place near a clean water source where I might benefit from the occasional hydrotherapy. Though, in a slight adjustment of procedure, I was asked a question pertaining to skills I never thought would be so popular in the DR. Apparently, a group of second year volunteers has set out on a mission to create a telenovela based on all the charlas for the Escojo Mi Vida series. None of them have much production experience, so they’ve asked me if I’d be interested. Um – yes! So after training and my three months of the community diagnostic phase, I will be taking part in the production and postproduction of the Peace Corps’ very first education soap opera.
And this is why I love my life.
But why have I become so dependant on the spoken reassurance that people are missing me on the other end? Perhaps because I have fallen into Peace Corps time, the Twilight Zone on an island where knowledge of the past seems more like a wish than truth. Or perhaps I have never been able to admit how much strength I draw from knowing people miss me. So let me say now that every word sent from you to me means the world. That yes, I am able to bear the distance because I have the faith that you’ll be there when I return, our bond as strong as ever – but a reminder every now and then never hurt.
On a completely different note, I had my first interview with my APCD (Associate Peace Corps Director – in charge of the site placements) and my PCVL (volunteer leader), who I of course told that I would really, really, really like a place near a clean water source where I might benefit from the occasional hydrotherapy. Though, in a slight adjustment of procedure, I was asked a question pertaining to skills I never thought would be so popular in the DR. Apparently, a group of second year volunteers has set out on a mission to create a telenovela based on all the charlas for the Escojo Mi Vida series. None of them have much production experience, so they’ve asked me if I’d be interested. Um – yes! So after training and my three months of the community diagnostic phase, I will be taking part in the production and postproduction of the Peace Corps’ very first education soap opera.
And this is why I love my life.
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