Saturday, August 22, 2015

update!

I am sorry for my long departure from the blogging world! The 
more time has passed, the harder to keep up with all the new and exciting things going on! So much has happened and it has certainly been a roller coaster ride of up’s and downs, but I will try and touch on the high points. There is about 3 weeks left of PST (Pre-service Training), and it’s hard to believe that I will soon be a Peace Corps Volunteer living and working in my new village.

The past few weeks have been like the rest of PST (pre-service 
training), exhausting, exciting, and a roller coaster of emotions and 
experiences. I continue to get closer and closer to my family. I 
can’t imagine leaving them in a few weeks, and I am beyond 
thankful for the relationship that we have built together. My two 
sisters, Irma (23) and Ara (17) have become two of my closest friends during my time here, and I am so thankful for our constant 
laughs, dance parties, and goofiness. Mixed in with the endless fun, they have also taught me the richness of Belizean culture, life in El Salvador (family of refugees), how to make tortillas (though poorly), and helped immensely with my Spanish (while we all laugh at my horrible Spanglish, of course!). Thankfully, this village is nearby the office, so I know I will see my family throughout the next two years when I go into the Peace Corps office. A few days ago, I even made them Shakshuka, my favorite Israeli/middle Eastern cuisine that is loaded with veggies, tomato sauce, and fried eggs cooked into the mixture (not main staple in Hispanic diet).  Though they were certainly skeptical, I think they enjoyed it! My favorite part of all of it, was how they ate it with a tortilla (eaten at every meal)! It truly felt like a blending of my two worlds!





                                                              My sister, Ara!

The past few weeks, I have had the fortune of being able to play tourist a few times and getting to see the beauty of Belize. A few weeks ago, I went with my family to xunantunich, one of the best Myan Ruins in Belize. It is truly a spectacular site surrounded by the lush dense jungle of Belize.






My sister, Irma!! 

                                                                                                                                                         The whole family (almost!).

My amazing Mama! Love her dearly! She is one of the most 
amazing women I have ever met!

 

Riding in the back of a pickup is the main means of transport in 
this country, and it has definitely taken some getting used to 
(don’t worry, mom and dad!). Additionally, twice a month, Peace Corps takes Trainees on a field trip/ Culture Day. There are about 7 different ethnic groups here in Belize (in a population of 350,000)! These ‘field trips’ provide great insight into the complex cultural and ethnic makeup within the country. Last week, we had the opportunity to visit a Kriol village where we learned how to cook their version of rice and beans (with lots of coconut milk), roasted cashews (for cashew wine), learned some traditional dances, etc. I really love the West-African Influence that has shaped the Kriol culture and remains in small ways throughout the country. Other tourist excursions have been wonderful also. From visiting the majestically beautiful Blue Hole National Park with my good friend, Jade’s family to enjoying the nearby river with my brother, sisters, and 3 good friends, I am definitely enjoying the natural beauty of my new home. These small get-aways are much needed and unbelievably enjoyable after 60+ hours a week of training and the stress of Pre-Service Training.



 My good friend, Grace- Love her dearly!!      


 Bird nest!

                        The Beautiful Blue Hole National Park!!



As looks might be a bit deceiving, I promise my life here isn’t all 
play! Training continues to be rigorous, long, and tiring. A typical day tends to be 10-12 hours, full of language learning, technical training, community development, language learning, etc. Someone described PST as trying to drink from a fire hydrant…I would absolutely agree! Thankfully, I really enjoy the training, and it has been a great balance of information learning and practical application of the material and theories. For example, following our extensive training on community development and sustainable initiatives, we were placed in groups and were tasked with conducting analysis of community needs, community mapping, community assessment, and plans for action. This involved speaking with community leaders/members to gather information and present. The peace corps has had 54 years to learn from their mistakes and refine the process of community development work. They learned the utmost importance of process, planning, observation, relationship building and how to implement sustainable projects, and I am thankful for their progressive approach to development! 

Our time living in Valley of Peace (our training community) has given us a lot of time to implement other initiatives as well. We have weekly literacy night for the community where the children come out to practice their English and reading skills. We also use this time to discuss health (as we are health volunteers!). The first session we had a great handwashing activity that the kids greatly enjoyed. After explaining germs and how to properly wash/when to wash hands, we lathered the kid’s hand with glitter ‘germs’ and they practiced their newly acquired handwashing skills- with soap for 20 seconds (length of ‘happy birthday’ song, which we sang to each child)! It was lots of fun, and I think the message really got across! Our next activity was a nutrition lesson. Starting at 1-2 years, children eat multiple bags of chips, cokes, and popsicles a day (ideals). Our nutrition lesson went well and including a healthy snack at the end. It will take a long time for behavioral change to occur, but getting the kids excited and motivated has been really great to watch.





It is so hard to believe that I only have a few weeks left in Valley of Peace and of Peace Corps training. This also means, I only have a few weeks left with my group of fellow volunteers and good friends. We have formed a support team like none other I have ever been a part of. We are there for each other through sickness, cultural challenges/culture shock, problems back home, etc. No more time to update....but stay tuned to find out my new site placement!

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