General Assembly

Oh, the General Assembly or Assemblea General - the pinnacle of a volunteer's first six weeks in site. It is a required meeting for every volunteer to officially present themselves to the entire community, explain peace Corps (my letter p is broken on my computer, sorry), explain Youth and Family Wellbeing (my program), the results of our community diagnostic and what we plan to do in the community in the future. It is also one of the official staff visits where one of your program managers comes to watch and help the meeting as well by answering additional questions. Also in attendance were my lovely neighbors (other volunteers) - Anna, Jesse, and Drew. Although, I will admit they actually made me the most nervous. I don't know why but I feel the most nervous talking Spanish in front of other volunteers because they are so good at it and well I am just...

*But I have to add here that my neighbors (while making me nervous) at the same time also made me feel so much better- giving me high encouragement beforehand and praise afterwards- so I am eternally grateful that I live next to some awesome volunteers.*

I spent the entire morning leading up to the meeting pacing around the school and practicing my presentation. (Insert a lot of sweating and bright red cheeks). Nonetheless, we began around 9:45. It was supposed to start at 9:30, but I told all the Salvadorans 9 because, well, time here is just a little bit different. I would post what I said but it is in Spanish and I don't really feel like translating it all into English at this moment. So, here is a rough outline of my agenda and a short explanation of what I did:

Welcome/Introductions- I introduced myself, my community guides, Hector (boss - man), and the other volunteers, and thanked everyone for coming.

An exercise- AHHAHA please do not judge me but I did a breathing / stress relieving exercise. Here is my rationale-- here during my health survey I realized that people here really suffer from headaches and stress related health problems. Unfortunately to handle this, they constantly pop pills or sit outside closed clinics waiting for a doctor who will never show up. So, I did a breathing exercise to teach them, but also to help me calm down before my presentation--two birds with one stone. Score! I think it went over well. haha

About Me-self explanatory

What is peace Corps? What is Youth and Family Wellbeing? -google it
Community Diagnostic- I explained that I went around to houses collecting data, asked people around the community, and simple observed as well.

Results- Biggest community needs in general: permanent doctor/nurse/working clinic, all the kids in school, activities for the kids after school (they are always super bored), help the kids plan for the future, help with English teaching in the school, and help with facilitating community organizations to benefit the youth.

Ideas/Your Ideas- basically my ideas of health programs, youth programs after school in areas of their own interest, and my cooperation with the existing community organizations and forming new ones as needed.

Questions and Answers- Hector explaining more about my role and answering questions

Of course after this I served rice with milk and cookies because you always have to have something for people to eat.

I feel very happy about the way it turned out. The meetings in the morning are usually really tough because people are busy preparing for the day and working, so I was really satisfied with my turn out. Heck, I was just happy people came and listened. They also seemed to really love the photos of me and my discussion of my life back home in the states. So, I am feeling good about it.

After my meeting, I went to another new volunteer's meeting - Drew- who lives about 45 minutes away. His was awesome! He had a full house. I was really impressed with his turn out. I am also jealous because he was able to schedule his meeting at the same time as a uniform distribution. I really wish I could have done that too. But Drew would have had tons of people regardless, since he is just a rock star worker.

Following the meeting, Anna spent two nights here and then I went back with her to her site on Thursday and stayed until Friday. It was a great visit in general with her, especially because I just had a week of stress leading up to my meeting. So I was so happy to go to her house, have a girls night, eat peanut butter, and do our nails (and other things like that). I did also do some work in that I saw her teach English and dance classes all day in the school, which really helped me visualize myself teaching.

Now I am about to go to the graveyard with my host family to clean some tombs. Here November 1 and 2 are the Dias de Los Muertos where you put tons of flowers on the graves of those who have passed away. Therefore, we are in preparation mode. Following this I am going to visit one of my favorite houses and work on the scholarship application for high school with two of the girls in town.

I have a week left in site before I go to San Vicente for the second part of training. I cannot believe that I am heading back already. I am excited to see my host family there, my fellow trainees, spend some time in an urban area with more access to everything, and also finish with my final part of training. But at the same time I am really sad to be leaving my community and my family here. I feel like I am in Upire mode out here in rural El Salvador and I don't really want to lose that mentality. I am also really going to miss my family and kids in the school out here. But I shall return ready and able to finally work! So that is the most exciting part! :)

Time to clean some tombs. My love to all...

Rain

I wish I could end my lack of blogging streak with a more creative title, post, or even something more interesting to talk about, but unfortunately I cannot. I know I have not blogged in a long time which would typically indicate that I would have something awesome to report. However, the amount of rain has clouded my ability to remember anything else but the never ending freezing cold rain. I will stop the complaining now because this rain that I am referring to has been devastating - leaving thousands people hungry, homeless, and without all of their belongings (including the loss of their crops). So, I will take this time now to be grateful that I live high up here in the mountains in El Salvador and we have escaped this storm relatively unscathed. We are just suffering from icy cold temperatures, a lack of dry clothing, wet/muddy streets, a lack of ability to leave or do anything, cabin fever, and some electricity loss.

Did I mention the cabin fever? Yes, because I think as an American (or just my type A personality) with my constant need to be doing something, the cabin fever has been the worst. We literally have not left our house in about a week. I have done nothing but watch television, read, eat, and sleep. Classes have been canceled all week. And no one really has done much of anything.

At first I thought this was all a little bit of an exaggeration. Canceling classes all week for some rain? But then the reality of the rain and just how debilitating it is here has finally sunk in. I think in my American mind frame there is nothing wrong with a little bit of rain - and even with a lot of rain - generally a lot of business still goes on. But here the situation is very very different. Literally everything shuts down. But I think I can see why: it is not just a little bit of rain like we normally think of it. This is all day all night down pouring. Then on top of that there are no paved roads in my site which means endless mud, landslides, and the inability to go anywhere (of course, kids can't walk to school, buses can't get here, etc). I also have to point out here that none of us had any clothes for the longest time. Now I know this also seems a bit of an odd reason to not do anything, but seriously when you have no clean, dry clothes, can you actually go anywhere? Not really. So, I am actually beginning to understand the seriousness of "a little bit of rain" and just how big of an impact the weather can truly have.

*Here I have to add how point out how amazing it is in the United States the capacity we have to deal with natural disasters (usually) in a really effective way that does not completely shut down the entire country. I also have to mention my love for our paved roads too!*

Because of these things, I think in the United States the weather is sort of an afterthought at times. Yeah, we check it out to see how to dress sometimes, but is it really that big of a deal? We can so easily change our indoor environment to make us more comfortable (a/c, heat, etc). Here the houses are open and the water will get everywhere. Even more importantly when the weather hurts the food supply of a few farmers in the area, everyone suffers. It is truly devastating and I am finally beginning to understand the reason why Salvadorans will talk to you about the weather all day, everyday, multiple times a day! It is truly something to talk about.

Fortunately, I think we have reached the end of the storm. Gracias a Dios!

Yes, this Atheist just thanked God. That is a whole different post, but I have to add here that when you live as I do in an Evangelical community and there is something like this occurring in the country, you have no choice but to pray. And pray we do. However, I actually do not mind the praying. I actually find it to be a very peaceful event. I like when people come together to talk about how much they appreciate one another. I think we can all do more of that even if we are not religious.

I hope everyone is warm and dry in the states. I promise to actually update on my life soon with more to talk about than the rain!

Love,
Jamie

New Address

Send anything!!!!!!! No obligation, of course. But I love mail.

Current wish list if you are feeling awesome:

mixed cds, movies, books (I do have a kindle but still), gum (yes I still love gum), dried fruit, crystal light packets, magazines, anything that reminds me of you. Oh yeah and if you want to copy the new Glee and send it to me too. :) Make my dreams come true.

Jamie Albrecht

Voluntaria de Cuerpo de Paz

Centro Escolar Caserio Upire

Canton Monteca

Nueva Esparta

Departamento la Union

El Salvador, Centro America

Love to all!

Real Peace Corps Volunteer...week 1

I have been a real volunteer for over a week now. I like to say that this also means I have been a real person here in El Salvador for a week too. Training is just not real life with its intense schedules, serious English and gringo time, and hand holding, but that is old news now. I am now here in Northern La Union in Caserio Upire. I am going to do my best to try and describe my new home for the next two years and what I have learned about this place in about a week’s time.

I’ll start with my host family. I live with the school director and her husband and their son. There are two other sons in the states and one daughter and she lives in San Miguel (5 hours away) studying, but she comes home on some weekends. Met her daughter and love her! Missed her so much this past weekend. The school director is the most amazing woman (also my community guide) who practically runs this town. Her name is Nina Maria and she is just impeccable, full of ideas, full of energy, and full of love for her new daughter, yours truly. My host father is also an incredible farmer her in the town. But on top of that he destroys every negative stereotype I have ever had about Salvadoran men. He cooks, cleans, and is super interested in me and my work and he talks to me all the time (every other family I have encountered in homestays, the man never talks). He even refers to me as his daughter already too, which is amazing considering it has been awhile since I have had a father type figure in my life. My host brother is equally respectful and will unfortunately be leaving for university in San Salvador very soon. I will miss him because he likes to talk (and slowly) and play the guitar all the time.

The best part of this week with my family has been going to other places when they call me their daughter. But even better is the fact that my family has blue eyes and light skin (my community is one of the remaining strongholds of European – Salvadoran mixes) so I actually look like them. So all the new people we meet assume I am their other daughter. Awesome! Integration…yes. Even people in the office in San Salvador during counterpart day said, “Oh you guys look so much a like.”

Moving on, my house is almost as amazing as my family. I can’t believe I am going to say this but I have a regular toilet, a regular shower, and a WASHING MACHINE. I am not sure how this is possible and how I got so lucky, but yes I am incredibly lucky. Oh yeah, I also have a big screen television. Seriously?! Am I in El Salvador? Yes, thank you remesas. But on top of that my family as I said runs this town, so they have earned their amazing house in my opinion. And by the way they are treating me I believe they deserve everything in the world. I have never felt so loved and welcomed.

Luckily for me, my community is just as welcoming and loving. I love how I can literally walk up to a random house and they will inundate me with hugs, coffee, lots of food, and friendly conversation. I also have to comment here that my community also rocks because it is super cold (in El Salvador), they grow their coffee (no more café listo), and the tortillas are delectable. Furthermore, my host dad is an amazing farmer (runs in the family) meaning good, strange cheese, lots of corn on the cob (yummy!), and more corn (the real stuff).

I also have to mention another point about my community. My community is very religious and by religious I mean Evangelical. This means no dancing, no playing cards, and dressing super conservatively. But I think I was put here for a lot of reasons including the fact that I don’t drink, I am super oddly curious about religious, and open minded about going to church with them.

In terms of doing my actual job here, things are moving along smoothly so far. Surprisingly, I have been crazy busy thus far. Nina Maria has been keeping me busy with lots of meetings with the students, teachers, directors, doctors, community members, etc. Then other days I went to the Alcaldia (local government), policia, and took a trip with the other teachers and directors to see some indigenous pueblos. With all of this stuff to do I feel like I have been seriously slacking in meeting the people in their houses. The majority of our first two months are supposed to be spent visiting houses and collecting information about them and the status of their house and health. Yeah, I have not done much of that. I have been to quite a few houses, especially because the closest volunteer Anna came these past two days and brought me to her favorite places. She knows a lot about my site because her and the previous volunteer were great friends. I really appreciated getting to know her and her help with some house visits.

But now I am feeling intimidated by the health diagnostic and survey I have to do in every house. I honestly just want to go to houses and introduce myself and talk to people. I don’t really want to sit and ask them about their latest pap smear, but hopefully I can get some help from the local health promoter.

I will admit in addition to feeling intimidated by these house visits, I still feel so new in a way that really challenges my American notions of independence. I really can’t (as in not permitted) to do much on my own yet, so I feel like I really have not explored the community or done anything on my own. I really just want to go out and walk around, but I don’t want to just take off, especially when it feels like Nina Mary always has something to show me or planned. Hopefully with more time I will be able to really figure things out here, how they work, and where everything is.

But I will take this emotions because honestly I feel so well taken care of here. I cannot tell you more how lucky I am to be with this family. And the town too. They loved the old volunteer so much (which is sometimes overwhelming when I think about having such big shoes to fill) but it is also nice because it means they want to care for the new volunteer, me.

How can one possibly feel lonely? Impossible. Just lonely in my gringa-ness, but that’s what the other volunteer friends are for (and we got that cute family cell phone plan).

Saying Goodbye to San Esteban

It is funny how a place can quickly become so near and dear to your heart. I only lived in San Esteban Catarina for a short two months, but for my first two months in a new country I am so happy that I got to know this wonderful little pueblo.

It really hit me how much I loved my time there on the night before my early morning departure when I had to start to say goodbye to friends and family. I can only imagine what it is going to be like leaving after living somewhere for two years given the fact that just after two months my host family cried.

I am just so thankful that I had such a warm and welcome introduction to El Salvador. So thank you, San Esteban Catarina!

Some of my favorite things/moments:
Climbing the cerro (mountain) and overlooking San Vicente
The Neveria (ice cream shoppe)
My host family/friends/youth group/running women!
Our community projects
Playing in the park
The moment when I saw we reached San Esteban every afternoon after riding in a crowded pick up for 30 minutes
Proximity to San Vicente and superselectos (groceries)

Swearing In

I’ll admit I was not really that excited for swearing in. To be honest it felt really anti-climatic. I guess pre Peace Corps I had this notion that this would be the biggest moment of my life considering how long it took to apply, get here, and then finally survive training. Needless to say, I was not too pumped. I think it had to do with the impending stress of living for our sites, the medical session beforehand, some ridiculously placed PC enforced rules about our whereabouts after swearing in, etc. It was looking like swearing in was going to just plain suck… But then I saw our little group of trainees all dressed up. And then it all changed.

Everyone looked absolutely beautiful/handsome. It was amazing to see us all looking so nice for a change (no offense to anyone but we usually look like tired, semi-professional but sloppy, gringos. But this night we looked super sharp. I stop going on about how beautiful we are and move to the fact that the ceremony was also a very big success in my eyes. The ambassador came and not only delivered a nice speech, conducted our oath, but more importantly she stayed afterwards to take lots of pictures with us and talk with our host families. I mean seriously, what a freaking champion of a diplomat. I just cant believe how nice, humble, and down to earth she is. Note to self: when you become an ambassador, be like her. And to top it off, our star gringo Andrew, delivered an amazing speech in Spanish on behalf of all of us. I was just so proud of him and us as a group that I am not ashamed to admit I did that tearing up at a happy moment thing.

Following the ceremony we were locked down in the training center (to avoid the trainees going out and drinking). We had a good time anyway. It was really nice to just to spend the final night together and then hang out in the hotel all night. Because the next morning we headed off to meet our counter parts. But that is another post.

Site Assignment

I can think of nothing more torturous. Try putting 13 trainees in a room after they have just had their Spanish placement interviews (aka stressed out- but I passed with an Intermediate Mid yay) and ask them to wait a few seconds longer for the name of their new home for the next two years. It is downright awful. I think if you had asked us to wait even just an hour more we would have staged a revolt. But nonetheless Peace Corps finally revealed our new homes for the next two years:

That green star all the way up on the right is yours truly. I am heading to Caserio Upire, Canton Monteca, Municipio Nueva Esparta, in the department of La Union. What can I tell you about this little canton in the northeastern region of El Salvador. Well because I just got off the phone with a wonderful volunteer in the area (thanks Anna) I know a little bit more than the information Peace Corps gave me in the “Welcome to your New Home” packet. So I have some wonderful information that I could share about my site, but I feel as though I should get there first and make my own observations and then report back to you all.

But here is what I will tell you. If you cannot tell from the pictures of the maps my site is REALLY far away. And I am not sure that the map conveys adequately just how far I am. For some reference, I am 8 hours or more from the capital, 1.5 hours from the nearest market, 3 hours from the nearest supermarket and atm, and 5 hours from San Miguel (closest Peace Corps hospital). My site is cold (for El Salvador) and mountainous, which is music to my ears (hiking and the ability to sleep at night because I am not dying of sweat). I look forward to the moment here when I actually put a blanket over me because I feel cold. It relies heavily on cattle ranching (hello dairy), coffee plantations (thank goodness), agriculture, and remittances. Finally, I am going to live in a canton of about 300 families. It has a school to grade nine and the school principal is my host mom (who is apparently the most amazing woman in the world).

That is essentially the information that Peace Corps gave me. And that is what I will give you (for now). The next time I write about my community it will come from my own feelings, observations, and acquired knowledge. Get ready! I know I sure am.

I know I just wrote “I know I am ready” but in a lot of ways I am not. I don’t want to pretend like it is that simple. In reality I am terribly nervous and anxious. I am about to make a big change and this time it’s the big league. Of course, I want to start but those first tough months in site are coming up and knowing that now is making me even more apprehensive of leaving the comfort of training, San Esteban, and my gringo friends.

But that is what this adventure is all about. See ya later, comfort zone.