The Gringa's in Town

From 9-23

I was sad last night- missing home, my peeps... but I woke up this morning and it was a new day. I spent the morning teaching my neighborhood kids how to make frienship bracelets. They loved it! Then I went to the school and made more stuff with the first and second grade kids- now there’s a fun bunch! They make me feel like a rockstar, they are all so fascinated by the gringa. I love them. It’s nice to be around kids like them after working the last few years with middle schoolers who are too worried about being cool and give teachers and adults a hard time. I went home with my hands full of stuff they colored and made, and I decorated the walls of my house with it. It’s nice to look at my walls and know that there are kids in this town that love me.
The internet was finally fixed at the school today. I spent a good two hours emailing and facebooking... it took so long because the connection there is slow. I am going to have to write my blogs from home now and then wait to get to the school to put them up... Because I don’t have mobile internet anymore out here in the campo, countryside. So unfortunately the blogs will not be in real time like they were before... But they will still be there and as insightful and interesting as I can make ‘em. :)
I spent so much time on the internet that when I looked at my watch I was late for the ADESCO (city council) meeting. My host dad is president and he wanted me to be there to introduce me to the council. So I ran home and put on my professional looking Peace Corps polo... and walked into the meeting a bit late but it’s fine there were plenty of others late too. He gave me a very nice introduction... although he only referred to me as the joven, the young one... No one here can remember my name. It is so hard for them to say Amy too. Anyway, he made me give a little schpiel, about who i am what i am here to do... Then he went on with talking about how much they will be able to achieve in the community now that I am here. I’m like- Whoa Buddy! I am a youth development volunteer. Here to work with kids. And he is expecting me to help them repair roads and reconstruct buildings and get them supplies... I said right there in the meeting that is not what I am here to do. Also that I don’t come with money, only with my abilities. Sure it would be great if I could give them all that. And I’m not ruling out the possibilty that I can help them by maybe getting grants or working with them to help them organize their efforts to accomplish these projects... But still, it’s not my focus of work. Anyway, I stood up for myself there, and I think they received it pretty well. At the same time, it is awesome that I am in a community that is so enthusiastic and motivated to work with me. There is plenty of work to keep me busy here. Many volunteers end up in places where the people are not motivated to work and they spend most of their 2 years of service in their hammock reading books. I am lucky... I’ll keep busy here for sure. So we’ll see. I’ll do what I can.
OK! Time to watch some Big Bang Theory on my laptop before I go to bed.
PAZ y AMOR!


P.S. There are tons of tiny cockroaches all over my house.
And- I have had beans and tortillas for every single meal since I got to this town. I can’t take it anymore. Tomorrow I am buying a stove and a fridge so I can make my own food in my house. Guess that won’t help with the cockroach problem.
And- There is a tropical storm heading this way. That means lots of rain this weekend and the country is on alert for mudslides... Which also means I won’t have to go on the waterpark excursion I agreed to this sunday with the 8th graders- which is great because i really didn’t want to get up at 5 am to leave- I just want to get some rest!