The Big Meeting

How do you guys feel about Jaime being here in the community?

Bien….Good.

That´s how my General Assembly meeting ended. Pretty much sums it up. I talked for about 30 mins, showed photos of my family, talked about my hobbies, showed my sketchpad, explained the Peace Corps, pointed to posters I had made, revealed what I had learned about the community and where I thought I could help... all while about 90 expressionless faces stared at me. Some were talking to there neighbors, semi-oblivious that I was talking. Some clearly had no effing idea what I was saying, some slightly mesmerized by the chele gringa standing before them speaking spanish, and maybe a handful listening to what I was saying.

And after all that talking, mine and those who were talking over me, an awkward silence ensued. I smiled awkwardly. Not sure if I should bow or something. Or not knowing if an applause was coming or if maybe I should say something else.

But finally some guy wanted to know how the community felt about me. And in a place where ¨pena¨ or embarassment is at the forefront of everyones personality, I was happy that I actually got a response. Even if it was just Bien. Good- they liked me.

Anyway, my boss said that the meeting went well and was as thoroughly surprised and impressed as I was at the turnout. I was worried at first since the meeting was supposed to start at 130 and at 2 there were about 10 ppl there. But before I knew it, there were ppl spilling out of the Comunal House and passerbyers on the street were pausing for a glimpse at me in action. It felt good.

For me it means that I have a community who wants to work. People will help me find ways to improve the houses, the roofs, the streets. People will show up to learn how to make hammocks, jewelry, soap, bread. I will be able to form committees for education and youth groups. The girls will assemble to form a soccer team. We will find a way to improve the water system to the lower part of town and possible irrigate the fields. Adults will show up to learn how to read, write, multiply and even learn how to be better parents and role models. Maybe we can start farms, maybe we can make a business out of selling their fruit, maybe we can find new ways to prosper from the hemp that grows here plentifully. All I know is that I am lucky to have a community like mine and I need to start to find ways to capitalize on the human resources I have here.

Unfortunately, I have been pretty occupied cleaning up diarrea that seems to be spraying from my dogs backside in all directions. Sorry to be vulgar but its just how it is. I can´t sugar coat it. And it went from funny, to disgusting, to pull my hair out annoying, to mornings where gagging got me out of bed even before the kidney infection onset. And now, I´m scared. He has had diarrea for 5 days. He is tired. He refused to eat besides his frequent visits to the neighbors lawn for a helping of cow caca or chicken shit if thats all there is to offer nearby. Probably the cause of the parasits or amoebas which I´m fairly positive he has. He may die. Either from the diarrea or from the injections that I have succumbed to letting the AgroServicio (pretty much means chicken breeder) give him. And I haven´t decided whether the beetles, spiders and ants he eats are good or bad for him. He needs protein from somewhere...

Lets think funny thinks so I dont worry about him too much:

My little lover, a 20 year old, semi-bolo who I cant understand but have received several marriage proposals from, repeatedly blew me kisses and interrupted my interview with my boss to ask if we could go somewhere together.

Showering in the rain feels really awesome.

I ripped my pants during a house visit. I swear Im not that fat its just scrubbing jeans with a brush does a lot of wear and tear..... mas yoga. And since my clothes are instantly dirty after 5 mins out in the campo, I have amassed 2 large bags of dirty ropa and I will now be paying the neighbor to do half on her rock.

I may or may not be counting down the days to a beach reunion with other volunteers :/

I am now cooking refried beans and platanos on a daily basis. But throw in some pasta every so often. I also average 5 mangos a day. And have learned that you can eat fruit here at any stage of the game. While in the US we only like fruit ripe, here you eat them ripe, semi'ripe and unripe, all are different flavors. And I now like green mangos better...

One of the many ninos that run into my house as soon as I opened my door asked if she could pee in my bathing area yesterday. I said, well there is a letrine over there. And she said, yea, but can I pee here? Okay. Not sure why but I guess thats fine with me...

As for you Amanda, yes I think you need to start my own blog because it now takes me just about as long to read your comments as it does to write a new post. Danielle, you always have underestimated me. And I miss you both, plus Christina even though she is too busy with high school drama to read my blog! Mom and Dad, I love and miss you too.

Other friends who read this, thanks :) Glad to know people still remember me even though I am lost in some little piece of central america.

xoxo