Doing Business

8-14

Where to start? I am hanging out at the casa with the family. We might be going to a pool today. It would be cool to get out and do something different. I finally stopped hiding my laptop from my family. I got tired of having to wait until bed time to use it. It sure did attract a lot of attention when i first whipped it out. But it’s ok. We had fun playing with the camera on the photo booth program. I’ll put some of those pics up.

I’ve only used a latrine a couple of times since I’ve gotten here. I ws lucky enough to get a flush toilet at my house. Of course, there’s never any running water so it doesn’t flush by itself.... you have to pour the water in there yourself to get things down. 1000 times better than latrines.

Why do you need a latrine? Are nasty and gross and all around unpleasant to experience. Jesse, the trainee that was living here in my community until the drama happened the other night.... he was the only trainee in my pueblo that was put in a house with a latrine. He admitted that sometimes he would have to go to the bathroom really bad but he would put it off for hours just because he didnt want to have to go use the latrine. He says that when he sat on it the flies would be shooting up and out between his legs.

One day, I had to go to the bathroom when we were having a meeting at his house. So I asked where the bathroom was, forgetting what he had told me about it. When I saw the latrine, I looked in and saw tons of cockroaches and grasshoppers covering the inside walls of the thing you are supposed to sit on and there were flies everywhere... I decided I would rather hold it. I am sure I will have to get over this fear of latrines if I’m gonna live here for two years. It’s going to take a lot for me to get used to doing my business in something like that. I didnt want his family to be offended that I saw their bathroom and thought it was so disgusting that I would rather be in pain holding it than go in their nasty latrine. So I stood back there on the side of the house and slowly counted to 60 before going back inside... to let them think I used it. Jesse guessed that I didnt really do business back there. I confessed. Maybe I should’ve counted to 100.

I’m thinking about my permanent site. I only have 5 weeks of training left until I go to my home for the next 2 years. My boss says we will all be put in more rural areas. My pueblo right now is a fairly large community...with maybe 6000 residents. I will go live in what is called a canton... which usually has less than 1000. They did this because it’s harder to integrate in larger communities. In a canton, I will know everyone and everyone will know me. It’s supposed to be easier to be successful in your projects. I dont know if it’s so true. I want a pueblo like the one I’m in now. I feel like I am integrating really well here, despite the large size. I know most of the people in my area, all the neighbors.... I meet more people hanging out at the pupuseria every night. My Spanish has improved drastically in just 3 and a half weeks!

Anyway back to my original questions- why do we even need latrines? Why can’t I just do my #1 and 2 out in the grass? I tell ya- if I end up with a latrine in my site... I will probably find myself just doing my business out in the grass to avoid going in the scary shit box. Hopefully I will adjust.

OK! I’m off to spend the rest of my saturday at a waterfall! WOO HOO! We are gonna bring our lunches and picnic and swim... I will try to take pictures!!!